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Reviews
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (2023)
Grease for a new generation
This is the conversation we need to have right now, presented in the best way possible. While nodding constantly to the superfans with overt and covert references, and even an amazing opening number to "Grease is the Word", it also doesn't shy away from calling out toxic masculinity, societal inequalities, and the power of community. With some incredible choreography, and excellent production quality Rise of the Pink Ladies also manages to modernize the music for today's young women. Shades of Dear Evan Hansen, a smattering of Hamilton, and even a number that could have been from a staging of Ride the Cyclone.
There is absolutely no reason for the low scores on IMDB. More than likely these are the same sensitive snowflake males that don't like being called out. Or Grease fans that don't want their universe to expand. This message of empowerment is the conversation we need, and this musical medium is the vehicle we need to stand aside and let have its day. We need so much more.
Anything's Possible (2022)
The right movie at the right time.
This isn't a great movie. It most certainly is a good movie. And as a first offering from Billy Porter there's some incredible material here. Is it fun? Cute? A nice RomCom? Yep.
It's also one of the more important topics we need to be talking about right now. Basic human decency, and the ability for people to live their truth. It's a movie, that happens to be about a trans youth. It deals with some difficult ideas, which is basically adolescence in a nutshell. If the movie offends you, the problem is not with the movie.
Recently I've seen the most disgusting violence I've ever seen in film and television... but someone falls in love with someone else and you're offended?? No. That's not the discussion we need to have. Evolution is hard, and it's going to happen no matter how much you don't want it to.
Kelsa is a modern woman, that just wants her moment to feel loved, and be seen in a world that is trying very hard to erase people like her. Khalid is a kind young man that just follows his heart, into the arms of a woman struggling for identity, a vision of her future, and the need to loved just for who she is. A love story.
If you get that, you'll get this delightful, light, and very needed little bit of comfort cinema. Keep it up, Billy.