Heathers the Musical Review

I’d like to preface this review by saying that I have seen the original movie that this musical is based on. I enjoyed the original movie and I liked that it was sort of the origin of the “mean girl” movie. If you haven’t seen it, fair warning that I may spoil a few things. The dark undertones of the story is something I really admired. Heathers could easily have been turned into a horror movie, but did not take that direction. I liked that they chose the more comedic route instead, though I’m not saying that suicide or murder is comedic.

First off, I just adore this musical. I don’t really have anything bad to say about it. I think by adding music, they made the story stronger. I’ve found that musicals adapted from movies, in particular, tend to develop the characters and plot much more, creating a stronger piece. This is how I felt with Shrek the Musical as well. I thought the music was fantastic. The stand-out songs for me were Candy Store, Big Fun, Freeze Your Brain, Dead Girl Walking, Blue, Yo Girl, and Lifeboat. I say these mostly because they were the ones getting stuck in my head, not so much for impact. Although, I thought Lifeboat was a very moving song even though it was sung by Heather McNamara and not substantial for moving the plot along.

My perception of the characters surprisingly changed after watching the musical. The largest example of this was the Heathers themselves. In the movie, Heather Duke was my favorite Heather (prior to her personality change after the death of Heather Chandler). But in the musical, Heather McNamara was my favorite. I love McNamara! The relationship explored between Veronica and Heather McNamara was one I felt to be very touching. I also was fonder of Heather Chandler in the musical than in the movie. I also really liked how they gave Martha Dunnstock a larger role and made her persona into almost a version of Tracy Turnblad from Hairspray. Veronica was simply amazing, and almost identical to her movie-self, played by Winona Ryder. The thing I liked the most about the characters is that they had JD’s victims come back to haunt Veronica. This was toyed with a bit in the movie but not to the extent the musical goes to. Having Heather Chandler, accompanied by Kurt and Ram, give snide remarks and taunts to Veronica from beyond the grave was brilliant. I feel this was necessary, being that it is a stage production and you don’t have all the creative liberties that film has.  

Overall, I thought this production was extremely well done. It’s a shame that it was merely an off-Broadway run. I hope that someday it will get will get a proper Broadway run and maybe even a theatrical version. I was fortunate enough to find the full show on YouTube, Act 1/Act 2. Original. 

Jesus, I’m on the freakin’ bus again ‘cause all my rides to school are dead. 

Tim Burton

When asked about movies to watch during October, especially Halloween, my mind tends to drift towards the works of Tim Burton. Burton’s works are often skewed in nature and tend to be on the creepier side. I really enjoy how his movies look visually and how they are told through interesting plots. I also enjoy how he does not have one directing style. I think that both his stop-motion animated films and his live-action films are executed very well and give the audience an insight to the inner-workings of his creative mind.

That being said, I do have my favorites. His 1988 classic, Beetlejuice, is my favorite of his live-action films. Why? It’s just so well done in every aspect. I just adore the cast; this is the movie that got me to fall in love with Winona Ryder. I think the sets and visuals are amazing with the mix of prosthetics, makeup, costumes, and animation. The overall story is perfect in my opinion. The “haunted house” plot has been done countless times, but this one is just a little more special. I love how we have ghosts who desire to haunt their house to try and scare the new inhabitants away, but can’t. I’ve never seen this derivative use of plot used before. The mix of horror, paranormal, comedy, and drama all mixed into one works so well. It’s almost like a soap opera gone horribly wrong.

My favorite from the stop-motion films is the 2005 film, Corpse Bride. I feel that this particular film of Burton’s is often compared to his earlier film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. But that is another debate in and of itself. Though I do love NBC, I feel that Corpse Bride is the stronger film due to plot. I also am a bit biased because Helena Bonham Carter is one of the leads, alongside Johnny Depp. These two have a reputation of always being cast in Burton’s movies, and Johnny usually ends up killing Helena in some way. I love this movie because it’s a twisted love story with a tragic backstory. I think Emily is one of the greatest characters to ever come from a Burton movie. This also can be said for Lydia from Beetlejuice. This movie also greatly influenced my view when I was a kid of what the world looks like after you die.

The films of Tim Burton have been a large part of my life and I’m glad that they have been. He shows that the twisted can be beautiful and does a wonderful job portraying this. This is a topic that I will probably return to because there is just so much to say about Tim Burton.  

The Good Wife 7x02 "Innocents" Review

-SPOILERS BELOW-

Sunday’s second episode of The Good Wife was quite an interesting one. I think I enjoyed it more than the season premiere. I thought the case displayed in the episode was interesting as well.

It was lovely to see Mamie Gummer back as Nancy Crozier. I always enjoy when she goes against Alicia in cases. Speaking of cases, the one in question was somewhat complex. To summarize, a mother got a deal to display her photographs at the Chicago Fine Arts Museum. These photographs were of her two children, nude. One of her children, now an adult, went to the museum and destroyed one of the photographs of his younger self with a hammer. He claimed his act was due to the humiliation that follows him because of these photographs. Alicia was on defense, representing this individual. Nancy was on prosecution, representing his mother.

I thought it was a very gripping case, touching on the lines of art vs. child pornography. I don’t know how I personally feel about the subject, but I do agree with the mother’s point about how her nude photographs should not be thought of differently from the works of Michelangelo or Edward Weston. They also showed Venus of Urbino as evidence, blurring the breasts and other sections of the painting. I understand that they have to follow certain guidelines about nudity for television, but it kind of defeated the purpose of the case. Despite this, I do think that the episode displayed the message that we should admire the beauty of the human body well.

As for the other characters, a few things stand out. Ruth is up to dirty business, Eli is out for revenge, and peace just can’t seem to be reached at Lockhart, Agos & Lee. Cary and Howard continue to butt heads; it’s bound to happen with their significant age gap. Diane has to play mommy, once again, to try to keep them in line. I enjoy seeing Diane this way, but I really think they should just get rid of Howard. And if it was up to me, I’d get rid of David too. I wish it could go back to when Diane, Alicia, and Cary were the name partners because they had a good thing going for them.

As for new characters, because they just have to continue adding more, I don’t know how I feel. Jeffery Dean Morgan was introduced as Jason Crouse, an investigator. He is clearly Alicia’s new love interest and I wish they would quit with this character arc (since this will be the 5^th one for Alicia). He also seems to be serving as the “new” Kalinda, and I’m not too keen on that. I’m also not too keen on the fact that he looks a lot like Kurt; due to his hair, beard, clothes, and smirk. 

Beauty and the Beast

What do you think of when you hear Beauty and the Beast? My guess is that you think of the classic Disney film of the same name. But have you ever thought about the countless other couples that could fit this trope?

Some similar examples include Kyle and Lindy from Beastly, and Rumpelstiltskin and Belle from Once Upon a Time. Ones you may not have thought of are Erik and Christine from Phantom of the Opera, Fiyero and Elphaba from Wicked, R and Julie from Warm Bodies, Edward and Kim from Edward Scissorhands, and many, many more.

My favorite unlikely pair from this trope is by far Grinch and Martha May from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. They stand out to me the most because of just how different they appear to be from one another at first glance. I think their relationship is so complex when you go beneath the surface. Martha, being the rich, upstanding, uptown girl who everyone seems to admire. And Grinch, being the scruffy, and misfit-runaway that almost everyone seems to fear. It was that fear that kept them away from each other, but a different fear. Some of what I have gathered may be purely theory, though it seems plausible to me. Like Grinch and Martha, it seems that most couples that fit this trope feel the need to hide something, whether it is their feelings, the one they love, or both. I feel like Martha is the most concerned with hiding her feelings due to fear. This fear is not towards Grinch, but rather Augustus. I believe she feels this fear because he tore Grinch away from her and has shown numerous times that he too has feelings for her, leading her to think exposing her true feelings could lead to catastrophe. Loving such a misfit and outcast seems completely out of the question. But when you really get down to it, Martha is a misfit herself. Though she is a grown woman, she has never “grown into her nose.” When she finally shows herself, the overall change in her presence is very heartwarming. She really shows that a beauty can love a beast.

Christine Baranski, who plays Martha, even mentioned that the couple embodies the trope in this interview.

This is my favorite couple dynamic because of the underlying message that it carries; No matter what you look like, there’s always someone out there for you and everyone deserves a chance. 

My Love for Diane Lockhart

Have you ever fallen in love with a supporting character? Ever felt the struggle that goes along with it? I know I have. I think I feel this sensation the most with Diane Lockhart (played by Christine Baranski) on The Good Wife. 

The Good Wife is a show that revolves around a lawyer named Alicia Florrick. Alicia was once an associate, being mentored by Diane. Diane plays a vital role in the show’s plot. The problem is, she’s supporting. I can’t speak for every show, but I have found that a lot of shows tend to highly develop their main character and slack on the development of the characters that support them. This said, I think they’ve provided a very interesting progression for Diane’s character over the last 6 seasons of the show.

I love how much of a role model she is for women. She works around men, she got to the position she is now because of a man, and men have also hurt her. But these experiences and interactions have made her stronger. Diane is a senior partner at a very prestigious law firm in Chicago. She shows that whoever you are, you can do great things with your life. She also shows that you follow your dreams, not those that others expect of you. Her parents wanted her to be a senator or a nurse, and she chose not to follow those paths. Choosing her own path has made her a happier person.

This leads me to my favorite thing about Diane Lockhart; her relationship with her husband, Kurt McVeigh. Diane is a democrat, with three generations of democratic ancestors before her. And Kurt, a republican, wins her heart. It was hard for her to grasp at first, but then she realized that backgrounds shouldn’t matter when it comes to love. I think she carries a beautiful message with her. Kurt is also a ballistics expert with friends who hunt. Diane’s friends are also democrats who are opposed to the current gun laws. When they met Kurt for the first time, it was like oil and water. Later, Diane stood up for herself. She loves Kurt and knows how much he means to her. I think not letting your friends stand in the way of what is meaningful to you is very important. I would say Kurt and Diane are Romeo and Juliet without the death. She also teaches the lesson of compromise. She and Kurt have chosen to not let politics get in the way of their relationship. This doesn’t mean that they won’t have friendly debate about who should become the next president. From an outsider looking in, their relationship could appear to be a powder keg.

I think Diane stands as symbol for anything is possible. 

The Good Wife 7x01 "Bond" Review

-SPOILERS BELOW-

The hiatus is over! I’m very happy to say that The Good Wife has returned and Season 7 is underway. I want to preface this review with my thoughts going into this season. I haven’t been too happy with the writing choice of bringing new characters onto the show, and then having them disappear before the season is over. I feel like they are putting too much focus on these new characters. The main characters, aside from Alicia, seem to be getting pushed aside.

This reigned true with the first episode of Season 7. I realize that the show is about Alicia’s journey and it is really her show, but I don’t think it’s fair to give the supporting characters the backseat. Diane and Cary were very absent throughout the episode, and I can’t believe they gave Howard Lyman more to do. They seemed to turn Diane into a “bad guy” during this episode. These directions with characters really disappointed me. I’m just happy they were included in the episode.

As for characters like Eli and Peter, there was a lot of development for them. I have never liked Peter, I’d just like to get that out there. When Peter just let Eli go after all he’d done for his campaign, I felt a little heartbroken. Then we see Eli, typically such a bold and forward character, reduced to sulking in his apartment. It’s just so sad. Eli’s replacement, Ruth, (a new character played by Margo Martindale) was not a character that I liked. This opinion is completely biased, considering that I like Eli. Seeing Eli back at his game at the end of the episode made me hopeful again. 

Alicia, however, was not at her game. I felt bad for her as she continued to perform below standard in court. The lawyer she ends up befriending, Lucca, (another new character played by Cush Jumbo) was a character that I did end up liking. I liked her mix of professionalism at work and fun after hours. I was pleasantly surprised by the guest judges played by Christopher McDonald (Grease 2, Happy Gilmore) and Jane Curtin (3^rd Rock from the Sun). It was almost like a mini-reunion for Jane and Christine Baranski (Diane); both shared an episode of 3^rd Rock together. It’s always fun to see who they get to guest star as judges, lawyers, or witnesses.

Despite my complaints, I enjoyed the episode and I look forward to seeing what this season will bring. 

Books Vs. Movies: My Stance

There seems to be a large debate consisting of two sides: Books vs. Movies. In this post, I will tell my side and my reasons why. In my opinion, this topic becomes too heated.

Personally, I prefer movies over books. This doesn’t mean that I will go see a movie based on a book without reading the book first. Middle School taught me the importance of reading the book before you see the movie. In 7^th grade, my class read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This was around the time that the movie adaption was about to be released. The movie came out during the school year, so a lot of us went to the movie after we had finished the book. I loved both versions. Although, this is when I realized how much is removed from movie plots due to time. Before 7^th grade, I had never been one to pick up a book and read it on my own time. Naturally, I would’ve never read The Hunger Games and probably would not have seen the movie based on the material. After Catching Fire came out, I fully understood the importance of reading books first. At the time, I thought the first installment of the trilogy brought to the big screen was a good adaptation. Catching Fire changed this opinion I once had. I thought the second movie mirrored the book much better than the first. I find it is very crucial for the movie adaptation to be as book-accurate as possible.

In 8^th grade, I went to see The Perks of Being a Wallflower with my friend. This time, neither of us had read the book. At the time of seeing the movie, we didn’t even know that it was first a book. Going to see it without reading the book prior was dumb. I loved the movie, even though I was lacking a lot of context. I then proceeded to read the book. I loved the book as well but was a bit disappointed with how some scenes were left out. My biggest book-to-movie peeve was the lack of scenes about Charlie and his friends at Rocky Horror. I felt this was an important component in the book that they only briefly glossed over in the movie. Considering the book is a series of diary entries, I thought that the movie was very well done.

In a general sense, movies are my preference. If given the choice of snuggling up in bed with a book or watching a movie, I’ll almost always want to watch a movie. Movies just make me happy.