Black filmmakers have expertly used their platform to both show the tribulations of the past and present and define a new, inclusive future. Overcoming the obstacles of discrimination, these contributors’ voices have upended the industry and shone a light on a new filmmaking perspective.

One of the most well-known directors to defy classic Hollywood tradition is Jordan Peele. As a famous comedian, filmmaker, producer and screenwriter, Peele upended the cinematic industry with a creative eye for social commentary. His directorial debut was in 2017 with the horror film “Get Out” starring Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield and Allison Williams. This, however, was not the beginning of his journey in entertainment. 

Peele stepped foot into the industry through his comedic stunts on “Mad TV,” a sketch series competing with “Saturday Night Live” until its end in 2016. After leaving, he started the comedy show “Key & Peele” with fellow comedian Keegan-Michael Key and founded Monkeypaw Productions company. 

Shortly after, the world saw the immensity of his talent beyond the camera as a skilled screenwriter of a new style of horror films. Beginning with “Get Out” and continuing with 2019’s “Us” and 2022’s “Nope,” each narrative is rooted in very real issues. Peele explained how, “The only way I will ever attempt to create anything again is to be vulnerable with my own emotions, and in some way, it has to be autobiographical. If you’re telling a story and you’re not bearing a part of your soul or telling part of your truth, I think you’re not doing that right.” 

In an industry built through the eyes of white men, the majority of films are brought to life without an awareness of certain people and stories. “These fears of mine, I’ve never seen them portrayed in film,” he explained as he discussed “Get Out.” “On the surface it’s a harmless thing, but what I wanted to point out with this film is that it’s connected to the deep horror of racism.”

Not only are his storylines unique and camerawork exceptional, Peele’s ability to cleverly foreshadow and build to unexpected twists are a large part of  his success. While giving advice on producing a thrilling script and narrative, Peele said, “The process of doing sketch comedy week after week on ‘Key & Peele’ was very much became about this idea of jiu jitsu. If you can predict where an audience is going to go or what they think you’re going to do you can use that momentum against them.” 

It comes as no shock that he became the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for “Get Out” and continues to be nominated and win awards with each new project.

Another force within the film industry is Spike Lee, an Atlanta native whose popular works are “Do The Right Thing,” “Malcolm X” and most recently “Da 5 Bloods.” His narratives introduce Black experiences in an otherwise homogeneous field of white perspectives. 

Lee was born in pre-Civil Rights Movement Atlanta, with tensions inciting his family to move to Brooklyn, N.Y. He returned to Atlanta to study at Morehouse College until 1979 and traveled back to New York University (NYU) for film school. 

Founding his own production company in 1979, Lee built 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks to launch his introduction into cinema. The 1980s were known as the “new Black film wave” and marked his success through low budget, independent films. Beginning in college, he partnered with Ernest Dickerson, the best cameraman at his school, to shoot all of his films, from school projects to his first feature films. 

Unlike now, there was not an easy route to raise money or publicize films. Lee did not have the technology to film with his phone or send clips through social media. To produce his first major film, “She’s Gotta Have It,” Lee had to raise $175,000 himself to remain an independent creator and maintain the essence of his vision. When describing how he managed this, he said, “It was a miracle.”

His on-the-ground fundraising took multiple steps, but the third stage, getting enough money to edit the film, was the most critical. This would allow Lee to put on
screenings for invest. Each stage took around seven to eight months, meaning producing his film took years of continuous effort. “She’s Gotta Have It” ended up earning $8.5 million at the box office, marking his big entrance onto the entertainment scene.

When fellow Black director Barry Jenkins’ film “Moonlight” took home the Oscar for best picture in 2017, Lee shared a tepid reaction, feeling that its win had not corrected from the lack of diversity among the Oscar winners the year before, known on social media  by #OscarsSoWhite. Lee acknowledged the win with, “I’m happy, but I don’t think it’s [an] indication that the world has changed…Winning the Oscar, that’s not going to change the landscape. The landscape changes when we’re in the room.” 

Aside from a successful career as a filmmaker, Lee began teaching at NYU’s Tisch School for the Arts and has continued in that role for the past 31 years. He continues his push talented minority filmmakers to continue on their path despite the extra obstacles they will face.  “What I try to instill in my students is that they have to put the werk in. W-E-R-K. W-O-R-K is not gonna get you there,” Lee said. “That hollywood scenario that the hand of god’s gonna come out of the sky and anoint you as the next motherf*****-don’t go for that. You have to werk.”

Running from last October and ending this February, the Brooklyn Museum welcomed the “Spike Lee: Creative Sources” installation as a glimpse into his inspirations. Lee wanted the world to have a look into the many faces and creators that helped contribute to where he is today, just as he has paved the way for filmmakers to come.

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Adaptations always run the risk of ruining a franchise. By introducing poorly executed storylines and half-baked worldbuilding, many fan-favorite properties can turn into franchise burdens. This is especially true with video games, as demonstrated earlier this month with the release of “Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash.” Unfortunately, this time, the dimming spotlight landed on “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.”

Originally released on Feb. 2, this third-person shooter game plays through the creation of the infamous misfit task force as they take on Earth’s beloved Justice League. Players can venture into Metropolis switching between the four main characters: Deadshot, King Shark, Boomerang and Harley Quinn. Contrary to their usual roles, gamers take a turn fighting against the traditional superheroes most games paint as the “good guys.” The Justice League includes Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash and Green Lantern. Despite facing off against each (other than Wonder Woman), the true final boss is Brainiac. Many well-known characters made an appearance in the cutscenes or a few minutes of gameplay, such as Lex Luthor, Poison Ivy and Lois Lane.

The voice actors of the Suicide Squad nailed their performances, especially the voice of Harley Quinn. The game also excelled visually with impressive graphics. These artistic skills shined in the game’s many battles, especially against Batman’s fiery, demonic persona.

The Justice League museum is a great depiction of the game’s highs, with artifacts from each defeated supervillain showcased and eventually integrated into one of the four characters’ inventory to enhance their weaponry.

Additionally, the introduction to each of the superheroes acts as an ironic ploy to depict the extent of their fall from grace. Holograms of the Flash, Green Lantern and Superman reflect their previously pure morality that degrades as the narrative continues.

Much of the game’s intrigue comes from watching the corruption specifically take root in the Flash. Players are introduced to the Flash as he attempts to fight both Green Lantern and Batman, but after failing, he is transformed into Brainiac’s servant, and his words explicitly reveal his lack of remorse or morality.

The game’s appeal comes primarily from fighting the Justice League. However, even against their different super powers, these combat scenes were underwhelming, as the fights’ similarities make them all blend together. This wasn’t remedied by smaller enemy fights. Despite variance in henchman and enemy strength, the actual fighting felt too easy for the majority of the game.

Highly-anticipated fights also didn’t happen very often, either. There were many cutscenes of the Justice League fighting itself, such as the Flash versus Green Lantern or Wonder Woman attacking Superman, but few between the player and each hero aside from the final battles. The deaths of these heroes, as well as the final battle, felt underwhelming — a major misstep from developers.

Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S and Microsoft Windows, this Arkhamverse game did not land well with users largely due to its gameplay limitations and high price. Even within the first 15 minutes, gameplay repetition is apparent.

Players’ initial task is to get all Suicide Squad members to the same area so their respective skillsets can be introduced. There is some variety between each character’s weaponry, although the majority of weapons are extremely similar to one another. Boomerang’s teleportation ability is the most intriguing, and Quinn’s rope swing using Batman’s technology is unique, too.

The transportation routine that is shown in these intro scenes reflects the majority of the game. The player bounces between platforms, most commonly building roofs throughout the game, and shoots enemies. Rinse and repeat.

While yes, “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” is a shooting game, the graphics and characters enabled a greater potential for the game that the developers overlooked. For a game that promises “free-range” gameplay, the extent is underwhelming. The player travels across Metropolis and even traverses multiple Earths, a perfect opportunity for greater skill advancement or side quests that developers bafflingly chose to leave out.

While “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” brings to life a visually-appealing, third person shooter version of the DC world and the fun of playing as the villain, the simplicity of gameplay and limited character skill sets make its success questionable, at best.

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With Valentine’s Day approaching, Jennifer Lopez is celebrating this season of love by releasing her new musical masterpiece “This is Me…Now: A Love Story” on Feb. 16. 

This story redefines her journey through love, correcting the misunderstandings and lies told by the media. Lopez begins with, “You may think you know,” referring to the public’s false beliefs about her love life. Through an hour-long musical narrative, she sets the story straight.

In partnership with Amazon Studios, “This is Me…Now: A Love Story” builds a world shaped by love — love of oneself, to be exact. Rather than a simple timeline, Lopez dances through the stages of her life and illustrates, through each song, the emotional battles she has fought. 

The intro begins with a retelling of “The Legend of the Hummingbird,” the Puerto Rican folktale of two lovers, Alida and Taroo, whose relationship was ill-fated because of their tribe’s rivalry. Desperate to escape an arranged marriage and honor her love for Taroo, Alida begs the gods to save her, so they turn her into a red flower. Taroo, still madly in love and distraught over Alida’s choice, turns to the gods for help. They transform him into a hummingbird, destined to search every flower until he finds his true love. This beautiful yet sad story acts as the motif of Lopez’s film. 

The film then opens to a futuristic factory with a steampunk-style heart hanging at its core. When the heart begins malfunctioning and love depletes, the mystery ends, and the story starts with the first song of the film.

Each song featured a completely different ambiance to match the shifting emotions of each stage of her life, the best of which were “Rebound,” “Can’t Get Enough” and “Broken Like Me.” “Rebound” tells the story of a toxic relationship built on distrust and abuse, with elements of lust and false dependency. 

The entire song unfolds in a glass house with Lopez tied to her partner alongside other abused couples in different rooms. Through brilliant choreography, the ties between each partner acted as a rope tethering them to the constant cycle of toxicity. 

The depth of emotion and relatability, especially in the mistreatment of and blame towards women, made “Rebound” one of the most moving songs in the film. 

In conjunction with the film, Lopez recorded an album of the same name. She pre-released two songs, one being “Can’t Get Enough.” Imagine a fairytale wedding with walls of flowers, especially red ones, a gorgeous dance floor and crystal adorning every table. “Can’t Get Enough” serves as the depiction of the “perfect” wedding with the “perfect” groom — or grooms as the song exposes. The colors, costumes and dance numbers radiate the bliss that society paints marriage to be. The special appearance of Derek Hough lit up the screen with his extraordinary moves and elevated the choreography of the uplifting pop song with a hint of her classic sound. 

On the opposite end of the emotional spectrum is “Broken Like Me,” a song focused on the raw, brutal struggle that arises from self-reflection. 

While at group therapy for “love addicts,” Lopez begins to speak about her dependency on feeling loved by others. As she sings through her despair, the rest of the group breaks into dance, but not one of happiness and grace. Instead, the dancers use a contemporary style  movement to embody the ups and downs of life and the feeling “broken” has on your entire life. “Broken Like Me” was a revelation. With a mundane setting of a softly lit room and black chairs for props, this lower-budget scene felt the most touching with its realistic message and performance. 

Most of the film follows Lopez switching from partner to partner like a “love addict,” as the film calls her. 

These relationships do not reflect a simple partnership but the darkness hidden from the public, especially in the scenes for “Rebound” and “Broken Like Me.” The story turns once she recognizes her lack of love for herself, for who she was then and is now.

The entirety of the film had breathtaking cinematography and extraordinary worldbuilding, bringing every scene to life through engaging visuals. 

Even with contrasting environments and a range of emotions throughout her journey, the coherence between scenes and transition between costumes makes the beauty effortless. The filmmaking lets Lopez’s movie become a cohesive whole.

Aside from Lopez, “This is Me … Now: A Love Story” includes star-studded performances from celebrities across every medium. The gods within the film are the embodiment of the 12 zodiac signs. Keke Palmer, Kim Petras, Post Malone, Trevor Noah, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Sofía Vergara are only some of the many features throughout the narrative. 

Of course, Lopez also cast her current husband, Ben Affleck, as the recurring on-air reporter trashing society’s expectation of love through her journey. 

Lopez ends the film with the words, “Only you can let the love in your heart die, and you should never let it die.” 

Even with missteps and downfalls, you should never give up on love. Relationships come and go, but Lopez preaches the importance of always loving yourself.

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Searching for a show centered around romance, competition and filled with the most awe-inspiring dates ever? Look no further than “The Bachelor.”

While there are plenty of romantic television shows focused on looks and recoupling to stir up the drama, “The Bachelor” paints a different picture of love. One man is chosen as “the bachelor,” and women from all over the country are invited to a mansion with one goal: marry him. Although they have never met before, every woman knows who he is — they have watched him on past seasons of “The Bachelorette.” The special connection between these two shows creates a cycle of hope for true romance, since a contestant in a previous year gets a second chance at love each season.  

This year marks the 28th season of “The Bachelor” with bachelor Joey Graziadei, a professional tennis player. He previously appeared on Charity Lawson’s season of “The Bachelorette,” where he was left heartbroken, as Lawson told him she fell in love with someone else just before his proposal. Despite this heartbreak, Graziadei is back for another chance at love, and — just his luck — the chances are good. As host Jesse Palmer said, “You’re making history tonight… There are more women showing up tonight than we have ever had on this show before.” Although 32 is not significantly more than the usual 28 or 30, the extra two women mean more potential connections, and for the viewers, more drama!

The series premiere began in a confusing fashion. The first scene showed Graziadei in the finale with his final rose. However, rather than a happy celebration, he stood alone, crying, foreshadowing an unpredictable season to come. If you did not already expect, although much of the show is about romance, it also thrives through drama and emotional roller coasters that rarely exist in the real world.

As always, introductions followed. Each woman has a solo meeting with Graziadei outside the mansion. Some simply step out of a limousine and greet him, while others take a chance on making a lasting impression. One of this season’s standouts was Jenn Tran, who pulled up to the mansion in a racing cart. While leaving the cart, she said, “I’m Jenn, and when I found out you were the bachelor, I had to race over here so quick from Miami.” Jessica Edwards, an Executive Assistant from San Diego, California, drove in on a boat announcing, “Hey Captain. I heard you were looking for a new relation-ship.’”

A few of the contestants set out to assert themselves early. Sisters Allison and Lauren Hollinger joined the show together. The concept of sisters vying for the same man is peculiar, but the drama it brews is just what the show was made for. When they first arrived, they decided not to tell Joey or the other contestants that they were related, so when Lauren followed Allison in, they shook hands and introduced themselves before saying they could tell they
would be best friends. 

Later into the night, they announced to everyone that they were sisters, which was met with confused stares. Not long after, both sisters took turns talking to Graziadei, during which he realized their stories were too similar to be a coincidence. 

Already, there are lovers and haters in the mansion. The show, and Graziadei, seemed to love Autumn Waggoner, an account executive from St. Louis, Missouri, Daisy Kent, an account executive from Becker, Minnesota and Lexi Young, an Atlanta native working in digital strategy. All three women touched Joey’s heart through their ingenuity, charisma and soft personalities. While Edwards had already caught Graziadei’s attention with her punny boat, he received her far more positively than the rest of the contestants. She returned from talking with him to tell the entire room, including plenty of women who had not met with him yet, that he kissed her, painting a large target on her back. Her continued disrespect towards other women talking with Graziadei furthered the animosity towards her across the mansion. 

One big question that arises from these types of shows is the effects it has on contestants. The nation watched Graziadei fall in love just to be tossed aside, which is an extremely personal and emotional ordeal to go through alone, much less when it is replayed and commented on by the whole country. Now, 32 women are all “in love” with someone they had never met before this week and are competing to marry him. 

Just in the first episode, Graziadei kissed over six girls, all of whom he spoke to for maybe ten minutes, max. At the end of the night, Graziadei admitted, “I feel so strongly about so many women.” 

Of course, Graziadei would feel special, and it clearly feeds his ego to have 32 different women head-over-heels in love with him. What feels wrong, though, is that 31 — if not all 32 — will leave crying or attract hatred from millions of viewers.

The concept of a romantic contest is not inherently ill-fated, and for 22 years, “The Bachelor” has been successful with the same routine each season.

 However, the wallowing in drama, the lack of concern for emotionally mistreated contestants and the regular post-finale broken engagements raise the question, why has a show about people’s heartbreak turned into a national obsession?

The post “The Bachelor” yet again turns love into drama appeared first on Technique.

The world of Marvel continues to expand. Thanks to Disney+ and Hulu, the newest superhero to grace your screen is Echo. While first appearing in “Hawkeye,” Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox, “Hawkeye”) returns for her solo debut in “Echo.” The series was released in its entirety on Jan. 9 with five episodes. 

The show follows Maya Lopez as she escapes from New York City back to her hometown of Tamaha, Okla. after killing crime lord and infamous super villain Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio, “The Cell”). The first episode, “Chafa,” acts as the backstory summarizing Maya’s life growing up to join Kingpin’s world. Born deaf, Maya lost both her leg and her mother in a childhood car crash caused by someone retaliating against her father’s criminal jobs. She then moved to New York City with her father until his murder, after which she was adopted into Kingpin’s empire as his honorary daughter. Through training and many years as a part of his crew, Maya grows into a skilled killer who rises against Kingpin after learning he was responsible for her father’s death. 

The first episode’s storyline felt overworked. While backstory is important, stuffing over twenty years of character arcs into one 44-minute episode while detailing each moment felt rushed. Rather than five, the series could have twice the number of episodes to cover everything Marvel wanted to portray. 

Once the show found its rhythm, though, its unraveling was well-paced. The depth of each character was magnificent. Maya, while guarded, quickly makes her way into the audience’s hearts. Cox does a phenomenal job in showing humanity through an emotionless killer. Even though her powers only come into the show in the last episode, she was still able to dominate her enemies in entertaining and imaginative fight scenes. 

The other key character, Kingpin, also known as Wilson Fisk, was less successful. While D’Onofrio visually matched the character from the comics and took on the persona with few flaws, the actual characterization felt disconnected from Kingpin’s traditional reputation. He acts as Maya’s adoptive father, which means his relationship with her would be more sentimental; however, “Echo” depicts him as an overly-emotional and mentally distraught man rather than an intimidating crime boss. 

One relationship audiences wished the series would elaborate on was the friendship between Maya and Bonnie (Devery Jacobs, “Rhymes for Young Ghouls”), her cousin. A major plot point from the first and second episode was how Maya had cut off Bonnie despite their inseparability as children. Although they meet again and since Maya wants to protect her from her life, they don’t rekindle their closeness. Bonnie’s character had greater potential than what audiences saw, so hopefully Marvel develops her arc in future shows, as a second season is unknown.

“Echo” is special in its respectful navigation of indigenous representation. The show leans into the history of the Choctaw tribe both through exploration of the origin of Maya’s powers and within everyday life in Tamaha. Marvel creates a wide range of characters with different relationships to this culture, from Maya rediscovering her connection to it, while contrasting her extremely devout grandmother, Chula (Tantoo Cardinal, “Loyalties”). The costumes throughout the show, especially within the Choctaw festival in the last episode “Maya,” reflect the tribe’s real clothing in modern-day rather than stereotypical outfits to
commercialize the culture. 

The series even poked fun at the ignorance of most Americans by including a white couple fascinated by the ‘exoticness’ of the Choctaw culture, wanting to buy a Navajo rug without respect or care towards the tribe aside from wanting a meaningless decoration. 

Another major contribution to the show’s uniqueness is the variance in sound. “Echo” utilized silence in many scenes to replicate how Maya experienced the action. This was especially profound in fight sequences, as audiences are used to loud chaos, giving viewers a look into Maya’s world. 

This juxtaposition focused both on the visual actions as well as sharing in the powerful experiences of the deaf community. Every character, aside from the less significant henchmen, uses sign language frequently, adding a new, refreshing dynamic to the conversation throughout the show. 

The inclusion of sign language also helped create depth for both Maya’s character and for the series itself, something noticeably lacking in some of the other Disney+ TV shows and movies. 

Even with only five episodes, Marvel’s “Echo” is a beautifully twisted series that deserves a second season. 

The post Marvel’s “Echo” lands on Disney+ and Hulu appeared first on Technique.

In a beehive, there is such this as a queen slayer. If a queen bee does not produce a viable offspring, a worker bee will stop at nothing to kill her to restore the hive’s balance. With Jason Statham (“The Expendables”) taking the lead, “The Beekeeper” embarks on a revenge story  mirroring this phenomenon. 

Statham plays Adam Clay, a retired Beekeeper who rents a barn from a kind old woman, Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad, “The Cosby Show”). After Parker falls victim to a phishing scam that steals all of her money, including two million dollars from a charity she works with, she commits suicide. In true “John Wick” style, Clay uses her death as the impetus to enact revenge against those who took advantage of her. Unbeknownst to the government, Clay is a retired Beekeeper, a clandestine operative used to maintain society’s balance through lethal means. In his eyes, the scammers interfered with the hive by exploiting an elder. Due to their injustice, they, along with their boss, deserve to die. 

Parker’s daughter, Verona Parker (Emmy Raver-Lampman, “The Umbrella Academy”), is an FBI agent who begins to follow Clay’s body trail as it leads further up the corporate hierarchy. After burning down the scammer’s local base and mutilating their mercenaries, Clay finds himself in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse hunting for the son of the President of the United States, played by Josh Hutcherson (“The Hunger Games”).

Clay is no different from Statham’s usual characters. The ultra-tactical, secretly compassionate man mirrors his character in “The Expendables,” “The Meg” and almost every other action movie he stars in. That being said, he perfects the persona. The fight scenes and interactions with his adversaries do not disappoint. No battle is the same. Some men get impaled, others are hung and still more are brutalized through hand-to-hand combat or objects found nearby. One discrepancy, though, is the lack of female representation through any of the fights. Aside from Verona Parker, almost every secret service agent, mercenary, bodyguard and psycho killer is a man. The one female they highlighted was the current Beekeeper, who barely touched Clay before he burnt her alive. 

Another inconsistency arose in the repetition of Clay’s unmatched talents. One villain, Lazarus, is the only survivor of a Beekeeper attack. While he lost his leg, he said he was lucky to survive as no one kills a Beekeeper. However, in his fight with Clay, Lazarus held his own and even seriously injured him. Clay killed him, but the idea that Lazarus survived just because he was lucky yet nearly fights off Clay makes for poor writing. 

Bees as a metaphor provides most of the intrigue for “The Beekeeper.” There is very little use of actual bees throughout the film, but Clay’s entire personality comes from him wanting to protect the hive. Hutcherson’s character also had little personality aside from being a slacker. Aside from his drug addiction, horrendous hairstyle and acting like an insolent child, his character has an obsession with money which leads him to founding a multi-million dollar scamming business. Coming off his role in “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” Hutcherson does well embodying a spoiled young adult about to be taught justice. 

The attempt to scale Clay’s mission from lower-middle class all the way to the President of the United States is a large leap that felt too ambitious. Even with a predictable storyline and lackluster characterization, “The Beekeeper” is still an enjoyable film, especially if you are craving revenge or want a taste of “John Wick” without the franchise commitment. 

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The Plastics are back with another school year of drama in the 2024 film “Mean Girls.” Adapted from both the 2004 film and the 2018 Broadway adaptation, this retelling follows Cady Heron through her first love and rise to popularity with a musical flare. 

After being homeschooled in Africa, Cady (Angourie Rice, “The Nice Guys”) transfers to North Shore High School in Illinois. She tries to navigate the school’s social hierarchy and catches the attention of queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp, Broadway’s “Mean Girls”). As Cady joins her clique, the Plastics, she transforms into the new Regina while trying to take her down.  

Despite not being marketed as a musical, “Mean Girls” included both new and notable songs from the Broadway show. The most enticing songs feature Rapp in “Meet the Plastics,” “Someone Gets Hurt” and “World Burn.” All these are sung in different parts of the film, but every song showcased Rapp’s voice and allure, drawing awe and admiration. 

Aside from being a musical, the greatest change between the 2004 and 2024 films is in the audience’s favorite characters. Lindsay Lohan’s (“Freaky Friday”) Cady and Jonathan Bennett’s (“Veronica Mars”) Aaron were hugely popular  in the original. However, the casting of Christopher Briney as Aaron in the new film felt wasted. Despite his success playing Conrad in Amazon Prime’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” his character felt devoid of energy or substance. This raises the question, did he secure the role because of his talent or because he attracts viewership? Even the character of Cady felt like a disservice to the original film, as Lohan’s portrayal has far more appeal than Rice’s.

“Mean Girls” is no longer about Cady and is definitely not about her love interest, Aaron. Rapp is the icon
of “Mean Girls.” Her portrayal of Regina was flawless, both on Broadway and in the new film. Not only were her vocals powerful, but her presence demanded attention in every scene. 

Another shining star was Avantika Vandanapu (“Spin”), playing the dumb friend Karen Smith. Originally portrayed by Amanda Seyfried (“Mamma Mia!”), Vandanapu amazes as the air-headed character with her
beauty, voice and acting. Her signature song “Sexy” dramatized her ignorance and made for an enjoyable character spotlight.

The mise-en-scène shined throughout the film. The Plastics’ costumes were fantastic, elevating night-out styles to merge with the infamous pink. Extras were dressed in everyday wear to distinguish the difference
in social status. 

Once Regina fell from grace, the color of the Plastics transitioned from pink to blue, symbolizing Cady’s rise to power. Aside from just costumes, the sets were also superb. When Cady sings “Stupid With Love,” in her math class, her desk transforms into a swing. After Cady decides to take revenge on Regina, the hallway of the “Revenge Party” song transforms into a pastel wonderland with confetti and optimism. Elements like this enhanced the narrative. 

While the original “Mean Girls” drew in its audience  and built its fanbase with its story, the 2024 release felt like  fanservice, combining the most popular aspects of both the Broadway show and the original into a un-serious parody. The overt product placement of e.l.f., bubly, Cheetos and SeatGeek were especially disruptive to the film’s immersion. Another questionable addition came with the inclusion of social media influencers adding commentary to the Regina/Cady opposition. Stars like Megan Thee Stallion and Chris Olson appeared on-screen through TikTok and Instagram stories to mark major plot points in the social hierarchy shifts. While this was imaginative, the flood of social media additions detracted from the film. 

This new rendition of “Mean Girls” is enjoyable but falls short of the original. 

Even with some enjoyable musical additions and cameos from alumnae Tina Fey, Tim Meadows and Lohan, the film succeeds in only spotlighting Rapp’s talent and basking in the audience’s love of the first movie. 

The post Not so fetch: “Mean Girls” remake disappoints appeared first on Technique.

From being a popular indie game to becoming a newly adapted movie, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” (FNAF) lives as a masterful story from the mind of Scott Cawthon. Released on Oct. 27, the film welcomed Halloweekend with a video game-inspired spectacle filled with familiar faces and rich history. As the film’s title sequence begins, digital scenes play out the most basic lore, just as it does within the game. The arcade-themed pixels present new viewers with a mysterious backstory and mark the beginning of almost two hours of nostalgia for
familiar fans and players. 

“Five Nights at Freddy’s” follows Mike (Josh Hutcherson, “Hunger Games”), a young man struggles to support raising his younger sister Abby (Piper Rubio). Desperate for a job, Max accepts an offer from Steve Raglan, portrayed by horror icon Matthew Lillard (“Scream” and “Scooby-Doo”), to work as a nighttime security guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. After run-ins with Vanessa, a mysterious security guard played by Elizabeth Lail, known to thriller fans as Beck from “You,” and the lively animatronics Freddy, Chica, Foxy and Bonnie, Mike must unravel the mystery of his brother’s kidnapping while keeping his sister safe. 

The realization of this narrative worked but did not exceed expectations. Vanessa’s introduction felt hurried, along with the answer to the question of Mike’s brother’s disappearance, which did not track when logistically analyzed by game fans. For audience members familiar with the multitude of game lore, the reveals were anticipated yet well-received. The appearance of Golden Freddy, especially the specificity of his blue-lit eye, reflected well on the dedication the script had to the game series. 

Major YouTube game theorist MatPat, who helped catapult the popularity of “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” also made a cameo in the film as a waiter. Other details turned the film into an enjoyable adventure for those familiar with the game. The inclusion of the Circus Baby animatronic with the character destined to have a close relationship with it, the concept of shocking the animatronics to survive and the full name of the protagonist “Mike Schmidt,” who shares the same name as the player in the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” games, were all nostalgic to fans.

“Five Nights at Freddy’s” received conflicting results across critic and audience scores. From a purely cinematic standpoint, the film is no gem. However, for diehard fans of the game or just avid followers of the lore, the film succeeds as an inviting, respectful adaptation. The narrative eases audiences into the background of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria without rushing the process. Backstories of key characters, such as Vanessa and the five children in Mike’s dream, are revealed as the story progresses, even leaving some to unfold until the end.

Writers took an inventive approach to humanize the animatronics in this film. Rather than focusing on the animatronics and learning about their liveliness from other characters, the film communicates the pizzeria’s history and the source of animatronic life through their childlike spirits. 

These dream sequences were some of the best cinematic scenes within the film. Each dream furthered the narrative by giving a piece of the animatronic puzzle to Mike while juxtaposing the traditional low-key lighting of the rest of the film with high-key lighting. A common theory with  “Five Nights at Freddy’s” fans is that everything is simply a dream. The “dream theory” appears early in the film and ties into the prevalence of Max’s own dreams each night in Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. 

The most uncomfortably satisfying scenes come from the villain’s reckoning. Just as players see in Five Nights at Freddy’s 3 video game, the filmmakers finally introduce the infamous Yellow Bunny from the opening sequence. Characters unravel and standoffs play out, all while sticking to the revelation within the third game. While there is minimal gore, the bodily squelching from broken spring traps paired with the pained movements from a certain someone as they meet their fate, all without showing the person on-screen, make for a
beautifully sick ending.

Despite the praise from game veterans, many aspects of the film prove far from enticing. Babysitter and betrayer Max’s entire storyline felt sloppy, as her character only provided an excuse to showcase the murderous tendencies of the animatronics. This important development for unfamiliar fans appeared downplayed and restrained from the savagery seen within the game. 

Even with its horror designation, the movie’s lack of jump scares and minimal suspense outside of animatronics. If the film focused more on Mike having to survive the nights separate from the dream scenes proved a missed opportunity to build a thrilling narrative. 

Audiences loved the commitment to “Five Nights at Freddy’s” source material but yearned for the same chilling suspense and heart- racing onslaught of animatronics. The few moments that excel at horror fall in Mike’s dreams when the audience cannot see the real storyline with his sister. The thrill of the game does not quite translate into the movie. 

“Five Nights at Freddy’s” incorporates a combination of its game releases to build a narrative special to fans but inadequate to FNAF novices. While loyal to the lore, the execution of “horror” and cinematography fall flat, pushing the movie into the hearts of game veterans but out of favor with the rest. 

If you love the games, lore or enjoy a delightfully twisted movie without needing strong visuals or a gripping thrill, take a chance and awaken the night by watching “Five Nights at Freddy’s.” 

The post ‘FNAF’ pulls you into Mike Schmidt’s mind appeared first on Technique.

Office scandals, designer heels, cat fights and million dollar mansions; what more could you want? Lies and betrayal drew their claws in the recently-released second season of “Selling the OC.” This reality series brings the highs-and-lows of Orange County, California to the big screen as luxury realtors of The Oppenheim Group use the glitz and glam to take home hundreds of thousands of dollars on commissions. 

If you have never seen its sister show “Selling Sunset,” the original show that started it all, and the single-season of “Selling Tampa,” “Selling the OC” equates to the irresponsible sibling looking for a good time — not a long time. Each episode can be summarized into four parts: gossip, confrontation, walk-outs and drinking the day away. Wondering where real estate fits in? So are the rest of the viewers after watching season two.

Real estate is a dog-eat-dog world. While brokerages appear cohesive, the cracks start to disseminate as soon as the door opens. This is where the drama — and the fun — come in. While the series travels across Orange County to showcase new listings and prospective buyers of million and even billion dollar properties, the agents entangle themselves in each other’s personal lives, leading to blowouts at open houses and cold shoulders at events. Throw in a team trip to Cabo, and what do you get? High tempers, drunk impulses and a very suspiciously-close relationship between members of the brokerage. 

There is no question why season two introduces Tyler’s pending divorce and discomfort within the agents’ spouses. Having seen only half the choices the group makes while out or on vacation, there is more than enough reason to distrust their loyalty in a romantic relationship. 

The main agents of The Oppenheim Group are Alex Hall, a single mother, Polly, a single Australian, Tyler, a recent divorcee, Jarvis, a fiancée, Brandi, an overwhelmed married mother, Gio, a narcissistic soon-to-be father, Kayla, a vengeful single mother, Austin, a wild card father, Rose, an outcast, and newcomer Ali, a Nashville-native already lying through her teeth. 

While the episodes teach little to their audience about real estate, there is plenty to learn from the incentives behind each agent. The most common motive across the brokerage is to build generational wealth. Brandi, Alex, Kayla and a wide array of other agents grew up with very little. 

They earned their coveted spots as part of The Oppenheim Group through persistence, hard work and determination in the face of adversity. Does this mean they know how to communicate and avoid baseless drama? Absolutely not. But family plays an instrumental role in how they hold themselves and how they find courage to continue working through each listing. The office in its entirety explores the facets of a toxic work environment built on distrust and revenge. 

The selfish individualism is clearly centralized without regard for the brokerage or team as a whole. Relationships are also a hot topic at The Oppenheim Group. The slow simmer of a “will-they-won’t-they” between Tyler and Hall — and a scandalous night for Tyler and Polly — keep all three at the top of conversations and disputes throughout the season. However, no matter whose relationship is involved, personal affairs are always regarded as the group’s business. Office make outs or fire-side kisses turn into fiery disputes and downright bullying. Even with this, “Selling the OC” is not the show for those hoping to admire all the sites of Orange County or learn step-by-step how real estate functions. This series is aimed at the drama-hungry young adults who want a taste of the juicy rivalries without having any personal stake. 

Ethically and morally, none of the personalities are ‘right.’ When watching reality shows such as this, everyone assumes the lines of dignity and decency do not exist. Instead, viewers choose favorites based on their outfits (these realtors have style), sob stories, attitude, alliances and ability to face bull head-on. If “Selling the OC” were a combat game, Alex Hall and Jarvis would face off almost every match. Hall ruled season one with her can-do attitude and ability to put people in their places. Season two saw Brandi fizzle and Polly stand out, but the greatest personality -— and most relatable — is Jarvis. Ignoring the debate of her innocence in each argument, her quips shut the rest of the realtors up with a don’t-care attitude. The epitome of mutual hatred falls on the shoulders of Jarvis and Polly, with Jarvis ridiculing, “I’d love to confer with Polly’s therapist on these issues. I’m assuming she has one. I really hope she does. She may need two.” 

Even with their disagreements and outright admittance to despising the other, Polly publicly invites the entire Oppenheim Group to her birthday party during a team meeting, “I only want people there who genuinely want to celebrate me, so if you don’t—” and was interrupted with an unsolicited answer from Jarvis, “I don’t. I won’t be there.” She explains in her aside, “I’d rather take my chances of jumping off a boat in the Pacific Ocean with sharks than attend a party with Polly and be fake. I don’t do fake.” 

The claim ‘I don’t do fake’ reads ironic to the viewers watching her actively dismiss her real-estate mentor Rose and get caught potentially cheating on her fiancé (number three) while drunk in Cabo. The brutal honesty is most relatable in her reaction to the rest of the group meeting up by the pool during their week in Cabo. Rose pointed out, “They’re really excited to see them,” when noticing Hall and Polly talking to the boys. Jarvis, just like the rest of the audience, spoke on the most important aspect of their work vacation, “I was more excited to see the guacamole.”

Unlike the blasé shows on HGTV, “Selling the OC” paints a picture of its high-end industry through top-tier pettiness. Aside from the extensive details of friendship betrayal and lack of respect, the drama forms a captivating series that keeps the audience wanting more. More drama. More sanity. More mansions. But most importantly — even more seasons. 

Office scandals, designer heels, cat fights and million dollar mansions; what more could you want? Lies and betrayal drew their claws in the recently-released second season of “Selling the OC.” This reality series brings the highs-and-lows of Orange County, California to the big screen as luxury realtors of The Oppenheim Group use the glitz and glam to take home hundreds of thousands of dollars on commissions. 

If you have never seen its sister show “Selling Sunset,” the original show that started it all, and the single-season of “Selling Tampa,” “Selling the OC” equates to the irresponsible sibling looking for a good time — not a long time. Each episode can be summarized into four parts: gossip, confrontation, walk-outs and drinking the day away. Wondering where real estate fits in? So are the rest of the viewers after watching season two.

Real estate is a dog-eat-dog world. While brokerages appear cohesive, the cracks start to disseminate as soon as the door opens. This is where the drama — and the fun — come in. While the series travels across Orange County to showcase new listings and prospective buyers of million and even billion dollar properties, the agents entangle themselves in each other’s personal lives, leading to blowouts at open houses and cold shoulders at events. Throw in a team trip to Cabo, and what do you get? High tempers, drunk impulses and a very suspiciously-close relationship between members of the brokerage. 

There is no question why season two introduces Tyler’s pending divorce and discomfort within the agents’ spouses. Having seen only half the choices the group makes while out or on vacation, there is more than enough reason to distrust their loyalty in a romantic relationship. 

The main agents of The Oppenheim Group are Alex Hall, a single mother, Polly, a single Australian, Tyler, a recent divorcee, Jarvis, a fiancée, Brandi, an overwhelmed married mother, Gio, a narcissistic soon-to-be father, Kayla, a vengeful single mother, Austin, a wild card father, Rose, an outcast, and newcomer Ali, a Nashville-native already lying through her teeth. 

While the episodes teach little to their audience about real estate, there is plenty to learn from the incentives behind each agent. The most common motive across the brokerage is to build generational wealth. Brandi, Alex, Kayla and a wide array of other agents grew up with very little. 

They earned their coveted spots as part of The Oppenheim Group through persistence, hard work and determination in the face of adversity. Does this mean they know how to communicate and avoid baseless drama? Absolutely not. But family plays an instrumental role in how they hold themselves and how they find courage to continue working through each listing. The office in its entirety explores the facets of a toxic work environment built on distrust and revenge. 

The selfish individualism is clearly centralized without regard for the brokerage or team as a whole. Relationships are also a hot topic at The Oppenheim Group. The slow simmer of a “will-they-won’t-they” between Tyler and Hall — and a scandalous night for Tyler and Polly — keep all three at the top of conversations and disputes throughout the season. However, no matter whose relationship is involved, personal affairs are always regarded as the group’s business. Office make outs or fire-side kisses turn into fiery disputes and downright bullying. Even with this, “Selling the OC” is not the show for those hoping to admire all the sites of Orange County or learn step-by-step how real estate functions. This series is aimed at the drama-hungry young adults who want a taste of the juicy rivalries without having any personal stake. 

Ethically and morally, none of the personalities are ‘right.’ When watching reality shows such as this, everyone assumes the lines of dignity and decency do not exist. Instead, viewers choose favorites based on their outfits (these realtors have style), sob stories, attitude, alliances and ability to face bull head-on. If “Selling the OC” were a combat game, Alex Hall and Jarvis would face off almost every match. Hall ruled season one with her can-do attitude and ability to put people in their places. Season two saw Brandi fizzle and Polly stand out, but the greatest personality -— and most relatable — is Jarvis. Ignoring the debate of her innocence in each argument, her quips shut the rest of the realtors up with a don’t-care attitude. The epitome of mutual hatred falls on the shoulders of Jarvis and Polly, with Jarvis ridiculing, “I’d love to confer with Polly’s therapist on these issues. I’m assuming she has one. I really hope she does. She may need two.” 

Even with their disagreements and outright admittance to despising the other, Polly publicly invites the entire Oppenheim Group to her birthday party during a team meeting, “I only want people there who genuinely want to celebrate me, so if you don’t—” and was interrupted with an unsolicited answer from Jarvis, “I don’t. I won’t be there.” She explains in her aside, “I’d rather take my chances of jumping off a boat in the Pacific Ocean with sharks than attend a party with Polly and be fake. I don’t do fake.” 

The claim ‘I don’t do fake’ reads ironic to the viewers watching her actively dismiss her real-estate mentor Rose and get caught potentially cheating on her fiancé (number three) while drunk in Cabo. The brutal honesty is most relatable in her reaction to the rest of the group meeting up by the pool during their week in Cabo. Rose pointed out, “They’re really excited to see them,” when noticing Hall and Polly talking to the boys. Jarvis, just like the rest of the audience, spoke on the most important aspect of their work vacation, “I was more excited to see the guacamole.”

Unlike the blasé shows on HGTV, “Selling the OC” paints a picture of its high-end industry through top-tier pettiness. Aside from the extensive details of friendship betrayal and lack of respect, the drama forms a captivating series that keeps the audience wanting more. More drama. More sanity. More mansions. But most importantly — even more seasons.