The Help Goes Above the Subject Material

The Help (3 1/2 out of 5 stars)Directed and Written by: Tate TaylorStarring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Jessica Chastain, and Sissy SpacekThe film starts out with Skeeter (Stone) asking Abileen (Davis) questions about her perspective as the help, and specifically "what it's like to raise white children when your own children are left to be raised by someone else." The film the goes back in time to Skeeter back from college at Ole Miss and playing bridge with her friends Hilly (Howard) and company.  Through working on her advice column at a new job Skeeter gets the idea to write a book from the point of view from the help, and meets and develops a friendship with Abileen,...

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September Movies: What to Watch and what you Should Avoid

Well I was so busy this August, and did not get to the movies that often.  I still have to see The Help (to see all the the hype) but that was one of the few movies that had caught my attention this past August.  Now that August is coming to an end it's time to take a look at September's new releases, and how they measure up.August and September are usually dud months with filler films.  For some reason executives will place films to be released during this time where the either know they can capitlize on the slower box office, or they don't trust their marketing strategy.  Here's a tip, people like good movies all year round.September 2nd: One big skip!  Films Being Released: The Debt, Shark Night 3D, and Apollo 18I am glad I have new student move-in this weekend. ...

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VMAs Leave me Puzzled, Feeling Old, and Unsure why this Award Show still Exists

I was debating last night between two different things on television, one of of my favorite television shows in one of their best seasons, True Blood or the MTV VMAs which I know to be pretty craptastic lately.  My decision was to watch True Blood then catch the second hour of the VMAs (wise decision).  I briefly saw Lady Gaga come on stag as her male alter ego Joe Calderone, and then it was on to True Blood.  If you missed last nights True Blood for this awful award show, watch it now!As True Blood ended my friend switched the channel and it almost felt like it was a sign for me to tune in at that moment.  Katy Perry was on stage (in a very unflattering purple dress) and she announced that the next singer would be Adele. ...

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"No Time, there's Never Any Time": A Tribute to Jessie Spano, Saved By the Bell and Stress

A few weeks ago (back when I had some free time in my life) I watched the episdoe of Saved by the Bell (1989-1993) when Jessie Spano was trying ace geometry so she could get into Stanford.  In order to stay awake Jessie got addicted to caffeine,and  drank copious amounts of coffee in order to do well in class, do student council, and perform in one of the worst music videos ever with Kelly and Lisa (sorry the video is bad but it had to be put in here!)In the past of I have mocked this show for going the "Full House" or "7th Heaven" route by using caffeine pills as a metaphor for being addicted to harder drugs, but maybe this show had it right (don't judge).  I now know how Jessie actually feels.  I am in the middle of one of the busiest times in my current job as a...

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Where are the Great Roles for Black Women?

I have wanted to post on this topic or a similar topic since the release of the film The Help almost 3 weeks ago.  The first topic I was going to post on was in regard to the subject matter of both the book and the film.  Sascha Stone from awardsdaily.com commented on a post from the Association of Black Women Historians (ABWH) and their problem with the common portrayal of black women as subservient to white women.  The ABWH also took issue with the fact that the film portrays the struggle of "the help" through the vantage point of the main white character, Rita, who is trying to advance her career and write a book based on the struggles of Abileen, Hilly, and the other black maids in Jackson, Mississippi.In the book the story...

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Great Television Episodes: Comedy Edition (Can there be just One?)

Last night after a long long day at work I laid down in bed to watch Friends.  I have had the longest days waking up at 7:30 am and finishing up work stuff at 9 pm at night.  I am a Resident Director at a school in Boston, and we are in the middle of RA training and getting ready for our buildings to open.  In order to relax every day after work I have been either watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Friends.  Last night I watched my favorite episode of Friends, There are some episodes in a television series that are just phenomenal.  When it comes to great comedy I have my favorite shows and my favorite episodes.In the Friends episode "TOW Everyone Finds Out" Monica and Chandler have been secretly dating and Joey...

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Summer 2011 Hits, Misses, and Quality Films

The Summer 2011 movie season is just about wrapping up.  August is coming to an end, and then comes the push for Oscar movies (with some boring months like September and October in the middle).  There were some films that did great at the box office and others that should have done better.  The quality of Summer films was on the low end of the spectrum as well, with only a few glimpses of hope.  Some films that did great at the box office were utter garbage in my opinion, so it is only fair to separate those two types of films. There were a handful of decent films that were both good movies, and did well at the box office.Hits (in quality and money)Movies that Go Boom!:  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was...

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I am Going to Judge Movies on the Content of their Character (Disney is on the Naughty List)

While looking around the different blogs I read I stumbled upon a story where Disney executive Andy  Hendrickson stated the following:"Profit equals the ability to capture more than the average share of viewers. A tentpole film is one where you can seed the desire to see the film to everyone in every distribution channel. It's the only kind of film you can spend $100 million marketing. It's all about the story? When you're making tentpole films, bullshit. [Take Alice inWonderland], the story isn't very good, but visual spectacle brought people in droves. And Johnny Depp didn't hurt."I have a tremendous problem with this statement.  I will cite movies like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger...

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Fall TV Preview: Time to Weed through the Crap

I am super busy with work, and may not get a chance to have much time to write about fall TV, but now is my time to write about some of my favorite returning shows, and some of the shows I am highly anticipating.  There are four returning shows I am anticipating, one of the four I may give up on.  There are also four new shows I am excited about, and hope they are big hits instead of huge flops.Returning Shows: The Good Wife (CBS) :  Last season The Good Wife ended its season with a bang (literally), and a lot things being turned upside down.  Alicia finally walked away from her cheating and lying husband Peter (the DA) and made out with the partner in her law firm (her boss and former lover) Will Gardner.  Alicia...

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The Dark Knight Rises....On My DVD Player

No, I did not get a boot leg of the new Christopher Nolan installment in the Batman, but I have been watching a lot of Batman while I have some down time before my job gets even busier than it is now.  I have seen a lot of video from the filming of The Dark Knight Rises online as well, with Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and some action shots.  This has put me in the mood to watch any and all Batman I can find.I have been mainly been watching Batman (The Animated Series).  This show was one of my favorite cartoons growing up, and one of the best adaptations of the Batman comic book.  This series helped to create one of the best villains Harley Quinn, who if Heath Ledger had lived and they continued a piece of...

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Adele Hair

Adele H...

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We Need to Talk About Me? ....Probably a Different Kevin

The French and UK versions of the the trailer for the film We Need to Talk About Kevin have been released, and I can't wait to see this film.  The film is based on the book by Lionel Shriver entited "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and focuses on Kevin a boy who does a school shooting.  The film will center on how his mother copes with her sons actions through writing to her former husband.  The trailer is dark and disturbing, and has me on the edge of my seat. The film stars the awe inspiring actress Tilda Swinton who has blown me away with her subtle work in films like Michael Clayton, Julia, I am Love, and The Deep End.  The father is played by the once only mainstream actor John C. Reilly who has a burgeoning...

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