Chasing Liberty (Movie)

Chasing Liberty. Warner Home Video, 2004.
Cast: Mandy Moore, Matthew Goode, Jeremy Piven, Annabella Sciorra, Mark Harmon, Caroline Goodall.
Director: Andy Cadiff.
Writers: David Schneiderman, Derek Guiley
Rating: PG-13.
Length: 101 minutes.
ASIN: B000P0J08S

Plot:

Anna is a normal teenage girl with a very abnormal family. She is the only daughter of the President of the United States, who also happens to be a very over-protective father. His insistence on having her followed by several Secret Service agents often ends up ruining Anna’s social life. When the family takes a diplomatic trip to Prague, Anna thinks she has convinced her father to let her attend a concert with only one agent as an escort. After discovering that he went back on his word, Anna decides to run away for the night. She seeks the help of an attractive stranger named Ben, who is actually a Secret Service agent in disguise. Her father decides to take advantage of the fact that Anna doesn’t know who Ben is to let her have some “controlled freedom,” but when she gets a little out of control he sends his agents to get her back. The agents chase her and Ben around Europe as she tries to get to the Love Parade in Berlin. All the while Ben tries to protect her without revealing his identity. In the process the two fall in love, but Ben can’t hide who he really is forever.

Critical Evaluation:

Chasing Liberty is completely unrealistic, fairly predictable, and kind of ridiculous. Despite that, it’s also totally adorable. It might have received pretty poor reviews from critics, but it suits its target audience. After all, very few critics are actually teenage girls. This is most definitely a teen girl movie. The combination of gaining freedom, finding yourself through exciting new experiences, and falling in love with a cute stranger hold massive appeal for that age group. The movie does well with all of those. There are very little consequences to anyone’s actions; everything works out fine in the end. This isn’t something to criticize, however, since it helps the movie maintain it’s light tone.

As the idealistic teen searching for freedom, Mandy Moore is cute as always. The viewer really feels for her when her optimism is crushed by the betrayal of her father and Ben. Matthew Goode is charming as her Secret Service agent love interest. The secondary characters are funny additions, in the style of the typical road trip movie. This isn’t a movie with a lot of substance or incredible talent, but it is a cute and fun watch.

Annotation:

Sick of spending all her time followed by Secret Service agents, Anna decides to experience freedom for the first time by running around Europe with a sexy stranger.

Director Information:

Andy Cadiff is a native of Newton, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard University intending to be pre-med, but his grades forced him to reconsider. He instead became interested in theater. After graduation, he moved to New York where he worked with legendary theater producer Hal Prince. He has co-written and directed several plays.

He has worked in film since 1988. He has worked as a director on 49 television series, 4 tv movies, and 3 feature length films. He has also produced and worked in cinematography. Some of his more well-known series include Home Improvement, Spin City, My Wife and Kids, and The War at Home.

Genre:

Movie: Romantic Comedy

Curriculum Ties:

None

Movie Talking Ideas:

• Discuss whether or not it was right for Anna's father to put her under so much security.
• Talk about the appeal of being free and on your own.
• Talk about what it would be like to have the president as your father.

Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Sexual content
Alcohol use

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This is a cute movie that appeals to the teenage sense of romance and longing for freedom.

Cry-baby (Movie)

Cry-baby. Universal Studios, 1990.
Cast: Johnny Depp, Ricki Lake, Amy Locane, Susan Tyrrell, Polly Bergen.
Director: John Waters.
Rating: PG-13.
Length: 85 minutes.
ASIN: B0009IOR6Q

Plot:

In 1954 Baltimore, the town is divided between the Squares and the Drapes. The Drapes are led by Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, named for his ability to shed a single tear. One day after school, Cry-Baby is approached by Allison, a Square who is tired of being good. He comes by her house to take her to Turkey Point, the hangout for the Drapes, which is owned by Cry-Baby’s grandmother. Despite her disapproval, Allison’s grandmother allows her to go. While there, Allison gets a “bad girl” makeover by Cry-Baby’s friends. While Cry-Baby and Allison are kissing, Allison’s jealous boyfriend, Baldwin, and his friends attack Turkey Point and the police break everything up, arresting Allison and the Drapes. Allison is released, but Cry-Baby is sent to juvenile hall. Allison swears to be loyal to him, but changes her mind after Lenore, a Drape with a crush on Cry-Baby, claims to be pregnant with his child. Allison then goes back to Baldwin, while Lenore decides to claim that she is a Square, as well. Her grandmother and the Drapes convince Allison that Cry-Baby is really the boy for her and they all set out to convince the judge to release him from juvenile hall.

Critical Evaluation:

John Waters created a cult classic with Cry-baby. This hilarious tongue-in-cheek musical good-naturedly mocks more traditional films such as Grease, West Side Story, and The Outsiders. The story is a familiar one, that of the good girl falling for the bad boy and both of them being redeemed in the process, but with an irreverent take on everything from their relationship to the reaction of the town. The characters are caricatures with often ridiculous dialogue, but they never fail to entertain. The movie invites the viewer to laugh along with it as it makes fun of the genre, the time period, the storyline, and even itself. It’s evident that the cast is having fun with the performance, but they’re still taking their parts seriously. Johnny Depp and Amy Locane manage to take what could have been over-the-top characters and play them with a sincerity that balances the humor perfectly.

Though the music could have easily been overshadowed by the story, the songs stand on their own. They’re catchy, fun, and advance the plot rather than distracting from it. The combination of rockabilly, doo-wop, and 50s pop leave the viewer wanting to sing and dance along. Johnny Depp’s dancing and James Intveld’s singing are reminiscent of Elvis and offer another throwback to the 50s. This parody of typical teen musicals is something teens will definitely appreciate.

Annotation:

Allison, a Square is tired of being good when she meets and falls in love with Wade “Cry-baby” Walker, a Drape from the wrong side of town.

Director Information:

John waters was born April 22, 1946 in Baltimore, Maryland. As a child, he saw the movie Lili, which spawned his interest in puppets. Growing up, he also loved violent and gory movies and would often watch adult-only movies playing at the drive-in by using binoculars. Both of these had a large effect on his film-making as an adult. He attended NYU for film-making, but was unsatisfied with the program and quickly left.

He made his first film at the age of 18. He would go on to write 16 more films and direct 15 of those. His films are almost always set in his hometown of Baltimore and often are cast with the same core group of actors, including his childhood friend, the drag queen Divine. Another childhood friend, Mary Vivian Pearce, has appeared in every one of his movies. His core group of actors is referred to as Dreamlanders, named after his production company Dreamland Productions.

Genre:

Movie: Musical Comedy

Curriculum Ties:

Music: 1950s Music
Theater: Musicals

Movie Talking Ideas:

• Describe the Squares and the Drapes.
• Compare Cry-baby to Baldwin.
• Discuss the evolution of Allison's character.
• Focus on its satirization traditional teen musicals.

Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Teen pregnancy
Tobacco use
Delinquency
Casting of Traci Lords

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This movie was first shown to me when I was 17 and I've loved it ever since. It remains one of my favorite films from my teen years.

Pretty in Pink (Movie)

Pretty in Pink. Paramount, 1986.
Cast: Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Jon Cryer, Harry Dean Stanton, Annie Potts, James Spader.
Director: Howard Deutch.
Rating: PG-13.
Length: 96 minutes.
ASIN: B00005JKOI

Plot:

At Andie’s school, the students are strictly divided between the rich and the poor; the two sides never mix. Andie is one of the poor students. Her father is depressed and only working part time after her mother left them. To help out, Andie works at a record store after school and makes her own clothes. She has very few friends, one of which is Duckie, a dorky boy who is madly in love with her and not afraid to show it. One day, Blane, one of the rich students, starts to show some interest in her. He asks her out, but the date is a disaster. His friends are rude to her and her friends are rude to him. The date ends with Andie in tears because she in embarrassed for Blane to see where she lives. Blane insists that it doesn’t matter and asks her to go to prom with him. The two continue to date, but his creepy friend, Steff, manages to convince Blane that they shouldn’t be together. After confronting Blane in the hallway and breaking up, Andie decides that she should go to the prom anyway. She creates another masterpiece, a pink prom dress, and Duckie accompanies her to the prom. Blane has come alone, however, and is there to apologize to Andie and declare his love for her.

Critical Evaluation:

Pretty in Pink is the quintessential 80s movie. It’s a perfect example of the fashion and music of the time, which is something that many teens today enjoy. It’s more than just a blast from the past, however. The central storyline - that of looking past the labels to be with the person you love - is something that modern teens can understand.

Molly Ringwald plays Andie with maturity and sweet sincerity. Her portrayal of a daughter trying to take care of herself and her heartbroken father, while maintaining her hopefulness and dignity, is an outstanding performance. Andrew McCarthy as Blane’s wooing of her is charming in its execution; even when he caves to the pressure of his jerky friend and leaves, it’s still hard to hate him. Possibly the best character in the movie is Duckie, played by Jon Cryer. He’s adorable and hilarious, especially in his love for Andie. The scene where he lip-syncs to “Try a Little Tenderness” is the funniest in the movie. He’s allowed a chance to be more than comic relief, however, when displaying both his heartache at watching Andie fall in love with someone else and his affection for her when he encourages her to open her heart and forgive Blane.

Annotation:

Andie, a poor girl, and Blane, a rich boy, fall in love while their friends try to keep them apart.

Director Information:

Howard Deutch was born September 14, 1950 in New York. He attended the University of Ohio and then joined the advertising department at United Artist Records. After leaving advertising, he went into business for himself and started his directing career by directing music videos for musicians such as Billy Idol and Billy Joel. His first feature length film was Pretty in Pink.

He met his wife, Lea Thompson, while directing her in Some Kind of Wonderful in 1987. They were married in 1989. He’s since directed her in several other movies and television appearances. They have two daughters.

Genre:

Movie: Romantic Drama

Curriculum Ties:

None

Movie Talking Ideas:

• Talk about falling in love with someone your friends don't like.
• Compare Blane and Duckie.
• Discuss Andie's relationship with her father.

Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Sexual content
Profanity
Alcohol and tobacco use

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

It's a classic teen movie.

Speak (Movie)

Speak. Showtime Independent Films, 2004.
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Michael Angarano, Robert John Burke, Hallee Hirsh, Eric Lively.
Director: Jessica Sharzer.
Writer: Laurie Halse Anderson (Novel), Jessica Sharzer (Screenplay)
Rating: PG-13.
Length: 93 minutes.
ASIN: B000A7Q2I2

Plot:

Melinda Sordino begins her freshman year of high school as an outcast. Over the summer, she attended a party where she was raped by Andy Evans, a senior. Scared and hurt, she called 911 and when the police came, everyone blamed her for trying to bust the party. Even her friends won’t talk to her and worse, her best friend Rachel begins dating Andy. Traumatized from the rape and unable to talk to anyone about it, Melinda slowly begins to lose the will to speak at all. She is a clever and witty girl, but her comments are only heard through her thought voice-overs. Her inability to speak isn’t helped by her weird teachers, especially the coach who bullies her. The only people who are able to get through to her are her art teacher, Mr. Freeman, and her lab partner, Dave Petrakis. Mr. Freeman encourages Melinda to express herself through art and she finds that she really enjoys doing so. She begins to decorate an unused storage closet that she finds and it becomes her escape when school is too much to handle. Melinda finally gains the courage to tell Rachel what happened. Rachel doesn’t believe her, but eventually confronts Andy about it causing Andy to come after Melinda. With the help of the people who do believe in her, Melinda must learn to speak again and stand up for herself.

Critical Evaluation:

Speak is a fairly loyal movie adaptation of the book, but it does seem as if something is lost in the translation. Though Melinda is an endearing character in both the book and the movie, it’s impossible to include all of her wit, charm, pain, and fear in the screen version. However, Kristin Stewart does an excellent job conveying it as well as is possible. The story is sad without being overly maudlin and it does include several moments of humor. The ending is uplifting and empowering; it is an aspect of the book that was able to be adapted well for the screen.

Speak has a message that goes beyond the surface story of speaking up about a rape. It shows the difficulty and importance of gaining the courage to speak up for yourself in any situation. This is a wonderful message for teenagers in general and young girls specifically. The book has proven to have a large positive impact on its readers and the move is sure to do the same.

Annotation:

After a traumatic experience at a party the summer before, Melinda begins her freshman year of high school as an outcast who has stopped speaking.

Director Information:

Jessica Sharzer was born October 26, 1972 in Iowa City, Iowa. She attended Wesleyan University for her undergraduate education. She then received an M.A. from Berkeley and an M.F.A. in film from New York University.

She began her career in 1998 and has worked in almost all aspects of the film business, other than acting. She began directing short films in 2000. Speak has been her only feature length directorial project. She also wrote the screenplay for the movie.

Genre:

Movie: Drama

Curriculum Ties:

Art: Therapeutic Value of Art
Psychology: Sexual Assault Victim Mentality, Rape Recovery
Health/Sex Ed: Healthy Relationships, Healthy Sexual Contact

Movie Talking Ideas:

• Present as Melinda talking about losing her ability to speak.
• Focus on the opening scene of the movie.
• Focus on the rape survivor aspect and speaking up.

Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Rape
Inappropriate language

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

I've read the book, but I was unaware there was a movie until hearing about the challenge against it in Republic, MO. I decided I wanted to see if the movie was a fair representation of the book.

Easy A (Movie)

Easy A . Sony Pictures, 2010.
Cast: Emma Stone, Stanley Tucci, Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley.
Director: Will Gluck
Screen Writer: Bert V. Royal
Rating: PG-13.
Length: 92minutes.
ASIN: B0036TGSIK

Plot:

After letting her best friend believe she lost her virginity, Olive becomes the subject of gossip at her high school. Believing that its better than being invisible, she decides to encourage the gossip instead of putting a stop to it. When a gay friend comes to her asking for help with his reputation, she agrees to let everyone think that they had sex. In return, he gives her a gift to thank her. Soon, she has other boys in the school coming to her with the offer of gifts to say that they had a physical relationship. As her reputation worsens, Olive gains the attention of the school’s Christian group, who even go so far as to picket her. Her best friend doesn’t like the attention Olive is receiving and the two have a fight. The only friend Olive has left is the boy on whom she has had a crush since she was 12. Olive finally reaches the point where she can’t deal with the rumors or they way they are making her feel anymore and decides to let everyone know the truth in a very creative way.

Critical Evaluation:

Emma Stone really shines in Easy A. She’s a young actress with a long comedic career ahead of her. She is able to deliver lines with both a deadpan sincerity and a sarcastic wittiness that keeps the viewer laughing throughout most of the movie. She portrays Olive as both hilariously confident and awkward, while at the same time vulnerable and sometimes defensive. Olive’s interactions with her family are priceless.

Easy A manages the difficult task of projecting a very obvious moral without losing any of its entertainment value. It is able to comment on both the danger of rumors as well as the hypocrisy of the reaction to sex in high school, but it does so in a way that the audience doesn’t feel as if it's preaching. Instead it is packaged as a comedic romance that just happens to have a good message. It’s one that can be enjoyable for teens and adults alike.

Annotation:

After helping a friend by lying about her sexual experience, Olive decides to use her new reputation to her advantage. She soon finds out rumors can get out of hand, even when you start them yourself.

Director Information:

Will Gluck has been involved with the film industry in numerous capacities since 1996. He started his career as a writer for the John Laraquette Show. He has written for several television shows since then. In 1998 he also began producing many of the shows for which he wrote. He then made his directorial debut with 2009’s Fired Up. He's next movie is coming out in 2011.

Genre:

Comedy

Curriculum Ties:

English: Modern Comparison to The Scarlet Letter

Movie Talking Ideas:

• Talk about the rumors being started and how they got out of control.
• Discuss the connection between the movie and The Scarlet Letter.
• Present a basic plot teaser as Olive using the signs like she did in her confession.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Suggestive lLanguage
Sexual content
Anti-religion

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

It's a recent movie that has received favorable reviews.