Editorial: The Perfect Audience

    What makes someone a compelling author?  Why do we feel like certain writers speak directly to us?  These are fascinating questions I ask myself every time I write something, rather it be a review or a humor piece.  Do I have an audience who enjoys my writing, my style?  The truth is that it doesn’t really matter.  The more I write, the more I realize that the important thing about writing is that I am doing it for myself.  I am writing to make myself happy and that’s where my voice has come from.

    Writing is like any art, you can’t write to please others so you might as well write to please yourself and hope your work speaks and connects to others.  This is an important lesson I learned from my mom.  My mother found her voice in writing from the perspective of our dogs of all things.  Her writing was funny and even inspirational and brought great joy to others but she always wrote based on what she enjoyed reading.

    I learned a lot from both my parents but my mother taught me to never give up on my dreams, no matter your age or interest.  Others who share your passion will follow in time and if they don’t, at least you created a piece of work you are proud of.  Your words and voice can never be replaced.

“The Angry Birds Movie 2” Movie Review

    When you think of classic animated films, I think it is safe to assume that “The Angry Birds Movie” probably doesn’t come to mind judging from the critical and general audience reactions to the film upon it’s release.  Full disclosure here, I have actually never seen the first film yet so I will not way in either way on that movie until I see it.  The sequel caught me attention due to it’s cute trailers so I decided to see this movie with my girlfriend and her brother (and my movie buddy).

    “The Angry Birds Movie 2” starts out after Red has successfully guarded Bird Island from Leonard and Piggy Island.  After several small conflicts, the islands set their differences aside with the discovery of another island which has started attacking both islands.  As it turns out, the other island is Eagle Island and the island’s leader, Zeta, wants nothing more than to wipe out both islands.

    The plot of the film is rather simple, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  The film is easy to follow for children but it also takes time to let older audience members enjoy the humor the film offers.  The humor is definitely the strength of the film.  “The Angry Birds Movie 2” was far funnier than I expected it to be.  The bathroom scene teased in the trailer had me laughing out loud in the theater.

    While most movies based on video games don’t end up turning out real well, this was one of the exceptions to the rules.  Perhaps the curse of the video game movie is coming to end thanks to this film and Pokémon: Detective Pikachu.  Only time will tell on that front but this film is certainly a crowd pleaser.

Grade: B+

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Movie Review

    It’s that time of the year again, the summer movie season is winding down and large tentpole films begin to make way for artsier films before the theaters are taken over by horror movies in the fall.  With few event films left to see, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” seemed like a natural choice as the next film for me to watch to review.

    “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is a fairytale version of the last days of the golden era of Hollywood.  The film tells the story of Rick Dalton and his stunt double and friend as the pair struggle to find work in a changing entertainment industry (and world).  As Rick slowly adapts and accepts new career opportunities in Italy, he accepts that his time in the spotlight might be behind him before an encounter with members of the cult of Charles Manson changes everything.

    As a major film buff, I really enjoyed this film.  I am not the biggest fan of Quentin Tarantino out there but he always gets incredible performances from his cast.  Tarantino is as passionate as he is controversial and his work on this film is no exception.  This film received some backlash for multiple reasons but none of the reasons take away from the movie as a whole.

    While I don’t feel any of the complaints about the film affect it as a whole, it doesn’t mean the backlash it faced was unfounded.  The biggest complaint it faced was due to it’s ending which...SPOILER ALERT...rewrote history and saw Sharon Tate spared of her fate.  I admit that the ending of the film surprised me although I should have seen it coming considering “Inglorious Bastards” also rewrote history.

    The depiction of women in the film also came under fire.  I think perhaps some critics are being a bit hard on Tarantino for this considering the men in the film aren’t depicted in the best light either.  With all that being said, perhaps “I reject your hypothesis” isn’t the best response to give a reporter when asked about the subject.

    Lastly, the film also was criticized for the way it depicted legendary actor Bruce Lee.  Bruce Lee’s daughter spoke out against the way Tarantino depicted her father and for not contacting his family.  I completely understand the family being upset but I personally felt it was one of the best parts of the movie and knowing how many liberties Tarantino took with real life events, it doesn’t tarnish his legacy one bit in my opinion.

    The film featured outstanding performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.  The two actors have a natural chemistry and their friendship shines through.  Margot Robbie is good as Sharon Tate but isn’t given as good of material as DiCaprio and Pitt to work with.

    Now, I mentioned that I wasn’t a huge Quentin Tarantino fan but his work on this film is impressive.  The movie is truly a love letter to the end of an era in Hollywood at a time when the film industry is changing once again.  Big name stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt no longer guarantee box office success so their inclusion in this film is a bit meta.  I also admire the different filming techniques Tarantino used when showcasing everything from older black and white network shows to spaghettini westerns.

    I will say if you aren’t a huge movie fan, this film may not be as accessible or as interesting to watch.  My girlfriend went to see this with me and did not enjoy it as much as I did partly for these reasons.  It is a movie that definitely isn’t for everyone.  That being said, there are a lot of funny moments and the soundtrack helps transport you back in time.

Grade: B

Autism Awareness Month: Making Movies Magic For Everyone

    April is national autism awareness month and though the month is almost over, I would like to spend a little time praising movie theaters that have special autism friendly film screenings.  Regardless of who you are, I can’t think of too many people who don’t enjoy catching a movie here and there.  The thing is, people with autism tend to be more sensitive to lights and noises so these special screenings are great ideas and a great way for everyone to experience the wonders of the cinema.

    It’s no secret that theaters are trying hard to keep their customers coming back.  With streaming services and physical media widely available shortly after a movie premieres in theaters, theater chains are pulling out all the stops to keep you coming back.  From reclining and heated seats to bars to free popcorn days and other discounts, theaters want you to feel more comfortable at their cinemas than you could at home.

    While all these little extras certainly help make the theater experience more enjoyable and every perk helps to get butts in those seats, it is crucial for theaters to not overlook the personal touches.  Having events like autism friendly screenings is a way to show that theaters haven’t forgotten that their customers are more than their worth in cash and should be treated accordingly.

    As someone who has loved ones and friends with autism, I really value and appreciate the fact that theaters go the extra mile to make the movie going experience more inclusive for everyone.  I wish more theaters would do special screenings like this.  As autism month comes to an end, I would encourage everyone with a loved one or friend with autism to seek out one of these screenings and share a movie going experience with them soon!