Movie Review: Legally Blonde (2001)

Hello, friends! 

Today at last I'm breaking my hiatus of reviews. It's been a few years since I did a movie review even though the whole point of me starting this blog. But it can't be that difficult, right?

Enjoy the following spoiler-free thoughts!

Legally Blonde (2001):

Premise: When Elle Woods's boyfriend, Warner, leaves her to go to Harvard, Elle decides she's going to become the kind of girl Warner would want to marry. A serious girl, aka a lawyer. She applies to Harvard to follow in his footsteps but is met with skepticism not only because of her outfits but her whole way of living; her undergrad degree being in fashion merchandising. Can a previous sorority queen turn into a attorney?

Based on: the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and Brigid Kerrigan. Screenplay written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Law and Order, Drama. It's marketed as a Rom-Com, but I don't think it really fits either of those genres, because while they are present in the set-up, it morphs into a court room drama about making all kinds of statements about the world.

Originality: I feel like this movie sparked a whole new genre which is why it's hard to place it! Another film people usually associate this movie with is Mean Girls (2004) but I don't think the color pink is a fair resemblance, because that is the only thing I see it being close to. Mean Girls is all about leaning into stereotypes to the point of destruction while this is challenging those stereotypes in a tongue-in-cheek manner. As for other films that are similar in my opinion, I can see Barbie (2023) getting some influences from this, not in a copying way but in, as I said, pioneering a new genre. I always forget about the play on words of "legally blind", but when I remember it I'm again awed by the brilliance of the concept and execution.

Length: 96 minutes.

Age Range: It's rated PG-13 for a smattering of language (from swearing to name calling) and innuendo. A portion of the film is about a court case centered around murder and affairs are accused and hinted at. In class debates can have some harsh words but they are all about learning how to have better persuasion skills.

Crew: Directed by: Robert Luketic. Produced by: Marc Platt and Ric Kidney. Cinematography by: Anthony B. Richmond. Music by: Rolfe Kent.

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Davis, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Victor Garber, Jennifer Coolidge, and Moondoggie (as Bruiser Woods).

Cinematography: The opening shots are well-known and are referenced in other things, for example, the show Wednesday (2022). Cinematography can help keep a courtroom story interesting and this does that without any unnecessary flairs.

Costumes: Elle is known for her style and her reputation for pink is not lying. She's not always dressed for the occasion (when lied to...) but she always goes full out.

This is what I want my hair to look like every day and I think I'm pretty successful in my effort.

Music: The first song on the soundtrack "Perfect Day" is pretty iconic, but listening to the rest of the soundtrack I couldn't remember where most of the songs came into play. That's not a bad thing, I'm just so focused on the story that I don't pay attention to the background music.

Quotability: The opening gif I have is arguably the most famous line, but there are so many other zingers! Besides the inspiration parts about not losing faith in yourself, Elle can keep the ball rolling in a conversation like no one else.

"Whoever said 'orange is the new pink' was seriously disturbed." 

Good For: Blondes! And for our non-blonde friends to get a look into our little worlds. I'm sure those in law could tell you about the accuracies for the profession, but regardless of the precision, I think this would be fun for lawyers to watch to get a new perspective and analyze why this holds up.

Worth watching?: At this point, this film is a cult classic, so understanding cultural references are enough to recommend checking this film out (raise your hand if you know what is "hard"). Besides that, there are many reasons to speak favorably of this film. Whether it's a comfort film or a "pick me up" or an inspirational tribute to fighting against the trials in the world, I believe it's worth the time.

Will I watch again?: When I first watched it I didn't fully lean into it and therefore didn't get the full experience. I thought it was okay, but no great shakes. Ever since then, though, I've been thinking about rewatching it, and when I finally got around to doing that this year it did not disappoint; my view of it skyrocketed. I definitely will watch it again in the future.

Thoughts: I relate to Elle in a lot of ways because, well, I'm blonde. And I have been treated like a Blonde---capital B!---many a times. It doesn't usually bother me because I prefer people underestimate me that have high expectations. But every once in a while I get annoyed at the stereotype and love to find power in thinking of this movie.

Part of what makes the movie so full of heart is Elle herself. Elle has so much integrity and that's why she gets along with so many people. She's brimming over with kindness! Going to Harvard is a shock because instead of people understanding her good intentions, they make mock of her. That's a hard lesson to learn, but Elle uses that power to be all the stronger for the people who need her, like Paulette. It can be very lonely to be in a place where no one has anything in common with you and it is important to find strength in your community. However, with the development of friendship between Elle and Vivian, it shows that we are sometimes too quick to judge others about outside appearances.

Elle is a diva but she's got brains! She has a higher GPA than I do. This is all about breaking the stereotypes about what is important, because her passions give her a step up in the most unexpected ways.

Don't try to fool her.

This movie is mostly about fighting against sexism, but I should acknowledge that everyone here is very privileged to be attending this school. From my one film class and my literature major graduate sister, I've learned that it's important to understand which stories aren't being told. Though I don't like the term, this could be boiled down to "first world problems". However, I think it's deeper than that because fighting against one kind of injustice always leads to questioning other social systems in the world. 

Besides, it's about working hard, which Elle does. She gives everything her all. I love that Elle finds that her passion for life can go beyond marketing and speaking for those without a voice or suffering from the same kind of social persecution.

There is also a sequel that I'm not tickled pink over because I feel it loses that sense of purpose that Elle had in the first one. It's played up more for laughing at ridiculous situations instead of calling out biases in the world.

But the world of business also has the world of marketing and franchises. There is a spin-off about twins called Legally Blondes. There have been reports of a third/a prequel.

However, further developments brings us to why I'm talking about this today. This is my entry in Taking Up Room's Seventh Broadway Bound Blogathon! 

I already commemorated my trip to Broadway this spring, but I still wanted to bring it up somehow so I decided to talk about the movie that I watched on the plane.

Besides, Legally Blonde did indeed become a musical! My favorite song is "There! Right There!" which is all about wondering if a suspect is "gay or European" based on clothing style, which is too true. The songs about Ireland are a little much for me, but my friends and I were cracking up while playing cards and listening. We also had a slight mishap while listening to the soundtrack; I was amazed that the first and second songs were so far apart! Turns out we were listening on shuffle. 

How well does the story carry over into musical form? The singing makes sense because it holds up the assumed frivolity for the sorority girls in the first song, but I'm not sure that it works for every situation. Then again, it is a musical so we must suspend our disbelief from the beginning. Of course the color palette (pink!) stands out enough to make a memorable set, I imagine. Though the props and sets people might get a little tired of it after a while (just speaking from personal experience with the color gold...).

Broadway show continuation is a make or break when it comes to the new cast. This was true for this show because it was such a big deal, there is a reality show about the recasting: The Search for Elle Woods.

All in all, the story is about looking at things from a new perspective, so even if it isn't your traditional musical, it's challenging the format and way things are done which is the moral.

Maybe the world isn't black and white; maybe we should look through those rose-colored glasses every once in a while.

Thank you to Rebecca for hosting! It's been an honor. Make sure you check out the other blog posts HERE.

Today is actually the Tony awards, so by the time I have this posted the results might already be out, but I'm rooting for Water for Elephants to win as many as it can. 

What do you think of courtroom dramas? What do you think makes for a good carryover to a musical? What stereotypes do you get put into? Thanks to all of you for reading!

Chloe the (Blonde) MovieCritic

10 of My Favorite Couples From Classic Movies From the 30s - 50s

Hello, dear readers!

This month has so many wonderful events going for it, and one of them is focused on all the things we love about couples. (Which, speaking of, happy late Valentine's Day. I spent my day coding on Python while listening to a musical (and maybe crying because it is so beautiful and sad. I hadn't listened to it in years but was reminded of it again thanks to Olivia). I don't know if those things go together, but it describes me in an uncanny way). This event is Cordy's annual Lovely Blog Party, which runs all of February!

I wanted to write a movie review, but decided why should I talk about one couple when I could talk about many? This afternoon I looked at my gigantic list of favorite fictional couples and tried to find a way to narrow it down. I realized that I've missed talking about old movies (which are some of my favorites!), so I would do a list centered around couples found in those movies. When I say "old" here, I'm talking about any movie made between the 30s and 50s (I would talk about 1920s and 1910s, too, but I haven't seen enough of them. Yet!). I originally was including the 60s, but all those movies were in the late 60s so they didn't seem that "classic". I also just wanted to talk about more black and white movies, so I narrowed it down to the 50s.

This is not a ranking, just 10 couples from old movies that are adorable. My goal with this post is that you all will want to watch some old movies then talk about them with me. Because I love these couples a lot, you will see more posts on them in the future. You can't escape it!

I don't know what to say in the way of spoilers. Sometimes I think of knowing a couple as being a spoiler, but I won't tell you if these characters end up together or not. I'll be talking about their meetings and interactions, but not what happens. Some of these characters might start out together, or the story is about them coming together, or it is all made up in my head. I guess you won't know which is which until you watch the movies. These will be listed chronologically of when the movies were made and the titles of the movie will be first, so you can skim past movies you don't know if you want.

Let's get into it! First up:

From The Thin Man (1934) 

(we're using the first one because I haven't seen all of the others yet):

Nick and Nora

These two. are. hilarious. Is there ever a time that they are not making fun of each other? I guess that is when Nora is serious about Nicky's work. She is so supportive. She knows he's absolutely brilliant and wants him to help people and he...just doesn't. And when she wants to help he comes up with ways to trick her, which isn't nice, but Nora always finds her way back. I don't really know what to say, as they love each other, but are also super frivolous? As I say, I just laugh when I see them.

For those of you who know them, don't you think this gif describes them perfectly?

From Seventh Heaven (1937): 

Chico and Diane

MY HEART. I CAN'T HANDLE IT. These two are some of the most darling characters that I've ever come across in the universe. Diane came from a horrible background and is scared and hurt, and Chico resents a priest for tricking him into helping her. These two seem like polar opposites when we first meet them. Chico is ambitious, a people person, and not afraid to say what he thinks to anyone. Diane is tired of the burden of life. As I said in my review of this movie, something I love is how as Chico finds there are things to fear in the world, Diane blossoms into being the most courageous soul.

'"One day you'll be yourself."

"Myself? What would that be? Myself?"'

They learn so much from each other and grow so much. One of my all time favorite movies and they are the reason why.

From Bringing Up Baby (1938):

Susan and David

These two are such silly ducks. I love them to pieces. And Susan loves David, but David can't seem to get rid of Susan and still can't figure out how he got tangled up in her messes. They are such opposites of each other. David is very focused on his work and Susan makes everything exciting. Terrifying. Whichever word fits better. David needs a plan while Susan will improvise on the spot. I don't know what to say about them besides that they crack me up. This is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.

From The Son of Monte Cristo (1940): 

Edmond and Zona

I'm sorry that this is such a horrible picture.

Guys, this movie is one of my weaknesses (to the chagrin of my dad, mom, and younger sister. They just don't get it. But, I'm not alone as my older sister loves it, too! Do any of you know it??). I often say I don't like romances, but plop me down in front of this movie and I won't stop smiling. I wouldn't object to watching it on repeat. The reason? Mainly Edmond and Zona. I don't even mind the fact that Edmond falls in love with Zona basically from the minute he sees her. He's such a flirt but deep down he cares. He has to maintain a very particular outward appearance, and that is his disguise for fighting injustice. As for Zona, she is mostly annoyed with him. She cares about her people and wants to help and this fop is just a bother. (Guys, I can't even type this up without stopping and laughing maniacally because I love it so much). Both of them are so brave in their different ways. Do I really know why I love them so much? No, no I don't. I just do, and that's all there is to say about it.

From Holiday Inn (1942):

Jim and Linda 

Never had my sisters and I watched a movie where we didn't like Fred Astaire. His character here was so annoying! But, it was okay because Bing Crosby was great as Jim. Jim goes through a lot. He's scared of trusting people, which is why it's funny that when Jim and Linda initially meet they tell each other a lot of lies. Jim is sweet and quiet as he does not want to cause trouble, but gets tired of his friend Ted messing everything up all the time. Linda is charmed by Jim. She has a strong balance between being ambitious and dependable. She doesn't like it when people try to make decisions for her, as she is perfectly capable and makes great choices on her own. Together, they are sugary sweet. I've only seen this movie once, and though there are problematic aspects, this couple has stuck with me.

From It’s a Wonderful Life (1946): 

George and Mary

I debated taking this one off because it's a Christmas movie, but it's also the best movie ever made so I left it on. George wants nothing more than to up and explore the world, and Mary is something to tie him to home. Yet there's something about her... She's hardworking, caring, creative, and fun. She is such a role model for me. George does not know how to process his feelings, and we can't really blame him. He's a jokester and charismatic, willing to do anyone for the people he cares about. Even lasso the moon.

From Royal Wedding (1951): 

Ellen and John

My family went through a phase of watching this movie basically every day for about a month. It was an old movie that we would watch with our grandma and she seemed to like it. It got old really quickly, but do you know what never got old? Watching Ellen and John. They are so similar: carefree, warm, and welcoming, and can't get people to stop falling in love with them. They think of them as good chums, but can't figure out what the big deal is. Put the two of them together? Adorable! I mean, it's Peter Lawford. You can't go wrong. I love the song "Too Late Now" and only wish that Peter Lawford would sing, because I know he can...

From Singin’ in the Rain (1952): 

Don and Kathy

I don't know how many of you know this, but this movie holds the place for my favorite movie of all time. It is a movie about making movies. You can't get much better than that (but, MC, didn't you say It's A Wonderful Life is "the best movie ever made"? Yes, I did say that, and I stand by it. This is just my personal favorite. Not everyone needs to see it, but everyone should see It's a Wonderful Life). Anyway. I love Don and Kathy so much. I once wrote a whole post about their meet-cute because I love their banter. (I mean, Cosmo Brown is the best thing about this movie, but they are a close second). They both work in the same profession so I love their similarities and differences, and how they can support each other. They are just one of my tippy top favorites, okay? It's hilarious to me that Don falls into the category of, "Whoa, this girl doesn't like me. I love that." Then there's Lina, causing all kinds of problems. I love it.

From Roman Holiday (1953): 

Joe and Ann

Feat. Joe thinking this out carefully.

The first time I saw this movie, I was just annoyed. I'd heard so much hype about how relatable it was then...I didn't feel any of that. For years afterwards I just thought of it as disappointing. That is, until I rewatched it in Oct. 2020. I had so many happy feelings because I loved every single interaction between Joe and Ann. If I would use one word to describe Joe's feelings for most of this movie, it would be, "Huh." Not quite a word, but you get what I'm going for. He's trying to earn some money and has the prime opportunity for a reporter thrown at him. Ann is ready to try anything and everything. She does not follow the standards which puzzles Joe to no end. It takes her a while to appreciate how much Joe is helping her.

Ah, I love these two.

From Sabrina (1954): 

Sabrina and Linus

Vote time: how many of you like this version compared to the 1995 remake? I LOVED this movie, then watched the remake and was not impressed, but for my sister it was the opposite. She did not like this one at all, but really enjoyed the remake. For the first part of this movie it is easy to get annoyed with Sabrina and tell her to "Get a life". Then she does. Linus is the typical, all business and no play who apparently needs to learn to live. He and Sabrina are such opposites, that Linus's plan seems terrible from the start. This movie shows that personalities are more important that looks and don't manipulate people because it will backfire. I love Linus's growth through this movie and I can tell what he is thinking every second that he is on screen. Sabrina is reluctant to grow because she wants to hold on to the dream she's had for years, so her growth can be really fast or really slow. They balance each other out, though.

(Then I nearly put a picture of Sabrina and David. Whoops.)

Hey, Jimmy Stewart and Audrey Hepburn are in two different couples. It tells you that I love watching them. But, guys, I just realized that they never made a movie together. Now I am sad about that! Ah! Where's my time machine?

There you have it! Some of my favorite couples from older movies. What about you? Tell me all of your favorites! Have you seen any of these? Check out all the other fun happening at Cordy's Lovely Blog Party HERE!

Happy weekend, everyone! Thanks for reading!

Chloe the MovieCritic

Movie Review: A Week Away (2021)

 Hello, friends!

You must all think that I’m addicted to Netflix with how much I have been talking about movies and shows from it. I’m not, there is just a good reason for that! You will see later as you read on. Today I’m bringing you one of its original movies and talking about why it impacted me. It’s also the first movie that I’m reviewing that came out this year!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!

A Week Away (2021):

‘“This is weird.”

“It’s gonna be great!”’

While to Will Hawkins summer camp doesn’t sound like the blast they say it is it’s the last chance before he’s sent to juvenile hall. Having been in seven schools and twenty-two foster homes in the last six years, he doesn’t have much of a choice. But something happens that he didn’t expect: Aweegaway is a church camp. He decides to try to make this work by pretending to be someone completely different, someone who doesn’t have a record of stealing cars. His friend George knows everything about him and is able to be trusted. He decides to help George get over his shyness and talk to the girl he likes, Presley, while Will plans to get to know Presley’s friend Avery more. Everything seems to be great, but can this tangle of lies hold forever?

“Wait! You didn’t tell me this was church camp!”

Genres: Musical, Romance, Drama.

Length: approx. 95 minutes.

Script: 10. No bad words that I detected!

“Wow. I feel like I should be offended but I’m actually just really impressed with your geographical skills. Like, did you just know that?”

Crew: Directed by: Roman White. Written by: Alan Powell, Kali Bailey, & Gabriel Vasquez.

Starring:

Kevin Quinn as Will.

Bailee Madison as Avery.

Jahbril Cook as George.

Kat Conner Sterling as Presley.

Sherri Shepherd as Kristin.

David Koechner as David.

Iain Tucker as Sean.

‘“Wow. Is he for real?”

“Oh, he is very, very, real.”’

Adam Lower as Charlie.

Josh Rasile as Police Officer.

Amy Grant as Camp Counselor.

Steven Curtis Chapman as Lifeguard.

Costumes: 8. I see no problems with the outfits. It’s typical for what you see in the summer at a camp!

Cinematography: 8. It isn’t something wild and out there, but it fits and makes it seem realistic. The choreography is sometimes a little dramatic but very fun to watch! It’s a musical and what we all love to see, right?

Cinematography by: James King.

Music: 9. I’m not screaming from the rooftops that this is my new favorite musical ever, but the music is fun! I like the blend of new songs with well known and loved ones. There is one scene that I can’t watch without crying because it mixes two songs and is so powerful. I wasn’t expecting it, but it uses one of my favorite songs and I was so happy because of it. I also really love “Good Enough” and “Place in This World”, which I’ll talk about more in a minute. Bailee Madison has a voice that seems like it would be absolutely perfect for country music, and I want to hear it, which is weird coming from me, someone who is known for disliking country music. It’s just so gentle and pretty! I like how "Best Thing Ever" wraps up all of the songs.

Music by: New music written by Benjamin Backus, Cory Clark, Alan Powell, & Adam Watts. Featuring previously known songs written by Barry Blair, Steven Curtis Chapman, Andy Dodd, Amy Grant, Bob Herdman, Josh Kerr, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Will McGinniss, Geoff Moore, Richard Mullins, Jordan Reynolds, Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone, Michael W. Smith, Mark Stuart, Brian Keith Thomas, & Tedd Tjornholm.

Notes: I love how loaded this is to movie references! George has a ton of posters that he has “defaced” with his name. In addition to that the Braveheart and Twilight comments made me laugh. Oh and “John Hughes me”. To me the best were the STAR WARS and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1989) connections!

Quotability: 8. I’ve only seen it twice, but the lines stuck around the second time for sure. There are a few times the lines are a little stiff, but for the most part it is natural! Not the most original but I can definitely picture people in real life saying it. How uncomfortable George is with telling lies is realistic and awkward, therefore hilarioius. It’s great!

“We’re a team! But, yes, as the leader I do appreciate the validation.”

Oscars won: N/A.

Content: 10. No content to report! It is a romance so there is a kiss but nothing wrong with that! There is nothing that I can think of that would go against any standards.

“Okay, we’re gonna have to work on this whole stalker vibe you’ve got going right now.”

Originality: 9. It’s very cute! I’ve seen a few films that are centered around summer camps, and while they have some things in common this definitely stands out from all of those. It is cute, refreshing, fun, and nostalgic all at the same time!

Good For: Anyone who has been to a summer camp, anyone who doesn’t know where they belong, anyone who is struggling with faith.

Age Range: The main characters are all teenagers (and in the opening credits we see a student ID that says that Will is a freshman which is a stretch I think, but maybe that’s just because I know for sure that the actor is much older than that. Maybe more around the age of juniors) so that is relatable for people that age! At the same time it has music from the 90s so that could bring back memories for older viewers. Don’t discount younger viewers, too!

Overall Score: 8.5.

Worth watching?: Based on how much I cried (I know, I’m surprised, too!), yes! I am glad that I gave it a go!

Will I watch again?: I will go more into the reasons in a minute, but I really dig it, so yes! I also want to make my older sister watch it even though she is dubious. Very dubious.

For the blogathon:

Stay with me as I explain, but this is my entry in Megan @ The Pen and the Cross and Sam @ Bookshire’s Catholic Blog Week!

I have been a Catholic my whole life (well...I guess there were those few months before I was Baptized, but other than that!) so I always enjoy getting a chance to talk about something related to that!

You must be wondering what is the reason that this, of all things, is my entry. It is all because it is set at a Christian summer camp and the church camp that I have gone to many years is my favorite place in the world. I want a chance to reminisce! While this movie isn’t specifically Catholic it doesn’t mention any specific denomination so I’m going to talk about what it meant to me as a Catholic.

Make sense? Awesome.

I could find some quibbles with this movie. Like how Will’s motivation wasn’t the strongest, and how it was weird that it was a romance set up because that’s just not what happens, or how Sean’s character was understandable but a little extreme...

But I’m not going to focus on that. I’m going to talk about the strange reasons why I like it so much.

My sister and I had seen this come on Netflix and decided to watch it, but I literally had no idea what it was about. Needless to say I was more surprised than I’ve ever been watching a movie with what the whole basis for it was. If you watch Will’s face the whole time through the song “The Great Adventure”, that was me exactly.

What hits so deeply with this movie is the nostalgia. It reminds me so much of the camp that I have gone to! My sister was sad watching it because it reminded her how were weren’t able to go last year, but in hindsight she liked it. Intense dodgeball competitions, face paint, talent shows, chants for your team are all things we did a lot. In the midst of that fun are beautiful moments like the one around the campfire.

“It’s just been so long since I’ve felt so...connected. Like I was part of something bigger.”

It has been so long since I felt that and this movie brought it back to me. For me as a Catholic my favorite parts of the camp that I’ve gone to is Mass. It is such a vital part of our tradition and one that is gorgeous. It is the only time I’ve experienced daily Mass and I would totally do it if I lived in a place where that was offered.

I could type out all of the song lyrics, but I’ll just show a few that hit me deeply this time around. One of my favorite parts of the movie was when Will was saying that Avery was perfect and she was fighting against that because she felt inside that it wasn’t true. That dialogue and scene was so real and raw, perfectly accompanied by the song “Place in This World”.

“Not a lot to lean on

I need Your light to help me find

My place in this world

My place in this world”

The first time I watched it I thought that “Good Enough” was a little cringy, but that is far from my feelings now. I love it! It is a constant question in my mind if I am good enough for everything in my life, and this song is really comforting and encouraging.

What they say about you only being “a week away” from an experience that changes your life is so true! Every time I’ve gone to camp it has without a doubt transformed my life. A funny occurrence with both times I’ve watched this movie is that I have stayed up really late then gotten up really early, but without a problem (well, that’s catching up with me now). While it isn’t everything, it shows how spiritual media can refresh your mind and heart in addition to other things. I’m always intrigued by faith stories and this one didn’t let me down.

While this isn’t my favorite movie ever, and probably isn’t even in the top 200, it meant a lot to me and I’m blessed to have seen it. Being Catholic is definitely my place in this world.

It is the last day of Catholic Blog Week, so even thought this post is already really long, I’m going to quickly answer the tag that Sam created!

Tag questions:

Exposition or Benediction?

*crickets*

I feel bad about this, but I have no idea what this means. From Sam’s answer, I’m guessing Benediction is what I usually experience, so I’m going with that.

Catholic books or Catholic media?

This tag is making me realize that I should look into these kind of things deeper. I don’t think that I’ve read that many Catholic books? I know that the office in my church is filled with books and I’ve always wanted to read all of them. When I was little I’d just stare at them and even when I was teaching classes I would peruse the shelves while the kids were filling out worksheets.

I’ll say Catholic media just because I have watched more videos and listened to more music than read books. But, don’t count me out that it could happen in the future! Any recommendations?

Dominicans, Benedictines, or Franciscans?

What about them? Which is my favorite? Which am I the most used to? Which would I join? There are so many ways to answer this question, ack!

Because St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi were fantastic I’ll go with the Franciscans with whatever way this was supposed to be answered.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John?

Easiest question here. Actually, this is one of my favorite questions to ask people! You get such a fun range of answers. Except Mark. Mark is nice but others are better. Anyway, while I was studying for my Confirmation I got hooked on one and he has been my favorite ever since.

Can I get a round of applause for....Luke! The bible that I have points out how Luke was a Genteel so his gospel highlights stories of how Our Lord came for ALL OF US, not just the Jewish people. I really, really love it. Especially because he focuses the most of all the gospel writers on one of my favorites saints (in fact, some say the first saint...), St. Dismas!

Confession or Anointing?

Confession is the greatest gift, so that of course!

Morning or Evening Prayer?

To me morning prayer is more structured and evening prayer is more personal. I’m so used to doing evening prayer so I always love when I do morning prayer. It improves my whole day so much!

Pope St. John Paul II, or Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI?

Guys, I hate to admit it but I don’t know a lot about popes. So often people tell me who their favorite pope is and I always have to say Pope Francis because he’s the only one I can remember off the top of my head. I know I had heard of both, so I decided to skim through their Wikipedia pages to refresh my memory. I nearly cried reading St. John Paul II’s because it was so sweet so I chose him.

Holy Thursday, Good Friday, or Easter Vigil?

Good Friday is so solemn, but I love it. I remember when I was younger every year in my parish the kids would ask the priest (and it was usually a different person each year) why on earth it was called “Good” Friday when it was the worst day ever. One year it finally clicked and it has been my favorite of those three days since.

Christmas or Easter?

HARDEST. QUESTION. EVER. I love the pure joy and community about Christmas while I love the quiet ecstasy of Easter. You can’t make me chose. Please tell me in the comments all your favorite things about both holidays!

Lent or Advent?

Both are excellent when done with purpose which hasn’t happened for me the last few years. Lent is so somber but meaningful where Advent is so often just a frenzy. I pick Lent!

Hot Cross Buns or Lamb Cake?

Wait, is Lamb Cake a thing outside of my parish? I’ve never seen it anywhere else! I’ve

tried hot cross buns and while they weren’t terrible I could take them or leave them. Lamb Cake!

Daily Mass or Daily Adoration?

Speaking of camps, I’ve only been able to have daily Mass during the camp that I have gone to! It is absolutely incredible. I’ve never tried daily Adoration, but it sounds wonderful, too.

Baptism or Confirmation? (To witness)

I’ve only witnessed two Confirmation ceremonies, whereas I’ve seen more Baptisms than I can count, so it isn’t really fair. I would love to see more Confirmations! But, I also love the happiness that accompanies witnessing (and helping out at) a Baptism! I’m giving a lot of null answers, sorry!

Tolkien or Chesterton?

Seeing how I’ve still never read any Chesterton the default answer is Tolkien. Sorry!

Well, this is a wrap for me! A huge thanks to Megan and Sam for hosting this! Make sure you check out all of the other entries HERE and HERE.

My blogging schedule got a little messed up so this is my last post for the month, but I’ve got a lot planned for next month including somethings involving karaoke...

Talk to me! Has anyone else seen this movie? What is a movie that you’re surprised that you like so much? What do you think of my tag answers? Is anyone else’s favorite gospel writer Luke? Thanks for reading!

Blessings,

MovieCritic

Movie Review (& Defense Of): Little Women (2019)

Hello, everyone!

Today Iʼm reviewing for you one of the last movies that I saw in a theater. Back in the old days, remember? I first saw this on January 8th 2020. That sure seems like a long time ago! Since this film is based on a book and there are already several adaptations I would usually compare and contrast all of them. I will do that someday in one massive post, but today Iʼm going for something a little different. I hope you enjoy!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free in its entirety! Through and through!

Little Women (2019):

Based on: Little Women - by Louisa May Alcott.

Set in the United States during and after the Civil War this film explores the family and relationships of four sisters. Jo is trying to sell stories to send money home to her family and we see how it all lead up to there through a split timeline. Broken hearts, fights, sickness, and more. Before all of this were four girls: Meg took care of people, Jo wrote, Beth played the piano, and Amy painted. The lives of the little women are constantly changing but at the base are they all who they were in the beginning? How do feelings grow and change with the world around them?

“Just because my dreams are different from yours doesnʼt mean theyʼre unimportant.” 

Genres: Romance, Drama, Period Drama,

Length: approx. 135 minutes.

Script: 10, no bad words or swearing! The dialogue is so genuine, too.

ʻ“Iʼm no Shakespeare!”

“Thank goodness, we already had him.”ʼ

Crew: Directed by: Greta Gerwig. Written by: Greta Gerwig from the original story by Louisa May Alcott.

Starring:

Saoirse Ronan as Jo March.

Emma Watson as Meg March.

Florence Pugh as Amy March.

Eliza Scanlen as Beth March.

Laura Dern as Marmee March.

Timothée Chalamet as Laurie.

ʻ“Itʼs Laurie!”

“I know.”ʼ

James Norton as John Brooke.

Louis Garrel as Friedrich Bhaer.

Dash Barber as Fred Vaughn.

Meryl Streep as Aunt March.

Chris Cooper as Mr. Laurence.

Tracy Letts as Mr. Dashwood.

Bob Odenkirk as Father March.

Jayne Houdyshell as Hannah.

Hadley Robinson as Sallie Gardiner Moffat. 

Maryann Plunkett as Mrs. Kirke.

Sasha Frolova as Mrs. Hummel.

Abby Quinn as Annie Moffat.

Lilly Englert as Kate Vaughn.

Costumes: 10, these are gorgeous! The design, colors, everything about them are so lovely and fitting to each of the characters.

Costumes designed by: Jacqueline Durran.

My favorite: Amyʼs blue!

Cinematography: 10. An important part of this adaptation of Little Women and how it stands out from others is the way it was filmed. As I mentioned in the premise, it has a broken timeline. It switches back and forth between the present day and the past. This is a big complaint of this movie as people say theyʼre confused or that you basically need to have the story already memorized to understand what was happening. Iʼll go into this more later, but I want to point out that I LOVE THIS. I thought it really made it unique from any of version. Maybe youʼre worried now because you want to see it but donʼt know the story or it has been awhile. Have no fear, Iʼm here to help! It uses a format that happens so naturally it can be hard to notice, but once you are looking for it you will never be confused about what is happening: THE LIGHTING. Thatʼs right, itʼs as easy as that! Any scene that is happening in the PRESENT has a blue/gray lighting. Any scene that was in the PAST has a soft yellow/golden lighting. I understand if you donʼt like it, my mom stopped watching after half an hour, but I ask that you try this technique. After explaining it to my dad I would then tell him whenever the lighting switched and he didnʼt have any further troubles.

Example 1: PAST AND GOLDEN LIGHTING:

Example 2: PRESENT AND GREY LIGHTING:

Cinematography by: Yorick Le Saux.

Music: 8, itʼs sweet and works well, but not particularly memorable. I wouldnʼt change it, though!

Music by: Alexandre Desplat.

Quotability: 8, not the most quotable of all time but there are good lines.

“Well, I believe we have some power over who we love.”

Oscars won: 1, Best Costume Design. It was nominated for 5 others, though! Including Best Picture, Best Actress (Saoirse Ronan), and Best Supporting Actress (Florence Pugh).

Content: 10, I canʼt think of any content that would be objectionable to anyone. There is some mild drinking, I suppose, once in a pub type establishment (I believe itʼs called a beer hall?), and once at a different party which is immediately reprimanded. Both are very short scenes. Sad things like sickness happen, but not something to shy away from.

Originality: 10, this gets a full score because it took a timeless tale and made it different but in a way that reflects the original work. Okay, I give up, I was trying to be eloquent but why Iʼm really giving it this score is because of the cinematography.

Good For: Period drama lovers, fans of the book (with caution, more on that later), families, sisters.

Age Range: Perfect for any and all ages!

Overall Score: 9.5!

Worth watching?: Gorgeous costumes, stunning cinematography, characters who walked off of the pages, moments that will break your heart and mend you again. Yes, absolutely in every way.

Will I watch again?: Certainly! I last saw it in August but already want to relive it. This will be a yearly occurence for me, if not more.

“Jo stays in the back so we canʼt see her cry.” (Do I feel called out? Yes, yes I do.)

For the blogathon:

Remember that mystery about why I was reviewing it separately from other versions? This is my entry in The Valentineʼs Day Period Drama Blog Party hosted by Heidi at Along the Brandywine (going until Monday the 15th!). Take a look at the other contributions HERE.

I debated for awhile what to write about as there are so many options! One day, I was listening to people (virtually) talk about this film. The consensus was not a positive one. That got me thinking, and the idea for this post came about.

You read my review and now we come to the second part of my blog post title: “& Defense Of”.

Quite frankly, I adore this film and it gets on my nerves how many times people talk about what a waste it is.

Note, if you donʼt like this movie then thatʼs totally fine! Iʼm glad that we have different opinions as it opens up a chance for discussion! Iʼm just asking that you hear me out and donʼt down this film in every aspect.

I tend to have controversial favorites (The Last Jedi, anyone?) and should be used to people disliking the things that I enjoy. It just gets so depressing, you know? Having people tell you that your favorite things are “bad” or “disappointing” or “worthless”. Iʼm starting to get too deep, but sometimes it feels like that that reflects on you. I know that there are tons of movies that I probably donʼt like that you do! I understand! In fact, there is a different version of Little Women that I don't like that much which you might! This is all okay. We're just here to talk about different and equally awesome and respectful opinions. Weʼre all going to be civil here as I just try to show you my world by telling you why I love this movie so much.

There are many different complaints for this movie, and Iʼll try to cover as many as possible, but I might not get to all of them. The most common one that Iʼve heard is this: the cinematography and filming style.

We already covered this but Iʼm going to recap. The filmmakers made a conscious decision to split the storyline that I approve of. Weʼve covered the technical aspect which I helped to explain, but there is something else that people usually comment on.

It gives away the parts of the story because we see it in the middle instead of the beginning.

True, I canʼt deny that so I wonʼt. As a tried and true fan of the story of Little Women (having read the book and seen two other versions) I know the story inside and out. For a fan like me it was nothing less than a treat to see the story told in a different perspective. Of course, for people who donʼt know what is happening, right from the start in this version you already know things that take time to work up to in the book. This is a valid argument, so if you have no idea about the story you might want to read the book or try another version first. I think it could be a fun way to experience it for the first time, but thatʼs up to you.

I canʼt recommend it to all fans of Little Women, because while I want to, I donʼt know how youʼll react. Both my sisters think that itʼs “okay” but like the 1994 version much better. That being said, I am the only one of us who has read the book, so when they say that they are confused over the timeline it makes sense.

What about me? Is this my favorite version? I canʼt rightly say. I was practically raised on the 1994 version so that will always have a special place in my heart (and the best Laurie!) but this one charms me. Everything about the set and costumes is glorious, itʼs unique, and the actors embody the characters fully. Speaking of, letʼs dive into them a little. (This is still spoiler free!)

Meg: Sometimes in film adaptations with such short time frames Little Women can feel like itʼs Joʼs story. I love how we got so much time with the other girls here. I feel that Meg especially gets neglected as being the older “boring” one. Here they gave her such clear wants and really made her feel whole. Her story has always struck to me in certain ways so I appreciated seeing that and Emma Watson really brought her to life. Her part is the most affected and “spoiled the ending” by starting in the middle. I really love the anticipation of whatʼs going to happen, so if this was your first encounter with the story that would be my sole warning of why you would want to start with a different version.

Jo: Saoirse Ronan IS my Jo. She is EXACTLY how I pictured her in the book. She is full of energy and life and is so relatable on so many levels. So much emotion goes into her (which can be a lot because Joʼs temper and feelings swing wildly) and nothing ever feels faked! Her performance is powerful and moving and one of the reasons I love this film so much.

Beth: You canʼt go wrong with Beth, can you? I thought that Eliza Scanlen played her to perfection.

Amy: Some people generally dislike Amy because she is so different from Jo, but Iʼve never had that problem. We get to another concern: having one actress play her. As I said, my sisters and I are used to the 1994 version, so we are used to two actress play her as she grows up. This can seem strange to you that this doesnʼt happen to any of the others. The thing with Amy is that she has a big age jump. In the beginning she is supposed to be 13, and by the end she is supposed to be 20. All of the other girls are older to begin with, so there is some wiggle room, per say. For Amy there is so much growing that happens in this range that it can be hard to pull off. My sisters say that it wasnʼt the best decision. I admit, Florence Pugh never quite looked 13, maybe 15 at the youngest. Others are irritated by the way she acts when she is playing the younger version. I understand that! Sometimes it seems a little over the top, but overall Iʼm so impressed with her performance. Costumes really helped as well and I just think that she did a miraculous job!

I will one day go into a mountain of details with the characters when I compare them all, but I want to admit one thing. The first time I didnʼt like Timothée Chalametʼs role as Laurie. There, I said it. I thought that he was nowhere as good as Christian Bale (but really, who is?). The second time...I did a 180. He really fits in well with this group of actors! I now approve.

Additional shout outs to Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, and James Norton!

Before I go, I should address one last thing. Some people wonder how much of a “feminist agenda” this has, with the concern that they shouldnʼt tamper with a classic story to add modern themes. Honestly, I donʼt see that as a valid concern. I donʼt think there is “too much” nor is there "too little". It has a balance and addresses issues relevant to both today and back then. I agree that part of the ending does seem tacked on, but anyone who has read the book knows that itʼs more of that. (No one ever does a certain character to justice, but in here it was close. One day I will see someone I am content with).

Now, is this film perfect? Probably not. I just think that it deserves more credit than people are giving it.

How to wrap up such sprawling thoughts? I love this adaptation and always will. It is lovely in every way. I hope that I have convinced you of itʼs value and that you now want to watch it in this form: A story about sisters growing up.

That got long quickly. If you made it this far, thank you so much! Thanks to Heidi for hosting this event, and I urge you guys to check out the rest of the posts HERE.

Time to talk! Anyone have the same opinion as me? Anyone have an opposite one? Either way I would love to discuss the different attributes! What is your favorite version of Little Women? What is the most unique cinematography that youʼve seen?

MovieCritic