Dorky one… check. Black one… check. Fat one… check. Asian one… check. Handicapped one… check. Gay one… check. Condescending show tune about inclusiveness… check. Accomplishes the exact opposite of what the show sets out to do… CHECK!!!
We can all agree that “Glee” is a fantasy. It doesn’t even have a basis in the typical high-school reality. The notion of inclusiveness is a noble fantasy that will never ever exist in a world with human beings. The actuality of it is far more sinister and dreary. Racism is rampant. Homophobia causes some of the ostracized to attempt suicide. Fat kids sit alone, downing twinkies in the corner of the cafeteria. The handicapped ones get the token sympathy without ever being included. All the while, the gorgeous rich elite go about their privileged lives filled with puppy dogs and ice cream. A cheerleader’s biggest worry is whether Kristy made a snarky comment about her Prada clutch at the winter formal. A football captain’s biggest worry is whether Kristy found out about his latest blowjob sandwich.
What bothers me so much about “Glee” is that it sells an impossible fantasy of happiness to kids who will never experience it in real life. It is tantamount to setting a song and dance routine in an Auschwitz gas chamber. Inclusiveness is a pipe dream that the “normal” kids like to sell in order to make themselves feel better. It is rather like Bill Gates working at a soup kitchen once a year… not quite enough to matter.
Giving false hope is a cruel joke.
All of that fails to even mention the “American Idol” or “X-Factor” style of music — a karaoke simplification and bastardization of already generic pop hits. Every number sounds like the opening medley sung at the beginning of those atrocious “popularity contests”. Listening to this crap is like stabbing my ears with vanilla flavored dildos.
You may not want to hear it, but people are cruel. Kids are even worse. A show about the kids excluded from glee club or cheer camp who go on to commit mass murders later in life… Yeah, lets do a song a dance number about that.
Continue Reading...You can add this to the list of “must-watch TV” in 2011… It is a superb looking series starring Jamie Campbell Bower, Tamsin Egerton, Eva Green, Claire Forlani and Joseph Fiennes.
Continue Reading...The great duo chat about the nature of film criticism, the requirements of a movie review and the qualities one should possess in order to be a good critic. It is a short five-minute video, but it is invaluable information for anyone interested in the profession.
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The internet buzz for Jessica Paré this week has been absolutely amazing. Starring in AMC’s “Mad Men”, as the central piece in a twist of epic proportions during the season finale, has made Jessica one of the most searched for people since the show aired. I have been aware of this gorgeous Canadian for over a decade now, always feeling that she should be more famous than she was. She has been terrific in good films such as “Lost and Delirious”, “Wicker Park” & “Hot Tub Time Machine”. Now, the 27 year old stunner is poised to hit the big time with her role as Megan on the best television show to ever grace the screen. Her role as Don Draper’s secretary has been hinting at something more for quite a few weeks now… and the closing episode delivered on that promise. Take a long look at a face that you will be seeing all over the place in the coming years. She is unquestionably beautiful and effortless in front of the camera. That combination usually results in super-stardom.
Continue Reading...Yesterday, I posted the fantastic Armani commercial and mentioned this Volkswagen Jetta TV spot which aired during the 2001 Superbowl. It is the most cinematic ad that I have ever come across — telling a great story in only sixty seconds. The ad was directed by Dante Ariola and is called “Big Day”. The superb music is “One Million Miles Away” by J. Ralph. The man is played by Kevin Rahm. The beautiful bride is Carmen Nicole.
Quite simply, it is a masterclass of film-making in the short form. 50 different shots in 60 seconds, each furthering the story and the drama. And the speed of those cuts is rhythmical, varying the speed to the music and the escalating tension. The cinematography is perfect — every shot feels like it was filmed during the “magic hour” of light. The storyline is a classic homage to the final minutes of “The Graduate”. The acting is wonderful, especially when you consider how little time they had to work with.
Amazingly, this minute-long movie is better than half of the crap churned out in cineplexes every year. So sit back and enjoy the best commercial ever made.
Continue Reading...Emily DiDonato is the un-fucking-believably beautiful girl. “Arrival of the Birds” by The Cinematic Orchestra is the amazing piece of music. Acqua di Gioia is the fragrance (I presume it smells great too). This really is a beautifully made television commercial directed by Fabien Baron. It is rare that a TV Ad can manage to make an impression with me. The best one I ever saw was “Big Day” by Volkswagen — an epic masterpiece that lasted no more than 60 seconds. However, this Armani perfume commercial is a close second. It is gorgeous and deserves to be seen. Enjoy!
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