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MOVIE AND TV SHOW
REVIEWS

In 2023, a new Barbie movie was released, captivating audiences with its enchanting storyline and stunning animation. While Barbie movies are often associated with fantasy and imagination, they also have the potential to reflect real-life situations and teach valuable lessons. Let's explore the relatability of the Barbie movie.

The Barbie movie follows the adventures of Barbie, a young girl with big dreams and a kind heart. She embarks on a journey to a magical kingdom where she discovers her true potential and learns the importance of friendship, courage, and self-belief. Along the way, Barbie encounters various challenges and obstacles that she must overcome to save the kingdom from an evil sorceress.
These are some realities of the movie in our daily lives:

1. Dreams and Aspirations: The movie highlights the importance of having dreams and aspirations. It encourages viewers to believe in themselves and pursue their passions, just like Barbie does. This relatable theme can inspire children and adults alike to set goals and work towards achieving them in real life.

2. Friendship and Collaboration: Throughout the movie, Barbie forms strong bonds with other characters who support and help her on her journey. This emphasizes the significance of friendship and collaboration in overcoming challenges. It teaches viewers the value of teamwork and the positive impact it can have in real-life situations.

3. Self-Discovery and Personal Growth: In Barbie's journey in the movie she learns more about herself, her strengths, and her abilities. This relatable theme reminds viewers that self-reflection and personal development are essential aspects of life. It encourages individuals to explore their own identities and embrace personal growth opportunities.

4. Facing Challenges and Overcoming Obstacles: Barbie encounters various challenges and obstacles throughout the movie. This relatable aspect reflects the reality that life is not always smooth sailing. It teaches viewers the importance of resilience, determination, and problem-solving skills when faced with difficulties. This can inspire individuals to face their own challenges head-on and find creative solutions.

5. Themes of Empathy and Kindness: The Barbie movie also emphasizes the importance of these values towards others. Barbie's compassionate nature and willingness to help those in need serve as valuable lessons for viewers. This relatable theme encourages individuals to show empathy and kindness in their own lives, fostering a more compassionate and inclusive society.

While the Barbie movie may be a work of fiction, it incorporates relatable themes and life lessons that can resonate with viewers of all ages. By exploring dreams, friendship, personal growth, overcoming challenges, and kindness, the movie offers valuable insights into real-life situations. It serves as a reminder that even in a fantasy world, there are valuable lessons that can be applied to our own lives.

BARBIE MOVIE AND ITS RELATABILITY TO REALITY

A.N.

We all know “Clueless”, one of the most iconic movies of the 90s. The movie is an adaptation of “Emma” a Jane Austen book, but with a stylish touch to it. This movie gave the past generation and still offers our generation a good taste of joy, iconic catchphrases, and especially a fashion trendsetter character. But what does this movie have that made such a big impact, apart from all the reasons already listed?

Clueless is a movie that makes us, as teenagers, think about what makes us special. In case you haven’t seen it, it follows Cher Horowitz, played by Alicia Silverstone, a teenage girl whose greatest concern is to find the perfect outfit combo and remain the top girl in school. Cher is a bit superficial but has a great heart. Throughout the movie, we can notice that Cher loves to do makeovers. We see that she plays matchmaker with her teachers and friend to help her rise in popularity. But what is missing is a look at herself and a makeover within her.

This movie is iconic for many reasons, and after all, it is just a teenage comedy-dramatic(ish) film, but you know, every movie has a meaning behind it, and Clueless isn't the exception. The movie deals with different themes that help us relate to it: responsibilities, social classes, love, etc. But the main topic that the film covers is how to find your true self. As mentioned before, at the beginning of the movie Cher only cares about her popularity and focuses on getting the things she wants by arguing her way out of problems. As the movie continues, Cher discovers that there are more important things than just being the prettiest or the best in everything. She understands that everyone has something special within themselves and that everybody is good at something, “I decided I needed a makeover, except this time, I’d makeover my soul” Cher narrates.

CLUELESS

Ana Fernanda Villarreal Hernández

"Dead Poets Society" is an amazing movie directed by Peter Weir and released in 1989. This film has rightfully earned its place in the records of cinema history.

It’s set in a prestigious all-boys preparatory school, the story takes place in the 1950s, focusing on an English teacher, John Keating, played by Robin Williams. Keating's unconventional teaching methods and passion for poetry inspire his students to challenge societal norms, seize the day (or "carpe diem"), and pursue their dreams. The film completely captures the conflict between tradition and individuality.

DEAD POETS SOCIETY

Sarah Valdés

“Donnie Darko” is a horror/thriller film released on October 26, 2001 and directed by Richard Kelly and produced by Flower Films. The movie started production in 1997 right after Kelly graduated film school and had suffered a great loss in total sales due to its advertisements featuring a plane crash when the 9/11 attacks had happened just a month and a half before.

Although the movie started its making in ´97, it wasn´t until the 2000´s when producer Kelly found Pandora Cinema and Flower Films to produce and fund it with a 4.5 million dollar budget. This movie at first was a total mess that only made 500,000 dollars and took some time to create a steady fan base and finally show its true delight. It ended up making over 10 million in only US video home sales and was listed second in Empire´s “50 greatest independent films” and fifty third on “500 Greatest Movies of all Time”.

The movie is set in October 1988 and follows the struggling life of the main character, Donald Darko (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), who is a young teenager struggling with schizophrenia. One day, Donnie starts to have illusions about a man in a bunny suit named “Frank”. When Frank appears in Donnies room he asks him to follow him “into the future” and proceeds to take him to a golf course nearby. Once there, they get to talking and Frank reveals to him extremely sensitive information. He tells him that the world will end in 28 days 6 hours 42 minutes and 12 seconds. Which is a very interesting date since the filming of the movie itself took 28 days.

The movie gets to this point very early in the film and is extremely good at establishing the mood as well as what is at stake. It also already shows the toxic environment in which Donnie lives and also mentions Donnies mental disorder, schizophrenia, which is so far what we think causes Donnies hallucinations. A household where there is a lot of yelling and a fried group of degenerates is all we know about the character which already lets the audience know what kind of person he is.

After Donnie talks with Frank at the golf course a loud crash wakes him up there to find out he has the timer written on his arm with a marker. He walks back to his house to find out that an airplane engine had crashed into the side of the house. Right in Donnie's room, almost as if Frank the bunny had saved him.

This has to be one of my favorite movies of all time although I do not recommend watching it with your parents…whoops. If I could describe this movie in a single word it would be “Mindf**k”. This is because it enters the whole “time traveler” trope. In fact, the movie itself is unexplainable which is something I love. The whole ending and explanation of what happened is left to the reader and there are whole communities that have stated their own theories on what happened in the movie.

DONNIE DARKO

Luis E. Rodriguez

In an era of reboots, sequels, adaptations, and remakes, a movie with a story that’s already been told and brought to the big screen being enjoyable seems impossible. But this is exactly what Autumn de Wilde’s 2020 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma manages to do, it’s a beautiful classic tale retold with a freshness to it.

This movie follows a young woman named Emma, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, in the early 19th century. Emma faces the problems only a self absorbed upper class girl in the 1800s could face. But despite the unrelatability of her situation and the era in which she resides, all of Emma’s problems will have most watchers relating to her in some way. Because behind all of Emma’s petty problems there is a truth to her. Her problems undoubtedly are caused by herself, even though she has her best intentions in mind.

And as for being true to the book, this movie has managed to get right what most of Austen’s works’ adaptations get wrong. This film captures the true essence of Austen’s comedy, which is subtle and yet incredibly hilarious. It's Austen’s classic comedy with a modern twist, which makes it more appealing and digestible for contemporary audiences. Avid Austen fans will be happy to hear that for the most part, the film is book-accurate. The book’s most impactful scenes are included and virtually depicted the same in the movie as they are in the book.

EMMA (2020)

Ana Priego Guarneros

Flipped is an adorable movie that talks about a boy and a girl in the 60s that fall in deep love, this film was made in 2010. Still, the book was published in 2001, and it stars Callan McAuliffe (Bryce Loski) as the male protagonist and Madeline Carroll (July Baker) as the female protagonist.

The plot of this movie involves Bryce Loski and July Baker getting older and finding feelings for each other, at first when July and Bryce were kids July had a big crush on Bryce but Bryce didn't feel the same until they got older.

FLIPPED

Martha Cecilia Garza Treviño

FROM "AVATAR 1" TO "AVATAR 2: THE WAY OF THE WATER"

Naomi Vanessa Urdiales García

If you're looking for a show that will make you laugh, cry, and binge watch for hours, look no further than Gilmore Girls. This beloved series, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino follows the lives of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, a witty mother-daughter duo who lives in the quirky town of Stars Hollow. Gilmore Girls is more than just a comedy-drama; it's a cultural phenomenon that has inspired countless fans, podcasts, books, and even a revival on Netflix. In this review, I will explain why Gilmore Girls is one of the best shows ever made, and why you should watch it.

Gilmore Girls has a simple premise: Lorelai, a single mom who had Rory when she was 16, tries to balance her career, her love life, and her relationship with her estranged parents, while Rory, a smart and ambitious teenager, pursues her academic dreams and navigates her romantic entanglements. Along the way, they encounter a colorful cast of characters who populate their small town, such as Luke, the grumpy diner owner who has a crush on Lorelai; Sookie, Lorelai's best friend and chef; Lane, Rory's rebellious music-loving pal; and Kirk, the eccentric jack-of all-trades who always has a new job or scheme. The show also features some of the most memorable love interests in TV history, such as Dean, Rory's first boyfriend; Jess, the bad boy who challenges Rory; Logan, the charming but reckless rich kid who sweeps Rory off her feet; and Max, Lorelai's former fiancé, and Rory's teacher.

GILMORE GIRLS

Barbara Rocha Lara

The main plot of the series is based on Gossip Girl, which is a well-known blog on the Internet, which narrates day-by-day gossip, love, family, and economic conflicts of a group of young billionaires from the elite of Manhattan.
The series shows what life is like for the elite of Manhattan, on the Upper East Side. There are 6 protagonists, but as the series progresses, characters join or separate from the group.

GOSSIP GIRL

Karen Escareño

The American singer, Gracie Abrams, 24 years old made her debut with her album “Minor” in 2020 which contains 7 songs, among them the popular song “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” which tells the listener how the young girl misses her lover, remembering the good and bad times they went through, how she was affected by this breakup, haunted by the memories and the fact that she knows he misses her too. This song reached 10 million streams only in 2020 when it was just released, affecting millions of people by feeling understood.

Abrams fandom has compared her with the one and only Taylor Swift because of her talent at the moment of songwriting and her ability for storytelling in her music. Gracie Abrams was even a guest during Swift’s “Eras Tour” to perform along with her the song mentioned before “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” leaving both fandoms in shock.

The young songwriter has two more albums “This Is What It Feels Like” (12 songs) and “Good Riddance” (16 songs). They both feature fan-favorite songs of hers. Even though Gracie Abrams is considered a small artist, she was nominated for a Grammy for “Best New Artist”, she will also be featured as the opener for Taylor Swift in her Eras tour in 2024.

“Everywhere, Everything” is the newest single in which Gracie Abrams is featured along with Noah Kahan, a song that talks about how much they hope the love they feel for a certain someone never ends, as they say, “Everywhere, everything - I wanna love you till we’re food for the worms to eat”. Both express how tired they are after a long year, they will still care for them, and always love them, even when “the sun collapses”.

Abrams's singing career has expanded a lot since her start four years ago, she has grown a faithful, respectful, and peaceful fandom that always talks wonders of her and a lot of people are waiting for what she does next and what she’ll become. In my personal opinion, she’s an incredible songwriter with a beautiful voice that speaks for a lot of people, helping others identify what they feel with her songs while giving the comfort that they are not alone.

GRACIE ABRAMS

N.T.R

"Gran Turismo," directed by James Mangold, takes viewers on an exhilarating journey into the heart of motorsports, capturing the essence of speed, passion, and competition. The film is inspired by the popular video game franchise of the same name but manages to stand on its own as a high-octane racing movie.

One of the film's strongest assets is its remarkable attention to detail. The racing sequences are nothing short of spectacular, with breathtaking cinematography and sound design that puts the audience in the driver's seat. From the roar of the engines to the screech of tires on the asphalt, every aspect of the racing experience feels incredibly authentic.

The character development in "Gran Turismo" is a pleasant surprise. The film delves into the lives and motivations of its main characters, played by a stellar cast led by Archie Madakwe.

GRAN TURISMO

Emiliano Ollervides

Many consider “Lady Bird” one of the best coming-of-age movies. This film, directed by Greta Gerwig and released in 2017, grossed a total of 79 million dollars worldwide, with 5 nominations in the Oscars and 2 awards in the 2018 Golden Globes. This movie has generated much love and affection for the people who have watched it, especially for young girls and women entering adulthood.

This film follows the story of Christine, known as “Lady Bird” in her life during her last high school years, and how she deals with careers, university, her friends, love interests, and her familiar relationships. We see a complicated relationship between her and her mother. Sometimes they treat each other like best friends, but sometimes they hate each other and can’t stand to see one another. This is one of the reasons why this movie is so relatable, and how it creates this relationship with the audience. How Saoirse Ronan portrays the protagonist makes it feel real, relatable, and natural.

This is the perfect movie to watch with your mom, your friends, your partner, or even by yourself, when you’re feeling sad or happy, it’s always the mood for “Lady Bird”. It’s one of those movies that gives you a warm hug to the heart, those comfort movies you want to be a part of and that you miss them once you finish watching them. I consider this one of my favorite films because it truly makes me feel understood and it’s portrayed in a simple, yet beautiful way. It is so visually pleasing and compelling that it’s not just the story that attracts you to it, but the whole settings and lighting style that make this movie such a wonderful piece of art.

LADY BIRD

A. G. M.

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