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I've always loved Chanel Iman, and when I realized she had made a filmic debut last year, I had to see it. 'Dope' is about a group of nerds who end up with a lot of drugs and have to decide what to do. I really enjoyed the satirical take, and I think it was fairly well done. Not necessarily a movie I'll rewatch, but pretty decent, good for a few laughs, and worth watching. Highlights include Chanel Iman and Zoe Kravitz, and lowlights include the general implausibility (a huge plot point was Malcolm, our hero from a low income family, getting into Harvard, with nothing in the movie addressing how he'd pay the tuition. Maybe just as a college student actively paying tuition, it just bugged me, but still.)   Note: photos not our own, taken from here.
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Someone recommended that I watch Adult World (2013) a few days ago and on a lazy day, I gave it a try. It's described as a comedy but the description talks about a struggling poet (Emma Roberts) and her idol (John Cusack.) From IMDB "Amy, a naive college graduate who believes she's destined to be a great poet, begrudgingly accepts a job at a sex shop while she pursues a mentorship with reclusive writer Rat Billings" I was expecting a sad, coming of age film where a young poet finds herself but instead I got a dark comedy and a fun satire on how society perceives writers today. Most of the film was very dimly lit, which got on my nerves, but besides that I don't have many complaints. Watch Adult World for a fairly amusing take on the creative process.  Note: photo from IMDB and not our own.
I’ve included my entire Netflix watchlist below. No judgment please, since I have the most boring and generic watchlist there is. An asterisk (*) indicates shows that I have already watched, but that I just like to keep in my list to remind me to rewatch them. Let me know what kinds of things are on your watchlist too!
If you’re unfamiliar with the name Malala Yousafzai, you better catch yourself up. Malala is a young teenage girl from Swat, Pakistan. She is not only an advocate for children and women’s rights, but is also the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner ever. Malala advocated for her right (and other girls rights in general) to attend school and receive an education while living in Pakistan. In October of 2012, at the age of 15, Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman who opposed her advocacy. She was on a school bus with some of her friends, two of which were also wounded. You can read more about Malala’s life in a profile by BBC here. According to Malala’s website, she writes, “I don’t want to be thought of as the girl who was shot by the Taliban but the girl who fought for education. This is the cause to which I want to devote my life.” The Malala Fund is currently promoting female secondary education in Pakistan, Nigeria, Syria (and among Syrian refugees), Kenya, and Sierra Leone.  “He Named Me Malala” is a documentary following Malala’s life, and was released in early October of this year. You can see the trailer from YouTube below. I have yet to see the documentary (as it appears it has yet to be released in an online format), but I have heard very good things about it. The only criticisms of the film I’ve seen are that it is directed toward an education audience (as a learning tool), and that it doesn’t spotlight Malala’s life as much as it should have. Regardless, I hope you add this documentary to your watch list. It’s currently being played in select theaters (which you can look-up on the movie’s website), and may be available online soon. I think that it is a story worth listening to, and the documentary spotlights a problem that many Americans are unfamiliar with.  If you want to learn more about Malala and her campaign, I suggest looking at Malala’s organization and purchasing a copy of her book “Malala,” which is available on Amazon and from Barnes & Noble. You can also watch the New York Times documentary, “Class Dismissed” (2009) below, or from their website. ***Warning: The video does show very graphic images and footage that can be triggering/disturbing to some viewers. Please watch with caution. ***DISCLAIMER: May contain spoilers*** I am very, very late in watching “Mad Max: Fury Road,” which premiered in the U.S. in mid-May 2015. This movie has been praised for its brilliance in acting, cinematography, and plot. Some of the big names in this move are Tom Hardy (as Max), Charlize Theron (Imperator Furiosa), and Nicholas Hoult (Nux). One of my favorite actresses, Zoë Kravitz, even has a role.  According to a summary from IMDB; “An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. There’s Max, a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa, a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.” The film follows Imperator Furiosa (Theron) as she escapes from the compound of the ruthless commander Immortan Joe (played by Hugh Keays-Byrne). Furiosa is pursued by Joe and his gang of “war boys,” as it is quickly discovered that she helped five of Joe’s prize “breeders” escape from their imprisonment; Toast the Knowing (Kravitz), The Splendid Angharad (played by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), Capable (played by Riley Keough), The Dag (played by Abbey Lee), and Cheedo the Fragile (played by Courtney Eaton). The movie follows the two rebels and escaped wives, later joined by one of the war boys Nux (Hoult), as they drive through the desert in an effort to escape Joe. I’ve heard “Mad Max” described as an hour-and-a-half long car chase, and after seeing it, I struggle to find a more accurate description. But that doesn’t mean the movie is in any way boring, slow, or predictable. It has excellent character development (through Furiosa, Max, Nux, and the wives), incredible cinematography (as it was filmed on-location in Namibia), and a well-thought out plot.  I especially liked that the movie was not entirely degrading to women. With five of the characters being “breeders” for Joe, it would have been very easy for rape and sexual violence to become themes in the film. This was fortunately not the case, although some other women were shown in compromising situations (but they were relatively equal to the treatment of men). Many viewers describe the movie as having a certain feminist undertone; the main character is a disabled woman (Furiosa), and an ongoing theme for the “wives” is that they are not “things.” An article posted in The Guardian by Jessica Valenti further explains this theme; “There were plenty of small and not-so-small feminist moments in the film: at one point, Max hands Furiosa his rifle because she’s the better shot and she uses his shoulder to steady it before firing; there’s a scene in which the wives cut off iron chastity belts in a moment of liberation and disgust; and the entire subplot involving the gang of matriarchal older women on motorcycles whose ‘one man, one bullet’ mantra is likely to raise more hackles than a ‘male tears’ mug.” (You can read the rest here)  I certainly enjoyed the movie, and would definitely see it again if given the opportunity. There were a lot of memorable moments, like the budding friendship between Max and Furiosa (they make a great team), Cheedo helping the alone and confused Nux, and Joe’s final demise. However, this movie was not designed for all audiences, and is rated R for a reason. The content is very heavy, as it is a post-apocalyptic world and society has crumbled. I would not be so weary about language or nudity, but instead cannibalism and violence. The movie is not as gory as it could have been, but I would not recommend it to anyone squeamish or younger than 15. You can watch the trailer below, and remember to catch the movie on DVD as it was recently released. I am Femen was recently added to Netflix and I promptly made time to watch it. I am Femen is a documentary about Femen, the Ukrainian activist group that promotes feminism and attempts peaceful topless protests against injustice caused by the patriarchy. This film is crucial for modern feminists, as well as those looking to broaden their horizons. IMDB says: "A revealing look at FEMEN- the topless female activists who fight corrupt and patriarchal political systems in Kiev and all across Europe- as well as a portrait of the group's creative backbone, the bewitching Oksana Shachko." Femen protests involve trademark flower crowns and free nipples which draw a stark visual comparison of the police dressed in riot gear attacking them. I highly suggest this film, as well as checking out Femen's website.   It Happened Here is a documentary about five students who survived rape during their time in college. Their stories are poignant and powerful, and the documentary traces their paths to becoming the activists they are now. It Happened Here focuses on how difficult it has been to make change in university policies to protect victims, as well as in federal courts. IMDB says: "Through the intimate portraits of five student survivors, IT HAPPENED HERE exposes the alarming pervasiveness of sexual assault on college campuses, the institutional cover-ups and the failure to protect students, and follows their fight for accountability and change on campus and in federal court." Though It Happened Here is a potentially triggering film, I would highly suggest it to those interested in rape culture, activism, or university policy. I would also suggest it to all students, educators, parents, and university officials.  Note: plot summary and photo from IMDB and not at all our own
It was very difficult to choose my favorite episodes of “Bob’s Burgers,” as they’re all very unique and hilarious. I based my favorite episodes on ones that I remembered the best, and that I would easily put on and watch at any given moment in time. 20. “Weekend at Mort’s” S1E11: “The family spends the weekend at Mort the Mortician’s while the restaurant is being de-molded, and Linda and Bob double date with Mort.” 19. “Eat, Spray, Linda” S5E18: “It's Linda's birthday, and Bob needs more time to plan her birthday surprise. But when he sends her out of the house as a distraction, she goes missing. Mayhem ensues as the Belchers must work together to find Linda.” (from Wikipedia) 18. “The Equestranauts” S4E17: “At a convention celebrating the magical pony cartoon series ‘The Equestranauts,’ Tina discovers that most of her fellow fans are grown men.”  17. “Boyz 4 Now” S3E21: “While accompanying Tina to a ‘Boyz 4 Now’ concert, Louise develops a crush on one of the lead singers, Boo Boo - and is in disbelief that she actually likes a boy!” 16. “Sexy Dance Fighting” S1E4: “When Tina develops a crush on the town’s new martial arts instructor, she joins the class and ends up shirking her responsibilities at the restaurant.” 15. “Mutiny on the Windbreaker” S3E4: “When Bob is invited to be a private chef on a docked cruise ship, he brings the family along to witness his skills outside of the restaurant.” 14. “Slumber Party” S4E9: “When her mother invites her classmates over for a surprise slumber party. Louise enlists Tina and Gene to help her find a way to send them back home.” 13. “The Kids Run Away” S4E19: “When she learns that Louise is hiding out from the dentist at her Aunt Gail’s, Linda bets she won’t survive the weekend with Gail’s daffy behavior.” 12. “Dr. Yap” S2E6: “When he inadvertently causes Linda’s sister, Gayle, to fall in love with him, Bob turns to his dentist, Dr. Yap, for help.” 11. “Bed and Breakfast” S1E7: “With a long weekend approaching, Linda sees an opportunity to capitalize on the tourist traffic by starting a bed and breakfast.”  10. “A River Runs Through Bob” S4E1: “The Belchers’ camping trip brings them closer to the wonders of nature, including white-water rapids and Bob’s troubled digestive system.” 9. “Dawn of the Peck” S5E4: “A wild bird attack causes chaos at the First Annual Fischoeder Turk-tacular Turkey Town Festival when Linda and the kids go there for Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, Bob is boycotting the holiday.” (from Wikipedia) 8. “Seaplane!” S4E3: “Linda enrolls herself and Bob in flying lessons, but she ends up going alone -- which her instructor, ‘Upskirt Kurt,’ doesn’t seem to mind.” 7. “Hamburger Dinner Theater” S1E5: “Bob lets Linda and the kids stage a murder mystery dinner theater in the restaurant, but an abrupt interruption changes the play’s direction.” 6. “The Belchies” S2E1: “When the kids go exploring inside a derelict taffy factory that’s slated for demolition, Bob must get them out before the building is destroyed.” 5. “Bad Tina” S2E8: “Hoping to impress Jimmy Pesto Jr., Tina starts hanging around with troublesome teen Tammy and soon lands herself in hot water.”  4. “Full Bars” S3E2: “The Belcher kids break their Halloween tradition by ditching their usual trick-or-treating route and venturing off to Kingshead Island, a posh neighborhood that is known for distributing full-sized candy bars.” 3. “O.T. Outside Toilet” S3E15: “In an homage to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Gene finds an expensive talking toilet and befriends it.” 2. “The Oeder Games” S5E21: “With the threat of a rent increase on Ocean Avenue, Bob and the other tenants rebel. After approaching Fischoeder, the tenants find out that they will have to compete in order to convince him to keep their rents reasonable.” (from Wikipedia) 1. “Art Crawl” S1E8: “When Linda asks Bob to let her sister hang her paintings in the restaurant for Art Week, Bob is forced to contend the city’s Art Council.”  As Halloween approaches, it’s time to bring out the seasonal classics we all know and love. And, if you’re like me, you probably watch these movies year-round anyway. But there’s something special about watching these movies during the month of Halloween, which is why I chose 35 of my favorite Halloween-themed (or just good movies to watch around Halloween) movies. So checkout my list of 35 Halloween favorites below that you have to watch (or rewatch) this Halloween season. Also remember to check Disney Channel and ABC Family during the month of October, as they play a lot of the movies listed below! Disney and Pixar Classics: “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) “Monster’s Inc.” (2001)  Disney Channel Original Movies: “Halloweentown” (1998) “Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century” (1999) “Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge” (2001) “Zenon: The Zequel” (2001) “Halloweentown High” (2004) “Zenon: Z3” (2004) “Twitches” (2005) “Return to Halloweentown” (2006) “Twitches Too” (2007)  Horror/Thriller/Action Movies: “Scream” (1996) “Donnie Darko” (2001) “Paranormal Activity” (2007) “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (2007) “Friday the 13th” (2009) “My Super Psycho Sweet 16” (2009) “The Cabin in the Woods” (2011) “World War Z” (2013) “The Purge: Anarchy” (2014)  ABC Family Movies (not actually by ABC or ABC Family, but played rather frequently on the station): “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966) “Beetlejuice” (1988) “Edward Scissorhands” (1990) “The Addams Family” (1991) “Addams Family Values” (1993) “Hocus Pocus” (1993) “Sleepy Hollow” (1999) “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005) “Corpse Bride” (2005) “Monster House” (2006) “Coraline” (2009) “Alice in Wonderland” (2010) “Paranorman” (2012)  Comedies: “Zombieland” (2009) “Warm Bodies” (2013)  Parks and Recreation is one of my all-time favorite shows. I know virtually every episode by heart (with the exception of season 7, where I’ve only each episode once or twice). It was very difficult to narrow down my favorite episodes, since they are all wonderful in their own ways. I tried to choose my favorite overall episodes instead of episodes containing my favorite moments (which would be all of them if we’re being honest). Below are my 21 all-time favorite episodes from the series. I’ve tried to get at least one from each season, and I limited some seasons to only a couple, especially seasons 2-5 since those are my favorites! 21. “The Banquet” (S1E5) - “Leslie attends a banquet and discovers what it takes to get what you want in the political arena. Tom and Mark go to a bar and pick up some women.” While season 1 was a bit of a bust, this is my favorite episode from the season, mainly because Leslie and Ann are mistaken for a lesbian couple. 20. “Sex Education” (S5E4) - “Leslie tries her hand at teaching a sex-education class after an STD outbreak. Ron attempts to show Tom how to enjoy life without technology.” 19. “The Cones of Dunshire” (S6E8) - “Leslie and Councilman Jamm clash over a park proposal; Ben gets a hobby, then a job; Tom, April and Donna help Ron sell his cabin.”  18. “Women in Garbage” (S5E11) - “Leslie focuses on women’s equality in government by becoming a garbage collector for a day with Ann. Tom wants to learn how to play basketball.” 17. “Eagleton” (S3E12) - “When the neighboring city of Eagleton puts up a fence around one of their parks, Leslie must convince her former best friend to take it down.” 16. “Pawnee Rangers” (S4E4) - “To fight the inequality of Ron’s boys-only wilderness group, Leslie takes her girls-group, the Pawnee Goddesses, on an adventure weekend.” This episode is also birth to Treat Yo’ Self Day. 14 & 15. “One Last Ride Pt. 1 and 2” (S7E12/13) - “In the last day in Pawnee, Leslie rallies the entire team for one last Parks Project: fixing a swing in a park. A series of flash-forwards show bits of what will happen to the characters over the next years and decades. Typhoon and Craig get married, Andy and April become parents, Donna sets up a non-profit with her husband, Tom becomes a best-selling author, Garry serves as Mayor until his death at age 100, and Ron finds happiness in a job as a park superintendent for the National Park Service. Ben is elected to Congress, and he and Leslie are separately courted to run for governor of Indiana. After considering who should run, Ben decides that Leslie would be a better candidate. The two then visit the Parks department and see all of their friends once more. Ann and Chris reappear and decide to move back to Pawnee. In the future Leslie serves two terms as governor, and hints at a "new, unknown challenge" in a speech; at Garry's funeral (depicted earlier in the episode, but occurring further in the future), she and Ben are accompanied by what appears to be a Secret Service detail, in a scene left intentionally ambiguous.” (taken from Wikipedia). 13. “Ron and Tammys” (S4E2) – “Leslie intervenes when Tammy One begins controlling Ron’s every move. Ben tries to help Tom balance the books, while Ann makes a PSA starring Chris.”  12. “The Debate” (S4E20) - “Leslie faces off with Bobby Newport in a televised debate. Ann, Tom, and Chris work the media spin room, while Ron saves a party for Leslie’s donors.” The best part of this episode is Andy acting out his favorite movies when the cable is shut off during the viewing party of the debate. 11. “Andy & April’s Fancy Party” (S3E9) - “Andy and April host a dinner party for all their friends. Ben asks Leslie for some career advice, while Ann tries her luck at a singles party.” 10. “Jerry’s Painting” (S3E11) - “Jerry’s contribution to Leslie’s community art show causes a stir. Ben moves in with April and Andy and attempts to teach them how to be adults.”  9. “Ron and Tammy” (S2E8) - “Leslie learns that the library department wants to take over her lot. The library is run by Ron’s ex-wife, who still has an emotional hold on him.” 8. “Ron & Tammy II” (S3E4) - “Tom tries to get back at Ron by going out on a date with Ron’s ex-wife, Tammy, while Leslie tries to protect Ron from falling prey to her charms.” 7. “Leslie and Ben” (S5E14) - “Leslie and Ben have two hours to complete a yearlong project. Meanwhile, Ron lands in trouble when his temper gets the better of him.” Leslie and Ben finally get married, that’s all you need to know. 6. “Lil’ Sebastian” (S3E16) - “Leslie and the parks team put together a memorial service for a dearly departed friend. Meanwhile, Tom makes a big life decision.” This episode introduces Andy’s song “5,000 Candles in the Wind,” along with Tom’s new business, Entertainment 720. 5. “Hunting Trip” (S2E10) - “Leslie invites herself on Ron’s annual hunting trip, but things don’t go as planned. Andy and April bond in the office while everyone is away.” Ron gets shot in the back of the head. If that doesn’t make you interested in this episode, nothing will. 4. “Animal Control” (S5E18) - “Leslie takes charge of the stoner-run animal control department. Ron resists medical treatment for Ann. Ben and Andy seek help from Dennis Feinstein.” 3. “The Treaty” (S4E7) - “Leslie enlists Ben, Andy, and April to host a Model U.N. for Pawnee Central High School. Chris asks Ann for advice when a date cancels on him.” 2. “The Stakeout” (S2E2) - “Leslie and Tom discover someone planted marijuana in the new community garden. Hoping to catch those responsible, they pull an all-night stakeout.” 1. “Park Safety” (S2E19) - “After Jerry gets mugged, Leslie meets with the park ranger in hopes of improving park safety. Everyone tries to be nicer to Jerry once he returns.” And who guest stars as the park safety officer? Andy Sandberg!  |
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