Released in 2000, the 1973 set movie, Almost Famous was another movie played for the scholars at GSP. It follows the poignant coming of age of 15-year-old William as a music fan and his inspiration for the band, Stillwater. As he is landed an assignment from the Rolling Stones to write stories about the band, he’s dealt with an eye-opening journey working with the band, while dealing with the objections of his protective mother and misses out on the events back home, like his tests and graduation.
Personally, I wouldn’t rank this movie high on my favorites throughout the Classic Film Series, but it was still a great movie. It showcased how the music industry, especially among bands, handles common controversy with each other, and how most bands dislike showcasing the problems among the band to maintain an image. Like in the plane scene when they thought they were about to die, at first they showed their appreciation for each other which later turned into bickering, then Ed blurts out of nowhere, “I’m gay!” (I literally LOLed at how random it was). A scene I found questionable though was when William kissed Penny Lane while she was unconscious from an overdose like…what??? No. No. No. Just no. I loved how the movie taught the lesson of how the road is still the real world, and how the world catches up with you and we can’t run away from our actions, which is evident throughout the film. Although it wasn’t my personal favorite, the Tomatometer says otherwise, placing it at 89% (personally I don’t think it should be that high but whatevs). It won multiple awards in the early 2000s, including a Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack, which I can’t disagree with; the music for the film was great so I’ll give it that. For my rock-n-roll friends, in need of a movie showcasing the band and the battles that come with being a bandmate, this might be the film for you. (not me tho, sorry </3) by Uchechi Anyanwu
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The most desired-to-see film of the program, Parasite premiered for the scholars at Centre College during the Classic Film Series. Released in 2019, the thriller film showcases the class differences between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim family. It follows the Kim’s family and their ability to take the jobs of other individuals associated with the Park’s to gain wealth.
I don’t even know how to describe this movie without leaving any aspects out of it. Saying I enjoyed the movie is 100% an understatement. The analogy from the title of the movie being displayed in the movie is something I really loved. It portrayed the way the poor Kim family “leeched” on the Park family for money, almost like when a parasite leeches onto a human body for blood. The parasitic behavior between the families wasn’t one-sided, which I feel is a misconception among the audience. Although discreet, the Park family uses their money to exploit poor families with their cheap labor, aka the limo driving, tutoring, and housekeeping. The one scene that had me jumping out of my chair was the part when the man in the bunker peeks his head above the staircase. Definitely gave me nightmares for DAYS. Despite the amount of gore, analogies, and class discrimination, it’s understandable why this film earned the number of awards it did. It won over 20+ awards, six being from the Oscars. The Tomatometer knew what they were saying when they gave Parasite a 99% on the meter. This most desired-to-see film lived up to its expectations, making it one of my favorites in the Classic Film Series—if it’s not your favorite, what are you doing with your life? (#no hard feelings tho) This thriller and dramatic masterpiece illustrated valuable lessons and it would be a shame if you missed out on it. by Uchechi Anyanwu For the past five weeks, we have covered all of the showcases. We have watched the number of acts go from eight to thirty-three. We started the first week not knowing each other very well. Most of the acts in the first showcase were solo, with few exceptions. In the final showcase, nearly half of the acts were group acts. This growth in showcase acts is also an accurate representation of our growth as a community. As the weeks have gone on, friendships formed and grew. We saw a variety of acts from solos, to duets, to hall and seminar performances. The hall and seminar performances showed how we have bonded with these people and created lasting relationships. The audience's encouragement and support were more prevalent in the later weeks as well. Singing along was common and the desire to encourage others was strong. Every act was greeted and wrapped up with cheers. Every single act brought a new appreciation for showcase. As the people who have covered showcase since week one, we will miss the diversity in acts and the enthusiasm of everyone in the theater. Good luck to the performers in their future endeavors!
by Kallise Gammon & Stella Shearer As the scary movie club has expanded to include several more genres, Everything Everywhere All at Once has closed out GSP Centre’s rum of movie showings. Even though it wasn’t technically part of the Classic Film Series, you’ve probably heard about it through Brandon’s advertising or from friends who saw it instead.
This movie really had everything. From people with hot dog fingers to the bagel equivalent of a black hole, this movie had so much it was overwhelming. Some watchers had existential crises walking out of the theater and claimed they would never watch it again. Personally, I don’t think I’ll ever think of "Clair de Lune" the same after watching Jamie Lee Curtis play it with her dawgs. But the last 10-15 minutes were definitely the most emotionally devastating. Scholars could be found sobbing into their friends’ shoulders even as they walked out of the theater. Looking past the outlandish idea (and the fact that the creators had to be very high to make a movie like this), Everything Everywhere All at Once has a really heartwarming story. The lessons about relationships, love, and intergenerational trauma have connected with a lot of people, and these are meant to be the main takeaway. Evidently, movie critics approved as it has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If you are willing to withstand a good deal of mental gymnastics and many tears, definitely give this movie a watch. by Anakha Shah After being rescheduled a bajillion times, Moonlight was finally played as the 14th edition of the Classic Film Series. Moonlight follows Chiron throughout three of the most important chapters of his life. He goes through struggles with racism, sexuality, and his family life while having support and love from newfound friends.
The first chapter of the movie, “Little,” is about Chiron’s struggles as a child. His emotionally abusive mother doesn’t fulfill her responsibilities as his mom and sorta leaves him on his own. So yes, I’m gonna bash the mother. A lot. Because fast forward, homegirl forced her child to give her money so she could get more drugs. I’ll give her that later on in the movie, she realizes how crappy of a mother she was and how she didn’t provide Chiron the love he needed, but still. Sign me up for the Anti Chiron’s Mother Club. Anyways, Chiron meets Juan and eventually Juan’s girlfriend, Teresa. They become his second family and help Chiron with his struggles to fit in with the other boys his age. Moving onto the second chapter, “Chiron,” Chiron is now facing the struggles of bullying by his classmate, Tyrell. Without Juan (because Juan is now dead), he now leans on Teresa more than ever to be his mother figure, as his birth mother has gone deeper into the drug addict hole. The most important part of this chapter was when Chiron and Kevin went to the beach. That’s all I’m going to say on the subject. That and well, if you watch Moonlight with the captions on, just warning you. The final chapter, “Black,” jumps forward ten years. Chiron is following Juan’s footsteps and he is now a big ol’ drug dealer in good ol’ Atlanta. He visits his mother, who’s now in rehab, and he then receives a phone call from Kevin, asking him to meet up. Long story short, they end up together after all these years! With a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and an Academy Award for Best Picture, Moonlight is a must-watch. The movie comes full circle after everything, and I’m glad that I watched it. by Aliza Sanchez Q: What was the process of getting into showcase like?
Bailee: I had planned on doing showcase before I got to GSP but I'm not going to lie, I got very shy about doing it once the time came. I honestly didn't think I would have the confidence to bring myself to perform, but one of the best friends I made here, Maddie Brother, said “if you do it I'll do it” and there was no way I was going to let her out of showing off her talent. Maddie: Ever since the beginning of GSP I've had an interest in showcases since I love to sing and perform back home and I thought since GSP is the place for intellectual risks why not take one and perform in front of the whole program. Q: Were you nervous? How did you handle those nerves? Bailee: I was a mess honestly, but once I got through the first showcase audition. I got more excited than anything. I let that excitement take over my nerves and I really just tried not to think about it too much. I thought, why not? Maddie: I mean yeah I was nervous. A lady from back home always told me “if you're nervous, it means you care,” so I just embrace the nerves and put that into my performance. Q: How long have you been singing? What type of experience do you have? Bailee: I've always loved to sing. I did musicals throughout elementary and middle school and I sing in my church's choir. Freshman year I was honored as a member of the ACDA National Honor Choir. As high school has gone on I've drifted from music but I still love it and I sing casually a lot, like singing the national anthem at basketball games for my school. Maddie: I've Been singing for forever honestly whether it's on stage or just like in the car or shower. I've been a part of a lot of musicals and different encore performances. I also sing in my church worship team. Q: How did you choose your song? Bailee: I love Olivia and “Favorite Crime” in particular. I wanted to choose a song that had meaning to me because I think you sing a song better when it means something to you or you relate to it. I feel like “Favorite Crime” was one of the more underrated songs on Sour but it's one of my favorites for sure. Maddie: I picked “On My Own” because I've sung it before and I know it really well. Les Mis is also my favorite musical. Q: How did you choose your song? Bailee: If you're thinking about doing showcase: DO IT! You're going to be nervous but in all honesty, it's more fun than nerve-racking. I almost didn't take the opportunity to do it, but I'm so glad I decided to. Maddie: My advice would be to just do it and not overthink because it was honestly so fun and everyone here is so supportive. by Kallise Gammon & Stella Shearer The Perks of Being a Wallflower, a classic coming of age movie, was the perfect candidate as the 11th installment of the GSP Classic Film Series. Charlie, an extremely shy and awkward freshman, becomes friends with two seniors, Sam and Patrick, as he learns to navigate both high school and life. He gets to experience friendship, love, and many more important aspects of life with them and their friends.
I could go in depth about how much I loved this movie and its characters. However, I could go even more in depth about how much I cringe every time I watch the truth or dare scene. Now, allow me to provide a little backstory for the audience who hasn’t watched this film yet (and if this is you, I suggest you watch it ASAP): Charlie is in love with Sam. Like puppy dog, ooey gooey level love. Like a GSBae I met you a week ago but I’m in love with you x100 love. Anyways, he ends up going to the sadies dance with one of Sam’s friends, Mary Elizabeth, and little did he know that that was a commitment to becoming her boyfriend… After a while, he got tired of it and the perfect opportunity popped up to break up with her: truth or dare. It just definitely didn’t go the way he wanted. When Charlie was asked to kiss the prettiest girl in the room, you’d assume that he’d kiss his girlfriend, right? WRONG. He kissed Sam. Talk about awkward. Just writing about this is making me internally cringe. On a more serious note, this film was incredible in how it discussed such important topics. Particularly with Charlie, the film unfolds such deep topics (that I won’t spoil) that will leave you speechless. From the hardships that Patrick faced because he was gay to the challenges that Sam faced in her love life, The Perks of Being a Wallflower showed that people really accept the love that they think they deserve and that, more importantly, we need to show them that they deserve more. by Aliza Sanchez Great job to all 22 acts that performed at showcase this week! We sat down with two of the duets that performed to ask them about their showcase experience. Good luck to all the week 3 participants!
Q: What was the process of getting into showcase like? How was your experience? Jasira Jouett: So Emma and I are pod mates and one day we were just talking when we realized we went to rival high schools. We became good friends and we realized that she played the guitar and I liked to sing. One day Emma mentioned showcase and I convinced her to do it with me. I really had to convince her but she got excited as showcase got closer. We both loved performing and decided to do showcase every week. Normally we just get together to pick a song and then go our separate ways so we can both practice our parts. Then we come together to perform at showcase. Abby Bevil: We have music class together and I was planning on doing "Canon in D." I asked Noel if he wanted to do it with me since I knew he played the violin and we decided to perform together. We practiced a couple of times in front of our friends and teacher and went to showcase protected time. That was pretty much it. Q: What was it like doing a duet with your partner? Jasira Jouette: Awesome. Fun. We communicate really easily and just find what works. Once we find something that works it's easy from there. We are really silly together and are always laughing while performing. Noel Puertollano: It was a little shaky at first. We didn’t really know how to put our parts together at first because we had never worked together. We didn't know each other that well but we practiced and got to know each other. It was way smoother after that. Q: Were you nervous? If so, how did you deal with those nerves? Jasira Jouett: I've been performing since I was little and have always been on stage but I still get nervous. Going up to performing I’m always nervous but once I start I'm fine. My hands get really shaky, if you look at my hands while performing you can usually see them shaking. I have to grab the mic with two hands so that it stays steady. But I usually go into it ready to have fun. The cheering and applause always make me more excited than nervous. Abby Bevil: Yeah I was nervous. I was like shaking on stage. We sang Bruno Mars songs until showcase to calm down. But I wasn’t nervous once we started performing. Q: How long have you been singing/playing your instrument? Jasira Jouett: I've been singing since I was little. I also played the flute for 2.5 years. I'm in my school's musicals and chamber choir which is a cool experience. Abby Bevil: I've played the piano for 10 years and I also play the guitar and the ukulele. Noel Puertollano: I've played the violin and piano for 10+ years. Q: Do you have any advice for people who are considering participating in showcase? Jasira Jouett: Just do it. If you want to just go for it. It's a great memory and everyone is loving, kind, and supportive. It's a great chance to get out of your shell and is such a good experience. It's just a trial and error thing. If you don’t like it you never have to do it again. There's no need to worry because no one judges you and everybody claps at the end anyways. Noel Puertollano: You're going to be nervous, remind yourself you know your part and are prepared. You just have to practice. It pays off at the end with the audience cheering. You get a really good feeling at the end listening to all the applause. by Stella Shearer & Kallise Gammon Singin' in the Rain Photo courtesy of Google Images. If you were expecting a review on Life is Beautiful, you’d be mistaken. Unfortunately, they didn’t open the overflow so I couldn’t view it. However, stay tuned for a review because Centre GSP has so kindly decided to play the film again for scholars who were unable to attend. Now, back to the film that is being reviewed: Singin’ in the Rain. This was the 6th installment of the Classic Film Series. Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont were the two biggest silent movie stars from Monumental Pictures (I think that the only reason Lina was one of the biggest actresses from the studio was that the audience couldn’t hear her voice. Good for them). The studio decided to join the talking film movement to catch up with the other competing studies. After premiering their first talking film, The Dueling Cavalier, R.F. Simpson soon realizes that they’re in some serious trouble. In an attempt to save the film, Don and his best friend, Cosmo Brown, pitch to turn the movie into a musical. But wait! What are they going to do about the very annoying voice that belongs to their lead actress????? I give you Kathy Seldon. Kathy, Don’s new love interest, helps the studio out by voicing and singing for Lina (thank the heavens). Also, might I add that I loved Kathy’s character: she was sweet, unapologetic, and put Don in his place. Now for some Lina Trash Talk: I cannot stand her. I can’t tell if I hate her voice, her singing, or her personality more. “What do you think I am, dumb?” Yes, yes I do. Well actually, I have to hand it to her. After all, she found a way to keep herself the popular, lead actress at Monumental Pictures. However, she was dumb. First of all, she believed the gossip and thought she and Don were in love. Like are you stupid? He doesn’t even like you, sweetie pie. Secondly, she couldn’t understand how to talk into a mic. For a girl who loves to constantly use her annoying, nasally voice, she didn’t know how to use a mic? Come on now. All I have to say is she got what she deserved (if you want to know what happened, guess you’ll have to go watch it because #plottwist). Overall, the movie was entertaining and I’m glad I went to watch it. I should warn you, the songs will get stuck in your head. Seriously, I’ve been randomly singing the lyrics of “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Good Morning” ever since I watched the film. My one critique is the 10-minute long Broadway scene (if it was shorter, I’d have no real critiques, and what’s the fun in that?). So in conclusion, if musicals are your thing, definitely watch Singin’ in the Rain. And even if you’re not, watch it anyway, because with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (Anakha doesn’t think it deserved a 100% but I don’t care because this isn’t her review), you’re bound to enjoy it. Disclaimer: Anakha approved of that previous statement. by Aliza Sanchez The Sandlot Photo courtesy of Google Images. Making it the seventh film of the Classic Film Series, The Sandlot premiered for the Governor Scholars at Centre. This 1993 film takes place in 1962 in San Fernando Valley, California, where Scottie Smalls moves to a new neighborhood and manages to form friendships with fellow youth baseball players in the town. There, he and his little friends find themselves in trouble when Scottie uses and loses his father’s ‘Babe Ruth signed’ baseball to “The Beast” over the fence of the baseball field. They go on an ultimate adventure to retrieve the baseball before Scottie’s stepfather returns from work. This film was definitely one of my favorites amongst all the films shown (Vertigo will always be #1 in my eyes though, sorry Sandlot </3). The eleven-year-old boy humor was very evident in the film, from the insults to crushing on older girls…hint hint…Squint. The way Squint (the glasses boy) was flirting with the lifeguard 2 times his age at the swimming pool literally had me crying with laughter! And the fact that at the end of the movie, it mentioned he and the girl got married and had 9 children in the future…like what in the world? Also, the way “The Beast” (also known as Hercules) was portrayed in the beginning compared to how he was displayed at the end; he seemed like such a sweetheart. I’m just curious to know why he kept the lost balls thrown to his fence; I probably missed why when watching it, but maybe he needed someone to play fetch with…just a thought lol. Lastly, I DESPISED the stepdad. He wasn’t one of those “evil antagonists” nor even fit into the antagonist category, but the way he was around Scottie and made him nervous irked me in a way; I don’t know how to put it lol. In need of a film with mixtures of comedy, friendship, and a love for baseball, Sandlot is the one for you. It exhibited the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone and fitting in, the struggles of being with your crush (my boy Squint finally had his chance at the end), and made me reminisce about my youth. However, Rotten Tomatoes ranked The Sandlot at 64% on the Tomatometer, which is WAY too low for my liking. But their opinion on the movie doesn’t matter anyway—only mine does. Despite only winning one award—the Young Artist Award in 1994 (and deserved WAY more awards tbh)—David Mickey Evans directed a winning and must-watch film, at least in my eyes—which is all that matters anyways. (#jokes) by Uchechi Anyanwu Dead Poets Society Photo courtesy of Google Images. On Tuesday, scholars crowded outside of both Vahlkamp Theater and Young 113 to watch one of the most hyped films in the Classic Film Series. Dead Poets Society is about a group of students at a strict boys’ preparatory school whose lives have been laid out entirely by their parents. When an eccentric teacher gives them a new perspective on life, they apply his lessons and take some intellectual risks (very on theme, I know).
I think this movie had something for everyone. The boys’ stupidity was both entertaining and realistic. The parents’ strictness was #relatable. And Robin Williams being goofy and profound at the same time? 10/10. The only issue I had was with Knox Overstreet. This boy literally saw a girl once and could not keep his head on. Not only that, he basically stalked her and made her life a living hell. The secondhand embarrassment when he read the poem in front of her class was off the charts. However, this was neutralized with some of the comedic relief moments. Charlie Dalton (sorry Nuwanda) was hilarious, as were all of the D.P.S. meetings. Ultimately, this movie deserves all of the praise. While it can speak to everyone who watches it, it applies especially to everyone at GSP who is trying to find their way in life. It may have motivated you to follow your passions or just made you cry (either is fine). Even if you missed the GSP showing of this classic, definitely watch it at some point. by Anakha Shah |