Fiberglass Jacket

This review will contain spoilers! Yes contrary to what I thought... there are spoilers!   Last night I finally saw the new Queen/Freddie Mercury biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" in a movie theater was almost completely full. The energy in the room was much like that of a live concert that was about to start as opposed to a movie screening. The movie opened with Live Aid, which is the bread in the sandwich of this story. It then went back in time to a young Farrokh Bulsara (Freddie's original name) developing his style and aesthetic. It also gave an intimate look into his family life and his dynamic with his parents, especially his father.  The story continues as newly named Freddie sees the band "Smile" perform; which contained 2 future members of Queen (Brian and Roger). At first the two guys assume Freddie is self-inflating about his ability to sing and brush him off. True to form, Freddie pauses and begins to belt out a song which takes the guys off guard...

 Growing up in a conservative area, I was lead to believe that Feminism meant "hating men" and "privilege over equal rights". I came to learn after moving away and growing up that many things in life aren't "black and white" as I was taught. Feminism is another one of those things. I was taught to hate it by other people who didn't understand it. And when you're a kid you feel pressure to fall in line. I couldn't have been more wrong about what feminism was and means. In retrospect I find it kinda funny and sad that were taught to hate and fear things we don't understand.   "The Punk Singer" chronicles Kathleen Hanna's life, creativity and expressing it until she formed "Bikini Kill." However, this movie is about way more than just Kathleen Hanna and Bikini Kill. This movie illustrates the importance feminism, particularly in music. A lot of men may not realize it, but everything is a man's world. R...

After a long while of wondering about the documentary "Alive Inside: Music & Memory" I found it on Netflix and finally saw it.  The movie opens up with an elderly black woman trying to remember her youth. She struggles to recall important and simple details about her life. Then the woman is introduced to music she listened to as a young girl on an iPod with headphones. Like someone turned on the tap to her memories; out they came in a joyful way. The power of music.  Through the movie the film maker and social worker Dan Cohen visits retirement homes in hopes of helping old folks re-acquire their identity and happiness. Chronicled in the movie were elderly people re-discovering the music that they loved when they were young. The music acts as a back door to the mind for people with dementia. One elderly man re-lived his life while listening to Cab Calloway, remembering once forgotten life details and regaining his dignity. An older women with memory los...