Make it Happen

Title: Make it Happen

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG 13

Opinion: 7/10

Running Time: 90 minutes

Directed by: Darren Grant

Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Tessa Thompson, Riley Smith

Blurb (quoted): “Embarking on a journey to fulfil her dreams as a dancer, a young girl discovers a new style of dance that will prove to be the source of both conflict and self-discovery.”

“A bleak drama about a small-town girl who migrates to the Windy City, where she hopes to build a career as a respected dancer. Instead, her life spirals hopelessly downward and she ends up working at a burlesque club to pay the bills and support herself.”

My Summary: Lauryn Kirk has always dreamed of dance and studied for it her whole life despite the death of her parents and being a small town girl. She gets an audition at a dance school in Chicago, but after being told she wasn’t sensual enough and lying to her brother about getting in, Lauryn stumbles into a job behind the scenes at Rubies, a burlesque style club – but she doesn’t stay back-stage for long. Soon enough, she’s dancing on the stage with the other girls, and even manages to land a boyfriend.

But when her brother finds out the truth and gives her a guilt-trip, she moves back home to help him with his financial chrisis. Luckily, Lauryn finds the courage to go to a second audition and fights her way through this time, impressing the judges.

Opinion: Cute, sexy, and inspiring. Make it Happen is all about fulfilling dreams, dancing and life.

Review: I personally love this movie, but that’s a little biased I guess considering I love almost all dance movies. The storyline, admittedly, has been done a good few times: small town girl moves to the big city chasing dreams, but things go wrong, and you know the rest.

Even so, it’s still an enjoyable movie and I recommend it to anyone who loves dance. There’s bite, there’s romance, there’s drama, and it all adds up to one great movie.

If you liked Coyote Ugly, Burlesque, Honey, or even Step Up, then this is a movie for you!

Beastly

Title: Beastly
Genre: Romance / Fantasy
Rating: PG
Opinion: 9/10

Running Time: 83 minutes

Directed by: Daniel Barnz
Written by: Daniel Barnz (screenplay), Alex Flinn (novel)
Starring: Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens, Mary-Kate Olsen, Neil Patrick Harris, Lisa Gay Hamilton
Music by: Linda Cohen
Budget: $20 million

Blurb (quoted): “Once upon a time in a kingdom long ago and far away there was a fairytale called ‘Beauty and the Beast'.

BEASTLY is here and now.

Seventeen year old Kyle (Alex Pettyfer I Am Number Four) is the spoilt, shallow and incredibly popular prince of his high school kingdom. Entirely captivated by his own physical appearance, Kyle foolishly chooses Kendra (Mary Kate Olsen The Wackness), a Goth classmate rumoured to be a witch, as his latest target for humiliation. Unfazed by his cruel behaviour, Kendra decides to teach him a lesson… she transforms him into someone as unattractive on the outside as he is on the inside.

Now cursed, Kyle has one year to find someone who can see past the surface and love him, or he will remain ‘beastly’ forever. Will and an unassuming classmate he never noticed named Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens High School Musical) be his best chance to prove that love is never ugly?”

Quotes: “Witty, warm, well cast and often wickedly funny…” – Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel.

My Summary: A self-absorbed rich-boy, seventeen year old Kyle gets what he deserves when he is cursed after playing a nasty trick on a rumoured witch from his school. Given only a year to find someone who isn’t as shallow as him and can love him despite tattoos, scars, and metal in his face, Kyle finds himself falling for a girl he’d never before paid attention to: Lindy, a girl with a druggie father and on a scholarship. The problem is trying to make her fall for him – and what happens when she finds out that “Hunter” (a fake name) is actually the jerk from her school.

Opinion: a tragically beautiful film, Beastly is a lovely romance. Well scripted with good actors and actresses, it’s a touching story that draws you in. It plays your emotions, creates hate and pity and love for different characters. It’s not a story for ‘sap-haters’. Definitely enjoyable, and worth watching over again.

Review: as usual, let’s get the statement out of the way: I REALLY loved this movie. Being out-casted myself at school, I can sympathise with this story. My favourite character would have to be Kendra, the witch; she has morals and wits, is never fazed, always has a come-back, and doesn’t give a damn what people think about her. Unfortunately, she isn’t a main character in the movie; I would’ve liked to see more of her.

I especially loved the tattoo’s Kyle was ‘cursed’ with; I personally thought they were beautiful – which is why I call it ‘tragically beautiful’ I guess.

Furthermore, it’s a film about learning to care and ‘walking a mile in someone else’s shoes’. I’ve always believed it takes disaster to change who someone is – whether for better or worse.

Over all, I suggest you get off the internet and go see this movie – I’d make it a Must See.