Greetings,
So, it's Tom Hiddleston's birthday today, apparently. How do I know this? One word: Twitter. Yes, it would seem that many of his fans have been preparing for this day for a while, making plans to celebrate in their own special ways. And when I say "special" I certainly don't mean "disturbing". At least, not in most cases, though I'm sure the disturbing ones exist. What were we talking about again? Oh, yeah. Hiddleston. Look, I am more than happy to admit that I am a great admirer of his work. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that he cares a great deal about what he does, which makes him a rarity these days. Also, he likes books and poetry and he seems to be terrible at math, so we have some things in common. Back to his acting. Whilst many people know his from his work with Marvel (I plead the fifth on my feelings about that), he has done some great stuff outside of that "universe". Anyone who follows movie news will know that he has several upcoming projects, but today, I've decided to go back in time a bit to when he was merely on the cusp of the insane success that lay ahead. So, for my own special and hopefully not disturbing way of celebrating Tom's birthday, let's talk about Archipelago.
Archipelago is a 2010 film about a family on a vacation on the lovely island of Tresco, where they are forced to deal with some issues whilst there. The story is seen mostly through the eyes of Edward, the character that Tom plays. He is a young man about to head off to Africa in order to help with AIDS education. His mother, Patricia, played by Kate Fahy, seems to be proud of him and appears, at least, somewhat supportive. On the other hand, his sister, Cynthia, played by Lydia Leonard, does not exactly feel the same way. To say the very least. Hats off to this actress, by the way. She has mastered the art of being condescending. Oh, yeah. You sound really happy for him.
So, yes, there is quite a bit of anxiety on this family outing. There's clearly love, as well, but also tension. Some of it stemming from Cynthia's disdain for her brother's life choices; some of it from Edward's disappointment in not being able to invite his longtime girlfriend to what has been deemed a family trip. That's right, little brother. You cannot have your girlfriend of a year and a half on this trip to spend time with her before you leave for Africa for eleven months. She's not family. Besides, we need room for this artist guy who's going to teach mother to paint. Also, we've got the cook we hired even though there are only three of us here. Yeah, that happens. And I am rather okay with it because it lets us get some good performances from Christopher Baker and Amy Lloyd, who play Christopher the artist and Rose the cook, respectively.
Now there's not much I can tell you all about the plot, nor would I want to do so. See, this film is, in my opinion, far more character driven than plot driven. The happenings go from internal to external, with the people affecting their surroundings rather than the other way around, like many movies do. Frankly, I adore this method, and it seems like one that Joanna Hogg, the director, does quite well. When you gather up a great script and great actors to deliver it, you won't need a lot of other things getting in the way of the character development. And this film really is so much about these characters evolving and opening up about their feelings, for better or worse. I love that. I love getting into characters heads and seeing how they change and act based on little more than their reactions to each other. That is not an easy thing to do, and it certainly isn't an easy thing to do well. So, no problem where that is concerned.
And while we're here, I'd like to talk a little about the look of this film. According to my info, they shot it on location, and it is beautiful. It's realistically beautiful, to be precise. I mean, I have seen movies that are extremely gorgeous to a point where they appear a bit fake. Here, this looks like an actual place. An actual, lovely place, that you can go to and it will look exactly as you expect based on these visuals. I suppose the subtlety of them lends itself quite well to much of the subtlety contained in this film. Oh, and I love the house they shot in. It's so quaint. And when I say quaint, I also mean small. And when I say small, I mean it is kind of amusing to watch Tom have to duck to get through all the doorways. Perhaps, it's symbolism, like he just doesn't fit. Or something.
If it's not obvious, I am certainly recommending Archipelago. And not just to the Hiddlestoners. No, this is the kind of movie that everyone needs to watch in order to appreciate the art of exquisite film making, and so you can see how having a strong foundation can affect the work that is done. If you like a film with stellar acting, writing and directing, where you can sit there and slowly but surely get drawn in to the lives of the characters, this should definitely be on your To See list. It's actually one of my favorite movies, and it is definitely my favorite from our lovely, leading man.
So, once again, happy birthday to Tom Hiddleston. It's the least I can do for you, sir. No, I mean it. Writing something for/about you is literally the least I can do, since I cannot afford to get you that Jaguar that you have been so obviously hinting at.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, February 9, 2015
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Top Ten Worst Hit Songs of 1961
Greetings,
And for the Worst songs of a year I did not have the pleasure(?) to live through. So, here's the thing about the music of this time period. Yes, there was good stuff. I think I proved that yesterday. But much was not so good. Actually, a lot of it was unmemorable and samey sounding. That is, when it wasn't being downright ridiculous. The bad kind of ridiculous. I'm convinced that some of these songs were written by people who spent hours sitting in front of those newfangled microwaves, totally amazed by what they were seeing. But I digress. Let's just get this thing over with. Worst Hit Songs of 1961. According to me, anyway.
#10. "Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp) Barry Mann - I've promised to always be honest with you all when I make these lists, but sometimes it's difficult. Like right now, for example. I absolutely LOATHE having to put Barry Mann on here. Don't know who he is? Well, he just happened to write some of the greatest songs ever heard, including my favorite songs by The Righteous Brothers AND The Monkees. Including a song on my best of this year list that I did yesterday. He wrote "Somewhere Out There" from American Tail for crying out loud! I love this guy, but I have always not loved this song. I'm sorry, Barry. Everyone is allowed to write something not so good, and, for me, it's this one. I know some people love it, but I just can't
#9. "Travelin' Man" Ricky Nelson - Say, have you heard about loose men? Yes? Well, here's their theme song. Actually, it's more like an early theme song. There would be more to come. But, seriously, this song is all about a guy who's got women in every port, so to speak. Not cool, man. Not cool. Also, some of the lyrics make me uncomfortable. Like how he refers to certain women based on where they come from. Oh, well, it was the early sixties. It's low on the list, because the music is okay, but...yeah, uncomfortable.
#8. "Where the Boys Are" Connie Francis - Here's a question, Connie. Why are YOU waiting for some man? Perhaps, you got an early release of Twilight, but don't believe the whole "life begins at man" thing.
#7. "Last Night" The Mar-Keys - There was a huge trend on this year's charts - instrumentals. I kid you not. It felt like every other song on there was a no lyric tune. Nothing wrong with that, per se. I personally like some instrumental artists. But these ones? I think I could have picked any of them, but I think this was the worst. It was so repetitive, to a nauseating degree. And I know I shouldn't blame the song in its day for this, but it's one of those stock songs that has been used a million times in movies and TV, so I am sick of it.
#6. "Let's Twist Again" Chubby Checker - Remember how I said something about songs being samey sounding? Yeah, why again did we need another song about doing The Twist? Way to capitalize. I guess it was just Chubby Checker's thing. He had a lot of songs that were about dance crazes, or attempted dance crazes. But I just don't get this one.
#5. "Mother In Law" Ernie K-Doe - Something about this song made me uncomfortable. Hmm, there's seems to be a lot of that going around. It was not the fact that he took a common sitcom joke and turned it into a song. And, yes, I think it was already common even at this point. No, I think it was when he referred to the titular mother-in-law...as SATAN! What is wrong with this song?!
#4. "Baby Sittin' Boogie" Buzz Clifford - Baby sounds. Gross, gurgling, baby sounds. That was the gimmick of this thing. You have GOT to be kidding me!
#3. "Michael" The Highwaymen - Yes, this is "Michael" as in "Michael, row the boat ashore". I don't know if there has ever been a contest for the World's Most Boring song, but I feel like this one might win.
#2. "The Boll Weevil Song" Brook Benton - Okay, I can enjoy a good story song as much as anyone. I happen to think it takes a lot of talent and creativity to do one. But...a boll weevil?! A song about a boll weevil?! I just...WHAT! And then, this lightning bug shows up and they start talking! I just don't get it. Look, I'm sorry if there's some deep meaning behind it that I'm just not getting, which is probably the case and everyone is going to be mad at me. But seriously, was there not a better way to relay the message?
#1. "Does Your Chewing Gum Lost Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Overnight?) Lonnie Donegan - This is a joke, right? And I don't mean a "Ha Ha" funny joke, because this song is not funny. I mean, like are we getting punked with this one? I don't what you were on when you wrote this, person who wrote this whoever you are, but I think you got a bad batch. And who would have a choir singing this at their wedding?! I just...I can't....AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!
Okay, I'm done with this year. Listen up, youngsters. The next time that Mom or Dad or Grandma and Grandpa try to tell you how much better muic was in their day, I give you permission to use this list as ammunition. But do it respectfully, of course. That is one thing their generation did better.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
And for the Worst songs of a year I did not have the pleasure(?) to live through. So, here's the thing about the music of this time period. Yes, there was good stuff. I think I proved that yesterday. But much was not so good. Actually, a lot of it was unmemorable and samey sounding. That is, when it wasn't being downright ridiculous. The bad kind of ridiculous. I'm convinced that some of these songs were written by people who spent hours sitting in front of those newfangled microwaves, totally amazed by what they were seeing. But I digress. Let's just get this thing over with. Worst Hit Songs of 1961. According to me, anyway.
#10. "Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp) Barry Mann - I've promised to always be honest with you all when I make these lists, but sometimes it's difficult. Like right now, for example. I absolutely LOATHE having to put Barry Mann on here. Don't know who he is? Well, he just happened to write some of the greatest songs ever heard, including my favorite songs by The Righteous Brothers AND The Monkees. Including a song on my best of this year list that I did yesterday. He wrote "Somewhere Out There" from American Tail for crying out loud! I love this guy, but I have always not loved this song. I'm sorry, Barry. Everyone is allowed to write something not so good, and, for me, it's this one. I know some people love it, but I just can't
#9. "Travelin' Man" Ricky Nelson - Say, have you heard about loose men? Yes? Well, here's their theme song. Actually, it's more like an early theme song. There would be more to come. But, seriously, this song is all about a guy who's got women in every port, so to speak. Not cool, man. Not cool. Also, some of the lyrics make me uncomfortable. Like how he refers to certain women based on where they come from. Oh, well, it was the early sixties. It's low on the list, because the music is okay, but...yeah, uncomfortable.
#8. "Where the Boys Are" Connie Francis - Here's a question, Connie. Why are YOU waiting for some man? Perhaps, you got an early release of Twilight, but don't believe the whole "life begins at man" thing.
#7. "Last Night" The Mar-Keys - There was a huge trend on this year's charts - instrumentals. I kid you not. It felt like every other song on there was a no lyric tune. Nothing wrong with that, per se. I personally like some instrumental artists. But these ones? I think I could have picked any of them, but I think this was the worst. It was so repetitive, to a nauseating degree. And I know I shouldn't blame the song in its day for this, but it's one of those stock songs that has been used a million times in movies and TV, so I am sick of it.
#6. "Let's Twist Again" Chubby Checker - Remember how I said something about songs being samey sounding? Yeah, why again did we need another song about doing The Twist? Way to capitalize. I guess it was just Chubby Checker's thing. He had a lot of songs that were about dance crazes, or attempted dance crazes. But I just don't get this one.
#5. "Mother In Law" Ernie K-Doe - Something about this song made me uncomfortable. Hmm, there's seems to be a lot of that going around. It was not the fact that he took a common sitcom joke and turned it into a song. And, yes, I think it was already common even at this point. No, I think it was when he referred to the titular mother-in-law...as SATAN! What is wrong with this song?!
#4. "Baby Sittin' Boogie" Buzz Clifford - Baby sounds. Gross, gurgling, baby sounds. That was the gimmick of this thing. You have GOT to be kidding me!
#3. "Michael" The Highwaymen - Yes, this is "Michael" as in "Michael, row the boat ashore". I don't know if there has ever been a contest for the World's Most Boring song, but I feel like this one might win.
#2. "The Boll Weevil Song" Brook Benton - Okay, I can enjoy a good story song as much as anyone. I happen to think it takes a lot of talent and creativity to do one. But...a boll weevil?! A song about a boll weevil?! I just...WHAT! And then, this lightning bug shows up and they start talking! I just don't get it. Look, I'm sorry if there's some deep meaning behind it that I'm just not getting, which is probably the case and everyone is going to be mad at me. But seriously, was there not a better way to relay the message?
#1. "Does Your Chewing Gum Lost Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Overnight?) Lonnie Donegan - This is a joke, right? And I don't mean a "Ha Ha" funny joke, because this song is not funny. I mean, like are we getting punked with this one? I don't what you were on when you wrote this, person who wrote this whoever you are, but I think you got a bad batch. And who would have a choir singing this at their wedding?! I just...I can't....AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!
Okay, I'm done with this year. Listen up, youngsters. The next time that Mom or Dad or Grandma and Grandpa try to tell you how much better muic was in their day, I give you permission to use this list as ammunition. But do it respectfully, of course. That is one thing their generation did better.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, February 2, 2015
Top Ten Best Hit Songs of 1961
Greetings,
Okay, I know I just did a Best/Worst Hit Songs list for 2014 very recently, and I don't like to do them so close together. However, I promised someone last year that I was going to do 1961 at some point, so I figured why not now. And this will be interesting because I think it's the first time I covered a year that I was not around for. This particular year was a tad difficult to deal with, though.
The world of music, especially popular music, has had its mountains and valleys. Around this time, it was a bit of a valley. This was before The Beatles, it had been a mere two years since the loss of promising acts Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, and Elvis was only sort of present but not nearly as much as he had once been. Everything was mostly...meh. Some was awful, but we'll get to that tomorrow. Today, let's concentrate on the good stuff I could find in my perpetual source, the Billboard Year End Chart. And now for my personal Top Ten Best Hit Songs of 1961.
#10."Without You" John Tillotson- As much as I like older music, I actually only knew about half of the songs on the chart for this year. This is one I didn't know. However, after taking a listen, I ended up really liking it. If for no other reason than the fantastic hook. Still, it only made it to Number Ten because it had that dreaded thing that I think started in the previous decade - talking. You know, having some spoken word lines in lieu of a bridge? Not good. Ever. Not even with Boys II Men.
#9. "Wings of a Dove" Ferlin Husky - First of all, this guy has an awesome name. Second, I have a question. You know how country music of today is constantly pretending to be something it's not? Like, say...hip-hop? Well, back in the day, country music liked to pretend a lot that it was gospel. Difference is, it worked back then. My, how times have changed. I don't know if they'd ever let a song like this on the charts now. What a loss.
#8. "There's a Moon Out Tonight" The Capris - So, who was Frankie Valli before we had Frankie Valli? I'd say whoever was hitting the falsettos in this song. And there's really nothing like a good love song with the word "moon" in the title. I think we may have had one or two of those.
#7. "Quarter to Three" Gary U.S. Bonds - I've always liked Gary U.S. Bonds. He's a cool dude, and he knew how to make a good dance song. This one here is no different. I absolutely love the music, the beat is stellar and it's just so feel-good. That seemed to be the theme, or the attempted of this time in music. Stock piling, perhaps, for what was to come. But this song certainly does a great job of lifting spirits. Even if it's done on a somewhat superficial level. Yeah, that's right. You dance to the sax, my children.
#6. "Spanish Harlem" Ben E. King - I assume most people would have chosen "Stand By Me" as the Ben E. King song de l'annee, and no doubt, that one is good. But, as a lyric snob, I absolutely love how picturesque the words are to the one I've chosen. Believe it or not, unique creativity and quality don't always go hand in hand, but it was done near perfectly here.
#5. "Runaround Sue" Dion - That's right, boys. Listen to Uncle Dion and stay away from the town skank. What? That's exactly what this song is about. They're not even trying to give us the "runaround" (Heh, heh) on this one. Plus, it's Dion, so what more do you what?
#4. "Bless You" Tony Orlando - Hey, remember that chick Sue I was just talking about? Well, guess who dated her when he was a teenager? Tony Orlando! Okay, to be fair, I don't know if real-life Sue was the woman in the story of the song, or if they wrote it, needed a name and decided on hers. I hope it's the latter. But moving on, "Bless You" was recorded by Tony Orlando when he was only sixteen years old. Amazing! And what a voice! Even without Dawn backing him up. Not that it hurt.
#3. "I Fall to Pieces" Patsy Cline - Yeah, I don't care what anyone says or what comparisons are attempted to be made, there is no one like Patsy Cline. I remember someone describing a teardrop in her voice, and I agree. She could certainly make anyone listening feel something. Unfortunately, in this case, what we felt was depressed. Hey, it's a downer song. What do you want? But, frankly, I'd rather be depressed by Patsy than overjoyed by any "artist" these days.
#2. "Crying" Roy Orbison - Speaking of depressing...another heartbreak song!? I guess there were a lot of these to counter balance all the giddy, possibly even silly, music people were making. But again, Roy Orbison sang with so much devastating emotion that it almost made you thrilled to be sad. Only the greats can make you do that, and he was one of them.
#1. "Runaway" Del Shannon - I don't know why, but I have never not loved this song. Maybe it was his voice, which, by the way, is one of the most underrated in music history. Maybe it was the melody, or that awesomely memorable Musitron (Google it). Who cares? All I know is that of all the songs I heard from this year, "Runaway" is my absolute favorite.
So, there are my personal Best of 1961. Join me tomorrow as I reveal my personal Worst.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Okay, I know I just did a Best/Worst Hit Songs list for 2014 very recently, and I don't like to do them so close together. However, I promised someone last year that I was going to do 1961 at some point, so I figured why not now. And this will be interesting because I think it's the first time I covered a year that I was not around for. This particular year was a tad difficult to deal with, though.
The world of music, especially popular music, has had its mountains and valleys. Around this time, it was a bit of a valley. This was before The Beatles, it had been a mere two years since the loss of promising acts Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, and Elvis was only sort of present but not nearly as much as he had once been. Everything was mostly...meh. Some was awful, but we'll get to that tomorrow. Today, let's concentrate on the good stuff I could find in my perpetual source, the Billboard Year End Chart. And now for my personal Top Ten Best Hit Songs of 1961.
#10."Without You" John Tillotson- As much as I like older music, I actually only knew about half of the songs on the chart for this year. This is one I didn't know. However, after taking a listen, I ended up really liking it. If for no other reason than the fantastic hook. Still, it only made it to Number Ten because it had that dreaded thing that I think started in the previous decade - talking. You know, having some spoken word lines in lieu of a bridge? Not good. Ever. Not even with Boys II Men.
#9. "Wings of a Dove" Ferlin Husky - First of all, this guy has an awesome name. Second, I have a question. You know how country music of today is constantly pretending to be something it's not? Like, say...hip-hop? Well, back in the day, country music liked to pretend a lot that it was gospel. Difference is, it worked back then. My, how times have changed. I don't know if they'd ever let a song like this on the charts now. What a loss.
#8. "There's a Moon Out Tonight" The Capris - So, who was Frankie Valli before we had Frankie Valli? I'd say whoever was hitting the falsettos in this song. And there's really nothing like a good love song with the word "moon" in the title. I think we may have had one or two of those.
#7. "Quarter to Three" Gary U.S. Bonds - I've always liked Gary U.S. Bonds. He's a cool dude, and he knew how to make a good dance song. This one here is no different. I absolutely love the music, the beat is stellar and it's just so feel-good. That seemed to be the theme, or the attempted of this time in music. Stock piling, perhaps, for what was to come. But this song certainly does a great job of lifting spirits. Even if it's done on a somewhat superficial level. Yeah, that's right. You dance to the sax, my children.
#6. "Spanish Harlem" Ben E. King - I assume most people would have chosen "Stand By Me" as the Ben E. King song de l'annee, and no doubt, that one is good. But, as a lyric snob, I absolutely love how picturesque the words are to the one I've chosen. Believe it or not, unique creativity and quality don't always go hand in hand, but it was done near perfectly here.
#5. "Runaround Sue" Dion - That's right, boys. Listen to Uncle Dion and stay away from the town skank. What? That's exactly what this song is about. They're not even trying to give us the "runaround" (Heh, heh) on this one. Plus, it's Dion, so what more do you what?
#4. "Bless You" Tony Orlando - Hey, remember that chick Sue I was just talking about? Well, guess who dated her when he was a teenager? Tony Orlando! Okay, to be fair, I don't know if real-life Sue was the woman in the story of the song, or if they wrote it, needed a name and decided on hers. I hope it's the latter. But moving on, "Bless You" was recorded by Tony Orlando when he was only sixteen years old. Amazing! And what a voice! Even without Dawn backing him up. Not that it hurt.
#3. "I Fall to Pieces" Patsy Cline - Yeah, I don't care what anyone says or what comparisons are attempted to be made, there is no one like Patsy Cline. I remember someone describing a teardrop in her voice, and I agree. She could certainly make anyone listening feel something. Unfortunately, in this case, what we felt was depressed. Hey, it's a downer song. What do you want? But, frankly, I'd rather be depressed by Patsy than overjoyed by any "artist" these days.
#2. "Crying" Roy Orbison - Speaking of depressing...another heartbreak song!? I guess there were a lot of these to counter balance all the giddy, possibly even silly, music people were making. But again, Roy Orbison sang with so much devastating emotion that it almost made you thrilled to be sad. Only the greats can make you do that, and he was one of them.
#1. "Runaway" Del Shannon - I don't know why, but I have never not loved this song. Maybe it was his voice, which, by the way, is one of the most underrated in music history. Maybe it was the melody, or that awesomely memorable Musitron (Google it). Who cares? All I know is that of all the songs I heard from this year, "Runaway" is my absolute favorite.
So, there are my personal Best of 1961. Join me tomorrow as I reveal my personal Worst.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Frank - Music Movie Review
Greetings,
Okay, let's just get this out of the way. Yes, this movie is a little weird. Actually, when I bring it up to people, their inquiry is concerning whether or not it is. Whilst I'm happy to see that they aren't judging a book by its cover, so to speak, this thing has Micheal Fassbender wearing a Stewie Griffin: Age 30 helmet on his head. Do you think it might be a tad on the odd side? Yeah. But that's not all there is to it. And no, they don't refer to it as a Stewie Griffin helmet, unless I missed that part. That's just how I see it. I can't be the only one. But more on the whole head thing later. So let's talk about Frank.
Frank is a 2014 indie film about a guy who joins a band of misfits, to say the least, but that guy is not Frank. Even though some people may disagree, I do not believe that the titular character is the main character. No, I would give that honor to Jon played by Domhnall Gleeson. He is an aspiring songwriter, who is...well, he's not exactly "good" at it, but he tries really hard. After meeting a guy named Don, played by Scoot McNairy, Jon is invited to play keyboards with a band Don manages. He accepts, but finds out that this band is not your average musical act, and it certainly is not full of your average people.
First, there's Clara, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, who is not the nicest person in the world, but seems very protective of her band members, almost to a vicious degree. Also, she plays the theremin, because why not? Then, there's Baraque, played by Francois Civil, the french Bass player, who barely speaks English but still manages to find ways to communicate. We have Nana, played by Carla Azar, who barely speaks at all. And finally, there's Frank, played by Michael Fassbender as I mentioned. He's the leader of the band and is thought of by some as a musical genius, though most people just find him strange, possibly frightening. And, again as I said, he wears a huge paper mache head all the time. ALL the time.
Anyway, that first show goes a bit awry, and most of the band is not fond of Jon. But Frank decides to make him a permanent member of the group, which leads to all of them heading off to a cabin in the woods to record an album. They stay there far longer than Jon had expected, and they are forced to go through some difficult, even tragic, times there. All the while, Jon has been sharing their progress with the outside world, hoping to lead them to some real success. He keeps his hopes of being a legitimate songwriter, much like the way that Frank keeps his enthusiasm about their music, despite the problems they encounter.
Once their time in the cabin is over, we follow them as they move on to what the future holds for them, or what it doesn't hold. And things get even crazier, to put it mildly. Eventually, we start to see all the characters for who they really are and learn the truths that they weren't willing to tell anyone, even themselves. But somehow this leads to them finding their way and their place in the world, as out of place as those places may be. Yeah, I just said that.
Okay, so let's talk about Frank and his head, since this is what most likely attracts people to the movie in the first place. It becomes quite clear early on that Frank is not "normal", but you wonder exactly what it is that makes him the way he is. Also, you may start to wonder if he truly is a musical genius and we're all just not smart enough to get it. Turns out that the character was inspired by a few people. First off, a comedian named Chris Sievy, who has an alter ego of sorts called Frank Sidebottom. And if you see the pictures of him, you will definitely see the inspiration. As far as music influence goes, there appears to be some similarities to Captain Beefheart, but also a guy named Daniel Johnston. Out of those three, Johnston is the only one I know about in depth, having seen a great documentary about him. Actually, when I first saw Frank, I was curious if this character was at all based on Daniel Johnston. Mission accomplished, I guess. Come to think of it, I see his music and the music that Frank made as something that forces the listener to be honest in their reaction. It's easy to say what we think when everyone else already has an opinion and we can just take a side based on how popular or unpopular we want to be, rather than saying how we really feel. But with these guys, no one knows what to think, so we have to decide for ourselves. Just a thought.
And some of you may be curious about the casting of Michael Fassbender in this. Like why hire a guy who attracts many women to see his films because of his face and...well...other parts, to play a character who has his face covered for most of the movie? Well, that's easy. If there is one thing we women like more than a hot guy, it's a project. And Frank is kind of a "hug him and make it all better" type of character. That might have something to do with it. Not to say all women are like that. But, admit it, some are. I certainly am. Although, in all seriousness, I will say that this is easily my favorite performance by Michael Fassbender. Probably because I'm strange, too. He manages to balance the drama, the comedy, the sadness and the joy of the character quite flawlessly. I imagine it did not hurt to have such a stellar supporting cast.
Oh, I guess I should talk about the actual music in this thing, since I am referring to it as a Music Movie. Well, it's what you would expect from some experimental band that people just don't get, so I'd say it fits perfectly. Of course, the last song we hear does feel a bit different. More accessible, I suppose. Perhaps, that was a conscious decision, since there was much talk in the story of Frank trying to write a "likable" song.
Anyway, I know I called this movie weird, and I suppose that is true. But maybe a better word is quirky. Mostly because I've always defined quirky as weird plus lovable, and Frank is certainly that. They could have just made this a straight up, bizarre, artsy film, but it's not just that. It really does have a lot of heart to it, especially near the end. So, you might cringe with a "What the neck is up with this thing?" look on your face a bit, but you will also have your heartstrings tugged a little, too. Sounds good to me.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Okay, let's just get this out of the way. Yes, this movie is a little weird. Actually, when I bring it up to people, their inquiry is concerning whether or not it is. Whilst I'm happy to see that they aren't judging a book by its cover, so to speak, this thing has Micheal Fassbender wearing a Stewie Griffin: Age 30 helmet on his head. Do you think it might be a tad on the odd side? Yeah. But that's not all there is to it. And no, they don't refer to it as a Stewie Griffin helmet, unless I missed that part. That's just how I see it. I can't be the only one. But more on the whole head thing later. So let's talk about Frank.
Frank is a 2014 indie film about a guy who joins a band of misfits, to say the least, but that guy is not Frank. Even though some people may disagree, I do not believe that the titular character is the main character. No, I would give that honor to Jon played by Domhnall Gleeson. He is an aspiring songwriter, who is...well, he's not exactly "good" at it, but he tries really hard. After meeting a guy named Don, played by Scoot McNairy, Jon is invited to play keyboards with a band Don manages. He accepts, but finds out that this band is not your average musical act, and it certainly is not full of your average people.
First, there's Clara, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, who is not the nicest person in the world, but seems very protective of her band members, almost to a vicious degree. Also, she plays the theremin, because why not? Then, there's Baraque, played by Francois Civil, the french Bass player, who barely speaks English but still manages to find ways to communicate. We have Nana, played by Carla Azar, who barely speaks at all. And finally, there's Frank, played by Michael Fassbender as I mentioned. He's the leader of the band and is thought of by some as a musical genius, though most people just find him strange, possibly frightening. And, again as I said, he wears a huge paper mache head all the time. ALL the time.
Anyway, that first show goes a bit awry, and most of the band is not fond of Jon. But Frank decides to make him a permanent member of the group, which leads to all of them heading off to a cabin in the woods to record an album. They stay there far longer than Jon had expected, and they are forced to go through some difficult, even tragic, times there. All the while, Jon has been sharing their progress with the outside world, hoping to lead them to some real success. He keeps his hopes of being a legitimate songwriter, much like the way that Frank keeps his enthusiasm about their music, despite the problems they encounter.
Once their time in the cabin is over, we follow them as they move on to what the future holds for them, or what it doesn't hold. And things get even crazier, to put it mildly. Eventually, we start to see all the characters for who they really are and learn the truths that they weren't willing to tell anyone, even themselves. But somehow this leads to them finding their way and their place in the world, as out of place as those places may be. Yeah, I just said that.
Okay, so let's talk about Frank and his head, since this is what most likely attracts people to the movie in the first place. It becomes quite clear early on that Frank is not "normal", but you wonder exactly what it is that makes him the way he is. Also, you may start to wonder if he truly is a musical genius and we're all just not smart enough to get it. Turns out that the character was inspired by a few people. First off, a comedian named Chris Sievy, who has an alter ego of sorts called Frank Sidebottom. And if you see the pictures of him, you will definitely see the inspiration. As far as music influence goes, there appears to be some similarities to Captain Beefheart, but also a guy named Daniel Johnston. Out of those three, Johnston is the only one I know about in depth, having seen a great documentary about him. Actually, when I first saw Frank, I was curious if this character was at all based on Daniel Johnston. Mission accomplished, I guess. Come to think of it, I see his music and the music that Frank made as something that forces the listener to be honest in their reaction. It's easy to say what we think when everyone else already has an opinion and we can just take a side based on how popular or unpopular we want to be, rather than saying how we really feel. But with these guys, no one knows what to think, so we have to decide for ourselves. Just a thought.
And some of you may be curious about the casting of Michael Fassbender in this. Like why hire a guy who attracts many women to see his films because of his face and...well...other parts, to play a character who has his face covered for most of the movie? Well, that's easy. If there is one thing we women like more than a hot guy, it's a project. And Frank is kind of a "hug him and make it all better" type of character. That might have something to do with it. Not to say all women are like that. But, admit it, some are. I certainly am. Although, in all seriousness, I will say that this is easily my favorite performance by Michael Fassbender. Probably because I'm strange, too. He manages to balance the drama, the comedy, the sadness and the joy of the character quite flawlessly. I imagine it did not hurt to have such a stellar supporting cast.
Oh, I guess I should talk about the actual music in this thing, since I am referring to it as a Music Movie. Well, it's what you would expect from some experimental band that people just don't get, so I'd say it fits perfectly. Of course, the last song we hear does feel a bit different. More accessible, I suppose. Perhaps, that was a conscious decision, since there was much talk in the story of Frank trying to write a "likable" song.
Anyway, I know I called this movie weird, and I suppose that is true. But maybe a better word is quirky. Mostly because I've always defined quirky as weird plus lovable, and Frank is certainly that. They could have just made this a straight up, bizarre, artsy film, but it's not just that. It really does have a lot of heart to it, especially near the end. So, you might cringe with a "What the neck is up with this thing?" look on your face a bit, but you will also have your heartstrings tugged a little, too. Sounds good to me.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, January 22, 2015
The One Seasoner's Club - Law & Order: Los Angeles
Greetings,
Some of you may recall that, last year, I dedicated an entire month to the awesomeness that is Law & Order. I put in a lot of work to honor that show and everyone involved with it, and I am so glad I did. So, clearly, there is not a single thing I could say against that show or anything that may have spawned from it. Yeah, so let's talk about Law & Order: Los Angeles.
Okay, back story time. I think most fans of Law & Order were upset about how the show ended. Not that the last episode or the last season weren't good. They were extremely good, actually, but they weren't FINALES! You get me. This show was on for twenty years! They deserved something more grand than what they got. Turns out, as the twentieth season ended, they were 'on the bubble', but someone thought that, instead of giving them one more, record-breaking, proper final season, they would much rather focus time and money on a new leg of the franchise. NO! And that's how we got Law & Order: Los Angeles. I mean, I assume. I wasn't in any meetings or anything.
Look, I'm not going to go too in depth about this show, because I can barely remember anything about it. Yes, I tried to re-watch via Netflix, but it just made me sad. Though maybe not for the reasons you would suspect. More on that later. Anyway, I don't know why someone though it was a good idea to move the franchise to Los Angeles. Seems to me that Law & Order has always been defined as a New York City show, and that was one of the best things about it. I know what you're thinking. Yes, I am a fan of Law & Order: UK, so doesn't that make me sound hypocritical. Perhaps, until you remember that Law & Order: UK takes place in London, which is just New York with more tea. So, there's that. Besides, this franchise was always divided by different types of cops or different aspects of the legal system. Location was a C.S.I thing. So, what the heck is up with that?
Okay, let's talk a little about the cast. To be fair, they did not slack off when it came to getting some great actors to be in this series. Most notably were the presences of Skeet Ulrich, Terrence Howard and the always fantastic Alfred Molina. But we also got a familiar face in my girl Alana De La Garza, who played Connie Rubirosa on the original series. Apparently, they were trying to use the same tactics for this that they used for SVU, which was getting someone from the original to either be a regular cast member or to just randomly show up numerous times during the first season. I guess it eased the transition. Not so much in this case, though. Still, I have no beef with this aspect of the show. Every one of these actors did a wonderful job.
And I also have no problem with the writing, which you all know I am a snob about, usually. It was fine. The stories were fine. Everything was just fine. I mean, it was still under the Law & Order umbrella, so it could never be that bad. But, as it turns out, it wasn't good enough. At least, not for the network.
So, what led to the cancellation? Well, it had a strong start. I think that was mostly due to fans of the original, like me, hoping for...something. Just hoping. But then, it got moved around and taken away, only to be brought back after a little revamping. Still, all of that wasn't enough to keep people interested. Therefore, Dick Wolf and everyone pulled a "Hey, we tried" and let it go. It happens. Bottom line, as good as the good parts were, as a whole, it just wasn't strong enough.
Now for the burning question of this series of mine - did it deserve a second season? I have to say this is a hard one for me. In and of itself, this was not a bad show. I've seen much, MUCH worse shows last much, MUCH longer. I'm just not sure if I was interested in seeing more, but I think that has more to do with things surrounding this series. Particularly how it connected to the end of original Law & Order. Part of me wanted this L.A. version to last a while. Why? Well, then the cancellation of the original would not have been kind of in vain. The L.A. version lasted but one year, so, in hindsight, would it not have not have been better to give us all one more year of the original? And as hindsight is 20/20, I suspect some people in the franchise wish that they would have gone that route instead. And it didn't even have to be a whole, 22-24 episode season. I would have been happy with a half season or thirteen episodes. Anything that could have been touted as a grand finale for a legendary show. Instead, they rolled the dice on something knew, and kinda crapped out. Now we have this one season show that was, and I hate to be mean by saying this, a bit pointless in the long run, instead of a memorable end to a downright masterpiece. I will say this, however. At least, they did try. They worked at this show, wanting to make it a success. So, I cannot really fault anyone involved for putting forth some effort to make it worthwhile. And considering how complacent and apathetic everyone in the TV world appears to be these days, that is a huge compliment.
Okay, let me wrap this up. In good conscience, I can't recommend this show, nor can I not recommend it. I'm just so indifferent to it as a whole. I don't love it. I don't hate it. I just have no emotional attachment to it. I guess I...nothing Law & Order: Los Angeles. So, whether or not you check it out on DVD or wherever, that's entirely up to you.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Some of you may recall that, last year, I dedicated an entire month to the awesomeness that is Law & Order. I put in a lot of work to honor that show and everyone involved with it, and I am so glad I did. So, clearly, there is not a single thing I could say against that show or anything that may have spawned from it. Yeah, so let's talk about Law & Order: Los Angeles.
Okay, back story time. I think most fans of Law & Order were upset about how the show ended. Not that the last episode or the last season weren't good. They were extremely good, actually, but they weren't FINALES! You get me. This show was on for twenty years! They deserved something more grand than what they got. Turns out, as the twentieth season ended, they were 'on the bubble', but someone thought that, instead of giving them one more, record-breaking, proper final season, they would much rather focus time and money on a new leg of the franchise. NO! And that's how we got Law & Order: Los Angeles. I mean, I assume. I wasn't in any meetings or anything.
Look, I'm not going to go too in depth about this show, because I can barely remember anything about it. Yes, I tried to re-watch via Netflix, but it just made me sad. Though maybe not for the reasons you would suspect. More on that later. Anyway, I don't know why someone though it was a good idea to move the franchise to Los Angeles. Seems to me that Law & Order has always been defined as a New York City show, and that was one of the best things about it. I know what you're thinking. Yes, I am a fan of Law & Order: UK, so doesn't that make me sound hypocritical. Perhaps, until you remember that Law & Order: UK takes place in London, which is just New York with more tea. So, there's that. Besides, this franchise was always divided by different types of cops or different aspects of the legal system. Location was a C.S.I thing. So, what the heck is up with that?
Okay, let's talk a little about the cast. To be fair, they did not slack off when it came to getting some great actors to be in this series. Most notably were the presences of Skeet Ulrich, Terrence Howard and the always fantastic Alfred Molina. But we also got a familiar face in my girl Alana De La Garza, who played Connie Rubirosa on the original series. Apparently, they were trying to use the same tactics for this that they used for SVU, which was getting someone from the original to either be a regular cast member or to just randomly show up numerous times during the first season. I guess it eased the transition. Not so much in this case, though. Still, I have no beef with this aspect of the show. Every one of these actors did a wonderful job.
And I also have no problem with the writing, which you all know I am a snob about, usually. It was fine. The stories were fine. Everything was just fine. I mean, it was still under the Law & Order umbrella, so it could never be that bad. But, as it turns out, it wasn't good enough. At least, not for the network.
So, what led to the cancellation? Well, it had a strong start. I think that was mostly due to fans of the original, like me, hoping for...something. Just hoping. But then, it got moved around and taken away, only to be brought back after a little revamping. Still, all of that wasn't enough to keep people interested. Therefore, Dick Wolf and everyone pulled a "Hey, we tried" and let it go. It happens. Bottom line, as good as the good parts were, as a whole, it just wasn't strong enough.
Now for the burning question of this series of mine - did it deserve a second season? I have to say this is a hard one for me. In and of itself, this was not a bad show. I've seen much, MUCH worse shows last much, MUCH longer. I'm just not sure if I was interested in seeing more, but I think that has more to do with things surrounding this series. Particularly how it connected to the end of original Law & Order. Part of me wanted this L.A. version to last a while. Why? Well, then the cancellation of the original would not have been kind of in vain. The L.A. version lasted but one year, so, in hindsight, would it not have not have been better to give us all one more year of the original? And as hindsight is 20/20, I suspect some people in the franchise wish that they would have gone that route instead. And it didn't even have to be a whole, 22-24 episode season. I would have been happy with a half season or thirteen episodes. Anything that could have been touted as a grand finale for a legendary show. Instead, they rolled the dice on something knew, and kinda crapped out. Now we have this one season show that was, and I hate to be mean by saying this, a bit pointless in the long run, instead of a memorable end to a downright masterpiece. I will say this, however. At least, they did try. They worked at this show, wanting to make it a success. So, I cannot really fault anyone involved for putting forth some effort to make it worthwhile. And considering how complacent and apathetic everyone in the TV world appears to be these days, that is a huge compliment.
Okay, let me wrap this up. In good conscience, I can't recommend this show, nor can I not recommend it. I'm just so indifferent to it as a whole. I don't love it. I don't hate it. I just have no emotional attachment to it. I guess I...nothing Law & Order: Los Angeles. So, whether or not you check it out on DVD or wherever, that's entirely up to you.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Family Band: The Cowsills Story - Documentary Review
Greetings,
I am someone who cannot stand when anything is overrated. I especially hate it when it's things like television, movies, music, anything to do with the arts. I hate it mostly because the more things that we give undue credit to, the more things that are legitimately great get shoved aside. And I'd say one of the most egregious incidents of this concerns a musical group and family known as The Cowsills. So, in hopes to rectify the behavior of others, I decided to talk about a documentary done on them called Family Band: The Cowsills Story.
This is a 2011 documentary that tells the tale of an incredibly talented group of brothers, a sister and their mother who ended up singing in a rock band that got very popular in the sixties. What's that you say? That setup of a mom and her kids in a band sounds familiar to you? Well, it should. You see, the Cowsills were the inspiration for The Partridge Family. And where would we be in a world without The Partridge Family? I don't want to think about that. But we're not here to talk about the fictional group.
The Cowsills began as a band with four of the brothers; Bill, Barry, John and Bob. Oh, and Bob, by the way, is the narrator for the documentary. I don't know how others feel, but sometimes I like it when the narrator has a personal connection in films like this. It works well here. Anyway, they had hopes of making it, having been inspired by The Beatles, which is very evident. But then, someone decided that they should include their other brother Paul...and their little sister Susan...and their mother, Barbara! The teenage boys were, apparently, not too thrilled about that, especially the "mom thing". They loved their mom and she had a beautiful voice, but come on now. The only one not involved with the band was their brother Richard, though we hear a story about how that came very close to changing. And that brings us to the dad, Bud, who was always running things behind the scenes, for better or worse. Yes, there were some serious "dad issues" in this family, ones I almost feel I have no place to share, even here. I think the only way to hear the stories is from the kids themselves. And they have plenty of stories to tell.
Everyone who is interviewed, from family members to friends to colleagues in the business to even Shirley Jones, helps to tell the tale of the group. And, though I think some have forgotten or maybe never knew, The Cowsills were huge for quite a while. Of course, as with most musical acts, that does not last forever, and we are taken through all the trials and triumphs that happened after that initial success. It is an extraordinary story, one that definitely should be told and heard. And no, it does not count to just watch old reruns of The Partridge Family. I mean, you can do that, no problem, but you should watch this film, as well.
But let me get back to my initial statement about The Cowsills being underrated. They were and still are. Sure, they were very successful, and I don't doubt that people back then were amazed at how fantastic these kids were as musicians and writers. But, for some reason, they don't seem to be remembered as prominently as I, and most likely others, think they should be. I suppose you can chalk it up to the competition of the times. Come on, the mid to late sixties? I don't think you can find any time period with more stellar music, so it was clearly easy for even an amazing group like The Cowsills to get lost in the shuffle. It's not like today, where literally anyone can become famous, talent not necessary. And yet, I feel as though it is our responsibility as music lovers to keep their legacy alive. And holy smokes, these people are insanely talented. They need to be remembered as such, and if I can help, even through my little blog here, I am happy to do so.
I'm going to conclude this by, of course, telling you to watch Family Band: The Cowsills Story. As I said, it is an amazing story, especially if you love to know all the behind the scenes goings on of artists. I know I do. I will admit that some of this is difficult to watch, because they all went through a lot. A lot of heartbreak and anger and abuse, but also a lot of success and joy and, not the least of all, love. But that's life. That is family. And, you know what? At the end of this film, after you hear everything, the good, the bad and the ugly, you see the family that is left and you see love. There is still so much love there. And also forgiveness. So, if you're looking for a happy ending, I think there is one. It was a tough road to get to it, for all of them, but they got to it.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I am someone who cannot stand when anything is overrated. I especially hate it when it's things like television, movies, music, anything to do with the arts. I hate it mostly because the more things that we give undue credit to, the more things that are legitimately great get shoved aside. And I'd say one of the most egregious incidents of this concerns a musical group and family known as The Cowsills. So, in hopes to rectify the behavior of others, I decided to talk about a documentary done on them called Family Band: The Cowsills Story.
This is a 2011 documentary that tells the tale of an incredibly talented group of brothers, a sister and their mother who ended up singing in a rock band that got very popular in the sixties. What's that you say? That setup of a mom and her kids in a band sounds familiar to you? Well, it should. You see, the Cowsills were the inspiration for The Partridge Family. And where would we be in a world without The Partridge Family? I don't want to think about that. But we're not here to talk about the fictional group.
The Cowsills began as a band with four of the brothers; Bill, Barry, John and Bob. Oh, and Bob, by the way, is the narrator for the documentary. I don't know how others feel, but sometimes I like it when the narrator has a personal connection in films like this. It works well here. Anyway, they had hopes of making it, having been inspired by The Beatles, which is very evident. But then, someone decided that they should include their other brother Paul...and their little sister Susan...and their mother, Barbara! The teenage boys were, apparently, not too thrilled about that, especially the "mom thing". They loved their mom and she had a beautiful voice, but come on now. The only one not involved with the band was their brother Richard, though we hear a story about how that came very close to changing. And that brings us to the dad, Bud, who was always running things behind the scenes, for better or worse. Yes, there were some serious "dad issues" in this family, ones I almost feel I have no place to share, even here. I think the only way to hear the stories is from the kids themselves. And they have plenty of stories to tell.
Everyone who is interviewed, from family members to friends to colleagues in the business to even Shirley Jones, helps to tell the tale of the group. And, though I think some have forgotten or maybe never knew, The Cowsills were huge for quite a while. Of course, as with most musical acts, that does not last forever, and we are taken through all the trials and triumphs that happened after that initial success. It is an extraordinary story, one that definitely should be told and heard. And no, it does not count to just watch old reruns of The Partridge Family. I mean, you can do that, no problem, but you should watch this film, as well.
But let me get back to my initial statement about The Cowsills being underrated. They were and still are. Sure, they were very successful, and I don't doubt that people back then were amazed at how fantastic these kids were as musicians and writers. But, for some reason, they don't seem to be remembered as prominently as I, and most likely others, think they should be. I suppose you can chalk it up to the competition of the times. Come on, the mid to late sixties? I don't think you can find any time period with more stellar music, so it was clearly easy for even an amazing group like The Cowsills to get lost in the shuffle. It's not like today, where literally anyone can become famous, talent not necessary. And yet, I feel as though it is our responsibility as music lovers to keep their legacy alive. And holy smokes, these people are insanely talented. They need to be remembered as such, and if I can help, even through my little blog here, I am happy to do so.
I'm going to conclude this by, of course, telling you to watch Family Band: The Cowsills Story. As I said, it is an amazing story, especially if you love to know all the behind the scenes goings on of artists. I know I do. I will admit that some of this is difficult to watch, because they all went through a lot. A lot of heartbreak and anger and abuse, but also a lot of success and joy and, not the least of all, love. But that's life. That is family. And, you know what? At the end of this film, after you hear everything, the good, the bad and the ugly, you see the family that is left and you see love. There is still so much love there. And also forgiveness. So, if you're looking for a happy ending, I think there is one. It was a tough road to get to it, for all of them, but they got to it.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Akeelah and the Bee - Movie Review
Greetings,
Well, as I said in my last post, I am hoping for good things in 2015. Therefore, what better way to put that into motion than to do a review of a very good movie. Yes, it is quite fun to rake a terrible movie over the coals, but it also makes me warm and fuzzy inside to give praise to a movie that actually tries. Tries and succeeds, in this case. So, no more waiting. Let's talk about Akeelah and the Bee.
Akeelah and the Bee is a 2006 family film about a smart, young girl with a troubled life who has a huge goal to accomplish. Our titular character, Akeelah Anderson, played by the adorable and gifted Keke Palmer, is 11-years-old, attending a middle school that does not excite her. By that, I mean she is very intelligent and the school does not challenge her, so it appears that she just doesn't care about her education. The truth is she cares a lot; she's just bored. Actually, a teacher notices that she excels at spelling and asks her to compete in the school's spelling bee. She is cheered on by her friennd, Georgia, played by Sahara Garey, but is also mocked by some bullies. It is here that she meets Dr. Joshua Larabee, played by Laurence Fishbourne. YAY! Dr. Larabee is a friend of Akeelah's principal, Mr. Welch, played by great character actor Curtis Armstrong, and he is also someone who competed in spelling bees in his youth. He did very well in them, actually, and he is brought on to coach her and hopefully get her to the National Spelling Bee, which would help the school.
Unfortunately, Akeelah's mother is not sure she should be worrying about that when she has real school work to deal with. And her mother is played by Angela Bassett. YAY...AGAIN! I guess I should about home life for Akeelah's home life. Well, there is the aforementioned mother, and sadly, her father was killed when she was younger. She also has three older siblings: Devon, played by the sorely missed Lee Thompson Young, who is in college but also training to be an air force pilot or something, Kiana, played by Erica Hubbard, who is living at home with her baby, and Terrence, played by Julito McCullum, who is starting to hang around some shady characters in the neighborhood and getting into trouble. You can tell that the mother, Tanya, is trying her best with her family, but she is clearly exhausted. So, she seems to think Akeelah's hopes with the bee are nothing more than a distraction and a pipe dream. Akeelah understands this, but she still continues on with it.
So most of the film, as you may have guessed, follows Akeelah through her spelling bee adventure. And it's a good adventure, because we get some more great characters with it. First, there's Javier Mendez, played by J.R. Villarreal. He becomes a good friend to Akeelah as well as a confidante as he has done a lot of spelling bees in the past. And, wow, do I love this kid? He was hilarious, and their friendship was so sweet. Loved the whole thing. Then, there's Dylan Chiu, played by Sean Michael Afable. He's the oldest of the three and has competed twice in the National Bee, coming in second both times. So, he is very motivated to win, and his father is very...motivating. Yeah, his dad, who is played by another great character actor, Tzi Ma, is very hard on Dylan. In turn, that has kind of made Dylan develop a very hard personality, shutting people out, even potential friends. And if I may be so bold to make a suggestion. If you are ever subjected to the terrible acting of the youngsters in The Last Airbender, this would be a good brain scrubber, as well as serving to give you back your hope about child actors.
Anyway, the whole time she's going through this thing, we see how it starts to have an effect on everyone around Akeelah. Her family, her school, her entire community. Even the town "bad guy" Derrick T, played by Eddie Steeples, takes notice. And all of that has an effect on her. Naturally. I love the way they handle this part of the film. You never think she's really giving up, but you understand her fears as the hopes of so many people start resting on her. It's clearly something she didn't expect, but eventually she sees the good in this, as it is bringing people together. And Keke acts in these scenes so beautifully, with all the chops of someone much older than herself.
Now I won't tell you how this all ends, because it's probably not what you will be expecting. I certainly wasn't. But there is something that does not happen that I think was a wise choice. Again, I won't say what it is, but you'll most likely be able to guess it. I will tell you this, though. Some people may think it was sappy, but Akeelah gives a lovely voice over at the end of the film. It brings tears to my eyes every time. So, if you get a little misty as well, you are not alone.
So, I think I should talk about my favorite part of the film, which is the relationship between Akeelah and Dr. Larabee. At first glance, it seems to follow the path you would expect. In the beginning, they don't get along very well. He even tells her that if she cannot speak properly, she will not speak at all around him. Yeah, I think, at that point, I simply froze with widened eyes, staring at Mr. Fishbourne, and the only words I could manage to utter after he made that statement was "Marry me?" But moving on. After the initial tension, they become closer and the symbolism that he is becoming a father figure will not be lost on anyone. And, of course, though he is the teacher, he will learn something from her, as well. Still, it's all about the execution and the chemistry between the actors. Well, no problem with any of that here. The story is extremely well-written, and Keke and Laurence work so amazingly well together. It's almost unbelievable.
Oh, and speaking of chemistry, the answer is yes. Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishbourne are still fantastic acting partners, too. Did we expect any less?
In conclusion, this is a stellar family movie. It's touching and funny and very uplifting, without being overbearing with any message. I would actually consider it one of the best family movies I've ever seen. Even though, throughout all the spelling bee competitions I had to watch in this thing, it got to a point where I just said, "No! You totally made that word up!" I mean, I consider myself to be well read, but no word's letter count should be higher than room temperature. But, seriously, Akeelah and the Bee is wonderful. In fact, I think if more films were made like this, I would have far less to complain about in the cinematic world. And you know what? I'm okay with that!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Well, as I said in my last post, I am hoping for good things in 2015. Therefore, what better way to put that into motion than to do a review of a very good movie. Yes, it is quite fun to rake a terrible movie over the coals, but it also makes me warm and fuzzy inside to give praise to a movie that actually tries. Tries and succeeds, in this case. So, no more waiting. Let's talk about Akeelah and the Bee.
Akeelah and the Bee is a 2006 family film about a smart, young girl with a troubled life who has a huge goal to accomplish. Our titular character, Akeelah Anderson, played by the adorable and gifted Keke Palmer, is 11-years-old, attending a middle school that does not excite her. By that, I mean she is very intelligent and the school does not challenge her, so it appears that she just doesn't care about her education. The truth is she cares a lot; she's just bored. Actually, a teacher notices that she excels at spelling and asks her to compete in the school's spelling bee. She is cheered on by her friennd, Georgia, played by Sahara Garey, but is also mocked by some bullies. It is here that she meets Dr. Joshua Larabee, played by Laurence Fishbourne. YAY! Dr. Larabee is a friend of Akeelah's principal, Mr. Welch, played by great character actor Curtis Armstrong, and he is also someone who competed in spelling bees in his youth. He did very well in them, actually, and he is brought on to coach her and hopefully get her to the National Spelling Bee, which would help the school.
Unfortunately, Akeelah's mother is not sure she should be worrying about that when she has real school work to deal with. And her mother is played by Angela Bassett. YAY...AGAIN! I guess I should about home life for Akeelah's home life. Well, there is the aforementioned mother, and sadly, her father was killed when she was younger. She also has three older siblings: Devon, played by the sorely missed Lee Thompson Young, who is in college but also training to be an air force pilot or something, Kiana, played by Erica Hubbard, who is living at home with her baby, and Terrence, played by Julito McCullum, who is starting to hang around some shady characters in the neighborhood and getting into trouble. You can tell that the mother, Tanya, is trying her best with her family, but she is clearly exhausted. So, she seems to think Akeelah's hopes with the bee are nothing more than a distraction and a pipe dream. Akeelah understands this, but she still continues on with it.
So most of the film, as you may have guessed, follows Akeelah through her spelling bee adventure. And it's a good adventure, because we get some more great characters with it. First, there's Javier Mendez, played by J.R. Villarreal. He becomes a good friend to Akeelah as well as a confidante as he has done a lot of spelling bees in the past. And, wow, do I love this kid? He was hilarious, and their friendship was so sweet. Loved the whole thing. Then, there's Dylan Chiu, played by Sean Michael Afable. He's the oldest of the three and has competed twice in the National Bee, coming in second both times. So, he is very motivated to win, and his father is very...motivating. Yeah, his dad, who is played by another great character actor, Tzi Ma, is very hard on Dylan. In turn, that has kind of made Dylan develop a very hard personality, shutting people out, even potential friends. And if I may be so bold to make a suggestion. If you are ever subjected to the terrible acting of the youngsters in The Last Airbender, this would be a good brain scrubber, as well as serving to give you back your hope about child actors.
Anyway, the whole time she's going through this thing, we see how it starts to have an effect on everyone around Akeelah. Her family, her school, her entire community. Even the town "bad guy" Derrick T, played by Eddie Steeples, takes notice. And all of that has an effect on her. Naturally. I love the way they handle this part of the film. You never think she's really giving up, but you understand her fears as the hopes of so many people start resting on her. It's clearly something she didn't expect, but eventually she sees the good in this, as it is bringing people together. And Keke acts in these scenes so beautifully, with all the chops of someone much older than herself.
Now I won't tell you how this all ends, because it's probably not what you will be expecting. I certainly wasn't. But there is something that does not happen that I think was a wise choice. Again, I won't say what it is, but you'll most likely be able to guess it. I will tell you this, though. Some people may think it was sappy, but Akeelah gives a lovely voice over at the end of the film. It brings tears to my eyes every time. So, if you get a little misty as well, you are not alone.
So, I think I should talk about my favorite part of the film, which is the relationship between Akeelah and Dr. Larabee. At first glance, it seems to follow the path you would expect. In the beginning, they don't get along very well. He even tells her that if she cannot speak properly, she will not speak at all around him. Yeah, I think, at that point, I simply froze with widened eyes, staring at Mr. Fishbourne, and the only words I could manage to utter after he made that statement was "Marry me?" But moving on. After the initial tension, they become closer and the symbolism that he is becoming a father figure will not be lost on anyone. And, of course, though he is the teacher, he will learn something from her, as well. Still, it's all about the execution and the chemistry between the actors. Well, no problem with any of that here. The story is extremely well-written, and Keke and Laurence work so amazingly well together. It's almost unbelievable.
Oh, and speaking of chemistry, the answer is yes. Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishbourne are still fantastic acting partners, too. Did we expect any less?
In conclusion, this is a stellar family movie. It's touching and funny and very uplifting, without being overbearing with any message. I would actually consider it one of the best family movies I've ever seen. Even though, throughout all the spelling bee competitions I had to watch in this thing, it got to a point where I just said, "No! You totally made that word up!" I mean, I consider myself to be well read, but no word's letter count should be higher than room temperature. But, seriously, Akeelah and the Bee is wonderful. In fact, I think if more films were made like this, I would have far less to complain about in the cinematic world. And you know what? I'm okay with that!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
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