#MY FINAL MESSAGE TO THE WORLD: STAR TREATMENT MOST BEAUTIFUL VERSION EVER.

[rpfisfine]

guys I don’t think I can do it .. what would you say if I wrote down my thoughts tomorrow after I sleep ... Would yoy be mad

[animatedminds]

Splash Mountain, Br’er Rabbit, and the Tragedy of Being Represented By Other People.

So, this is probably going to be the realest post I’ll make for a while - or at least until The Boondocks arrives, but it seemed apropos. Immediately after this I’ve got rants about sci fi and Star Wars and other unrelated things coming up, but for now we have my earnest opinions on a decision I feel should have been better thought out than it was. This is going to read more like an article or an essay than a review, but I think it needs to be said.

It hasn’t come up too often on this blog, but I am African American. It’s my life and my perspective. And as an African American, a lover of animation and - though this definitely doesn’t come up on the blog - a passionate folklorist in what you could call an academic sense (in that I’m a writer and a student, and folklore is the subject of most of my research), people I know in real life have asked me more than once what my opinion on the removal of Splash Mountain in favor of Princess and the Frog, how I must be glad it’s finally being removed, what my take on the history there was, and…

Well…

To really give that opinion, I’ve got to start at the beginning. Not Song of the South - that, if anything, is the very middle. We have to start with Br’er Rabbit and who that character was. Sit back students, info dump incoming.

Br’er Rabbit is an folklore character of African American origin with - like many folkloric figures - a difficult to place date of origin, but he was known to have existed at least since the early 19th Century, He has obvious similarities to the far older figure of Anansi - with several Br’er Rabbit tales even taking elements of Anansi stories verbatim - though with a the notable difference that unlike Anansi, Br’er Rabbit was more often a heroic figure: an underdog and seemingly downtrodden figure who used his wits and his enemies’ hubris rather than physical force to win the day. The meaning of that kind of figure to an enslaved people is obvious, especially when you compare Br’er Rabbit to another, contemporary trickster figure in African American history by the name of John. Br’er Rabbit’s stories could even arguably be seen as a more child-friendly version of the John tales, in which a human trickster pulls the same kind of momentum turning ploys on villains - but those villains tended to be explicitly slave masters or overseers, and John’s payback often came with explicitly deadly results. The existence of John as escapism for the enslaved or just-post-enslaved (IE Reconstruction) populations is clear: a person who with no power who could fight back with nothing but their mind, preying on the fact that their enemies see them as incapable and helpless, and the connection of Br’er Rabbit to that message is difficult to deny. If anything, Br’er Rabbit comes off as a somewhat more child-friendly version of the concept.

But the most important thing to glean from this is who and what Br’er Rabbit is: a product of the African American community and its history, as a means of those people to express themselves and their values in the face of oppression.

Now we fast forward to 1881, and along comes Joel Chandler Harris: a white Georgian. Harris was a folklorist himself, and travelled the country collecting stories - most famously Br’er Rabbit stories. His stated reason was to bridge African American and white communities by sharing stories, but he was tainted by the perspectives of his world and his place in it, infamously creating a framing narrative for those stories in which the character telling them exuded the imagery of subservience and simplicity that was typical of perceptions of African Americans from the post-Civil War Southern environment in which he collected them: Uncle Remus, in other words. Harris is hardly the only white curator who adapted stories of black or brown peoples in a way that played up the people the stories came from as something of a theme park piece, as if noble in unintelligence and simplicity, but he’s one of the most famous ones to do so - and that’s because of the adaptation. To note, when people criticize cultural appropriation, this is the kind of thing that really triggers the outrage. Not any situation in which a white person is inspired by someone who isn’t white and creates something accordingly, but situations where someone else’s creation is taken and used for the fame and profit of others, to the detriment of the people who made it. It’s these situations like the one Joel Chandler Harris created centuries ago, specifically, that people are trying to draw attention to - even if sometimes social media gets a bit trigger happy sometimes, that’s the real, underlying problem. With that in mind, let’s put that aside and move forward.

Fast forward again to 1946. Walt Disney Productions, then less the company of grander, wider scale stories of epic quests and emotional upheaval that make us all cry and more a company more known for folktale adaptations in general, were looking for a but of American folklore to headline a live action, animation mix - a medium that allowed a bit more financial benefit, as straightforward animation was not always particularly profitable those dates. This wouldn’t be the last time they produced an adaptation of an American folktale or short story - their version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow a few years later being actually one of the more faithful adaptations of that short story put to film. Disney, who evidently read Chandler Harris’ stories, put together a project to see if they could adapted. Which they did. Pretty much verbatim. This is actually worth pointing out: the actual Br’er Rabbit stories in the films are very accurately adapted, and the actors involved in the story (including James Baskett, how also played Uncle Remus) did a fine job characterizing them. The issue is that Disney also adapted Chandler Harris’ stereotypical and offensive framing device pretty much verbatim, bringing Uncle Remus. And therein lies the problem.

To put the issue with Song of the South in perspective, the movie - with the framing device - can be categorized as something called Reconstruction Revisionism - which is basically a genre of post-Civil War media meant to present the pre-war South was perfect and idyllic, and that people are racially more natural in that environment’s dynamic and never should have left. One of the most infamous movies in history, Birth of a Nation, is the crowning example of this genre. Obviously, Song of the South is nowhere near as awful and inflammatory a movie as that, but there’s a degree to which it was seen as the straw the broke the camel’s back for black depictions in media, only a couple of years after Disney’s Dumbo also did the same. The end result, an African American creation was used in a film that ultimately demeaned the African American community, a decision that Disney has been ashamed of ever since.

Fast forward to now. Disney is removing Splash Mountain, the sole remnant of Song of the South that focuses exclusively on Br’er Rabbit - a choice we’ve had reason to suspect was coming for about a year now, but which was unveiled conspicuously in the middle of protests and campaigning for better treatment of people of African descent worldwide. The reveal was a rousing success, with people applauding the decision to finally wipe away the rest of that movie - though remember that for later, that the response relies on the perception of Br’er Rabbit as something that starts with Song of the South - and replace it with something else. Surely, as a black person I should be happy that they’re finally getting rid of that racist character for good and replacing him with something more positive? And again, well…

To put short, Br’er Rabbit has finished his journey from African cultural symbol to discarded pariah, all because others used the character in racist ways that they themselves now regret. And for that… let’s be clear, I’m not angry so much as saddened. I’m not railing against the company for making the choice, since I can see how from their point of view it was the wisest and most progressive thing to do. Song of the South is a badly old fashioned movie that they’re right to want to move on from, and it’s their right to downplay characters within their purview if those characters reflect badly on the company. I’m just outlining the tragic waste of it all.

For now, compare Princess and the Frog - the thing they’re replacing it with. I do love the movie, or at least any problems I have with it have little to do with representation, and I definitely don’t have anything against Musker and Clements and their beautiful visions and creations, but it’s difficult to deny that its an adaptation of a European story, adapted by a collection of mostly white creators (with Rob Edwards comprising but one third of the screenwriting team, but not of story conception), that’s ultimately just dolled up with African Americans characters and a very Hollywood-esque depiction of a African diaspora religion (Voodoo, which unfortunately has a long history of such portrayals). If we’re talking about representation specifically - which this move had definitely been presented as a champion for - it’s not the perfect example, more of a story with a surface covering of the black experience than one with an especially strong connection. That wouldn’t necessarily be a problem (Tiana and her story do well depict strong black characterizations, and approach an interesting (if light_ implication about racism and hardship during the 1920s) if Disney had yet created any other franchise that was another actual adaptation of an African or African American tale or story (with involvement from such actual people), but Song of the South is actually it. They legitimately have nothing else to call on.

This is something I feel we should do more to remedy. I am a writer/prospective screenwriter myself, and trying to put more stories out there is one of my primary focuses and goals should I ever truly enter the industry, but at the moment we just don’t have very many options.

This is hardly the only time that people of color have had little control over depictions of their own culture - literary and film history is full of such situations in both minor and terribly major ways - but it’s something that stings especially hard due to being such a current example, and because of sheer irony of the end result. Now we have a situation where African Americans are being told that something their people created to represent themselves is negative and wrong, because years ago other people appropriated that creation and used it to paint a negative picture of the people who actually held claim over it, and now the enterprise that those people created wants to save face: another example of culture being treated like a possession of the ones who are poised to make money of off it. And what’s worse, while the culture is used and abused like trash, the people are now presented with this removal like it was a prize - like they’re finally being given something - when little has really changed.

Ultimately, the Splash Mountain news - though it had been coming for a while - made me rather upset for that reason. As a studier of folklore, I suppose I knew better than most where these things came from, and so the buzz around the move being a belief that Br’er Rabbit was an intrinsically racist character just highlighted the tragedy of how African Americans and their culture tended to be tossed about by American media. So no matter what, I can’t feel particularly happy about it.

Let me iterate, in the film industry, being represented by people who aren’t of your culture group is basically inevitable. That’s essentially how the industry works. I’m not saying we should rail against anyone who would try to represent cultures that aren’t their own. The people who produce and create are few, and eventually the truth is that you have to be represented by other people - at least for the moment. We shouldn’t be railing against representation by others in general, as that wouldn’t be cognizant of the situation and thus self destructive. What I’m saying is that we - both we trying to be represented, and those doing the representing - should be aware of the problem there: that when others choose to represent you in media, you essentially have to trust them to have a real interest in you and your best interests when doing so, and when they don’t that depiction is there forever. So it behooves us to try to be the ones who are representing ourselves as much as possible, and in situations where we can’t, to remind those who want to represent us that they have a responsibility to do so effectively.

This is Animated Minds for Animated Times, and really this blog is ultimately about emphasizing what makes animated media work, what makes it fun, and what makes it worthwhile no matter how old you are. And so in several years of sporadic and infrequent reviews, reactions and fandom posts it’s been rare for me to get this real about a topic, but this is something that is a serious issue feel was overlooked. Representation is complicated. And more often than not solutions that are handed to us are more band-aids that look like cures than necessarily being actually helpful, and that’s what happens when ultimately the decisions about how you’re represented lie in the hands of other people. Representation is one of the biggest things we need to work on in coming years, especially with stories and adaptations - which refer to history and culture that are often not widely known or accepted. Ask someone if they think there should be an African princess, and they’ll tell you they didn’t even have kings and queens in Africa - something that’s bluntly wrong, but is widely believed simply because those elements of culture are never represented.

And that’s the sum of my thoughts on the subject. I hadn’t updated the blog in months because this whole thing was stewing in me, and I couldn’t really go back to cheerful posts about new things until I got it out. I’ve got great thoughts about the Owl House, Amphibia, the new seasons of BH6 and Ducktales that are totally coming up soon. But for now, just a few sobering thoughts from someone who grew up loving cartoons, and desperately wishes people like me had more to look at in that field beyond apologies and promises.

[my-major-is-k-howard]

Lover

Inspired by “Lover” by Taylor Swift. This chapter might be my favorite chapter of the whole story (although the one after this is up there too). Thank you to everybody who has been reading my work. It really means a lot to me. You have all my love. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ And, as always, enjoy!

Word Count: 2585

Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3

————————————————————

Ch. 4 - I’ve Loved You Three Summers

Anne admired the Polaroid a little longer before moving on to the next picture on the line. Tears pricked the edges of Anne’s eyes as she admired the next photo, flooded with memories from that day. It was barely a month after the event at the club but this picture had a completely different set of emotions attached to it.

Cathy’s novel had finally finished the editing process and she had specially requested six books to give an exclusive preview to the most meaningful people in her life, the queens. The Polaroid pictured the first time Anne read the contents of Cathy’s novel. 

Little did she know at the time, the Polaroid would also hold one of the most important moments of her life within its white borders.   

~~~~~

“You’re gonna let me have a sneak peak though. Right, Cathy?” Anne asked her girlfriend with pleading eyes.

“I already told you, Anne! You’ll see it along with everyone else,” Cathy laughed. Cathy clutched the books she was holding a little tighter, preparing just in case the gremlin decided to launch an impromptu raid on her precious stash of novels.

“But why can’t I look before them? I’m your girlfriend! Don’t you love me?” Anne pleaded, jutting out her bottom lip in a childish pout.

“I love you more than you know. But, that doesn’t mean you get special treatment this time,” Cathy smirked. Anne let out a fake gasp and clutched her chest as though she’d been shot. 

“This is the utmost betrayal, Cathy.” Anne did her best to look hurt but the mischievous glint never left her eyes.

“I’m sure I’ll make it up to you soon,” Cathy whispered. Anne swore she saw a look of fear flash in Cathy’s eyes but it was gone before Anne could properly register it. Anne closed the gap between them and pressed a loving kiss to Cathy’s lips that was quickly reciprocated by the other girl.

“Will you show me the book now?” Anne cheekily asked as she pulled away.

Cathy chuckled to herself before responding. “You have the patience of a child in a candy store.”

Somehow, Cathy managed to fend off Anne’s persistent nagging and attempts of stealing the novel until the other queens arrived.

Anne opened the front door in a hurry and quickly ushered the other queens to the living room where Cathy was waiting for them. Cathy chuckled at seeing the queens’ confused expressions at Anne’s lack of greeting.

“I’m sorry. Anne has practically been begging me to show her the novel, and I don’t think it’s possible for her to wait any longer,” Cathy giggled.

“It took you all long enough to get here too,” Anne mumbled but she smiled at all of the queens to show she had no actual hard feelings. Anne took a seat next to Cathy on the couch as the other queens sat down around the room. 

“I think I speak for all of us when I say we are all extremely proud of you, Cathy,” Aragon said as she chose her spot next to Jane. “You’ve worked so hard on this book and we know you poured so much of yourself into it.” Aragon smiled at her goddaughter as she finished speaking.

“We love you, dear, and we are so honored to share this special moment with you,” Jane added.

Anne turned to see that Cathy was shyly wiping away a tear from her eye before she spoke. “I wouldn’t want to share it with anybody else. I love you all and you each mean so much to me. You’ve encouraged me to keep working on this novel and pursue my dream of being an author, and because of that I am now holding physical copies of my dream. So, thank you.” 

Cathy smiled at each of the queens, ending with Anne who was looking back at her with adoring eyes. Anne had always been her biggest supporter in being a writer. She was immensely proud of how far her girlfriend had come, especially now as she was holding her novel that was about to be published in her hands. “I’m so proud of you,” Anne whispered to Cathy, noticing that her eyes glistened at her words. “You’re amazing, Cathy.”

“I love you,” Cathy whispered back and pressed a kiss to Anne’s cheek. Anne smiled and watched as Cathy got up and gave each queen a copy of her novel. As she returned to her place next to Anne, Cathy shyly handed Anne her novel. Anne gingerly took it in her hands.

Anne took in every detail of the cover. She traced each of the golden letters of “Her Story” with her finger, admiring the title Cathy had chosen. Then, her eyes focused on the name under the title. Catherine Parr. Her Cathy. Anne once again was filled with pride at the thought of her girlfriend finally achieving her dreams. 

“Oh, look at the dedication page!” Kat squealed, snapping Anne out of her thoughts. She looked up to see her cousin holding Cathy’s book in one hand and her pink Polaroid camera in the other.

“Kat! I hadn’t even noticed you brought your camera,” Anne commented.

Anne saw fear flash in Kat’s eyes which seemed very out of place. “Oh, um, yeah! I brought it along because-”

“She got this new type of film for her camera and she’s been very excited to try it out,” Cleves finished, giving Kat a pointed look that left Anne very confused. She heard Cathy breathe a sigh of relief next to her, so Anne turned to face her.

“Babe, are you okay?” Anne asked, suddenly worried about her girlfriend. Cathy seemed very tense as she clutched her copy of the book. When she met Anne’s eyes however, her anxiety visibly melted away. She placed her novel on the side table before responding.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” Cathy smiled at Anne to assure her girlfriend that she was indeed fine. “But you should turn to the dedication page. It’s my favorite part of the book.”

Anne grinned at Cathy before opening the cover and flipping through the first few pages of the novel to finally get to the dedication page. Tears pricked at the edges of her eyes when she saw what was written there:

For my wonderful fellow queens Catherine, Anne, Jane, Anna, and Katherine. You all inspire me everyday to be the best version of myself.

Anne smiled when she read those words, knowing that Cathy truly meant what she wrote. She cared so much about her friends, and using the dedication page of her novel was a small token of gratitude in Cathy’s eyes for the love the queens had given her over the years. 

Anne turned to Cathy and kissed her on the cheek. “That’s really sweet, love.”

Cathy blushed before responding. “Turn the page, Annie.”

Anne looked at Cathy for a confused second before turning the page of the book. On the other side of the dedication page, Anne noticed that there was a handwritten message addressed to her. She recognized the handwriting immediately as belonging to the woman next to her. She shot Cathy a quick glance, noticing her shuffle for something in her pockets, before returning her gaze to the words on the page.

My beloved Anne,

It’s been 1335 days since you asked me to be your girlfriend and my life has become the most magical dream every day since then. I never thought that a single person could make me as happy as you make me but, as always, you manage to surprise me. Since that warm autumn day, I have fallen in love with your beautiful laugh, your adorable smile, your stunning emerald eyes, your unique sense of humor, your gentle whispers in the middle of the night, your desire to protect the people you love, your big heart that you show in everything you do, your warm and gentle kisses... you. I’ve fallen in love with every part of you. 

You’ve read my journal that I gave you last Christmas which expresses the raw and unfiltered emotion and love that I have for you. This novel is a refined version of that same love. It is inspired by you and I dedicate this book to our love. You have always encouraged me to write and to keep pushing toward my goals. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a supportive and loving girlfriend but I thank my lucky stars for that every day.

Anne, I love you more than I could ever hope to express in a lifetime but I want to spend the rest of our days trying to show you how much I truly love you. I want to wake up next to you every morning and fall asleep in your arms at the end of each day. I want to visit the library and small coffee shops with you. I want to hold hands and kiss in the rain. I want to cuddle and watch movies together. I even want to annoy Cleves with our kissing whenever we have the queens over for a movie night. I want to cry with you on your worst days and celebrate with you on your best days. I want to travel the world with you and have new adventures. I want to have children with you. I want to grow old with you. I want everything.

1335 days ago you asked me to be your girlfriend but I want them all. Every single day for the rest of our lives. So, Anne…

The message stopped abruptly, leaving Anne very confused and emotional. She wiped the tears that were trailing down her cheeks away before saying, “Cathy, you didn’t finish the-”

The flow of Anne’s words immediately stopped when she looked up at the sight before her. Cathy was no longer sitting on the couch. Rather, she was right in front of Anne, kneeling down on one knee. Anne gasped as she saw Cathy reach inside her pocket and pull out a small velvet box. Anne could feel the tears pooling in her eyes and threatening to pour down her face as Cathy slowly opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring, adorned with two emeralds adjacent to the diamond.

Cathy took one of Anne’s hands in her own and looked up at her girlfriend with a vulnerable look, laced with hope but also fear visible in her eyes. She took a shaky breath before speaking.

“Will you marry me?”

Anne could no longer hold back the deluge of tears when she heard Cathy say those words. Tossing the book in her lap aside, Anne squeezed Cathy’s hand and nodded. “YES! Ohmygod Yes!”

Cathy broke into the widest smile before also joining Anne by bursting with happy tears. Anne squealed with joy before hugging Cathy. Of course, clumsy as she was, Anne used a little too much force and knocked both of them to the ground. The newly engaged couple broke out in laughter, sprawled across the floor and still embracing one another. Anne peered into Cathy’s mesmerizing brown eyes, getting lost in the intensity of love that they reflected. Anne leaned in and pressed a firm yet loving kiss to Cathy’s lips, immediately melting into Cathy.

“So, like, aren’t you going to put the ring on her finger? Do you even know how this works?”

Anna’s words broke the couple out of their bubble of bliss and brought them back to the real world, where the queens were quietly watching the interaction play out. Anne looked around and saw Jane wiping away her tears while Aragon was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. Cleves had a wide grin plastered on her face while Kat looked like she was holding back a squeal of joy. Kat was also cradling a new Polaroid picture that Anne was desperate to see already. Before she could mention anything to Kat, Cathy quickly spoke up. “Of course I know how this works, Cleves! I didn’t spend six months preparing for this moment not knowing how this works!”

Cathy’s response was rushed and the deep blush on her cheeks gave away her embarrassment. She parted from Anne and reached for the velvet box that she had dropped when Anne had all but tackled her to the floor. Cathy pulled the ring out, then reached for Anne’s left hand.

Anne swooned as Cathy slowly slid the ring onto her finger, looking up to meet the eyes of her fiancée. Her eyes glistened with tears once again when she saw the look of adoration on Cathy’s face as she admired the ring on her hand. Anne followed her gaze and took her first proper look at the ring on her finger. The thin band of gold held a beautiful diamond in the center with two smaller emeralds on either side of the diamond. It was absolutely stunning and Anne fell in love with it immediately. It was almost like it was made for her.

“Do you like it?” Cathy asked nervously. “If not then we can exchange it for-”

“Are you kidding?!” Anne interrupted. “I love it! It’s beautiful, Cathy!”

Anne kissed her fiancée fervently before showing off her ring to the other queens. Her friends admired the engagement ring, each taking their turn to complement its beauty before Anne went back to her spot next to Cathy who had returned to sit on the couch. Cathy opened her arms and Anne immediately cuddled into her, resting her head in the crook of Cathy’s neck.

“Soooo, Kat. You just so happened to be testing new film out, huh. What a coincidence,” Anne stated sarcastically. 

“I may have mentioned what I was planning to them beforehand, love,” Cathy said to the girl in her arms. “Kat, did you manage to get a good picture?”

“Yeah, I think so!” Kat answered excitedly. “It’s starting to develop now.” She gestured to the picture she was still holding.

“I wanna see!” Anne exclaimed, not able to wait any longer to see her and Cathy’s special moment frozen in time. Kat obliged and handed the picture to her older cousin. Though it was faint, Anne could make out the details of the picture. Anne was holding “Her Story” in one hand while the other was clutching Cathy’s hand. Anne had a hopeful expression on her face, only a few seconds away from bursting into tears. Cathy was down on one knee in front of her, gazing lovingly at her soon-to-be fiancée with the same hopeful expression reflected in her eyes. The ring gleamed beautifully in the light, as if the diamond was refracting sunlight at the same time that the photo was taken.

Anne heard Cathy sniffle above her and she turned to see her wipe away a few tears that were falling down her cheeks. “Thank you, Kat. It’s perfect.”

“It was my pleasure. I’m just glad I didn’t ruin the surprise,” Kat answered sheepishly, remembering her near slip up earlier.

“And you were close too,” Aragon responded. “We’re just lucky that Anne is an oblivious idiot 99% of the time.”

“Hey! It’s only like 86% of the time, Catherine!” Anne shouted back.

The queens laughed together, all elated by the life-changing events that they had just witnessed.

After a few moments, Cathy broke the comfortable silence. “I think it’s time we bring out the champagne. Don’t you think, Anne?”

“Yeah! Let’s get the real party started!”

[onceland]

Fairy tale ending: Inside the magical Once Upon a Time series finale

To read more scoop on this year’s season finales, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday, or buy it here now. Don’t forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW.

“Oh, man, I’m fired. Guys, I think this might be my last day!” Once Upon a Time is in its final days of production, and Ginnifer Goodwin is feeling particularly punchy after flubbing a line during a pivotal scene. Her Snow White stands before our beloved heroes at a massive war-room table, giving a rousing speech about hope as it seems all but lost. A great evil threatens to steal their happy endings once and for all — if it sounds like a moment from the pilot, there’s a reason for that. As actress Jennifer Morrison puts it, “The heartbeat of the show has always been hope.”

Despite being the brainchild of Lost writers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, Once’s premise — Snow White and Prince Charming’s (Josh Dallas) daughter Emma Swan (Morrison) returns after 28 years to rescue a variety of legendary literary characters, like Jiminy Cricket (Raphael Sbarge) and Little Red Riding Hood (Meghan Ory), from the Evil Queen’s (Lana Parrilla) dark curse — seemed a lot to swallow when the series launched in 2011, and many critics expected the fairy-tale mash-up to fail.

Instead, OUAT went on to become one of ABC’s top performers, bewitching audiences with emotionally grounded and relatable stories that resonated with adults and children alike for seven seasons. “Even though it’s about fairy-tale characters, the writers have written [the show] in such a way that really goes to the heart of everybody,” says Colin O’Donoghue, who joined the show in season 2 as Captain Hook. “That’s hopefully where it will endure.”

Part of the show’s initial appeal was the OUAT bosses immediately bucking age-old expectations, setting a game-changing tone of female empowerment with a very simple, if not monumental moment in the pilot: sticking a sword in the hand of Disney princess Snow White. “When we wrote it, we didn’t realize,” Kitsis says. “We wanted her to pull a sword and not be a damsel in distress, and that is what people respect about Snow White — she’s a fearless warrior for good.”

“At the time that we made the pilot, no one was doing anything like this,” says Goodwin. “Honestly, these guys wrote a truly female-driven show. It was instrumental then in my choosing to take the part.” Goodwin notes OUAT’s female-forward approach was also used behind the scenes — she was No. 1 on the call sheet for years until Parrilla took the top spot in season 7. “I hope that Once is remembered as being groundbreaking, that it’s remembered as being representative of the strongest kinds of complex and beautiful women.”

That was never more apparent than with the character of Regina Mills. She started out as the show’s ultimate villain, unleashing a curse that trapped everyone in a land without magic, where Regina could live out her own personal happy ending. But it was one that turned out to be anything but happy, evolving into a Groundhog Day-like prison of her own making until she adopted Henry (Jared Gilrmore), eventually leading to the arrival of Emma Swan, who went on to wake the cursed characters.

Slowly, but surely, Regina conquered her own demons, becoming not just an ally to the Charmings, but family. “Regina is a very hopeful character because she’s so flawed and complex,” says Parrilla. “Following Regina’s journey over the years, we’ve seen that she’s made some mistakes, but she picks herself back up. I think she’s an inspiration to many, including myself; I’ve learned so much from her.”

Aside from its compelling leads, the show’s fortitude also stemmed from its ability to reinvent itself from season to season, sometimes multiple times within. The Onceuniverse expanded into a playground sandbox where characters like Aladdin (Deniz Akdeniz) and Belle (Emilie de Ravin) could cross paths with Tinker Bell (Rose McIver), the Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader) or Dr. Frankenstein (David Anders). The show even birthed a short-lived Wonderland-set spin-off.

The biggest reboot came last year when — after the exits of six major cast members — Parilla, O’Donoghue, and Robert Carlyle (as Rumplestiltskin) were left to take center stage alongside Andrew J. West as an older version of Henry (Jared Gilmore), Dania Ramirez as a new iteration of Cinderella, and Rose Reynolds as Wish Realm Hook’s daughter Alice. But audiences waned without the original cast, seemingly losing hope at the worst possible time. “It makes me sad that something so positive on television is being taken off the air when we need it most,” says Parrilla. “It breaks my heart.”

Even the characters of Once may come to lose hope as the series heads into its final episodes. Despite developments in Hyperion Heights that could signal a brighter tomorrow, an unleashed villain intends to follow through with a dangerous plan, the painful effects of which would be felt by our cherished characters for eternity. “I would definitely say the last episode is as epic as probably any episode that Once Upon a Time has ever done,” O’Donoghue teases. “It’s like taking the best of all seasons and jamming it into one — literally.” West concurs: “The finale is maybe the single most massive episode that the show has ever done. And I mean that in all sincerity.”

Though their future may look bleak, Snow White would (and does) tell our heroes to keep hope alive, a notion Morrison attributes to why the show “had such a strong connection with the audience.” It didn’t hurt that the show launched in a time when social media allowed fans to share in the characters’ experience, cheer their triumphs, and criticize their missteps in real time, creating a community of fans who have cemented a strong bond over the years. “It’s brought a lot of people together that maybe never felt seen,” says Mader, who joined the show’s ranks in season 3. “These people will now be friends forever, because of a TV show that we made — that’s really special.”

For some, it’s much more than that; the mark that OUAT has left is indelible. “There’s been a couple of times where people have said that they were so desperately alone that they’ve considered taking their own lives,” O’Donoghue says. “Through the show, they’ve met other people who felt the same way and realized they’re not alone. That blows me away.”

Sometimes, even the OUAT actors can forget how much the show has affected fans, something season 7 addition Reynolds learned while filming the final episodes. “It didn’t really hit me, the impact of this show, until I went to Steveston,” says Reynolds of the real-life Storybrooke set that the show will return to before series end. “We had people coming out to see it, and even just being on the street I saw in the pilot, that is when it really hit home for me that this is a big deal and this show is epic. Working with [returning stars] Ginny and Josh as well has hammered that home even more.”

Though the Once bosses depicted their originally planned ending in the season 6 finale, they have cooked up a particularly magical final chapter that brings the show back to the beginning in a number of ways — keep your eyes peeled, as there are Easter eggs galore. “The pitch for the whole show was ‘What would a world look like in which the Evil Queen got her happy ending?’ I feel that we’ve finally figured out what that would look like,” says Goodwin, just one of the season 6 departures who returns for the finale. (Read who else is returning here.) “We saved Regina’s happy ending for the end,” says Kitsis. “Her journey has really been watching somebody confront the demons within and emerge on the other side a better person.”

“I know everyone’s been waiting for Regina’s happy ending and no one really could define what that is, and no one really knew what it was going to look like, and nor did I,” Parrilla says. “Once Robin died, it was really hard to foresee another love in her life. But I’m happy with where her happy ending is at.” Parrilla remains coy about the specifics of Regina’s happily-ever-after, only teasing that it takes place “in the same location” as the opening of the pilot.

O’Donoghue, meanwhile, offers that Hook’s fate is intrinsically tied to Rumple’s. “I remember thinking [the ending] was just such an amazing way for this relationship that Bobby and I have invested in over six seasons,” O’Donoghue says. “It’s been so integral to both of our characters, so I thought it was a really beautiful moment and very, very important to me for that to be the happy ending for Hook.”

The notion of happy endings has been vital to the success of the show, particularly Once’s central message that no matter who you are as a person, good or evil, everyone deserves a happy ending — all three of this year’s legacy characters initially entered the show as villains. “It’s so important to send that message,” says Dallas, “particularly in this day and age, when we have so much negative in the world, and to know that you do have a second chance, that you can have redemption, is super-powerful.”

But the question remains whether Once will get a second chance in the future, someday joining the pantheon of shows getting the reboot or revival treatment. “Look, you never say never, but for now this is our ending and the end of this show for us,” says Horowitz. “But if in the future something else happens with the show, we’ll be excited to see what that is.”

Once Upon a Time’s series finale will air over two weeks, starting Friday, May 11, and concluding Friday, May 18, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

x

[efnewsservice]

May 4, 2018

“Oh, man, I’m fired. Guys, I think this might be my last day!” Once Upon a Time is in its final days of production, and Ginnifer Goodwin is feeling particularly punchy after flubbing a line during a pivotal scene. Her Snow White stands before our beloved heroes at a massive war-room table, giving a rousing speech about hope as it seems all but lost. A great evil threatens to steal their happy endings once and for all — if it sounds like a moment from the pilot, there’s a reason for that. As actress Jennifer Morrison puts it, “The heartbeat of the show has always been hope.”

Despite being the brainchild of Lost writers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, Once’s premise — Snow White and Prince Charming’s (Josh Dallas) daughter Emma Swan (Morrison) returns after 28 years to rescue a variety of legendary literary characters, like Jiminy Cricket (Raphael Sbarge) and Little Red Riding Hood (Meghan Ory), from the Evil Queen’s (Lana Parrilla) dark curse — seemed a lot to swallow when the series launched in 2011, and many critics expected the fairy-tale mash-up to fail.

Instead, OUAT went on to become one of ABC’s top performers, bewitching audiences with emotionally grounded and relatable stories that resonated with adults and children alike for seven seasons. “Even though it’s about fairy-tale characters, the writers have written [the show] in such a way that really goes to the heart of everybody,” says Colin O’Donoghue, who joined the show in season 2 as Captain Hook. “That’s hopefully where it will endure.”

Part of the show’s initial appeal was the OUAT bosses immediately bucking age-old expectations, setting a game-changing tone of female empowerment with a very simple, if not monumental moment in the pilot: sticking a sword in the hand of Disney princess Snow White. “When we wrote it, we didn’t realize,” Kitsis says. “We wanted her to pull a sword and not be a damsel in distress, and that is what people respect about Snow White — she’s a fearless warrior for good.”

“At the time that we made the pilot, no one was doing anything like this,” says Goodwin. “Honestly, these guys wrote a truly female-driven show. It was instrumental then in my choosing to take the part.” Goodwin notes OUAT’s female-forward approach was also used behind the scenes — she was No. 1 on the call sheet for years until Parrilla took the top spot in season 7. “I hope that Once is remembered as being groundbreaking, that it’s remembered as being representative of the strongest kinds of complex and beautiful women.”

That was never more apparent than with the character of Regina Mills. She started out as the show’s ultimate villain, unleashing a curse that trapped everyone in a land without magic, where Regina could live out her own personal happy ending. But it was one that turned out to be anything but happy, evolving into a Groundhog Day-like prison of her own making until she adopted Henry (Jared Gilrmore), eventually leading to the arrival of Emma Swan, who went on to wake the cursed characters.

Slowly, but surely, Regina conquered her own demons, becoming not just an ally to the Charmings, but family. “Regina is a very hopeful character because she’s so flawed and complex,” says Parrilla. “Following Regina’s journey over the years, we’ve seen that she’s made some mistakes, but she picks herself back up. I think she’s an inspiration to many, including myself; I’ve learned so much from her.”

Aside from its compelling leads, the show’s fortitude also stemmed from its ability to reinvent itself from season to season, sometimes multiple times within. The Once universe expanded into a playground sandbox where characters like Aladdin (Deniz Akdeniz) and Belle (Emilie de Ravin) could cross paths with Tinker Bell (Rose McIver), the Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader) or Dr. Frankenstein (David Anders). The show even birthed a short-lived Wonderland-set spin-off.

The biggest reboot came last year when — after the exits of six major cast members — Parilla, O’Donoghue, and Robert Carlyle (as Rumplestiltskin) were left to take center stage alongside Andrew J. West as an older version of Henry (Jared Gilmore), Dania Ramirez as a new iteration of Cinderella, and Rose Reynolds as Wish Realm Hook’s daughter Alice. But audiences waned without the original cast, seemingly losing hope at the worst possible time. “It makes me sad that something so positive on television is being taken off the air when we need it most,” says Parrilla. “It breaks my heart.”

Even the characters of Once may come to lose hope as the series heads into its final episodes. Despite developments in Hyperion Heights that could signal a brighter tomorrow, an unleashed villain intends to follow through with a dangerous plan, the painful effects of which would be felt by our cherished characters for eternity. “I would definitely say the last episode is as epic as probably any episode that Once Upon a Time has ever done,” O’Donoghue teases. “It’s like taking the best of all seasons and jamming it into one — literally.” West concurs: “The finale is maybe the single most massive episode that the show has ever done. And I mean that in all sincerity.”

Though their future may look bleak, Snow White would (and does) tell our heroes to keep hope alive, a notion Morrison attributes to why the show “had such a strong connection with the audience.” It didn’t hurt that the show launched in a time when social media allowed fans to share in the characters’ experience, cheer their triumphs, and criticize their missteps in real time, creating a community of fans who have cemented a strong bond over the years. “It’s brought a lot of people together that maybe never felt seen,” says Mader, who joined the show’s ranks in season 3. “These people will now be friends forever, because of a TV show that we made — that’s really special.”

For some, it’s much more than that; the mark that OUAT has left is indelible. “There’s been a couple of times where people have said that they were so desperately alone that they’ve considered taking their own lives,” O’Donoghue says. “Through the show, they’ve met other people who felt the same way and realized they’re not alone. That blows me away.”

Sometimes, even the OUAT actors can forget how much the show has affected fans, something season 7 addition Reynolds learned while filming the final episodes. “It didn’t really hit me, the impact of this show, until I went to Steveston,” says Reynolds of the real-life Storybrooke set that the show will return to before series end. “We had people coming out to see it, and even just being on the street I saw in the pilot, that is when it really hit home for me that this is a big deal and this show is epic. Working with [returning stars] Ginny and Josh as well has hammered that home even more.”

Though the Once bosses depicted their originally planned ending in the season 6 finale, they have cooked up a particularly magical final chapter that brings the show back to the beginning in a number of ways — keep your eyes peeled, as there are Easter eggs galore. “The pitch for the whole show was ‘What would a world look like in which the Evil Queen got her happy ending?’ I feel that we’ve finally figured out what that would look like,” says Goodwin, just one of the season 6 departures who returns for the finale. (Read who else is returning here.) “We saved Regina’s happy ending for the end,” says Kitsis. “Her journey has really been watching somebody confront the demons within and emerge on the other side a better person.”

“I know everyone’s been waiting for Regina’s happy ending and no one really could define what that is, and no one really knew what it was going to look like, and nor did I,” Parrilla says. “Once Robin died, it was really hard to foresee another love in her life. But I’m happy with where her happy ending is at.” Parrilla remains coy about the specifics of Regina’s happily-ever-after, only teasing that it takes place “in the same location” as the opening of the pilot.

O’Donoghue, meanwhile, offers that Hook’s fate is intrinsically tied to Rumple’s. “I remember thinking [the ending] was just such an amazing way for this relationship that Bobby and I have invested in over six seasons,” O’Donoghue says. “It’s been so integral to both of our characters, so I thought it was a really beautiful moment and very, very important to me for that to be the happy ending for Hook.”

The notion of happy endings has been vital to the success of the show, particularly Once’s central message that no matter who you are as a person, good or evil, everyone deserves a happy ending — all three of this year’s legacy characters initially entered the show as villains. “It’s so important to send that message,” says Dallas, “particularly in this day and age, when we have so much negative in the world, and to know that you do have a second chance, that you can have redemption, is super-powerful.”

But the question remains whether Once will get a second chance in the future, someday joining the pantheon of shows getting the reboot or revival treatment. “Look, you never say never, but for now this is our ending and the end of this show for us,” says Horowitz. “But if in the future something else happens with the show, we’ll be excited to see what that is.”

[smokeybrandreviews]

Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Black Excellence

So it’s the 16th (well, the 17th but i saw this movie, like, hours ago and had to take time to digest everything so f*ck off) and Black Panther has dropped. Finally. With this outing, we officially star the 2018 cinema gauntlet and what a start it was! It was a distinct pleasure watching Black Panther today and i was thoroughly entertained. It is a damn good movie but not a flawless one. I say that knowing full well that backslash that previewers whom don’t share my melanin content will have being honest about certain aspects of this flick so i’m going to be as honest and impartial as possible. Because i imagine most people are going to have a difficult time with that objectivity.

The Best

Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger was a goddamn force. You didn’t get a lot of him, but when you do, he owns the screen. There is a hard wisdom earned from living in a world that flat out doesn’t want him, who sees him as a threat whilst knowing the country of his father’s birth has the means to legitimately change the world. Killmonger is the uncomfortable truth that the Wakandan nation has ignored for centuries, come home with a burning vengeance. Jordan plays the role with vigor, passion, and humility. He is flawed. He is a terrorist. He is a killer. Even so, you understand exactly why he’s doing the things he’s doing; Why he’s committed the atrocities he has. You can even sympathize with his worldview, especially if you happen to have particularly melanted skin. Ter are too many of us who grew up like Killmknger, wishing there was a real life Wakanda to make things better. Killmonger is the voice of every black kid who has been unduly accosted by those who have a lighter complexion, and struggled with why. He is the choice of every black person forced to grow up disenfranchised and disrespected. HE is the outrage after another one of us is taken by institutionalized racism and cowardly bigotry. Killmonger is a monster, not by choice, but by society. He was molded by the actions of an alien Wakanda, true, but more by a cruel world that has seen him as a threat for just existing. And Jordan portrays that reality with true grit. Killmonger makes this film, just like Ledger made The Dark Knight, and that’s not an exaggeration.

The Better

The message conveyed in this film is a truly profound one. The truth that we are all one people on this world and need to proceed as one people is a legitimate truth that we need to accept. Bulding walls and making distinctions is how you end up creating beasts like Killmonger. T’Challa’s closing monologue is a necessary one, particularly after the events of this film, and in this particular social climate, has never rang with more truth. It’s wild to think it’s framed in one of the least accessible, big budget, superhero flick ever released.

The overall aesthetic of these film is f*cking beautiful! the city of Wakanda is one that is distinctly African. You see a lot of those jungle tribes and starving kid infomercials so there’s a stigma to African cities but Africa is actually pretty advanced in certain areas. There are great metropolises that look like New York or San Francisco and Wakanda is represented properly here. Beyond that, the language spoken, the costumes worn, the reverence for tradition; All of this makes the fictional world of Wakanda feel real and that reality makes it’s overall beauty vibrantly palpable. Black Panther is easily the most beautiful MCU film to date.

This entire f*cking movie is unapologetically black and i love it. This is one the few films where we, as a people, as a culture, are portrayed as kings and queens, not magical Negroes or f*cking slaves. The entire nation of Wakanda is a character in this film and deserves an entry but it doesn’t start there.This movie opens in f*cking Oakland. Oakland, California in 1992. We get to see that juxtaposition and it was mad compelling. to know that there are people out there, living the way we had to back then, but that there is a nation like Wakanda out there is an example of brilliant yet visceral framing.

The overall plot is goddamn dope. It’s a legitimate exspose into the duality of that experience. If you’ve ever wonder why some of us are so militant, you only have to go as far as to watch Killmonger’s arc to understand. Is it hard for you to understand why some of us are so averse to striking out and making chance, the Wakandan stance is that perspective in a nutshell. Obviously, thee is fr more nuance to this. The issues presented are much more complex than a two hour superhero flick can properly dissect, but it’s given a palatable veneer so people can start that discussion. It’s the whole King/X paradox, one that’s still a very real quandary for black people to this day.

I need to take some time and give all love due to Letitia Wright. She stole the show with her Shuri. Think RDJ as Iron Man genius but condensed into a 16 year old black girl and seasoned with all of the requisite swag due to her station. I adored Shuri and hope we get more of her in the future. She eventually becomes Black Panther in the comics and i’m hoping we get to see a version of that in the MCU eventually.

Winston Duke’s M’Baku was a goddamn scene-stealer! I was on the fence with his initial introduction, but the extended sequence in his homeland was outstanding. Did was throwing out all of the quips and making all of the sense. It’s a shame he’s been framed as an uneasy ally. I would have liked to see more of him in an antagonistic role. If not for Killmonger (whom i identify with as a disenfranchised black man in America) and Shuri (who is just the best goddamn thing about the MCU right now) he’d be my favorite character in this flick!

Danai Gurira was fantastic as Okoye. What little action we had, Gurira’s Okoye took center stage. She was kicking ass the entire f*cking movie and i relished every minute of it. Beyond that, she felt real. She felt like an actual person with actual conflicts and opinions. She played her ass off as this character and i look forward to see what else Danai can bring to the MCU. Here’s hoping she survives Infinity War.

The Good

Ryan Coogler is steady honing his craft. As a junior director, this is literally his third film, his filmography had no right to be as good as it is. Fruitvale Station Creed. Now Black Panther? this cat is a genius behind a camera. He’s still learning, and you can see the rough edges here, particularly with certain pacing choices and the action edits, but he’s getting there. This is an excellent film worth a watch and a lot of that has to do with the cast, sure, but moreso with Coogler. He helped write this movie and he made sure that vision, that singular experience, was conveyed exactly how he wanted, to the audience. Cat’s going to be a big deal if he keeps pumping out the hits like this. I’m talking Nolan big.

This f*cking soundtrack slaps! H.Dot did his thing but the score was just as dope. Ludwig Goransson pit his foot in that sh*t and he is worth a mention in this review. For a guy hailing from some of the whitest nations in the world, he was able to bring that raw, African, percussion to the big screen with earnest. I shouldn’t be surprised as he’s been a collaborated with Childish Gambino since Because the Intent and is signed to Roc Nation so Hov, himself, gave him the cosign. Kudos to my due. He gets our music and that’s rare. He feels a lot like Roch Reuben and i look forward to what else kid has to offer.

Chadwick Boseman turns in another controlled, yet, swagtastic performance as T’Challa. This dude exudes charm and style, particularly when he first arrives back to get his crown. Just beneath that, though, there is a very real humanity; a moral conflict that he can’t reconcile. To be a good king, does that mean he has to sacrifice being a good man? As things progress, that inner conflict becomes even more volatile and paints a lot of his decisions through the rest of the film. T’Challa is left to question, quite literally, everything he was brought up to believe and the answer he finally reconciles is truly bittersweet. Boseman does a fantastic job conveying these subtle nuances.

Lupita Nyong’o did her magic that she does so well with Nakia. There’s usually a throwaway love interest in this initial “origin” story outings but i appreciated how cable Nakia was, how intrinsic to the plot she ended up being. Pepper Potts she was not. Nakia was in the grit, throwing punched wit he best of them while intrinsically being the MCU’s answer to that Wonder Woman example.

Andy Serkins did his thing, like he always does, in another understated yet outstanding performance. I feel like this guy never gets a fair shake and that’s f*cked up. I generally love his characters, animated or not, and, once again, he turns in one helluva Ulysses Klaue.

The rest of the supporting cast was pretty legit. Martin Freeman did his whole Watson schtick and it was adorable. Atwanda and John Knadi took turns portraying T’Chaka and they did a pretty legit job. I was hurting for Sterling k. Brown’s N’Jobu. That cat got the rawest of deals, man. Particularly when you realize, in the macro sense of things, he was probably right to do what he did. Forest Whitaker and Angel Bassett each do what they do as seasoned actors but i feel like they were wildly under utilized, particularly Whitaker. He got that Saw Guerra treatment all over again.

Stan Lee’s cameo is one of the best in the entire MCU. I’m going to miss that man when he’s gone.

The Meh

While i love Andy Serkis, his Klaue took up WAY too much time. Yes, he’s smarmy, charasmatic, and ruthless but that’s time that could have been devoted to Killmonger. I think Serkis actually has more screen time that Jordan, which is borderline criminal. Look, i adore Andy Serkis. I think he’s one of the best actors of this generation and dude never gets his die. But, in the context of this film, he was a distraction, a footnote, that went on much too long.

In contrast, i feel like we didn’t get enough of Boseman’s T’Challa. Like, i know we did, but it feels like everything else, and everyone else, kind of overshadows his Black Panther. This is n’t a bad thing, hell, i’d say i rather enjoyed all of the world building, but for a movie called Black Panther, the Black Panther is kind of it’s own supporting character.

The actions scenes are pretty sparse and kind of spastically edited which always distracts. I really hate that in these films but it’s just a minor gripe in this one. The action isn’t really the point, it’s more eye candy than anything. This is more a clash of philosophy than actual fisticuffs.

Kind of in that same vein, there were some pacing issues. There’s a lull that goes on a little too long and a scene that i think didn’t go on long enough. That latter, particularly, i think, was a detriment to the overall narrative. I would have loved to see more of that exchange but, you know, climax in an untested, big budget, cape flick. Cats gotta get to that SFX laden final battle.

The ending battle was a little flaccid for me. As a Marvel flick, they tend to have issues closing out their films but, after the sociopolitical journey we went on, to have it come to such a ridiculously abrupt close was kind of... meh.

That whole “evil version of the antagonist” schtick is getting mad old. I understand it’s hard to pull a quality villain from a c-list superhero like Black Panther, but come on. Is there no originality to be had? Evil doppelganger? really? Didn’t we learn our lesson from Ant-Man?

The Bad

For all of my aforementioned praise of Jordan, there is a distinct lack of Killmonger in this film. As good as his performance was, as dope a villain he made, as compelling his plight, Jordan is only allowed to do his thing for, like, 15 minutes. I say this is ugly because, with more screen time, Jordan’s Killmonger could have pushed this movie over the top, making it one of the best cape flicks ever. Just look what Ledger did with The Dark Knight.  Noal gave Heath time to grow, time to make a real impact. Jordan didn’t get that. It seems like a missed opportunity. 

The Verdict

Black Panther was a damn fine film. It has it’s flaws but, overall, it was a fun ride. The plot, pacing, characters, and world are rich with life. The central villain, though scarce, is one of the best Marvel has put forth. He is a living, breathing, person with legitimate flaws and real weigh to his cause. Ultimately, this is nit a movie you go see just to see. It’s not a regular cape flick. This is a film, a commentary on the contrasting black experience framed with a massive budget and outstanding performances. It’s not quite Roots or Get Out or Atlanta but it’s just as seminal in the echelon of black excellence. Even If you’re not black, i would suggest to see this film. While i know for a facet it speaks to my culture far more than any other, the themes and messages are, ultimately, universal. Just don’t be surprised if there’s a bunch of black folks in your screening being super extra.

We all about to show out for the King!

[paoulkaye-blog]

Get Your Musical On

                 So it’s possible, although I cannot be bothered to check, that I’ve mentioned that I like musicals. In fact, I know I’ve gone on about La La Land before, so I’m almost certain the subject has come up. So there you have it. I like Musicals.

                What’s that? Which ones were my favorite? What would I recommend to you?

                Well, since you never asked…

                Pirates of Penzance: This was and still is my jam. A group of pirates must say goodbye to their apprentice, signed up with them through some truly terrible hearing, and the apprentice swears himself to the goal of their destruction, but must deal with a niggling contract detail about the day of his birth. There are singing pirates, singing maidens, singing police men, and a singing model of a Major General. The best part of this musical, to me, is that everyone is terrible at their jobs: The Pirates are merciful to orphans and gullible enough to believe everyone is an orphan, the maidens are a little mean, very dumb, and basically set dressing aside from their sister Mabel, the policemen are a cowardly, cringing lot, and the Major General knows next to nothing about actually being a General. The bombastic climactic song ‘With Cat-Like Tread’ is the loudest song you could possibly have about sneaking in quietly to commit a crime with no one noticing, and of course there is the incredible patter song to end all patter songs, ‘The Very Model of a Modern Major General.’ It is silly and satirical for the time on a level the modern musical hasn’t even tried to touch, because Penzance did it first, and did it best.

                The Producers: The musical take on The Producers with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick remains my favorite take on the Mel Brooks classic. When down-on-his-luck producer Max Bialystock hears a financial theory from public accountant Leopold Bloom that a man of less than honest nature could make millions by producing a flop rather than a hit show on Broadway, the two go into business together to do just that by putting together all of the wrong elements for a show called ‘Springtime for Hitler.’ Nathan Lane’s portrayal of Max Bialystock is just perfect, and Broderick’s somewhat wooden acting is actually well within character here. Moreover, the supporting cast is a shining example of colorful characters and the music they all get up to is well-constructed and hilarious. You have to look for the cut content on the DVD to see Max’s original intro song ‘The King of Old Broadway,’ but it’s truly worth it, and the actual presentation of Springtime for Hitler is an actual show-stopper.

                Hairspray: John Travolta in a fat suit, married to Christopher Walken. I didn’t see this one in theaters, but that sentence alone lodged it in my brain and insured that one day, yes, I would sit down and watch the hell out of it. A young girl with a heavy frame makes the effort to become a dancer on a local television show during the darkest period of the civil rights and integration movements, and local conventions are broken open not just by her but by the show’s annual contest when whites and blacks end up dancing at the same time to rave reviews. With the social commentary as a backdrop, this musical is a bit more pointed in its message than most, very much saying that equality regardless of race, shape, or gender is coming, and there is nothing you can do about it. It’s a good message, because it’s about acceptance, not imposition, and it has the trappings of a great musical around it to drive it home. Among my favorite songs are ‘Lady’s Choice’, where Zac Effron (yeah, that guy) sings a song that would have been considered almost sexually flirtatious at the time, and the finale where everyone gets a turn to express how they feel about the world moving forward.

                Into The Woods: Sondheim, has there ever been another one like you? This mishmash of fairy tales takes you through Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Jack and the Beanstalk, and then right out the other side with the ‘truth’ about their Happily Ever After. Disney remade this one recently, and it was a good remake with James Cordon and Anna Kendrick, but if you can find the original stage production on DVD with Bernadette Peters. Meryl Streep is fine, but Bernadette Peters as the witch is simply the best thing ever. This is also a rare example in that both versions are good for their own reasons: Chris Pine as a prince in Disney’s version is awesome, especially during the Princely duet of ‘Agony,’ while the entire play takes one a whole other feel in the original with a character cut from Disney’s version; the Narrator. There’s a delightful moment when the characters gang up on the Narrator in the original that made for an excellent allegory for not only making your own bed, but having to lie in it, and that juicy little extra layer of depth made the stage show a superior production to me in the end. The beginning of the story on both counts is a winding, rambling ensemble piece fittingly titled ‘Into The Woods,’ and is Sondheim at his best.

                1776: Any chance I get to watch Benjamin Franklin bask in his own glory is a welcomed one. This one follows the tumultuous formation of the Declaration of Independence amid the backdrop of the Revolutionary War and quite a lot of congressmen in powdered wigs wondering if treason to the British Crown is worth standing up like men. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson are the stars here, although the entirety of the Continental Congress circa 1776 gets namedropped. The music is great and catchy, with one of my favorites being Adams railing against the defeatist attitudes of his allies in the dark of the night during ‘Is Anybody There?’, or the joyful trolling of Jefferson as the members of the Declaration Committee decide who will write the damn thing. Most striking in this musical, however, isn’t actually one of the songs, but the long debate held early in the show between John Adams and John Dickenson. While Adams argues the virtue of Independence and displays his anger over Britain’s treatment of the colonies, Dickenson is the mouthpiece of the opposition, who argues for England and the glories of the British Empire of the time period. They both love America, but it isn’t clear who is ‘correct’ in that moment, even though we know that Adams will eventually win out. There is no joyous resolution to the plot, however; the Declaration is signed as a bell tolls, and every man there knows that if the war is lost, they will all hang. It’s a powerful look at the reality of the time period, backed by some great music.

                Beethoven’s Last Night: My final recommendation is probably the one you haven’t heard of, but you’re familiar with the artists. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra constructed this rock opera and stage show around the life of Ludwig Van Beethoven, specifically around the last night of his life as the deaf composer is plagued by visions and voices from the world beyond. Mephistopheles comes, claiming dominion of Beethoven’s soul unless the composer allows the devil to erase his life’s work, and Beethoven must walk the path of his life again to find where he went astray. Since it’s TSO, you know the music and the singing is going to be top notch, and it’s refreshing to hear them play something without a Christmas vibe to it. Unfortunately, I’ve never seen the entire stage show, but the music with liner notes is available in album format, and you can get a good idea of the story from that. TSO’s take on ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ is sufficiently rocking for those of you who might be into that, but Beethoven’s ‘Here in the Night’ and ‘Who You Are’ are perhaps the best individual songs. The final song, where Beethoven weighs the worth of his 10th symphony against the life of a nameless child, has made me cry before, and is one of the most beautiful pieces of music TSO has ever produced. If you’re at all familiar with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, you know that is certainly saying something.

                I’m not an expert music critic by any means, and honestly I could go one and on about any one of these productions at length, but I hope this gives you a nice set of pieces to start with if you’re looking to have that musical itch scratched and you’re already seen Rent, Moulin Rouge, and Beauty and the Beast a dozen times. Thanks for reading.