West End's Finest

Things I’ve Learned Over the Past Week:
1. President Hamid Karzai really doesn’t like the United States.
2. Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito might be getting back together.
3. There is a musical based on Roald Dahl’s Matilda.
4. The musical is really really good.
5. Tim Minchin wrote this musical and it’s for kids.

This week, I will writing about my new favorite musical, Matilda: The Musical. I watch Glee, and this may make you question my taste in, well everything, but Matilda is flawless. Just flawless, let me explain. The musical is adapted from Rolad Dahl's children's book of the same name, about a young genius, neglected by her family, who must stand up for herself and stop her principal, the Trunchbull's, reign of tyranny. She also helps her teacher, Miss Honey, regain her true inheritance from her wicked aunt. Along the way, she makes good friends, with students and teachers alike, and in the end she finds the loving home she's always wanted. I loved this book as a child and many of my friends did too, like Becca. It's only now that the text truly disturbs me, the amount of child abuse in this children's book is kind of terrifying, but I still love it. So, when I found out the West End musical was coming to Broadway this Spring I got super excited.

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     Matilda: The Musical, premiered in Stratford-upon-Avon at the Royal Shakespeare Company. The book is written by Dennis Kelly and the music and lyrics were written by Tim Minchin. After success at the RSC, the production transferred to the West End in 2011. The show won a record breaking SEVEN Olivier Awards in 2012, and now the show is currently in previews at the Shubert Theatre in New York. I bet it will sweep the Tonys this year, and if not eligible this year, it will next year. The musical's plot closely follow the book's plot. Today, I shall review its music.
     Act 1 opens with the song, "Miracle", where schoolchildren discuss their parent's adoration, compared to Matilda whose parents thinks she is a louse. They believe she less important than their reality tv shows. I like this song, Minchin does a good job setting up the story and not only introducing but characterizing the characters. We understand their motives and emotions.

 
Next up, is "Naughty", a solo by Matilda, where she decides to get back at her bullying parents. This is one of my favorite songs in the show because its fun and has references to the classics like, Romeo and Juliet. Matilda begins to stand up for herself and I really can't articulate how funny and cute this song is.

Then, it's the show-stopping "School Song", which very cleverly uses the alphabet throughout its lyrics. Just take a listen. It's so cool. Did you catch the alphabet? Did you? Man, Tim Minchin is a lyrical genius. And its fun to listen to! Plus, it helps introduce the audience to Matilda's main antagonist, the sadistic schoolmaster.


Next is "Pathetic" which admittedly gets lost in the hoopla of awesome that is the first act. But it still outlines Miss Honey's motives clearly and the song has a clear purpose, truly helping the plot move forwards! Also the foreshadowing.



The fifth track is the track introducing the Trunchbull, our antagonist and it is awesome! It's called "The Hammer." Bertie Carvel's (Trunchbull) vocals and Minchin's lyrics. A dream team. This is actually one of my favorite songs in the show. It introduces the Trunchbull and her philosophy very well, plus it showcases her relationship with Miss Honey well. And again I say, foreshadowing! Wow. It's just so choice. I'd recommend that you actually listen to this one.



After, "The Hammer", comes Matilda's mother's time to shine,  also her dance partner is there too. This number is loud, and its appropriately titled, "Loud." Its gives a nice comparison of what Matilda's has, neglectful, vain parents to what she wants, a nice and caring parent, like Miss Honey.



Next, after Miss Honey's confrontation with the Wormwood's, is the song "This Little Girl." Its somewhat like a ballad, but it is brilliant. The lyrics themselves stand out and build off of Miss Honey's first number, "Pathetic". In this song, she reaffirms that she is powerless and pathetic, but she will do all she can to help the neglected Matilda. Maybe its the lyrics, or the vocals, or the orchestration, but this song gives me the chills. Definitely a highlight of Act 1. Also the musical foreshadowing!!!!



Now, it is time for the Act 1 Finale, entitled "Bruce." If you've seen or read Matilda, you may remember that a kid named Bruce ate the Trunchbull's cake and has to eat a whole cake. I like this song, Carvel remains a flawless Trunchbull and its super catchy, but for some reason it doesn't stick out to me. But its still a great song, it just doesn't pop out quite as much as "The Hammer", but its still a really good group number.



Now we open Act 2 with "Telly". It's a quick little song about the pros of tv and the cons of books. Its a funny and charming way to start the Act, and considering that the show is much more serious in the second act. The humor is appreciated.



After "Telly", the act really gets going with "When I Grow Up", which is my second favorite song in the show. It's childish, yet thought provoking. It reminds me off elementary school and what I thought being an adult meant. Its nostalgic in all the right ways. Its fantasy and reality meeting in the middle to create something truly awe inspring.



Get ready to get punched in the gut, because "I'm Here" is a really effective tearjerker. It is also the song that most directly deals with child abuse in the show. It's pretty heavy, its the story of the Trunchbull and Miss Honey, and if you know the story already, you must know exactly what you're walking into here. A father and daughter comfort each other in the midst of an evil aunt's abuse, the song ends with a crescendo in a fit of rage. There are almost no words for this one, every performance rips aparts your heart.



After the roller coaster that is "I'm Here", comes "The Smell of Rebellion". Like "Bruce", its a solid group number, but not the show's most memorable. However, Carvel and the ensemble really do bring their a game. This could never be called a bad song.



Now, it is time for my favorite song, "Quiet." My love of this song is more personal than anything really, but I just know exactly how Matilda feels during this ballad. It is like Tim Minchin grabbed my very own soul and turned it into one of the most beautiful songs in musical theatre. Minchin is a genius, he may be an "Offensive comedian", but the man is really truly a gifted genius.



     We have arrived at "My House", another tearjerker sung by Miss Honey. Its really about how Miss Honey has overcome the abuse inflicted by Trunchbull and how she is content with her life as it is. It brings her story full circle, she is Matilda's beacon of hope and better parent than her parent's ever will be. Not to mention the beauty of Lauren Ward's voice, thank goodness she and Carvel hopped the pond for Broadway.


    We have reached the penultimate song, "Revolting Children." Its loud and it is UNASHAMED, which makes it absolutely perfect. It's a solid song sung by the children celebrating their freedom, essentially it is their battle cry, Plus it has some fun spelling, just like the "School Song."


And finally, we have reach the finale, "When I Grow Up (Reprise)" which contains all the charm and nostalgia of the first "When I Grow Up." It has the spunk of "Naughty" and kindly reminds us all to get involved in out own lives.

All I really have to say about this show and its soundtrack is that is that it is amazing! Tim Minchin is a lyrical genius, and that's all for now.

When Television Becomes Fanfiction: Jumping the Shark

 There is a point in a television show where it  all goes downhill. A point where it all becomes just a little ridiculous, where the story is too contrived and the characters are completely out of character. There is a term for this phenomena. It is called "jumping the shark." The term comes from a little show called "Happy Days." You may remember it, The Fonz, Ron Howard and all their friends and family making up the quintessential all American 50's family. In the fifth season premiere, The "Fonz", the epitome of cool, jumped over a shark. Here is the infamous clip below:

 
Now, perhaps when the writers thought of this story it made a ton of sense. It was perfect, but alas it didn't do anything positive. Heck, it named an idiom that represents the decline of a television series. Tv Tropes explains it well.

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"Jumping the Shark" is an art form truly? There are so many ways to jump over that aquatic animal, however there are a few classic ways.

1. Getting rid of a popular character
2. Any type of new character ever can trigger this
3. The death of an actor
4. A lack of character development 
5. Flat characters

I wanted to take the time to aquatint you with my top five instances of the "jumping the shark" (In Increasing Order)

1. Full House: The Womanizer aka Uncle Jesse gets married. Welp there goes those few years of innuendo. AND WHAT? Now the Olsen Twins aren't the cute little babies? Nope. Sorry. Season Five has crashed and burned. Sorry Miller- Boyett Sitcom we have reached a point of no return. Plus, we didn't need those little boys anyway.They were pretty cute though. Not going to lie.
2. Glee: Glee jumped the shark purely by getting another season. Really. I mean, who thought this was a good idea? It is a dinosaur themed prom. ( This clip makes me feel ashamed that I've watched this show.) If you actually watch that clip all the way through, you are a brave solider. I am truly sorry to have even given you a link, but I think I prove my point.

3. The Nanny: Another sitcom that bite the dust. Literally. The intro sums up the whole premise of the show quite well:

All that intro leaves out is that:
    The Nanny wants to get with the boss. Basically, half of the show was setting them up to become a couple. So for five and half years, they shamelessly flirt. But then they get together and it all goes downhill. I'm telling you. They get married and it all goes under. Fran (The Nanny) pulls a Pam Ewing and goes baby crazy, so for like six episodes you sit through fertility woes. Its more depressing than funny to be truthful. I mean there was some good stuff in that sixth season, but ya know the marriage we had all been looking forward to kind of killed it for me.
4. Dallas: Do I actually need to explain this one? This one tanked at the end of the mini-series (aka Season One), and then it went on for another thirteen years. For starters, Pamela fell out of a barn. SHE. FELL. OUT. OF. A. BARN. I can't make things like this up. It is a soap opera and did have some good moments, can anyone say, "Who Shot J.R.?" Also, we can only tolerate so many fights with Cliff Barnes.
5. Brothers and Sisters: Brothers and Sisters takes the cake. I haven't seen another show "Jump the Shark" so shamelessly and so pitifully. I don't know when this show started to tank but in the beginning these guys had it made.
I mean:
Sally Fields was the coolest mom ever.

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Calista Flockhart was a Republican.

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Oh yeah Rachel Griffiths was there too:

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But then Rob Lowe guest starred and everything was right in Brothers and Sisters land. So right, that Sam Seaborn became a series regular.

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Plus Rob Lowe and Calista Flockhart were like the best Republican power couple on ABC. (Really they were the best.) How did this seemingly untouchable show tank? Well, every single member of this family got into massive pile-up that made no sense logistically. Plus, they killed Rob Lowe and Patricia Wetting lost her memory. It just got awful in ways that can not be described with words.


So yeah. Those are my top jumping the shark moments. What are yours?

Video:Pedestrian Problems

Well, it has been a crazy few weeks. Finals, snow, and changing schedules. I've been exhausted what about you?
Anyway, in our latest video challegne we were suppposed to highlight what its like to live in Silver Spring. At first, I was going to do a day in the life sort of montage, before I realized I had done that on the last video challegne. So, instead I tried to focus on a specific aspect of living in Silver Spring and for some reason the idea that wouldn't leave my mind was documenting the messed up sidewalks that I fell on constantly earlier this month.
 My family and I have all been hurt by the bad sidewalks and lack of sidewalks around specific parts of this area. Once, I was close to falling into the sewer and my Mom broke her foot picking me up from school years ago. So, basically I just wanted to highlight the sidewalks flaws in hopes that our guests wouldn't fall on Colesville Rd, like I have mulitple times.
This video was made on my phone, which is why it didn't come out exactly how I wanted first it had such a limited frame and secondly, the video quality was just awful but I was able to imporve it a wee bit while editing. That was nice. Anyway, I think in the time to come, I want to redo this video on a real camera so I can be proud of it. I mean, the sidewalks aren't going anywhere and I thought the sidewalks I filmed were pretty pathetic, but honestly I have over seventy videos on my phone related to this and none of them were stunning quality. That was frustrating and maybe if I understood technology this would look a bit better, but nevertheless I tried to be unique here and talk about the woes of walking home in my hometown. However, maybe I've failed much more miserably than I imagined, and I guess my auidence must be the judge of that.
Also, I apologize in advance because you have to see my face on camera. I suppose we can get through the ugly together.

"Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so."

Title: For the Bible Tells Me So

Rating: Unrated

Release Date: October 5th, 2007

Directed by: Daniel G. Karslake
Written by: Helen R. Mendoza, Daniel G. Karslake 

Run time: 95 Mins 

        Daniel Karslake's For the Bible Tells Me So, chronicles the lives of five Christian families as they react to finding out their children are homosexual. Each family's story is different. The Robinson's find out their son, Gene is gay. While not actively supportive, they have grown to support him and believe that being appointed the first openly gay bishop of the Anglican Church was what God intended for their son. There is Mary Lou Wallner who retells the story of her daughter's coming out and subsequent suicide. After her daughter's death, Wallner's faith is shaken and her beliefs reexamined. Then there is the Reitan family from Eden Prairie, Minnesota. When Randi and Phil's son, Jake, comes put they fear for his safety and their pastor suggests a conversion therapy. However, now the family as grown closer, each and every one advocates for LGBTQ rights. There is the Poteats who have come to accept their lesbian daughter, but do not consider her and her partner eligible for marriage. Finally there is the Gephardts, a political family who has a lesbian daughter. The parents are extremely supportive of their daughter. Richard Gephardt describes his role as a parent as "unconditional love." Every family has an individual story, but each family reaches the conclusion that they must their children no matter what. Yet some learn the message a bit too late.
     Gene Robinson planned to be a minister when he was older, but he was worried  about his sexuality  he wasn't attracted to women. He continued to theological studies and got married to one of his friends.However, the two got divorced and Gene has been committed to his long time partner, Mark. Gene Robinson is the first gay bishop of the Anglican Church worldwide. Tonia Poteat is a graduate of Yale University and still has issues with her parents, but the Poteats have made lots of progress over the years. Jake Reitan came out in high school to his parents, but they were worried about their son's safety. Over the years, Reitan and his family have become advocates for the causes. According to Karslake, the family has now been arrested at protests multiple times. Mary Lou Wallner's daughter, Anna, came out to her in a letter. Wallner's reply was less than cordial and the two lost touch. Months later, Anna committed suicide, Since then Wallner has studied the Bible extensively and her change of heart is profound. Finally, the Gephardts are in the middle of a campaign when their daughter, Chrissy, comes out to them after her divorce. The family is wholly accepting and asks Chrissy to be a large part of their campaign. Chrissy was publicly out and she recalls that she has been approached by parents and children alike to say, "Thank you."
      The film itself is well written using easy transitions into each story. One of the highlights of the film is a cartoon written about the scientific investigation performed regarding homosexuality, it brings humor to a largely heavy film. The script wove all the segments together  fluidly. Then tension builds easily and engrosses the viewer, investing them in each family's story. Another strong point of the film was the editing. The use of B-roll footage helped the viewer view family life before a child came out. It also provided family history and general background information, such as dates and time. The transitions were also well put together connecting each story with their most basic similarities, like concerns for a child's health. Each family was able to present their opinion in an organized platform.
    Overall, I would highly recommend the film. Each person had something special to contribute to the film. Some had tearful confessions of grief, some shared a change of heart, and some overcome situations of extreme scrutiny. Each had an anecdote or two up their sleeves and a unique story to tell. It was refreshing and provocative. It was thought- provoking and well done.
 

For the Bible Tells Me So, Unrated, 95 Mins 

"There are times when we're dirt broke, hungry, and freezing, and I ask myself, why the [heck] am I still living here? And then they call. And I remember."

Rent 
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: November 23rd, 2005
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Jesse L. Martin, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs, Tracie Thoms, Rosario Dawson
Based on: Rent by Jonathan Larson
Screenplay: Stephen Chbosky
Running time: 135 Minutes

            Rent is a film adaption of the rock opera of the same name. That sentence alone would make any "Renthead"  cringe, luckily this movie didn't turn into the cringe worthy fest it could have been. Not to say the film isn't without flaws, that would be a ridiculous statement. The film was well received by Rent fans or those with previous knowledge of theatrical show, but the film fell short with the critics.
           Jonathan Larson's Rent, a rock opera loosely based on Puccini's La Boheme, tells the story of a year in the life of seven friends in 1990's New York City. The story begins on Christmas Eve, roommates Mark (Anthony Rapp) and Roger (Adam Pascal), are at least a year behind on their rent. Mark, Roger, and their neighbors are given a choice, eviction or pay, no one's really into that paying option. Later, their landlord Benny (Taye Diggs), Mark and Roger's ex-roommate shows up with a proposition for the boys, if they stop a protest by their friend, Maureen (Idina Menzel), he will let the two of them off easy. Benny proposes a future where they achieve their dreams together. However, Mark and Roger aren't biting.
             Later that night, when Mark goes out, Roger laments the death of his girlfriend, his disease (HIV), and questions whether or not he will be able to produce one truly great song before he dies. After, Roger is visited by his neighbor, Mimi (Rosario Dawson), a dancer and a drug addict. She shamelessly flirts with Roger. Roger becomes anxious when learning about Mimi's drug habit and as a recovering addict, tries and fails, to hide Mimi's "stash" that fell on his floor.
             The next morning Tom Collins (Jesse L. Martin), an old friend of Mark and Roger, who was mugged on Christmas Eve and was nursed back to health by a drag queen, Angel (Wilson Jermaine Heredia), shows up with gifts. The two are also HIV positive and are heading to a life support meeting. They extend an invitation to Mark and Roger. Mark accepts and plans to stop by after helping Maureen, his ex, whose production manager can't properly set up the equipment  for the protest. Mark and Joanne (Tracie Thoms), the new spouse and production manager, strike up an unlikely friendship. Meanwhile, Mimi pursues Roger, who denies her in hopes of protecting her. Roger apologizes and the two attend Maureen's protest together. Benny orders an injunction effectively ending the protest.
           The first half takes place over approximately 48 hours and over the year to come, everything will change. Relationships will be tested, dreams will be discovered, steps will be taken, and the group will face the death of one of their own. So what makes the divide? Why do theater enthusiasts love the film, while critics hate it?
          Well, bringing back more than half the original Broadway cast definitely helped win over fans. That scored Chris Columbus major brownies point with the fans and  is mostly likely one of the reasons this film is so widely embraced in the fan community because, whether they admit or not, all Rent fans have a favorite cast, and let's face it the original cast is simply adored. That's not all the film does well.
        The story as flimsy as it may sound transitions to the screen fairly well, however many little facets of the plot are lost and the film suffers for it. Witty dialogue becomes gritty and back story is lost. Of course, the plot is still strong, it just lacks the humor of the complete libretto and some of its greatest moments. What I'm saying is that Chbosky's fluid and heart-wrenching writing lacks some of Larson's initial humor.
        The highlight of Rent is it characters. The feisty Maureen, the uninspired Roger, the lonely Mark, the charismatic Angel, the intellectual Collins, the playful Mimi, and the disciplined Joanne. Each character is three dimensional and relatable. We've all felt something similar to love and to heartbreak. We've all felt lonely before. What makes the show's energy is the real edge the characters present. This is why Rent is so successful. Not only is it a rally cry for the youth, it's a rally cry for people. People from all walks of life can find themselves in the triumph and the heartbreak that Rent presents because at its core Rent is a human story. It's about the the cycle of life and death and celebrating the days we've been given.
          While Larson's message and his characters are what shines the brightest in the film, the acting is superb as well. Adam Pascal shines in his delivery of "One Song Glory" and "Your Eyes." Pascal's raw emotion makes Roger's reluctance heart-wrenching and Pascal's subtle wandering eyes convey a deep sadness, lots of "baggage." Also, Anthony Rapp, like Pascal, uses his singing voice to really draw the audience towards his dilemma, his massive fear of being left behind as his friends continue to become ill. As he makes sacrifices to pay the rent, as he sits with his best friends and is still isolated. The stand out performance is, as always, Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel. Heredia is not only a fantastic singer and dancer, but he also gives a chilling performance. He is the face stuck in your head. He will be the character to haunt your memory; his portrayal will uplift you and shake you.
          In conclusion, this movie isn't perfect in any manner of the word. It could include more of Larson's joke and more of the short songs. It isn't perfect technically, but what film is perfect? Isn't that the point that it isn't perfect? Columbus's vision is better than the critics believe. The film captures the spirit of Rent. The humanity and the humility. And at the end of the day that's all the film needed to be. "Rentheads" didn't need a gritty or overly polished film. All they needed was Larson's words.
         In the end, there isn't much more to be said but this:
Thank you, Jonathan Larson

Oh America

       The media. Let's talk about the media. More specifically, let's talk about American media. The American media is well, disgusting and gave me unrealistic expectations for everything ever. American music, American television, American cinema, and America video games are all not appropriate  minus the children's section. It's violent and and sexual and even MORE sexual. Did I say profane? Oh boy, its profane. As a semi- creative individual I believe there are places times for violence and sexual relations. In many circumstances it can be a good thing, however these days it isn't being used under those circumstances.

Orson Scott Card

     Orson Scott Card wrote in his review of the television show Game of Thrones, "What you notice first is the amount of pointless nudity. Now, it happens that in the coarse medieval world of Martin's novels, there is a casual attitude toward sex. But Martin never, not once, uses sex pornographically. It's not described in detail, and it is always used as part of character revelation, relationship building or plot complication. You don't dwell on it, you know that it happened and you move forward in the story." 

   Fans of the show called Card's review, "harsh", however as a fan of the books and television show, I have to go with Card. The A Song of Ice and Fire series is beautiful and brutual. A complex world. George R.R. Martin put a whole lot of genius and a whole lot of realism in the land of Westeros. And yes, there is sex in the books, but in the series its pornographic and in your face every other scene. I can't even pick a specific episode because there is almost always a bunch of nudity. Graphic images. 
What Card is saying, and what I am saying, is that sex in a story isn't bad, in fact it can be good for that story. However, there is a point where is becomes pornographic and you're skipping every other scene. This is what Games of Thrones does. This is what lots of other projects do as well. Everyone is having sex. All the time. But I'm beating a dead horse at this point, so I'm going to move on. 
     
     Next, profanity. Profanity is a huge thing. Always the cursing, always the swearing. I don't have a specific example besides reality television minus the elusive Sister Wives.Whatever though, right? The only expectation I had about high school, thanks to the media, that was actually true was the cursing, There is a lot of profanity. I mean I kind of thought high school would be Animal House from the television interpretation of these blessed four years, but alas, I was wrong. I'm happy about that I suppose. There is much less pressure to drink or do drugs than expected. I'll take it. Finally, violence. I've already written my opinion on violence here.



So what am I saying exactly?
We overuse profanity, sex, and violence on television all the time.
ALL THE TIME.

My Suggestion:

We need a little more this:

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And a little less that:

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And a lot more of this: 

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Let's face it though, we always need more Disney. 

The Only Eight Choices: The Woes of a Prospective Political Communication Major

     I like politics. I like politics a lot. I really really do. I have for a while, and perhaps it started with my love of political dramas, maybe not. Anyway its irrelevant really because I love politics.
Policy and I have a tumultuous past. In fact, I started to identify as a Republican at twelve. Yes my little CAP friends, I was a firm conservative, but more on that later. As Richard Fish would say, "Bygones." (I just referenced 90's T.V. I'm sorry) I like debating policy, I like understanding our government while simultaneously whining about it. I like the idea that the laws politicians pass will ultimately help people. After all, I would do anything to the people of this country, even if it's every person, one at a time. I'm game. However, I also love communication and the humanities. I mean, I wouldn't be in CAP if I didn't. As of right now, I want to major on Political Communication when I bid high school farewell.
    So, for fun, I decided to see which colleges offered a degree in Political Communication. There had to be a decent amount, right? WRONG. Try eight. Well, give or take eight. I kid you not, eight results. Of the 3,991 schools listed on Big Future, there are only eight.

1. The George Washington University
2. Emerson College
3. Cedarville University
4. Suffolk University
5. Nebraska Wesleyan University
6. Missouri State University
7. Ohio University Southern
8. Weber State University

Eight. Right there. These are my options for college. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. It's morbidly depressing. What else do I do? I've looked through every single school on the list and about half of them are out already.

"The 'No' List"

• Ohio University Southern: This school is a regional commuter campus. Not beneficial for an out of state student. Furthermore, their website is hard to navigate. I couldn't find anything I wanted. 
• Suffolk University: Suffolk is a commuter campus. I wouldn't be able to do that in the middle of Boston. Also, like Ohio University Southern, their website is confusing but from what I can tell, they don't have a degree degree, but a "track" in Political Communication. Beggars can't be choosers but I'm picky. 
• Cedarville University: I'm on the fence because I'm not sure if I want to go to a school with a religious affiliation. That's picky but I don't want their to be a hugely dominant religion. Religion itself isn't the problem, I just want more religiously diverse than their seems to be on their campus. 
• The George Washington University: My mother refuses to send me their for undergraduate study, but is fine with me doing graduate work there. After all that is where she got her master's degree.

  The "Still Alive" List:

• Emerson College
• Nebraska Wesleyan University
• Missouri State University
• Weber State University

*Fun Fact of Merit: Kansas State University and Fairfield University have "tracks" in Political communication*

And then there were four. I'm kind of lost about the whole thing. Do I just man up and double major in Communication Studies and Political Science? Most schools offer those degrees. Or do I stick with the legitimately perfect degree. I have varying interests, but this Political Communication degree is no joke. It's flawless. I love writing contemporary stories and world religion, but according to my friends at Nebraska Wesleyan, this Political Communication degree could lead to a degree as a speechwriter, Press Secretary, PR, or the coveted Director of Communications. That's the career I want, Public Relations, Director of Communications. I don't want to be a politician, however, I do want to work for one. I want to regulate a campaign's relation with the press. I want to manage the communication of a campaign. Heck, I just want to work for a campaign. So I can't really give up on the four way path, can I? Besides, Emerson and Nebraska have caught my fancy, I must admit. 

Political Communications or Bust. 

Fun Videos:

Interpersonal Political Communication

The Power of Positive Political Communication

Until next time!

Children's Television Isn't Worthless

         Fratricide, genocide, sabotage, war, abuse, the pain of growing up, and suicide. Every single one of these words were explored on a "children's" show. Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, and My Little Pony are good examples of "children" shows that aren't childish in their content. In fact, I'm not entirely sure how they were able to broadcast Avatar or Korra as children show, but whatever. Every single one of these shows has stellar animation and complex story lines without overdoing it. They send good messages and shouldn't be written off as worthless television by everyone over nine. Children shows can be daring, exposing children to not the only the beauty of the world, but its brutality.
     

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     We'll start with the lesser of three evils, My Little Pony. MLP is fairly lighthearted compared to the shows after it. However, it does feature a few relatable story lines, specifically, "The Cutie Mark Crusaders." The Cutie Mark Crusaders (CMC) is a trio of three fillies who haven't received their "cutie marks. " A cutie mark is the marking on a pony's flank. These marks symbolize a pony's true calling in life, what they are made to do. The CMC are the last three fillies to receive their cutie marks and feel alone because they don't know what they're true calling is. This story is legitimately the life of every high school-er ever. It's completely relatable and it offers us advice. "Scootaloo: It means she could be great at anything. The possibilities are, like, endless. Sweetie Belle: She could be a great scientist, or an amazing artist, or a famous writer, she could even be mayor of Ponyville some day..."(Call of the Cutie). A true reminder that even while growing up and finding your unique talents is challenging  it really means that you are full of potential. That's a great message to send to people of all ages. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic was developed by Lauren Faust. It currently airs on the Hild ub at 10 AM. 
       

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        Second up is Avatar :The Last Airbender. Avatar has a large amount of violence and is set in the middle of a war. WAR. This is a children's show that heavily revolves on war and defeating an abusive tyrant. Aang, the Avatar, wakes up after being frozen in an iceberg to find the world at war. He's been asleep for 100 years. He has missed the genocide of his people, the air-benders. Genocide, I'm not kidding. The show is rated Y7 and the mass killing of a race is not only implied but seen. Add some torture, child abuse, and innuendo and you have Avatar summed up perfectly. One of the main characters, Zuko, had his face  permanently scarred by his father. A princess that sacrifices herself for her people. Katara watches her mother die on screen. An elderly women "blood-bends", aka tortures, soldiers.Remember this is a kid's show. Look how many risks it took and ultimately its beautiful message. It preaches the importance of having hope even when hope seems impossible, like a 100 year war. Again, not a bad message to be sending all people. Avatar: The Last Airbender was created by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino. It aired on Nickelodeon from 2005-2008.

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    I've saved the worst for last, The Legend of Korra. I'm not saying it's bad show, I'm saying  it's the most mature. And boy do the creators take advantage of that! LoK, like its predecessor, is violent. The first season is set in a large city and focuses on class struggle and the corruption of politician.The show  got particularly mature in the season one finale. I can't find any legit clips on YouTube, but I'll give you a rundown. The protagonist is tortured, a man kills himself and his brother. I'm not kidding,the man pictured below blew himself and his brother up for the greater good. That's a bit unsettling. Don't you think? That's the biggest offense, but really suicide? Good one, Nick.

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   So what am I saying exactly? That animated shows or shows aimed at children aren't worthless. Not every children's show is like Dora. Some challenge  contemporary, some teach timeless lessons. We should give them a chance.

     

How to Mess Up a Great Premise in Three Seasons or Less

       Watching television shows can show young artists what works on film and what doesn't. Effective ways to tell stories and ineffective ways. Luckily for young filmmakers, there are countless examples of what doesn't work at their disposal. For example, Glee. Glee has a surprisingly large fan base for a show of such poor quality.
      There is no continuity, limited character development, and almost none of their songs advance the plot. And that is the short list. There are a plethora of cliches, stereotypes, and too large of an ensemble cast to work with. So, why do I come back every week? Why do I plan to tune in again on November 8th? Why? In this post not only do I want to explore the things Glee does that are ill fated, but I want to find out what draws the viewer in. What makes them come back? The best way to go about this is to go through an episode, highlighting not only the things they do wrong, but the things that engross a viewer.
       It will remind me what works in film, and what doesn't. Hopefully it will help my group with our trailer as well. So, onward!  Glee has been in syndication since 2009, and is on its fourth season. It was created by Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, and Brad Falchuk. The last episode to air before a hiatus, was the anticipated (and dreaded) The Break Up. 
         The Break Up, heavily revolves around long distance relationships and whether or not the couples should "break up". The episode opens in Ohio with two seniors, Blaine ( Darren Criss) and Brittany (Heather Morris), talking about how they miss their boyfriend and girlfriend, both of which graduated in the spring. Meanwhile, in New York City, Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt(Chris Colfer), (Blaine's boyfriend) are visited by Finn, Rachel's maybe kind of sort boyfriend. There is no continuity, so I'm not really sure if they are dating. This is problem number one, a regular viewer should be able to tell what kind of relationship two main characters have, be it romantic or friendship. I can't really do that with Rachel and Finn. Strike one, Glee.
        The episode then shifts back to Ohio, where Kurt and Blaine are talking on the phone for the first time in a while, I'm guessing it has been a week or two. Blaine feels lonely without Kurt around, and Kurt is having the time of his life in New York. Conflict alert. Similarly, Finn feels isolated from Rachel in New York. Cue first musical number featuring a nifty little montage.

       Surprisingly, this piece works well with the plot. In the midst of the montage, Blaine is courted online by the mysterious Eli C. and Finn is isolated as he watches his girlfriend live out her dreams. Moving forward, later that night Kurt and Rachel are surprised when Blaine shows up at their door. And guess what? He's just in time to go a Karaoke bar! How deliciously fun! So the ragtag gang makes their way to CallBacks. Upon arriving Rachel meets her "super cool' college friend Brody and the two sing a flirty duet in front of Finn, Rachel's kind of sort of but not really boyfriend. Is that tension I'm feeling? Now this is a good song, but is really necessary? Its purpose is to show how separated Finn and Rachel are, which was achieved minutes earlier in Barely Breathing. Is it worth spending time on something conveyed minutes earlier? We are heading towards ad nauseum territory.

         While at this bar, Blaine asks to sing a song. He dedicates it to his true love, Kurt. Blaine sings Teenage Dream,the first song Blaine ever sang to Kurt. So it is actually a romantic gesture. Blaine breaks down crying, something is very wrong. So we go to commercial break.


      On the way home, Kurt, Blaine, Finn, and Rachel all talk with their respective partners.Blaine admits to Kurt that he cheated and Rachel tells Finn she kissed Brody. And I feel a song coming on! Oh goody. Let's not discuss our issues, why not sing about them in a very introverted manner. Take it away, Finn.


      We now encounter my second problem with Glee, which is exemplified with Blaine's cheating scandal. Blaine's action are out of character, from what we know. The thing is I can't confidently say that Blaine's action were out of character, on in character for that matter because I know nothing about Blaine Anderson. Nothing. Actually, I do know something about Blaine Anderson, he was the victim of a hate crime. But sadly, since 2010, Blaine hasn't done much but sing Katy Perry songs and look pretty. Furthermore, Blaine isn't the only victim here. There are so many characters. Last season, there were fifteen regular characters and twenty one recurring characters. My second problem is there are so many characters, so many that you can't keep track, or develop them. Strike two, Glee.
        Glee can never be simple or really develop anything. Now, I pose a question. Did you notice that I only covered what happened in one location? I've only covered New York, not Lima, O-H-I-O. This is Glee's third and final strike. The show is ambitious. It has so many stories to tell, but it always falls short. It fell short when it was in one location. Quinn was pregnant in season 1, no one mentioned it in season 2. Many stories are tossed aside, abandoned. Strike three, Glee. Learn to write story arcs you can complete.
       I'm going to give a quick rundown on the rest of the episode. So while all those break ups are happening in New York, a similar fate is in store for our Ohioan friends. Santana (Naya Rivera) and Brittany, another couple, discuss the merits of a long distance relationship. Brittany feels left behind by Santana, and Santana wants to be mature.  After, a nice long tearful goodbye. (I might have cried. OK, I did cry.) and some Taylor Swift, the two break up.
      Meanwhile, Jake and Kitty, a kind of worthless couple, are entangled in a love triangle with a sophomore named Marley. Jake realizes that Kitty is catty and breaks up with her. More relationship problems! Those problems don't end with the students even the teachers are effected. Will Schuester, the Glee club sponsor that needs an adult friend, gets a new job in D.C. He asks his fiancee Emma, to come with him. She refuses and the two fall out. Cue the last song! Full of flashbacks and all things sad!

       There are many problems with Glee, but what brings in the viewer? Why can I see all its fault but still watch it?
       The thing is when Glee gets it right, it gets it beyond right. In this episode alone I can pick out a few examples. In The Break Up, besides the strong acting, the cinematography and lighting shine the brightest. Specifically, Blaine and Brittany feel left behind, so in group shots, like in Don't Speak, Blaine is behind and alone, running to catch up and blurry. Blaine is visually left behind. An example of lighting is in The Scientist. The lights, besides being aesthetically pleasing, help the story flow. Blaine and Santana, who were at "fault' in their relationships, are covered in shadows, while their partners are bathed in light. Blaine was wrong, Kurt didn't do anything. (etc) It's interesting and shadows in previous numbers symbolizing the pain to come, and the shadows contrasting light, exemplifying the pain they have caused.
     So I guess at that end of the day, Glee can get something right. The show does a lot wrong but it does some things right. There is a lot it can teach us not to do like over complicate our stories and disregard continuity, but it can also teach us what to do. Technical things like symbolic lighting and varied/expressive camera shots.
 I think it is best summed up in The Scientist, originally by Coldplay, "Nobody said it was easy/ No one ever said it would be this hard..." It sums up watching Glee perfectly.  

In Which We Take a Brief Break from Anti- Mormonism

      A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is running for president, that's a given.Mitt Romney is LDS and I'm pretty sure you know it. Since this election toke off, Americans have had an earful of magic underwear and polygamy jokes. So when I saw the cover storyof Time, I was weary. The article dominates the cover. The issue is titled "The Mormon Identity."  Maybe I'm just a pessimist, but most article about Mormons and their beliefs go downhill quickly. I definitely judged before reading.
      I added the magazine to the grocery cart, and once I got home I dug right in. I didn't know what I would find. I was pleasantly surprised. The article doesn't focus on polygamy, it only touches on it. Every word made me feel more confident that the article was positive.  This has been a year of Mormon slams galore, and I'm pleased that the author of this particular article toke it upon themselves to write about the LDS Church overcoming struggles, instead of Joseph Smith having multiple wives. Progress and baby steps right?

This very respectful and heartwarming article. The Mormon in Mitt analyzes how Romney's beliefs influence his vision for this country. The article starts by talking about the Mormon Pioneer Trail. A body of people leaving behind the lives they had known for what they believed. Jon Meacham describes the trail and its pivotal moment, "... Smith and his flock attempted to settle permanently in Nauvoo, Ill. Yet a backlash against Smith led to the arrest of the prophet, who was ultimately shot to death by an anti-Mormon mob." Meacham describes the Mormons heading west and making peace with the world around them, including prominent leaders, such as Abraham Lincoln. 
        The Mormons are depicted as looking for liberty and religious freedom. It's best summed up by Mitt Romney in his book, No Apology. Romney writes, " People from all over the world who prized freedom — the innovators, the pioneers, the dreamers — came to America and so they continue today. ... It is this love of liberty and the accompanying spirit of invention, creativity, derring-do and pioneering that have propelled America to become the most powerful nation in the history of the world."
            The article goes on to explain philanthropy and charity in the Mormon Church. The members of the Church are always willing to give to the poor. The religion promotes helping others and being reliant on oneself and their beliefs. This has transferred to Romney's politics.
        In the end, the article explores the LDS Church; origins and how it has impacted the life of member, Mitt Romney. It's a good read and I'm picky about Mormon depiction. I enjoyed it.
        Let's be honest one of my favorite parts was about Romney's mission and how he kept in touch with Ann, his future wife. Honestly, it's romantic.  Romance melts me, so there you go.  It's a quality piece and recommended reading. 

         Let's think about it about Mormon depiction. This article could've easily been negative. South Park was described by LDS members as, "unexpectedly, our best treatment." Think about it. South Park got it.  South Park, think about that long and hard. When doesn't South Park push the limits? The show is crude and downright disgusting at times, and they're the Church's best treatment. 

Let that one sink in. 


I thought I would take this opportunity for us to play Mormon Myths and the Legitimate Facts.

Angel Moroni Statue that is found on top of most Temples
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Mormon Myths: 
1. Mormons are polygamous.
False. This is wrong, wrong, and doubly wrong. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints doesn't condone polygamy, and the Community of Christ (formerly the RLDS Church) never has. Since the 1890 Manifesto, the LDS Church has not condoned or taught plural marriage. The practice formally stopped in Second Manifesto where the church declared it would not sanction marriages that defied the law of the land. No one is denying that Mormons did in fact practice polygamy, but the Church has not been in favor of plural marriage in over 100 years. Can't we see beyond Joseph Smith and Brigham Young's polygamy and make ourselves aware that Mormon Church does not practice polygamy. Furthermore the LDS Church does not have any formal ties with any polygamist sects of "fundamental Mormons".
2. Mormons wear magic underwear. 
O.K. Mormons wear temple garments, which are sometimes called "magic underwear" by the nice and ignorant Americans. A temple garment, is worn after an endowment ceremony. It is worn by those worthy to enter the temple, and let me tell you there are some requirements for that kind of thing. They are viewed as symbol of the covenants one makes in a Mormon Temple. Temples are scared to Mormons and only those righteous may enter. The garment is a reminder of their intimate moments in a "house of the Lord" is not an insult to Mormons, just a reminder of how connected they feel to God. We should probably learn the proper terms huh? It is derogatory after all. 
3. Mormons can't drink coffee. 
This is true as can be! The Words of Wisdom, Doctrine and Covenants 89:1-2, prohibits it. Mormons can't drink wine, herbal tea, or coffee. Generally all these things are healthy not to consume anyway. For Mormons it isn't that big of a loss. However, in the Community of Christ, Mormonism's largest sect, drinking and coffee are allowed. 
4. Mormonism is a cult. 
Wrong. This is false. Go straight to the interwebs and look it up. Do not pass go and do not collect $200. Mormonism is not a cult. Does Mormonism have religion status in the United States of America? Yes, yes it does. Want to know how Merriam Webster defines a cult? It is defined as, "formal religious veneration." Well that's awkward isn't it? Wouldn't all religions be cults then if formal religious worship was what a cult was? Look, Mormonism has a respected following of over a million people. I think we can look above and beyond a "cult" label . 

         This concludes Mormon Myths. That was fun. 
        So now I close with two questions for the reader of this very post. (Yes, you audience of people that may not exist.)
1. What are you're least favorite religious "jokes" or religiously ignorant comments? (Like Mormon vs. Moron. )
2. Do you think religion matters when deciding who to vote for? Would a candidate's religion sway your decision? 

Now please enjoy a clip of MoTab singing "Climb Every Mountain" from the The Sound Of Music. 

The Glasses: Scriptwriter Homework

     I'm really happy with our script and the footage we have so far. We have a solid beginning, middle, and ending, and that's always a positive thing to have. I honestly feel like the world we created is starting to come together. Is it wrong that  I feel like we done accomplished something good? I really hope not. Anyway, I think we've covered all our dystopian elements as well. Our script is propaganda heavy, we have four figureheads, a fear of the outside world, an illusion of utopia, and citizens living in a dehumanized state. This pleases me, it really does. I really am happy about this. We have some great things planned and I can't wait to watch them come to life.
      I'm really pleased with our montage voice over ideas, I thought they would never come together to be perfectly honest. The voice over will be effective it sets up the basics of our world well. It's a nice summary, without really sounding tedious and pointless. We also spent time reworking the dialogue, especially the figureheads. Of course I can't take all the credit. The lovely Stephanie and Aidan helped with that and it is their genius that helps me continue to feel inspired.
     I can't stress enough how excited and happy I am with this project especially since we changed our character's first name from Katie to Mai. We've made a lot of progress and I'm really happy about it.

5x5: The Best of Summer

5x5: Summer 2012 Highlights





1. My six year old brother graduates from Kindergarten. (I felt old and shamelessly cried when they sang Rainbow Connection. )
2. After seeing Brave Stephanie agreed to "shuffle" in Downtown Silver Spring. Highlight of the summer indeed.
3. My little sister Emily decided to engage with me. She is so cute, especially when she decides to like me.
4. My cousin Jenny, a ridiculously talented athlete, attempted to do cartwheels on the beach on our nightly walk. This is one of the better attempts.
5. Fireworks at my first and maybe only Rodeo in Salinas, California. Yay crime!


I created my 5x5 on my phone over the summer and September. I edited the clips with iMovie 11. The snags I hit were that I couldn't find a way to make my clips full screen without the lip flipping upside down. Another snag I hit was that every time I tried to get a clip of the fireworks you could here the announcers screaming about the "beauty" of Salinas. (Yay John Steinbeck and crime galore!) Thankfully, I found a clip where those guys from Montana and Wyoming weren't talking.

I think it could be better, but I like my clips and organization. I think it would be better full screen.

I think our next independent project should be clips set to a certain piece of music with the objective of creating a specific tone.

Bye for now Blogsphere!

Personalized Learning

    Will Richardson's article, Preparing Students to Learn Without Us, explores personalized learning and its practice in innovative schools. Richardson plunges into the world of personalized learning and schools that are adapting this new sort of curriculum, like the Hunterdon Central Regional High School has adopted alternative credit pathways and personalized learning methods. Richardson concludes that it is important to teach students information that pertains to them, and that has time goes on and technology becomes more complex , this curriculum becomes more achievable, so to speak. 
   One poignant quote from Richardson's article is, "Students understand that there is no one "right" answer that the teacher expects, that there are many answers, and that the teacher and students will likely discover many of these together." This quote touches on the aspect of community aspect of personalized learning. The quote makes a lasting impression because I believe we are always learning. I like that only do the students learns from the teacher, but the teacher learns from the students. What really surprised me about the article was seeing how teachers helped connect course material to a student's interest. The example in the article is connecting the Knights in British literature to modern day football players. What surprised me the most was learning how we can connect our interests do what we are doing in school. I mean, I knew this before don't I didn't realize how universal the connections truly are.
         I think connected learning is quite a marvelous idea, unless of course, we are start using extremely complex networks because, frankly I am not good with technology. Asides from technical difficulties or any disorganization  it would be fantastic to become a community of learners, who can continue their passions to their schoolwork. To quote Richardson, "In other words, it's risk and reward..." I think we should take the risk, despite complication that could arise, because there would be many significant rewards, such as a renewed interest in learning. One thing that I would personally like to learn about is to write a script/ screenplay with proper format. It would be beneficial to learn and I would be more connected with the official process of writing for films and other assignments. 

Beasts of the Southern Wild

   Benh Zeitlin's film, Beasts of the Southern Wild, is a masterpiece. Roger Ebert reviewed the after it's initial release, and deems the film, "miraculous" and one of the best films of the year. Ebert starts his review of the independent film, with a description of of a the plot and background information. That includes the setting and a description of our main character, six year old Hushpuppy. He continues to give a plot summary and characterization. Ebert gives detail on the setting and what it was like for the actors to film on location. The review itself is focused on the literary aspects and dramatic aspects. The reviewer calls the film one of the best films of the year and gives the film four stars. They do not give away the ending. We should structure our quarterly movie reviews by giving plot details and discussing all aspects of a film. We can discuss the films weaknesses and its strengths.We should view the movie from every aspect of film making.

Here is Roger Ebert's Reivew.


CTR and Allons-y!

1st Annual Blog Post

Source: gnuckx

    Hola. My name is Juliette and I'm a hypochondriac. I have terrible eyesight and I spend about 50% of my time thinking I have appendicitis.  I was born in the San Francisco Bay area and now I live here, on the east coast. I have five younger siblings, three sisters and two brothers.I love the Church of Jesus Christ of  Latter-day Saints and the Church of Scientology. I love British accents and I love pretending I can successfully mimic one.The picture I choose above is a boat. The boat reminds me that we are starting a new year, or a new journey out to sea. There will be times that waves are violently crashing down us, and there will be times of peace and tranquility. I must remember that the waves are a part of sailing, and they prepare us for the relaxation of the tranquil waters.
    My favorite part of film making is screenwriting. I like creating new characters and exploring other worlds. There is a great feeling that comes from writing our observations of life and telling our stories. It fascinates me. Also, I like cinematography. The way a cameraman can manipulate the emotion of a scene through only visuals is simply breathtaking. My favorite film project I have done is a spoof of America's Next Top Model. We weren't given much instruction but it was fun to be creative and in control of our own project. I co- wrote the script, helped with cinematography, and I was the director.
   Over the year we can use the blogs to aid us with our Change Projects. We can use links and blog posts to keep all the group's resources together online.These blogs may make it easier to communicate during group projects because our sources can linked together.We could contact each other and blog about our personals thoughts and ideas regarding the assignment. Regardless, the blogs will be a good way to stay connected to our classes outside of class.


 Let the blogging begin.

CTR and Allons-y!