Tennessee: Mariah Carey Not Into Spouse Abuse

Okay, so domestic violence is just not cool, and that's it? And at the same time, it's unfortunate and rather lopsided, that the details of Mariah Carey's own character Krytal, lack the attention and depth lavished upon the male protagonists. In addition, what we have here is once again the black mammy syndrome, as Carey seems to be around mostly to tend to the physical and emotional needs of those perpetually moping males. She's even repeatedly fetching them food, long after Krystal has called it quits with waitressing.

CLICK TO READ REVIEW HERE

Under Our Skin Movie Review

A documentary film by Andy Abrahams Wilson

It takes more than a subject that begs to be known to create a documentary worth spending time and money to see.

This documentary, UNDER OUR SKIN is a case in point. The subject is riveting but it can be presented in a myriad ways given our present state of technological vehicles for comunication. So why pick the documentary with all the seemingly requisite ingredients, that in this case does not bring to life the plight of human susceptibility to the ever growing incidence of Lyme disease.

There is a robotic nature to this film, making it somewhat less than enjoyable. The narrator's voice is drone like, lulling the viewer into a quasi comatose state. The images of the afflicted people, the feature of this documentary appear inserted into the script without creativity, without regard to the artistry of documentary creation. This is a sorry state when the issue of Lyme disease, its failure to attract national attention, looms so large.

Perhaps the next go round for this important subject will produce more gripping results.

Opens June 19th

Linda Z
criticalwomen@blogspot.com

North Korean Film Unfiltered: No Shrinking Violet But Hardly A Pre-Revolutionary Feminist

The Tale Of Chun Hyang: Part Disney, part Karl Marx, the movie might be characterized as a North Korean post-revolutionary blockbuster. And where the besieged protagonist is hardly a shrinking violet but not quite a budding feminist. But hey, we're talking centuries ago.

CLICK TO READ REVIEW HERE

HE SAID, SHE SAID....What Goes Up

A MACHO CRITIC FREE ZONE

HE SAID....

By Gerald Wright

Screenwriters Jonathan Glatzer and Robert Lawson wrote a cautionary tale concerning sexuality, drug use and a hint pedophilia starring Steve Coogan, Hilary Duff, Molly Shannon, Olivia Thirlby, Josh Peck and Max Hoffman. Despite the controversial and central concept of the story hosting an ex-Disney starlet, I really wanted to enjoy this film. However, as luck would have it, I was left bewildered and disappointed.

The plot starts off centering on a morally troubled New York reporter/journalist in the 1980s who is assigned to cover the story of a New Hampshire female school teacher's space flight. Once arriving in the small New England town Campbell Babbitt (Steve Coogan of Tropic Thunder) finds out that his old college chum and once local high school teacher has died. Rumors say it was suicide and it leaves his odd-ball students of his homeroom class depressed and confused. As a good reporter Campbell sees a good story in his old buddy's death and decides to put the space launching on hold.

As the story progresses it goes sour with the introduction of the dysfunctional high school students: Hilary Duff as Lucy a sexual tease, Olivia Thirlby as Tess who is socially depressed, and Josh Peck as Jim a paranoid doper. Other misfortunate students are Peggy, Sue, Ann (Sarah Lind, Andrea Brooks and Ingrid Nilson) and Brenna O'Brien as the Diminutive Girl. These characters set the stage for - Why did their favorite teacher kill himself? What are the hidden secrets of his life? Was he having an affair with young sexy Lucy? Will mature Campbell get in immature Lucy's pants?

I am not an overzealous adult who frowns on films that suggest pedophilia, but if it undermines feminism I find it in bad taste. As the plot attempts to develop it strays to and from a hunt for secrets to a pathetic Campbell Babbitt lusting after a high school sex kitten. Josh Peck's (The Wackness) character Jim is very disturbing and confusing because there isn't a hint as for why he is so angry with everyone except his misfit colleagues. Hilary Duff who has outgrown the Disney theme seems to be searching for a role that fits her. Unfortunately, this is not the role. The other young cast members were merely props in a high school movie attempting to recreate scenes from The Breakfast Club, Heathers and Juno. Molly Shannon plays Donna a middle age horny neighbor of Campbell who tries to put the "make" on him and fails. This is because Steve Coogan's whimsy character (Campbell) is too busy walking the thin line he encounters in being a predator of a provocative teenage girl suspected of an affair with her now dead teacher.

This story has far too many holes in it to hold an audience. For instance, where are the parents of these kids who hang out all day and have grown men yelling up to their daughter's window late at night? How and why would this middle age dead teacher have such an influence over the kids? Where is the guidance teachers of the high school? How could this be considered a "coming of age" movie that instructs or even hints at improper sexual encounters between adults and kids?

The performances of the ensemble isn't totally bad, however it does leave a lot to be desired. What a mess!

Directed by: Jonathan Glatzer
Running time: 107 minutes
Release date: May 29, 2009 (limited)
Genre: Drama, Comedy and Coming of Age
Distributor: 3 Kings Productions
MPAA Rating: R

FILM RATING (D)

Gerald Wright - Film Critic
HDFEST.com
Film Showcase


SHE SAID....

By Linda Z

Set as a quiet background, a seemingly unobtrusive event, is the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy. Add to that the images not discussed of the school teacher, Sam Calailucci's plummet to his death off a roof top. Then add the humor that only young "misfit" teenagers can muster juxtaposed against the too well established adult world and what do you have, WHATgoesUP

What stays down on earth is our creation of heroes in our midst.
WHATgoesUP is the story of the reported Babbitt(Steve Coogan) obsessed by the death(suicide) of a local hero. He is reassigned to the New Hampshire hometown of the doomed teacher (an old college buddy) and soon to be suicide victim.

Two suicides, one failed shuttle with resounding heroic effects and youth confronting the advent of life in the troubled adult world.
And this is a comedy, a seemingly light hearted film for those who see films for the pleasure rather than the message to be learned or understood

My hero is the film maker who dared to go beyond the Judeo-Christian ethics and morality with which we are too familiar and accept too readily its limitations on our ability to live our lives as we want. He replaces this time honored guide to a "good life" with a discussion of Socrates, as the true hero in our midst.

Suicide victims do not go to hell and ABORTION is shown, (the first time I have seen it in a main stream film) without dire consequences. The teenage girl(Olivia Thirlby) is accompanied not by her parents and not with their consent or knowledge but by a girlfriend ( Hilary Duff), someone with true compassion and understanding of the necessity of the procedure.

And Thirlby's character survives! She becomes a hero, a mature young adult whose wisdom is well worth listening to.

I recommend this film because of the quiet, amusing and convincing way it presents highly charged ideas. My only regret is that the filmmakers didn't have the abundance of finacial backing to make this film an exravaganza of robust detail. They seem to have spent their limited funds on quality acting rather than expensive and elaborate sets.

Who can fault that!

Jonathan Glatzer Director
Writers:
Jonathan Glatzer (writer)
Robert Lawson (writer)

Steve Coogan, Josh Peck, Hilary Duff, Olivia Thirlby, Molly Shannon

LindaZ
WBAI Women's Collective

Beethoven's Guitar Shred DVD: Burkas And Tattoos

Move over, Jamie Foxx. The Soloist's insanely genius Julliard apprentice is up against some formidable competition, and she's female. Part classical music remix maven and part speed metal manic musical mime, The Great Kat is basically showing the male competition how it's done, better and faster.

FoundryMusicRob asks The Great Kat:

Question: Seriously now, I get the shred, I get the classical, but where does the maniacal dominatrix thing come in? Is that supposed to be sexy?
The Great Kat: WHO CARES if you FAGGOTS with your 1 INCH PENISES think a “MANIACAL DOMINATRIX” is “SEXY” or NOT!!!!!

More female chauvinist than feminist, Kat, aka Katherine Thomas, is best described as a 21st century Janis Joplin who breaks out of the conventionally assigned gender role limitations of acceptable female behavior, creatively and otherwise, to give the historically male dominated music scene a woman's energy and edge. And her raging, fast forward in real time Beethoven's Guitar Shred DVD performance art is like nothing that has come before. Though Kat's monarchistic self-proclamation as inventor of a one woman revolution does tend to clash ideologically with her broader egalitarian claim of liberated classical music for the masses.

Alernately donning pink ribbon decked assorted retro-Victoria's Secret knockoff period cleavage with bloody leather wear, burkas and crucifix tattoos, Kat slings manically fuming guitars and violins on stage. And each of seven video vignettes tells a forcefully lunatic fringe, compelling musically reinvented tangy tall tale, shedding somewhat imaginatively deranged new light on a mix 'n match medley of Beethoven, Bach, Abu Ghraib and Islamic insurgency.

A classical/metal lovers everywhere wakeup call, these mini-musicals for guitar, violin and machete could very well blow your mind, but hopefully not your ear drums. Consuming the multi-sensory tripping Great Kat Experience at low volume is highly recommended.

TPR Music
Unrated
3 stars

DVD Features: Seven Shred Videos; Hot Shred Bits 2; Shred Geniuses; Metal Fugue: Bach's The Art Of The Fugue; Shred Cartoon.

Shred Online: GreatKat.com, BeethovensGuitarShred.com.