The X-Files Recap: "The Jersey Devil" (1x05)

(Hi! Quick note, for personal reasons I had to skip The X-Files episode 1x04, “Conduit”. My apologies for this! You can read about the episode on The X-Files wiki, right here: Conduit.)



Welcome back! We’ve got another Monster of The Week episode today with a fascinating take on the myth of The Jersey Devil.

The episode starts out in 1947 with a family traveling to Atlantic City, New Jersey, late at night. They get a flat, the dad goes to fix it, and he is suddenly dragged screaming into the forest. His wife runs after him but to no avail. The next morning, police search the woods and find his body with his leg, as they describe it, "chewed off." They corner a mysterious creature in a cave and start firing.

So far so good. via GIPHY

Present day. Scully tells Mulder about a murder near Atlantic City--a homeless man found with limbs chewed off. Mulder tries to convince her it could be an X-File, telling her about the murder we saw in 1947 and claiming it’s the Jersey Devil, so they decide to travel to Atlantic City to see if there’s anything bigger going on. However, a local detective, Thomas Tomson, gets irritated at their arrival and asks them to leave.

Very suspicious. via GIPHY
While Scully drives back to D.C. to attend her godson’s birthday party, Mulder stays in Atlantic City and goes into the woods with Peter Brouillet, a park ranger. He tells Mulder stories of “weird” things he’s seen over the past several years as a ranger, such as a half eaten rabbit with a human tooth in it, tools made of bone, and even a sighting of a tall, naked human like figure. Mulder ends up walking through the woods and ends up in a homeless area outside of town. He asks around for information on Roger Crockett, the homeless man who was murdered. One man shows Mulder a basic sketch of a tall human figure with long hair. He claims to have seen the figure himself, digging through the trash. Mulder decides to spend the night out there, letting the homeless man have his hotel room.

That night, Mulder sees a figure moving around and watches for a moment as they dig through the trash before catching his scent. They run and Mulder chases after them, noticing how nimble and agile they are. They get up on the roof, but the police pull up and stop Mulder before he can continue his pursuit.

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At the police station, Detective Tomson lectures Mulder for awhile, but Mulder persists and accuses Tomson of withholding evidence in order to sweep the idea of a “Jersey Devil” under the rug so tourists aren’t scared away. So... Tomson throws Mulder in jail for the weekend.

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When Scully returns to the office on Monday, she gets a call from Mulder and goes up to Atlantic City to get him out of jail. She takes him to get some food and listens while he tries to talk about The Jersey Devil but, as usual, is clearly skeptical despite Mulder’s endearing persistence and enthusiasm.

THOSE PUPPY EYES via GIPHY
Scully decides to take Mulder to see Dr. Diamond, an anthropologist. At first, Diamond tries to persuade Mulder that it’s not possible, there’s no neanderthal type human living in the woods of New Jersey, but eventually…

Diamond: It’s just highly unlikely that what you’re suggesting could have survived civilization or evolution out in the woods of... New Jersey?

Mulder: Highly unlikely, but not outside the realm of extreme possibility?

Diamond: *shakes head* Well, it would be an amazing discovery.

And Scully is clearly thinking, “This did not go the way I thought it would.”

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More determined than ever to find out what the Jersey Devil is, Mulder looks over some photographs taken in the woods of footprints and comes across a sketch of an ape-like woman. Suddenly, the phone rings--it’s the park ranger, Brouillet. He tells Mulder that he found a body in the woods, he thinks they were probably dead for six to eight months and describes a long haired male who was missing a tooth... the same tooth that Brouillet had mentioned earlier was found in a rabbit several months ago. He tells Mulder that he turned it over to the coroner’s office. Mulder thanks Brouillet, double checking with him to make sure the body he found was male, before hanging up and calling Scully.

Scully is on a date with the father of one of the boys from her godson’s party, but it doesn’t seem to be going that well and she seems almost relieved to be able to step away and answer Mulder’s call. And by "not going well," the guy is talking about how he felt the need to become a super dad after his divorce and confessed that he dreams about running over his son’s stepdad with a car. Yikes. Run, Scully, Run.

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So the next day, Mulder and Scully go back to Atlantic City, meeting with Brouillet and Diamond at the coroner's office. The coroner, however, said she never saw the body and there’s no documentation of it. Mulder expresses frustration over the police trying to sweep this under the rug but also tells Diamond there’s a 50/50 chance that there is a female out there. Diamond wants to try and capture her alive, so they go to an abandoned warehouse near the place where Mulder first spotted what we assume was the female Jersey Devil. The park ranger is also with them and has a tranquilizer gun just in case.

While they search the building, the police drive by and notice the park ranger’s truck. They call in Detective Tomson and begin searching the building for Mulder and everyone else. Right before the police arrive, Diamond finds a rag with blood on it.

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Scully and Mulder evade the police while Diamond tries to stall them. Suddenly, Mulder catches sight of the Jersey Devil and follows after her, Scully close behind. The female goes into another building and as Mulder follows her, she jumps out of the shadows and knocks him down, hitting him in the chest. He stares at her, slightly dazed, and she stares back. As he tries to sit up, she yells and pushes him back down right as Scully shows up, scaring her off.

Things begin to get frantic as Scully tries to get Mulder the medical attention he needs, Diamond begins asking Mulder all kinds of questions about the Jersey Devil, and the police decide to chase after the female into the woods.

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Naturally, Mulder and Scully, followed by Brouillet, decide to go into the woods as well, but before they can find the Jersey Devil, they hear gunshots.

It was at this point that I remembered the episode did not have a happy ending. via GIPHY
The female was shot and killed, apparently after attacking one of the police officers out of self defense. Mulder confronts Tomson who, tragically, compares shooting her to putting down a rabid animal.

So. Many. Feels. via GIPHY A week later, Scully shows Mulder a report from autopsies done on both the male (who's body miraculously returned) and female "devils."They both had bone fragments in their digestive tracts, confirming that they did indeed kill other humans, but there was also evidence that the female had given birth. The episode ends with a father and son walking through the forest, and we see a young child watching them from a hole in the ground.

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Have you seen "The Jersey Devil" episode before? Typically, the Jersey Devil is portrayed as more of a Sasquatch figure or even a winged creature, but Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files, wanted to give it a different twist by making it a wild human. What do you think of this?

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3 Reasons to Watch The X-Files

One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone says, “Oh! You should watch *insert movie or TV show here*” and when I ask why, they stare at me blankly and mutter something like, “Um, because it’s good/because I like it/it’s on Netflix.” Give me a reason!

So, if you’re looking for a reason to watch The X-Files or trying to come up with one to convince a friend to watch it, here’s three of them!

1. It’s a great show for fans of Stranger Things.

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Bless you, Netflix Gods, for Stranger Things. Although The X-Files slightly lacks in the cute kid department, if the spookiness, the government conspiracies, and troubled yet lovable adults were things that attracted you to Stranger Things, you should absolutely check out The X-Files. While Stranger Things takes place in the 80s, The X-Files takes place in the 90s, so it has the same retro vibe to it too. (Two words: Fax. Machines. Yeaaahh…)

Anyway, it’s the perfect show to watch over the summer while we wait for season 2 of Stranger Things.

Haven’t seen Stranger Things yet? Okay, but if you’ve seen Supernatural, you should still give The X-Files a try. There’s a lot of subtle nods to The X-Files in that show, and some of the episodes were inspired by The X-Files too.

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2. Literally has the best freaking theme song ever.

That theme has the ability to scare the crap out of you and yet make you so indescribably happy at the same exact time. Honestly, I could write an entire post on the theme--not gonna lie, that will probably show up at some point--but for now, just listen to it. Right here. Right now. Click this.

The only other theme that can even come close to this awesomeness is... you guessed it, Stranger Things.

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3. Endless seasons, so you can watch it forever (sort of).

Nine. Seasons.

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Wait. Ten seasons. With an eleventh supposedly in progress. And they're LONG seasons. None of this "eight episodes a season" nonsense. (I'M LOOKING AT YOU, NETFLIX). Granted, "season" ten is just six episodes, Fox just wanted to test the waters since the show had supposedly ended fourteen years earlier, but the other seasons have 20+ episodes, each around 40-45 minutes. I'm telling you, you can watch this show forever. Hey, I fully admit that even I haven't seen the show in its entirety.

Still aren't convinced? Fine, here are 12 reasons to NEVER EVER EVER watch The X-Files.

Before I go: bonus gif of Mulder doing the Puppy Eyes thing.

Sad Mulder is sad because you aren't watching his show. via Giphy

Are you convinced yet? If you already watch the show, what are some of your favorite reasons to watch it? 

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The X-Files Recap: "Tooms" (1x21)

Note and caution: Skipping several episodes here to connect with the last post, Squeeze (1x03). This post contains spoilers for The X-Files episodes 1x03 and 1x21.



Welcome back!

To refresh your memory - last time, I recapped an X-Files episode called "Squeeze" where we met our first Monster of The Week, Eugene Victor Tooms. Monster of The Week, or MOTW, would become a popular thing in The X-Files series, featuring paranormal creatures, monsters, humans with freakish abilities, etc., that didn't have to do with the main story line of the show. They're great if you want to watch one episode on its own without trying to figure out where you are in the story line and just want a spooky story.

So spooky. via GIPHY
We left off with Tooms in prison, having killed only four out of the five people he'd need to live another 30 years. He's about to be released, one of his therapists claiming that he doesn't "show signs of psychological dysfunction" and another one attributing Tooms' attack on Scully as a result of Toom's losing his job and being frustrated at the FBI. Mulder, naturally, is having none of this nonsense, but they let Tooms free anyway despite Mulder's evidence against Tooms' innocence.

Basically Mulder at this point. via GIPHY

So, Tooms is freed and sent to a halfway house, but Mulder tells Scully that he's going to keep an eye on Tooms every night. He tells her to go back over the older murders that Tooms committed and search for any more evidence that might prove Tooms is guilty. However, earlier that day Scully was warned by Walter Skinner, her supervisor, to make sure that the X-File cases were being solved by the book. He warned her that it was only because they had a 75% case-solving rate that he was keeping the X-Files open. This spooked Scully (see what I did there? I'm hilarious), and she wants to avoid getting in trouble. 

I feel like Hermoine and Scully would be really good friends. via GIPHY

However, despite her initial feelings on continuing the investigation. Scully does go consult with Frank Briggs, the retired detective who worked on some of Tooms' earlier murders and assisted Scully and Mulder in Squeeze. He is, of course, very upset at the news of Tooms' release. Briggs shows Scully something that, let's be honest, if he had shown her and Mulder in the other episode, we wouldn't have any need for this episode. Sorry, just being honest here.

Anyway. Briggs has a human liver, which he recovered from one of Tooms' alleged murders on a construction site. Unlike the other cases, they never found the body. Briggs feels that if they can go back and find the body, which he suspects was buried in cement at the construction site, then they'll have the evidence to convict Tooms for good. They arrange for an excavation crew and sure enough, recover skeletal remains.

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Meanwhile, Tooms is getting hungry. Mulder intervenes when he sees Tooms approach a woman, which infuriates Tooms. That night, Tooms almost sneaks into a potential victim's house but is, once again, stopped by Mulder. 

I'll be honest, I didn't *need* a gif here but I had to have a reason to include this. You're welcome. 
via GIPHY

Scully has the recovered bones taken to Smithsonian Institute's Forensic Anthropology Lab where a professor discovers that the skull matches a photo of a person who went missing back in 1933, which is when the murder was committed. They also find teeth marks on the rib bones. Eww. However, apparently this isn't enough to convict Tooms just yet, so Scully goes to find Mulder and take over his stakeout for him. 

As he leaves to go back to his house, Mulder doesn't notice Tooms hiding in his trunk. Later that night, Mulder sleeps on the couch as Tooms sneaks into his house. Instead of killing Mulder, however, Tooms scratches at his own face until he's bleeding. Mulder is woken up that morning by the police saying they found Tooms in the street, beaten and kicked in the jaw. Tooms claims that Mulder did that to him, but as Mulder is taken away for questioning, he notices that one of the screws in his air vent is loose.

Mulder knows what's up. via GIPHY

Mulder tries to defend himself, saying that there's no forensic evidence that there was even a foot inside the shoe when it made contact with Tooms' face. Meanwhile, Scully lies and says that she was with Mulder all night. Skinner warns Mulder that something like this better not happen again and lets him go.

Scully and Mulder arrive at the halfway house where Tooms is staying, only to find the body of one of Tooms' therapists, Monte. Mulder realizes that Tooms has his fifth liver and is about to go back into hiding for 30 more years.

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In a last, desperate attempt to find Tooms before it's too late, Mulder and Scully go back to the old apartment complex where Tooms used to live. However, it's been torn down since they went to it in "Squeeze," and it's now a shopping mall. Mulder finds a narrow passageway near an escalator that's currently not running and slips down into it, only to find a naked and insane Tooms. He lunges for Mulder, who backs up out of the entrance and gets Scully to help him turn on the escalator. As Tooms emerges, he's crushed by the escalator mechanisms in what is probably one of the more gruesome X-Files deaths that we get to see. Lovely.

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Fun fact before I wrap this up: they weren't going to have Tooms be naked in the final scene, but Doug Hutchison, the actor who portrayed Tooms, insisted that nakedness would be more true to Tooms' character, to display how insane and animalistic Tooms had become. He was also very sick during the filming of the final scene.

"I was sick as a dog and naked as a jaybird and had this icy cold slime all over me. I was literally sticking all over everything and everything was sticking to me. I had lint in the most preposterous places on my body. It was really kind of gross," Hutchison laughed. (from The X-Files Wiki)

Thanks for joining me for the second X-Files episode with Tooms! If you haven't seen "Tooms" or "Squeeze," I highly recommend them - they're definitely X-Files classics! If you have seen them, I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments. Do you consider them classic episodes?

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The X-Files: Introducing Deep Throat and Aliens (1x02)

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

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Gillian Anderson and The Scully Effect

via Gillian Anderson's website

Let’s talk about Gillian Anderson and her character Dana Scully from The X-Files.

I had always appreciated the fact that Dana Scully was never your “normal” main female character. Dana fought for what she believed was right, didn’t let people push her around, and certainly did not fit your basic “damsel in distress” picture. Sure, sometimes she needed help, but there were also times where she had to roll up her sleeves and get Mulder out of some difficult situations. If anything, Fox Mulder is definitely more of a damsel in distress.

Don't worry, Mulder, we love you anyway. (via GIPHY)

Then I started reading about Gillian Anderson and completely fell in love with her and Scully. Especially once I learned about The Scully Effect.

So what is The Scully Effect?

“It was a surprise to me, when I was told that. We got a lot of letters all the time, and I was told quite frequently by girls who were going into the medical world or the science world or the FBI world or other worlds that I reigned, that they were pursuing those pursuits because of the character of Scully. And I said, ‘Yay!’” - Gillian Anderson, when asked about The Scully Effect

Essentially, The Scully Effect is what happened when girls grew up watching Dana Scully and viewed the young doctor and FBI agent as a role model. They pursued careers in S.T.E.M fields (S.T.E.M: science, technology, engineering and medicine), inspired by the courageous and unflappable redhead.

(via GIPHY)

Dana Scully was the complete opposite of what people expected the female sidekick to be back then. She was not considered sexy, she didn’t have big boobs or fine legs, she often wore baggy pantsuits, and when not working was usually found with messy hair and loose shirts. Although later in the series, a relationship between her and Mulder was hinted at, that was absolutely not the focus (although Mulder flirted off and on with her which, frankly, I’ve mostly found adorable).

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What was the focus? The fact that Dana was a hardworking woman in a field not usually open to women and she was there to talk sense into Mulder and kick butt, not provide eye candy and sexual tension.

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Just like Uhura from Star Trek was a revolutionary role model for young black women, Dana Scully made young women realize they could be like her (sans aliens...probably).

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Did you know?

• Gillian told the producers of The X-Files that she was 27 when she auditioned, even though she was actually only 24.
• She’s an avid art collector and used her first check from The X-Files to purchase a piece of artwork by David Blackburn.
• Quite the activist, Gillian supports Women’s Rights, Children’s Rights, and Indigenous Rights, among others.
• Not a fan of The X-Files? Gillian also appears in the BBC miniseries Bleak House and the NBC show Hannibal.
• Gillian is actually a blonde, but they decided to make her a redhead for The X-Files. As a result, Dana Scully is one of the most famous redheads on TV.

Interested in reading more about The Scully Effect? Check out these articles:

• The Scully Effect: How X-Files Helped Mainstream Women in STEM Career
• Less “Big Bang Theory”, More Dana Scully

What do you think about The Scully Effect? Think about some of your role models, or even just favorite characters, from movies or shows. How have they affected you?

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The X-Files: An Introduction

September 10th, 1993: The first episode of The X-Files airs on Fox.

Twenty three years later, the show now has nine seasons, two movies, and a mini tenth series under its belt. I'm pretty sure that nobody expected a show about a believer, a skeptic, aliens, and government conspiracies to become an occult favorite and one of the longest running Science Fiction shows out there [Stargate SG-1, Doctor Who, and Supernatural are among the shows that have managed to last longer].

But here we are.

So What Are The X-Files?

I could seriously go on for hours on The X-Files, but I’ll do my best to just give a summary of the show and some of the characters. 

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For the first seven seasons, The X-Files focuses on Fox Mulder and Dana Scully as they go through some of the FBI’s strangest cases...known as X-Files, obviously. While some people in the government want Scully and Mulder to uncover the truth, most of them don’t. This, paired with Mulder’s insistence that his sister Samantha was kidnapped by aliens when she was a kid, is the running plot line for the show. After season seven, Mulder leaves [Why? Spoilers!], and agents John Doggett and Monica Reyes join Scully in continuing to solve the supernatural mysteries. Since I'm going to mainly be doing episode recaps, I won’t introduce their characters on here until I’ve gotten to the season where they join.

Fox Mulder
[David Duchovny]

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Fox “Spooky” Mulder - the believer, the starry-eyed puppy always chasing after the supernatural and paranormal, a precious cinnamon roll who has an unfortunate tendency to make idiotic choices that often results in Scully having to pull strings to save him - from the government, the monsters, and sometimes even himself.

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But he's not stupid; in fact, this spooky child has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, which he got at Oxford, and also graduated with honors from the Quantico FBI Training Academy.

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He's also slightly colorblind and has a photographic memory.

We can all relate to Mulder [don't call him Fox!] at one point or another.

Dana Scully
[Gillian Anderson]

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Dana Scully - the skeptic, the "strong independent woman who don't need no man," a character that revolutionized the way the Science Fiction genre viewed women, who is also a precious cinnamon roll that can kick your butt while rescuing herself and Mulder and throwing logical facts and doing autopsies...all at the same time.

That gif, right there, that’s the show. Yeah. (via GIPHY)

I love that Scully is not your typical damsel in distress. There's a great balance of her needing help and Mulder needing help. She makes dumb decisions sometimes. She's human.

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And she's always there for Mulder, even if she thinks he's crazy [which is fairly often].

Walter Skinner
[Mitch Pileggi]

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Walter Skinner - the government, the voice of reason, the skeptical believer at times, the "dad" to Mulder and Scully. Honestly, somebody give this man some chocolate for putting up with Mulder.

I mean, really. Skinner deserves better. (via GIPHY)

[You might also recognize Mitch Pileggi from another show that DEFINITELY has an occult following: Supernatural.]

They are the Dream Team.  (via GIPHY)

Monster of The Week

Monster of The Week episodes, also known as MOTW, are the episodes that are generally separate from the “conspiracy” episodes. MOTW episodes largely deal with the paranormal/supernatural, but sometimes it’s as simple as someone with a unique gift or ability, whereas the “conspiracy” episodes focus more on the plot line of aliens and the government and/or Samantha’s disappearance.

(via GIPHY)

There are some actors and actresses that you may recognize from other shows that appear in MOTW episodes.

Like this guy.

That’s right. Mark Sheppard, the King of Fandoms, has an episode.

You might recognize him as Crowley in Supernatural, Canton Delaware in Doctor Who, Curtis Hagen in White Collar...seriously, is Sheppard in EVERYTHING? 

Other notable appearances are a very young Jewel Staite [Firefly, Serenity, Stargate: Atlantis...] and Cary Elwes [The Princess Bride, Psych, Saw…] is a small recurring character in season 9.

In Conclusion…

I’ll be joining you all bi-weekly with recaps on the episodes, starting with episode one. Since we do have nine seasons to go through, I’ll occasionally lump episodes together if they’re boring [because, I’ll be honest with you, some of them are pretty lame or boring. Not everything about this show is absolute perfection, okay??]

Every once in awhile, I’ll take a break from recaps and have fangirly posts [because who doesn’t need a “Mulder Appreciation Post” in their lives?]

Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with this.

(via GIPHY)

Look at that pose. Mulder is CONFIDENT in his sexy 90s style over-sized coat and ill-fitting suit. My precious child.

Have you seen The X-Files before? If so, who’s your favorite character? Do you have a favorite episode?

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Muppets, Pirates, and Treasure: A Review of Muppet Treasure Island

Tonight, I'll be talking about one of my favorite childhood films...

I can't tell you how many times I've watched it over the years, but I can tell you it has left an impact. (Namely that it has made me want to see other adaptations and to recently start the original novel.) But enough about me, you're here to learn about the movie!

Now is this the most accurate adaptation? Probably not; and no, I doubt all of the characters are portrayed correctly either. (Take Fozzie Bear as Squire Trelawney, for instance) So, if you want an accurate adaptation of  Robert Louis Stevenson's novel, you'll have to look elsewhere. But what you do get is a really fun adventure! And who doesn't love a good old adventure story?

To make it even more interesting, it's the Muppets. So we know it's full of humor, heart, and memorable music. Hopefully I can share enough about each to help you get a feel for it!

 Humor
If you're familiar with the Muppets at all, you'll know the kind of humor that is in this film. I know it's in the clip I linked to below, but one of my favorite exchanges goes like this...

"I hate my life."
"I hate your life too."
"If I had a life, I'd hate it."

It makes me laugh every time, as do most of the jokes. If it so happens that you're not familiar with the Muppets brand of humor, this film might be a good place to start. :)

 Heart 

I know you wouldn't necessarily expect it in a pirate movie, but there is lots of heart. I mean, each of us can probably identify with Jim's longing for a brighter future. We all probably have friends we consider family... which is something else you see here. (Even though Long John Silver's a bad guy, we still find it sweet that he forms this almost father-son bond with Jim, for one example.) And of course, there is a bit of romance included too. (For the pig and the frog, of course.)

Memorable Music

I think my favorite song, though I appreciate them all, has always been "Something Better". Sung by Jim Hawkins, Gonzo, and Rizzo the Rat, it shows the longing the boys have for adventure and home.

"Cabin Fever" has some of the best lines in the whole thing, and the others are pretty good too. I think my second favorite, though, would have to be "Love Led Us Here" (sung both by characters in the film and by professionals during the end credits).

Of course, you can't just focus on the music without a shout-out for the instrumental score! Did you know it was written by Hans Zimmer and Harry Gregson-Williams? Pretty amazing, am I right? I mean those are some famous composers... and here they worked on a little old Muppet movie!

And of course, there is more than just humor, heart, and music. I mean, the cast is phenomenal and fits in perfectly with the Muppet performers. (I mean, Tim Curry as Long John Silver? Billy Connolly as Billy Bones? Cool!) The characters are ones you really grow to love (Personally, as a child I had a crush on Jim for awhile. haha!). And it can serve as an introduction to a classic novel in a unique way, as evidenced by what I said earlier.

I suppose, in my haphazard way, I'm just asking you to give it a chance. I mean, what's the fun of loving something if you can't share the joy with friends? If, like me, you grew up with it, what were your favorite parts?

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Ranking Musicals: 1990s

  This week I came up with exactly ten titles for my Ranking Musicals series.  I know some of these titles better than others, so that affects the order. As always, this list reflects my personal opinions. I had an incredibly hard time arranging this list because I love so many of the musicals here.

10. Phantom (1990)

 This is the less popular musical based on The Phantom of the Opera. It is also the musical that seems to have created the popularity of the name Erik for the Phantom. Where the more popular musical is a pop opera, Phantom is more classical in style. The songs remind me of an actual opera. If you really listen to it, the music is lovely. There was a mini-series that goes hand in hand with this. 

9. Footloose (1998)

 I'm not that much of a fan of this show (based on a film of the same name starring Kevin Bacon). However, I saw it live once and it was great. They took the song I Need a Hero and turned it into a superhero/villain showdown. Good times. If you like dancing, you'll probably love this musical. For the most part, that's what this show is: dance. There are some pretty fun parts too, but I don't enjoy it nearly as much as others on this list.

8. Honk! (1993)

 Honk! is a cute musical for all ages. If you are a fan of the old Ugly Duckling story, it might hit you right in the nostalgia. The songs are catchy, the story is actually quite riveting, and there are plenty of themes that can be played upon. I saw this show live and loved it. If someone near you is doing Honk, treat some kids you know and go see it. 

7. Aida (1998)

 If you watched the above clip you can probably already tell why I love this musical. It is reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet in a way. It tells the story of an Egyptian soldier and a princess from Nubia, the country Egypt is trying to conquer. Of course they fall in love, which brings consequences and all kinds of good stuff. Or bad, depending on how you're looking at it. The music is kind of rocky, so it is an acquired taste, but the story is kind of beautiful. Aida is one of my favorite musicals to use for audition pieces because of the raw power of some of songs. I'm not a huge fan of some of the plot aspects, but I encourage you to look deeper into this. It has so many lovely songs and Heather Headley (a star from another show that will be featured on this list) knocks it out of the park as the titular Aida. 

6. Jekyll and Hyde (1997)

 I'm not the most familiar with this musical, but it has some great pieces of music. My brother and I tried finding a suitable version of the song "Confrontation," but came up empty. If you're at all familiar with the classic novel, you probably already know the basic story line. This guy named Jekyll decides to make a potion for good, but instead unleashes his evil second identity. This second identity, Hyde, decides to try to take over for good, bringing mayhem in the process. I do recommend looking up "Confrontation," but try listening to the Broadway soundtrack of it once you understand just what in the world is going on in the song. The above video is a song set just before Jekyll tries his potion, when he thinks good things will come of it. Poor Jekyll. 

5. The Lion King (1997)

 Many people love the Disney film, The Lion King. It isn't my favorite, but no one can deny the unique and exciting use of puppetry put to use in the musical version. The video from above is actually an Australian version, but Heather Headley (from Aida) is Nala in the original Broadway cast. In the musical there are added songs that bring a lot to the story like Shadowlands sung by Nala and others. If you like The Lion King or want to see some breathtaking visuals, this might be the show for you. It's pretty amazing. 

4. Beauty and the Beast (1994)

 Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite Disney movies and it is my absolute favorite Disney stage musical. I love the added songs and story line. This beautiful story about inner beauty is a true classic for Disney fans and anyone. If you haven't heard them yet be sure to look up the new songs in this show, "Me," (a stupendous song Gaston sings about himself) "Home," "No Matter What," "If I Can't Love Her," "Human Again," and "A Change In Me." They are beautiful or fun or both. Fun fact: Susan Egan, the original Broadway Belle, would later play Megara in the Disney film Hercules. 

3. A Christmas Carol (1994)

 I'd had about my fill of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol when I suddenly found myself performing in this show. After that I was hooked into this beautiful musical with music by Alan Menkin. It has become my favorite show to perform in. There are just so many beautiful numbers and parts to play. I was incredibly busy during this production and had six costumes! That's quite a few. Next time you want to watch a Christmas classic, I recommend the musical version of this film. Right now, the film based off of this musical is on Youtube in full starring Kelsey Grammer. This is my favorite adaption of this story. It's powerful.

I could share so many great pictures from our production, but I'll keep it to a minimum and hope it makes you want to see this great show. The cover photo of this post is me in a really big dress with interesting headgear, and here is another great image of the show from the song featured above.

2. Ragtime (1998)

This musical is almost to epic proportions. The story is a compelling narrative on the social restrictions that bind us, keeping one class separated from the other. The story focuses on three groups of people: Upper class white Americans, the African-Americans of the Harlem Renaissance, and immigrants to America. These three groups of people are represented by Mother--a housewife, Coalhouse Walker--a musician, and Tateh--a Latvian immigrant of Jewish descent. The story shows how their paths collide and the evolution of their characters through the production. This musical deals with some pretty serious stuff. There is death, there is anger, there is murder. But there is also hope, and that is the most important discovery of this story. As it takes place in the era of ragtime music, that is the type of melody that underscores much of the show, giving it its title. Fun Fact: Audra McDonald, featured in the video above as Coalhouse Walker's love, Sarah, won a Tony for her performance.

1. The Secret Garden (1991)

There are many, many, many reasons I love this show. The music is absolutely gorgeous. It is another classic story about a little girl who comes to live with her distant uncle, Archibald Craven, after her parents die. She discovered an overgrown garden and the secrets buried there. In case you can't tell from the above video, Mandy Patinkin (famous for being Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride) plays Archibald Craven. If you look up some of his beautiful solos (and duets) from this musical you will be amazed. This musical also features the purest soprano voice I have ever heard and so many amazing songs. This is one of my favorite things to listen to. You should look up "Lily's Eyes" right now and enjoy it. You're welcome. Also, Daisy Egan won a Tony for playing the young Mary Lennox. I have to share her acceptance speech because it is the most adorable thing ever. To avoid clouding up this post more, here is the link. Trust me on this one. This musical is worth your time. 

  And there you have it! That's my list for the 1990s. This was a strong decade for musicals. There were so many more that I haven't listed and many that I have to look at myself. This was a popular decade for remaking classics and for some really powerful musical. Next we shall see what the '80s have to offer. 

Are you familiar with any musicals from my list? What are your favorite musicals from this decade?

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Why I Love The Mighty Ducks Films... and You Should Too!

 First, I just wanted to thank Anna for giving me the chance to review some Disney flicks for ya. You rock, girl! I hope this lives up to your expectations! :)

"Hi. We're the Ducks!"

 
Just a heads up, there might be a few spoilers, though I'll try not to give it all away.

My Team: Who are the Ducks?

 The Mighty Ducks (1992)

 Once upon a time, there was a boy who loved to play hockey, named Gordon Bombay. But he had a bad coach, and eventually gave up playing. Fast forward til his late twenties, when he's a hotshot lawyer, and his life has turned upside down once again.

Because of this, he met a ragtag pee-wee hockey team, District 5... the worst team in the league. Together, they'd become something entirely different, and change each other's lives forever.

 D2: the Mighty Ducks (1994)

So, Gordon is injured when playing in the minors. But never fear, something is about to radically change in his life and the lives of those he impacts.

Now they're on a larger 'stage' than ever before. Bombay has been chosen to be the coach of Team USA for the Junior Goodwill Games! Naturally, the core of his team is made up of Ducks. And the rest are some of the most talented hockey players in the country (as well as an Olympic figure skater). 

Iceland is the heavy favorite, according to the news, and their rivalry with the USA starts early. Will our favorite team succeed in proving themselves to the world?

D3: the Mighty Ducks (1996)

   So the team has faced their arch-rivals and the world, what adventure awaits them next? Now fourteen years old, they have gotten scholarships to Coach's old prep school, Eden Hall Academy!

The challenge is, they'll have to face it with a new coach, because Bombay's been offered a new job. Between harder practices, the Varsity hockey team, the absence of Portman, and a new coach, the year is looking to have a rough start. This year, the ducks face loss and growth like never before... but isn't that what coming of age is all about?

My Story: Why They Matter

one of my senior photos

 The appeal for me, is mainly because of childhood nostalgia, if anything. The original came out around my 9th birthday, and I went with family to see it (sister, parents, aunt, uncle, and two of my cousins). This was at a time in my life when I didn't really have much in terms of hope and friends. This trilogy changed that for me...

For the first time, I had friends... so what if they were imaginary?! And they brought me closer to my cousins, something I'm still grateful for. They also inspired me to love hockey, and to write about them... two big parts of who I am now. 

Another example, that jersey I'm wearing in the picture? My dad had told me that if I kept my grades up for a certain amount of time, he'd buy me one. (The Anaheim team's jersey looked like one of the D2 jerseys.) Guess you can see how that turned out! I ended up wearing it whenever I knew I'd have a hard day (like a test I was scared about), and it helped. School was easier from 4th-college thanks to the lessons learned from this team.

  And I found at least one character-person who understood me, something which is invaluable. Just in case you wondered, it's Captain Duck himself: Charlie Conway. There are many reasons for this, but they are another story for another day. ;) 

 

 Maybe the appeal for you would be for different reasons. But there ya go!

 

Why You Should Love the Mighty Ducks

 Well, who doesn't love a Disney comedy? Try finding at least one character to identify with, if you care about them, you'll want to see how their stories play out!

Are they perfect? No, sometimes the acting isn't perfect... sometimes they're cheesy scripts-wise. But they have a lot of heart, good lessons, funny (& adorable) kids, great mentors, and the underdog angle.

Can Kids See Them?

It's your call, I mean... many in my generation grew up on these. But they do have some language, kissing, and some scenes with boys' shirts off. But that's pretty much it. I think they were rated PG... no higher than PG-13.

The Final Period
(what? I've been watching hockey movies all week!)

Again, the call is yours... don't let my history with it influence you too much. I don't want anyone to feel forced into watching these movies. But if you feel so inclined, or already love them... go for it! If you love sports, sports films, or just a feel-good underdog story... go for it! The worst that could happen is that you hate them. And no, that would not offend me in the slightest. We all have the right to our own opinions on different fandoms. :)

Have you seen these films? What did you think of them?

Who did you identify with the most?
Which film was your favorite, and why?

Should I do a character study on Charlie, Adam, or Coach Bombay?

Let me hear from you! While you think, why don't you check out this awesome fanvid I found the other day?

             

Disclaimer: Most of the pictures aren't mine, just found on the internet. Thanks internet people, you rock!

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The War: A Review

This one is about family, growing up, and learning about important things (like courage, and right vs wrong). I'll try not to spoil you too much. :P

Note: Although it's rated PG, there is quite a bit of language in this movie, and two offensive terms for a person in two scenes, so view at your own discretion. I promise however, that if you can look past those things, this movie has a great message or two.

The narrator is twelve year old Lidia Simmons, and the POV comes from both her and her brother, Stu. It takes place in June 1970  in small town Mississippi, and covers their daily lives with each other, and their friends. A subplot is their daddy dealing with his Post Traumatic Stress from Vietnam. By the end, both of these collide in an interesting way…

I don't want to give away too much detail, for fear of spoiling it all. But let's just say this movie shows what wars do to a person. Wars: within, between peers, and overseas. And the lessons they show are powerful. I don't agree with everything done and said during this movie… but I can understand it all. And when I first watched this, all that time ago, I turned it off a slightly different person than when I had started. I can't guarantee that you will like it or agree with it all… but I can guarantee you will walk away somewhat changed, and very thoughtful.

I'd love to have discussions over it, if you get a chance to see it! Thanks for reading this, I appreciate you giving me some of your time; I know you all have busy lives.

Film: The War

Year: 1994

Starring: Elijah Wood, Kevin Costner, Lexi Randall, and Mare Winningham

Also starring: a very young Lucas Black (from the new show NCIS: New Orleans)

Reasons to watch: Good acting, meaningful lessons, and a very cool treehouse! (oh, and funny and thought-provoking quotes too!)


Note: pictures were screencapped by me!

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