Analyzing : Penelope (2006)

 I already watched Penelope few years ago, before I started this blog. All I can remember was : John McAvoy was cute, and Christina Ricci was adorable.

Since I started this blog, I constantly seeking for movies with good message behind. And so as I go, I saw greatest movies ever. I remember this movie has it (good message). But when I googled it few days earlier, I found out the movie has various responses, negative ones from the critics but good ones from the viewers. It made me curious, so I start to dig my pile of DVDs and found the movie.

Since it started with a voice over says: once upon a time... and tells a story about a curse runs in Penelope's family, this is a fairy tale (so it was called). As I go on watching, I remember saying to myself when I first saw the movie; 'wait, what era is the movie? and what's with the mixed accent of the casts? one's British other ones is American.' And why is other cast wear vintage outfit, the other one is modern? The script could do a little research and more thorough.

The Lame but Uplifting Teen Movies

Before we grew up we reached teenager days and probably saw that ridicilous lame teen movies. Some were only selling dreams and beautiful casts as an eye candy. I've experienced the Scream and I-Know-What-You-Did period, and thank God it's over. Remember She's All That?

For movieholics, it's a taboo thing to admit we like shallow teen movies. When I was younger, I loved these teen movies. Back then I didn't care about awards and great message behind, I just see the movie and say, I like it or I hate it. Luckily I still remembered which movies that has uplifting spirit effect.

1. Bring It On (2000)

Cast : Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, Gabrielle Union

Plot : A champion high school cheerleading squad discovers its previous captain stole all their best routines from an inner-city school and must scramble to compete at this year's championships.

Why : Not only cheering for teams, the cheerleaders also compete with other cheerleaders and very committed to it. Kirsten Dunst shows integrity and big spirit as a captain to win the championship. Through the self-doubt, humiliation and break-up. She shows healthy competition with other captain team played by Gabrielle Union. Good role model for teens. Ofcourse, seeing the team fearlessly dance with the dangerous moves, throwing people in the air was amazing.

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (2006) : Struggling Father

Chris Gardner is a husband, a devoted father of one child, and a desperate bone-density scanner salesman. He strive to make things altogether when things fall apart. His wife left him, nobody wanted to buy his product, no money to pay rent or anything and a child to take care. As he pull stuff so hard to survive, he apply himself an stockbroker internship.