Waterparks "Entertainment" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Two years ago, I discovered the pop/rock band Waterparks. Let me just say, I am so glad I found them. Pop/rock is one of the hardest genres to really do right in my opinion, as you have to try to satisfy two very demanding audience groups. I think this band did it just right with their debut album "Double Dare". This release had enough of a punch to appeal to rock fans while also having enough catchiness and accessibility to appeal to the pop crowd. The album was a perfect mix, and lead singer Awsten Knight's vocals are easy to get attached to. This band has gotten quite a fanbase over the past few years. I can easily see them becoming the next twenty one pilots or Fall Out Boy with the type of fans they have. The band's sophomore album "Entertainment" proves that Waterparks isn't afraid to experiment with their sound. While I feel that this album is a little too poppy or generic at times, this is still a very fun, solid release.

The band couldn't have chosen a better lead single than "Blonde". This song is classic Waterparks, and probably the one that sounds closest to their debut. It has a satisfying combination of electronic effects and punchy guitar riffs. It's so easy to nod along to, and the chorus is one of the most catchy choruses I've heard in quite a long time. You can tell that the whole band are really connected on this song and are in their element. The upbeat nature of the song can easily make you ignore the lyrics. If you really pay attention to them, you can see Knight painting a picture of how hard his life has been lately since he and the band have been constantly touring. I also appreciate how the track has clever allusions to lyrical moments from their first album, a recurring trend on this release as a whole. "Not Warriors" feels like a powerpop track that could've come right out of the 80s, and that's not a bad thing at all. I like how powerful and almost epic the chorus is, and the recurring electronics used in the chorus make this another track that's very easy to latch on to. I've been surprised at the somewhat negative reception to the acoustic cut "Lucky People", as I personally find this a very charming ballad. I think Awsten's voice works incredibly well with the nicely done acoustic guitar. Just everything about this song oozes a genuine sincerity, especially in the lyrics where Knight expresses a real love for this girl: "My hourglass is in your hands/You've got my time, you are my plans/Let's keep each other safe from the world". Sure, the song is a little cheesy, but even Knight acknowledges that in the song, and I still think the song works very well.

In my opinion, the second half of this album is easily the stronger portion. "Rare" is my favorite track on this album, and may even grow to be my favorite Waterparks song in general. I mean, wow, this song is SO catchy in all the right ways. This track has some parts reminiscent of their debut album, but also manipulates the formula enough for it to stand strong on its own. The guitar riff going throughout this song is very memorable. The lyrics are also interesting and have Knight's trademark interesting writing style. And I will never get over just how well the chorus works and gets completely ingrained in your head. "Tantrum" is a delightful listen as easily the most intense song the band has ever done. The powerful drumming and guitar work in this song puts it almost into the hard rock realm. Knight really just lets his vocals go, even screaming in the bridge as he vents about all sorts of things. I got a smile on my face when he actually went so far as to call out the fans who have used his friends just to get to him. This song is a diss track through and through, and while it's not the best written track, the anger is still sincere. The superb musicality more than makes up for any flaws in writing. "Crybaby" is an interesting but fitting followup. If "Tantrum" was expressing pure anger, then "Crybaby" is expressing pure sadness. The dark pop vibe this song has is very intriguing and unique. I'm not usually a big fan of vocal distortions, but I think that they work well in the context of this song. This one has continued to appeal to me more and more, and it's oddness stands out for good reasons. The album ends off well with "Sleep Alone", the only other track on this album besides "Blonde" that fits Waterparks's sound from their debut. I really like this one, as it concludes the album on a fun and upbeat note with yet another memorable chorus.

For all the good content in this album, the negatives can't be ignored. I haven't really enjoyed the beginning track "11:11" from the first time I heard it. I dislike it the more I listen to it. This song has some decent verses, but the chorus is extremely overdone, especially the use of "oh"s, which is an annoying pop cliche. I really wish this album had a more positive beginning track, because this one didn't start the release on the best of terms. "Peach (Lobotomy)" is probably my least favorite Waterparks track to date. This one just annoys me so much, as it uses so many pop cliches that I loathe: the usage of whistling as a hook, the incorporation of meaningless noises to force the song to be catchy ("bum-bum", "la-la-la"), and a chorus that repeats the title of the track more than anything else. I really don't see myself coming back to this one anytime soon. "We Need To Talk" is a bit of a dumb song as well, confusingly twisting around a lyric to a Justin Bieber song as its main appeal: "Your mama likes me and she doesn't like anyone". In general, I think this release's recurring theme of being lucky vs. not isn't the most interesting of themes to discuss. I also think this album would've benefited from a few more tracks, because it is way too short. 

I am all for bands experimenting and taking risks. For Waterparks, it was probably the most logical choice for them to go for a more pop sound. Awsten himself has said many times that he enjoys doing pop. Thankfully, when this band did the pop genre on this release, they did it mostly right. I still definitely prefer their more rocking tracks, and would love to see an album where they do more intense stuff like "Tantrum". Still, "Entertainment" lives up to its name and is a very entertaining, though not perfect, release. I recommend checking this one out, and then going back to their debut album if you haven't heard it yet!

Favorite Tracks: "Rare", "Blonde", "Tantrum", "Crybaby", "Lucky People", "Not Warriors"
Least Favorite Tracks: "Peach (Lobotomy)", "11:11", "We Need To Talk"

"Insidious: The Last Key" Movie Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Making a horror franchise has proven, time and time again, to be a very tricky endeavor for any creator. Oftentimes the first one in the series is a beloved classic and put in pretty high standards. After that, the sequels often will pale in comparison or even be downright terrible. In my opinion, that has never been the case for the Insidious series. In fact, while I love the first one and recognize how great it is, the the second movie of the series is actually my favorite. Even though there are some horror cliches and some moments in this series overall that don't work, I still find the Insidious movies to be legitimately frightening while also boasting great acting and interesting lore in The Further. It's also not often that a horror franchise can be capably led by a 70-year old woman, but Lin Shaye as Elise is what makes these movies work so well. "Insidious: The Last Key" centers more around Elise this time around, having her finding demons at a place that is scary for more reason than one reason: in her childhood home.

I'll admit, I was a little concerned going into this movie that I wasn't going to like it. Insidious 3, while not a bad film by any means, still showed some noticeable signs of weakness since James Wan wasn't at the helm of it. This one is directed by Adam Robitel, who I'd never heard of before. Thankfully, my fears of this movie being bad were diminished pretty quickly with the film's cold open. We see an emotionally gripping scene of Elise's rough childhood home life with her abusive father. She and her brother are both clearly scarred by it, with the only person they can turn to being their mother. Let me just say, these beginning moments are honestly some of the best of the film. There is a chilling feeling of dread with the buildup to Elise's first meeting of Keyface (the main demon of this film), and the payoff is actually well worth it. This beginning scene cleverly establishes what the main theme of this movie is: trying to face and let go of the real demons that haunt your past. We have seen in the previous Insidious movies how vulnerable Elise is to The Further because of how connected she is to it. But we've never really seen her be scared of the real world. In this film, she is, and I thought that was a very interesting twist on the franchise. Sure, there are moments that take place in The Further, but there are actually far more of Elise facing real life events. The feeling of fear is still there, but in an entirely different way from the rest of the Insidious movies. I won't say that this film is scarier than any of the others, but I think that the new feeling of fear it offers is very interesting. The change in tone in this film is easily the best part of it, and one of the biggest reasons why it works so well. Most of the scares in this film work well. There are a few false jump scares, but not enough to deter from the ones where there is something actually frightening on the other side. Keyface himself is a legitimately creepy site to behold, with a good combination of practical effects and CGI.

The acting side of this film is a bit of a mixed bag. Lin Shaye holds this film together almost entirely on her own. Elise is one of the most compelling characters I've seen in any horror movie. I like how dynamically she's grown from the first film. She's turned from this mysterious character who can connect with the spiritual realm to now a character that the audience can connect with and understand. There was not one moment in this movie where I didn't believe Shaye's performance. She turns Elise into an entirely sympathetic and likeable character, giving her vulnerability and strength. She's a truly multi-faceted character in this film, and I liked following her here. I also thought Bruce Davison gave an understated performance as Elise's brother Christian. This role was a supporting role in every sense of the word, but Davison really gave it his all. I could feel the history between these two characters, and it made me root for them and want them to reconcile. Kirk Avecado had another small role as Ted, but I also enjoyed his performance. Sadly, the rest of these performances are unmemorable and can verge on being cringeworthy at times. I've liked both Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson in the past as the comedic brothers Specs and Tucker. The key to their characters working, though, is that they were used sparingly. Their jokes were quick and not ever the focus of the movie. In this film, it seems like all these brothers are doing is joking, and oftentimes, the jokes here are bad. The audience I watched this film with only softly laughed a few times; the rest of the time the jokes came across as forced and awkward. I would've preferred a little less of them and maybe more of an exploration of the relationship between Elise and Christian. I also thought Kaitlin Gerard and Spencer Locke didn't really offer that much as Christian's daughters Imogen and Melissa. Their performances were entirely unmemorable, and honestly nothing about the film's plot would've changed if they weren't there. If there were other problems I had with this movie, it would be that especially in its middle half, it really comes to a screeching halt. I think this movie could've actually been shortened a little bit, or there could've been more exploration of scares.

Even with the problems I have with this film, I still can say that I definitely enjoyed "Insidious: The Last Key". Is it a great movie? No, not really. Is it the best in the franchise? Not many any means, in fact it's probably the weakest. But, in a franchise that has been very consistent, even the weakest of the films is still better than most run of the mill horror movies. What really helps this movie more than anything is its surprisingly emotional story line as well as Lin Shaye giving an absolutely incredible performance that shouldn't go unnoticed. If you want to watch a horror movie that will scare you as well as make you think, this one is not a bad choice!

Remedy Drive "The North Star" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

If you had told me in 2008 that Remedy Drive would be one of the main fighters against sex trafficking, as well as making challenging music for its primarily Christian audience, I would've probably told you that you were crazy. There's no denying that I have been a fan of this pop/rock band for a while. Even in their early days they were a breath of fresh air on generic, mainstream Christian radio. But, there was always one thing that seemed to define them for a while: they were safe and reliable. Those aren't bad things to be by any means; it was just my perception of them. That perception entirely changed, though, with "Commodity", a deep album that addressed sex trafficking in a very powerful way. It also had the band sounding more musically intense than ever before. I really liked the album, even though its constant usage of booming electronics could get a little overwhelming. The still-independent band's new album, "The North Star", is nothing I would've ever expected to come from Remedy Drive. This album has a sharpened and urgent focus on oppressed people and how we as Americans, as Christians, need to care for them. This album is easily Remedy Drive's magnum opus.

After multiple listens to this album, I still can't get over how powerful of a gut punch the first four songs are. This whole album has superb material, but the first four songs are all just something special, and among RD's best work. "You Got Fire" blew me away the first time I heard it, and I still love it now. This song serves as an immediate call to action, with lead singer David Zach saying "You got fire/Burning through your veins/Don't let it die out". Clearly the fire inside of us is meant to be a metaphor for the Holy Spirit. Zach passionately pleads that we use our gifts to reach out and impact the world around us rather than stay in our comfort zone. This song is excellent musically as well, with a thundering electronic beat and a memorable guitar riff. David's voice sounds very natural against this soundscape, and the beauty his voice has is noticeable. Featured vocalist Rachel McCarthy is a great addition to this track, as her voice goes to all sorts of incredible places and gives this track a feeling of beautiful chaos. "Warlike" comes up next. Out of all the risk taking done on this album, this song is one of the most bold in multi-faceted ways.  This is easily the most intense cut the band has ever done both musically and lyrically. On the music side, this song has some very prominent guitar work which helps emphasize the intensity of the subject matter. I couldn't stop smiling at the ending of the song, where there is an explosion of colliding guitar riffs and drums. Lyrically, I could see this song being controversial, as it calls out the church on its complacency in addressing the oppressed: "You don't look a thing like Jesus Christ to me/You look like self righteous apathy/You look like entitlement and supremacy/You prey on the weak to defend the wealthy". Those lyrics in particular just left me speechless, as David is clearly very passionate in delivering a much needed truth. It's not often that a band will go so far as to call out people that make up the vast majority of their fanbase. RD simplistically asks why the church is so interested in militant evangelicalism, when that's so clearly not what Jesus was about. This song is very important and relevant to now, and I hope many other Christians hear this much needed message.

In an album full of incredible tracks, most would consider it hard to pick out a specific track as a favorite. But there's no doubt in my mind that "Brighter Than Apathy" is my favorite song on the album. Clocking in at over seven minutes, this song is the antithesis of Remedy Drive's radio friendly nature that they've had in the past. Everything about this song works. It serves as the main statement that the band wants to make on this album. This song shows the band desiring to rise above being a person who never really makes an impact: "I want to live for something bigger than me/Stronger than fear/Brighter than apathy". Even though this song has a clearly personal connection to the band, I think all those ideas are meant to apply to all of us. Zach makes these desires sound like a humble plea to God. The song turns beautifully worshipful in the bridge as he sings out in a beautiful falsetto voice: "Wake up/My soul/Let go". This song is a releasing of all the things that keep us from being who we are really meant to be. We have potential to be so much more if we let go of apathy. This track is the redemptive answer to all the dark questions and statements of "Warlike", which is what makes this song work so well in context of the album. Musically, this song is just purely epic, going through many different musical movements. There's a wonderful payoff with a beautiful instrumental climax. Then, the song fittingly ends with an African choir singing the chorus, which clearly implies that this statement applies to a diversity of people. It connects us all rather than dividing. We are meant to sing this song as a body of Christ, and even with those who are not Christians. That's what makes the track so emotionally gripping, and actually brought tears to my eyes the first time I listened to it. Not only is this easily Remedy Drive's best song, but it has great potential to be my favorite song of the year.

After a song like that one, it wouldn't be surprising if the rest of the album couldn't live up to it. But, I still think there's so much amazing material on this album, through and through. "Sunlight on Her Face" is an absolutely gorgeous track that perfectly utilizes orchestration. Once again, I think David's voice works immensely well with the cello and the swelling electronics going throughout the song. This track is powerful in that it connects oppressed women in Biblical times (Mary, the woman at the well, the prostitute who was going to be stoned) with modern day women going through similar things. In this track, the clear message is that Jesus has and always will have a place for women in his heart. This song is a graceful tribute to all those women who are going through issues of sexual assault and oppression. "Redemption Song" is a cover of Bob Marley's original song, and I think it's a subtle yet bold reinterpretation. I like how RD makes the song entirely their own. The lyrical content of this song works very well in context of the album, as it discusses how we need music of redemption to let go of the things that hold us captive. "I Don't Belong to You" is a hauntingly emotional track from the perspective of a woman who is in sex trafficking. I like how this song uses biblical language to have this woman gain propriety in her situation: "You don't own me/I'm not your property/Not my image/Or my likeness/Not my melody or my rightness". This song also is a bit more intense musically, with a lot of big electronics/synths, which works well for the song's subject matter.

This album's ending moments are amazing. "Sanctuary" may be the most poignant moment of the album, as David once again speaks through the perspective of a minority, who is begging the listener to give them a place to feel safe. It could be easily interpreted that this person is asking for a literal place to live, and I suppose that is part of the song's intent. But, I also think there's a lot of deeper stuff going on. This person also wants to feel like they have a place where they can belong and feel whole. Rapper Propaganda's verse offers the listener a challenge, telling them to not make Jesus commodified to those who don't yet know Him. The best way to do that would be to accept these people as they are: broken and in need of redemption. The beautiful interlude "Kingdom" offers the idea that the shelter the oppressed people need goes far beyond the earthly realm, as we can offer them an even greater place to reside. "Endless" is a rocking, joyous worship anthem which suggests that all of us will one day be together, and then our various flaws won't matter because we are united under God. I love how raw and passionate David sounds in this song, as it makes the track's energy sound all the more organic. The album ends on an appropriately somber note in "Disappear", which I feel is very understated in how beautiful it is. The subtle usage of electronics in combination with Zach's vulnerability make this track really stand out. It offers a moment of quiet and reconciliation. On an album that is very big in scope, a track like this is needed, and it's very appropriate that it comes right at the end.

If there were any song that I had a problem with, I guess it would be "Polaris". This song feels a little bit forgettable in the music and lyric department compared to the other songs on here. But even this cut isn't necessarily awful, and it can't possibly bog down "The North Star" as a whole. Last year, I found Christian music to be overall very underwhelming and disappointing with only a few exceptions. I'm glad that this year has already started off well. Remedy Drive have made one of the boldest Christian albums I've heard in recent memory. It's not often that a Christian album so honestly addresses the church's flaws as well as the many issues oppressed people are facing today. This release is a convicting call to action, and deserves attention (although I'm positive it will go severely underrated). I feel like this release can appeal to non-Christians as well, as it has a message that I think everybody can be united under. This album is not only one of the best explicitly Christian releases I've heard in years, it also will certainly be in my top 10 albums of the year. Please, check this one out!

Favorite Songs: "Brighter Than Apathy", "Warlike", "You Got Fire", "Sunlight on Her Face", "Sanctuary/Kingdom", "Disappear", "Endless"
Least Favorite Songs: "Polaris"

Of Mice & Men "Defy" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

The relatively well-known metalcore/hard rock band Of Mice & Men had a lot of pressure building up to this new album. Lead vocalist Austin Carlile was diagnosed with a crippling disease known as Marfan Syndrome and had to leave the band. "Cold World" was the last album he was a part of. That was a very disappointing album to me and many other fans, but Carlile's vocal legacy still can't be denied. With such a prominent member gone from the band, clean vocalist Aaron Pauley took the lead for this album. I've always enjoyed Pauley's clean vocals, so an album with them in the spotlight was an exciting premise for me. "Defy" is surprisingly more metalcore tinged than I expected it to be, with a lot of unclean vocals interspersed with plenty of cleans. While this album can occasionally be generic both musically and lyrically, I think this is an overall fun and satisfying return to form for the band.

This album has a mostly promising start in its beginning half. Though I will admit that the title track is certainly a pretty standard pump up song in the musical and lyrical department, I can't deny that I still enjoy it quite a bit. I think it's easy to head bang along to, and the lyrics are good enough that I could see myself singing along to them in a live setting. Pauley is immediately shown as a very capable lead vocalist. His uncleans really blew me away, as they are rather intense and passionate. While I don't know if I could say he's a better unclean vocalist than Austin, he still isn't paling in comparison to him by any means. Of course Aaron's cleans are superb, and they are what really help make this album shine above its other metalcore peers. My absolute favorite song comes in "Instincts". Phil Manansala shows off with some sick guitar work in this song. There is an absolutely killer guitar solo here that is so much fun and put a big smile on my face. The musicality of this cut works really well, as it effectively shifts from metal to hard rock stylings constantly. Pauley is at his vocal best here, letting loose some guttural screams and some gorgeous cleans in a very catchy chorus. I also think this chorus is inspirational in a way that isn't generic: "Through disaster & decay/Survive to fight another day/When there's no time for you to question/Every single step you take/Press on, and trust in your instincts". If you don't listen to any other song on this album, at the very least take a listen to this one. There's at least one part of this song that I think everyone could enjoy.

"Back to Me" was the lead single that got me interested into this album, and I still really like it now. This track is straight up hard rock. It almost entirely utilizes Aaron's clean vocals, which makes it stand out all the more. The band sounds very together and confident in this song, making it a highlight. I like how this song is creative and accessible at the same time. The chorus on this song hooks you in immediately. I really hope that the band does more songs of this style in the future. "Sunflower" feels like what any of the songs on "Cold War" should've sounded like. It certainly has that early 2000s sound, but it doesn't sound like it's just leeching off of other bands from that time period. I enjoy pretty much every part of the song, especially the great drumming. "Vertigo" is one of the best songs lyrically on the album, utilizing vivid imagery: "My spinning satellite head/Disoriented/It gravitates & spirals/To find you instead, a means to an end". Musically, I don't think that I've ever heard OM&M do a song like this one before, especially in its interesting and unconventional chorus. This one is another major favorite of mine. I was surprised to see that the band covered Pink Floyd's "Money", but the cover is really good and actually has a nice groove to it. "Forever YDG'n" has the band's signature sound in it, and was a delight to listen to. While it is cheesy, I don't think that the band was taking themselves too seriously on the song. The self awareness is what makes this track work.  The album ends off with a powerful, emotive track in "If We Were Ghosts". I'm glad that the band decided to do a ballad again, because they haven't accomplished a cut like this since "Restoring Force". I read where this song is dedicated to Chester Bennington, which makes the song all the more touching for me. I think it's easily one of the best written on the album, and leaves the album out on a high note.

There are many high points on this album, but there are also some lows that can't be ignored. "Unbreakable" is so standard for metalcore in almost every way possible. The song title implies exactly what the song is about. The annoying, overly done chorus doesn't do this song any service either, especially with these lyrics: "I'm unbreakable/Can't defeat me, though I'm bleeding/Unbreakable/Though I'm bending, I'll never break". Everything about this track makes it feel like it was made just to have radio success, and its additional pandering to the band's fanbase makes this my least favorite song on the album. "Warzone" only utilizes a couple different lyrical shifts, which makes this song feel way too repetitive. Pauley sounds unengaged throughout this song. He only utilizes his uncleans, making this track feel weaker as his cleans are much better than his screams. "How Will You Live" also feels like a song that was simply made to be radio ready, and really is more of a filler track on this album. While not necessarily that bad, "On the Inside" didn't do much of anything for me. It is unfortunate how most of least favorite songs come near the ending half of "Defy", which makes the ending of this album mostly feel generic and unmemorable.

My relationship with Of Mice & Men has always been shifting. The only time where I could ever say I loved the band was with "Restoring Force". Every other album of theirs is something that I have either felt mostly indifferent about (their first two releases) or have straight up disliked ("Cold World"). While I wouldn't say "Defy" is anything legendary or game changing, I don't think that was the band's goal with this release. Instead, I could hear them attempting to go back to their roots, while also making something that would keep this album from feeling like too much of the same. I really enjoyed this release overall. As I kept going back to it, I liked it even more. I don't see this being one of my favorite albums of the year or anything. Still, it has enough good tracks, even a few great ones, to keep your interest. I definitely recommend checking this one out!

Favorite Tracks: "Instincts", "If We Were Ghosts", "Sunflower", "Back to Me", "Vertigo", "Forever YDG'n"
Least Favorite Tracks: "Unbreakable", "Warzone", "How Will You Live"

Fall Out Boy "Mania" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 2/5 Stars

I'm one of those people who actually got into Fall Out Boy when they returned from their hiatus. Prior to 2013, I was only vaguely aware of the band, but I'd never listened to them. When I first heard "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark" on some random iPod game, I was hooked (and yes, I still do like that song, even though I acknowledge it's not that unique). From that moment on I got into FOB's discography, both old and new. I have actually really dug their new stuff. Honestly, I even like "American Beauty/American Psycho" more than "Save Rock and Roll". I like all of the band's old discography as well. For me, none of their albums have been bad by any means. So, you can imagine my disappointment on hearing this new album. Unfortunately, "Mania" marks a departure from almost anything that is recognizable about the identity of this band. Instead, they throw random ideas to the wall, trying to see what sticks. In the process, we get a very messy album with not many tracks that could even hold a candle to FOB's previous work.

I will say there are a few tracks that keep this album from reaching the entirely awful category, thankfully. The beginning track "Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea" (I know, very weird name, but this is signature of the band) is an enjoyable track. I think its usage of prominent guitar work (a rarity on this album) is what makes me like it. Patrick Stump's vocals sound really good on this song, especially in the bridge where he lets his voice unleash. He almost nears screaming out the lyrics. Speaking of the lyrics, they can be a little awkward in structure, but that doesn't detract too much. In opinion, easily the best song on the album is "The Last of the Real Ones". This one does a good job at combining the old rock sound of FOB with their new accessible pop sound. I like the peppy piano, creative drumming, and subtly incorporated electronics that go throughout the song. The lyrics are also rather clever, especially the line "I wonder if your therapist knows everything about me". The song is fun, and the chorus is unbelievably catchy. "Hold Me Tight or Don't" was a song I was originally indifferent about. After listening to it more, I think it's definitely one of the better tracks. I like the sort of Latin stylistic influence it has, and the instrumentation it incorporates is creative. Patrick's vocals are stylistically different on this song than any other I've heard him on, and I like that aspect of it. If only there were more songs on this album that had an interesting sound without sounding like a total mess.

Unfortunately, nothing on the rest of the album truly stands out for a positive reason. The stylistic and lyrical choices the band makes on this album are very confusing, and the choices are often cringe worthy. I know that "Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)" has become a quick fan favorite, but I just don't see why. For me, this song just does not feel like it has a very cohesive melodic structure. Stump's vocals are all over the place, and the song seems to shift pace very randomly. I suppose the lyric "I'll stop wearing black when there's a darker color" could have been clever, if it wasn't for the fact that the band hammers this line in to the ground. They say it over and over again to the point of annoyance. I will not forgive any song for using that pop cliche, especially when the repetition is at the expense of being proud of yourself for making a "clever" statement. I've found Fall Out Boy to be smart lyrical writers on many of their previous albums. They have been able to make good lyrics stick out without having to fall on the crutch of repeating them. Far worse than that song, though, is "Church". This song thinks it's being smart by equating someone's obsessive love to worship. Because, yeah, this metaphor definitely hasn't been done over and over again. Oh wait- yes it has. Musically, this song doesn't work for me either, as it has a basic, disengaging pop structure. The same can be said for "Heaven's Gate", where Stump tries to be soulful but ruins it with the very awkward line "Give me a boost over heaven's gate". "Boost" seems like an odd word choice, and the way that Stump says it takes away any potential passion the line could have. Musically, this song just sounds like every other R&B cut out there.

As you can see, I've already pointed out all sorts of different music styles on this album, ranging from pop/rock to R&B. But the usage of random styles is somehow even worse in the second half of the album. "Champion" is one of the more cringy songs on this album. Its title tells you exactly what you should expect this track to be: a highly generic pump-up song. This song is a poor man's "Centuries". While "Centuries" isn't exactly an original idea, it at least had bombast and interesting lyrics to keep it from being boring. "Champion" is generic in every way, from the big booming electronics to the repetition of the song's title over and over. It also repeats several other lyrics for half the song's run time. I do not recommend this track at all. "Sunshine Riptide" is laughable in how bad it is, as FOB tries to combine rock with the mumble rap/trap. It doesn't work at all, and instead makes for a song that is extremely tough to listen to. Burna Boy (who I've never heard of) makes the song even worse. But nothing, absolutely nothing on this album can compare to how ATROCIOUS "Young and Menace" is. Good lord, I hate this song. The lyrics are pretentious artsy garbage. And the melody... what melody is there in this track? The verses have a bizarre off-kilter quality that is not charming. But the drop is what really brings this song over the top as the worst. I've never heard such an annoying drop in my life, which criminally utilizes all sorts of vocal distortions to the point that it surprised me that my ears weren't bleeding by the end of the song. Not many songs can make me feel physically angry that, but this one did. It has high potential to be my worst song 2018. The album ends off with "Bishops Knife Trick". While not an awful song, this one was boring and left no real impact on me.

"Mania" is an album that I think could've had potential. I like the idea of doing an album where you try and tackle a lot of different styles. I'm not against that, as long as it's executed well. Fall Out Boy, for the most part, just don't do it right at all. The good tracks on here I do legitimately see myself coming back to. "The Last of the Real Ones" might even become one of my favorite songs by the band. But, the bad tracks on this album are really, really bad. Only one bad track here is forgettable. The rest of the bad tracks are memorable in the worst ways possible. I really like this band, which is why I'm being so hard on this album. I know Fall Out Boy is capable of better. Perhaps they just need to take a break, because it seems like they've been constantly putting out stuff since 2015. Besides the few tracks I mentioned, I would skip over this release. Here's to hoping for a better one next time.

Favorite Tracks: "The Last of the Real Ones", "Hold Me Tight or Don't", "Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea"
Least Favorite Tracks: "Young and Menace", "Sunshine Riptide", "Champion", "Church", "Wilson", "Heaven's Gate"

FAS #15: Disciple "Scars Remain" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

This year, I was wanting to do more than just my typical music/movie reviews that are coming out in the year. There are many other albums from past years that I'd like to talk about or revisit. I thought that a great way to do that would be to make a Favorite Albums Series (abbreviated FAS). In this series I will talk about my top 15 favorite albums of all time. I thought this list would be hard to make, but it actually came out pretty naturally. I will be going in backwards order, starting with my fifteenth favorite album of all time. Disciple is my favorite band, so it's really no surprise that they would take more than one spot on my list. "Scars Remain" came out in 2006, and it really marked a significant increase in the band's popularity. This album is easily one of Disciple's best and most intense. It's filled with incredible lyricism, brutal guitar work and drumming, and Kevin Young's vocal performance that's as impassioned as ever. This was one of the first albums I got attached to independently, so I will always hold it in high regard.

This album gets off to a superb start with the beginning track "Regime Change". This song is one of the best starting tracks that Disciple has ever done. Every time I hear the clashing of guitars and drumming that occurs at the beginning, I always get really excited. This song just absolutely unleashes when Kevin screams out "Build it up/Tear it down!", and it goes into a frantic guitar riff that explodes. Everything about this track works. I love its thematic arc of letting go of the negative parts of your mind, letting your old self die. It's a very redemptive and powerful song, and it's one that I still go back to all the time. "Love Hate (On and On)" is one of the band's most angry feeling songs, and I think the anger is justified. Kevin sings about how in this world while there is plenty of love, there is also so much hate. It seems like the dichotomy between these two is a tiresome and ever continuous cycle. The lyrics hauntingly demonstrate how these polar opposites are so hard to reconcile: "A mother's willing to give her life/While another one throws away her child/A son stands and he turns the other cheek/While another one smacks his face right back". These lyrics are very blunt in revealing their truths, but I think that the bluntness is needed. The band effectively shows how in a world with so much hate, God is the only one we can truly turn to. They don't reveal this truth in a forceful way, but instead unfold it very powerfully. This song is helped further by how superb it is musically, with Young shifting between his beautiful singing voice to his brutal screams to verbally illustrate the opposites of love and hate. While "My Hell" isn't one of my favorites on the album, I still like its metal influences as well as the irresistibly catchy chorus.

The title track is one of the most interesting songs Disciple has ever done. I remember that when I first heard it, I was not really sure what to think of it. Now, it is easily one of my favorites on the album because of how musically unpredictable it is. The guitar riffs come in hard and strong throughout the track. They give off an 80s metal feel that works in this song's favor. I love how the song shifts pace throughout, having this almost punk rock feel in  its verses before going into a metalcore like breakdown in the pre-chorus, and then having an epic rock chorus. Disciple delights in risk-taking on this song, making it one of their most memorable tracks to date. It also helps to highlight the lyrical message of how the scars of our past can be redeemed. After this track we get what is in my opinion the best song on the album as well as one of my top 3 favorite Disciple songs, "Game On". It might be cliched to say this is one of my favorite tracks by the band, but come on, how can you not like this song? It brings to mind classic Disciple ("This Might Sting a Little", "Back Again") while still feeling timeless. Twelve years later, and this song still feels just as relevant of a fight song. I think this song is more than just a song to pump you up, as there is a legitimate anger in it of fighting against a dangerous force: "When you come against my country/When you come against my family/And try to destroy my people/I can't stand by/I won't stand by". Those lyrics are some of the most incredible that the band has ever penned, and they still have the same feeling of vigor and passion in them today. This song works so well in a live setting, and it's because the band cares so much about the deeper implications of this song. It can be a fun track, but I personally think it's more than that, and that's why I love it so much.

The unrelenting energy of this album continues to hit with "Someone", a very effective follow up to "Game On". This song has some of the best guitar riffs of the whole album. If you aren't headbanging to this song, then there is something wrong with you. I like how this song does a good job at staying intense and accessible at the same time. In fact, that's something that I have appreciated about Disciple in general. They are able to please fans of harder material, while also not turning away those who might be looking for something with clean vocals. This song is a great representation of why Disciple has been so successful in Christian and secular circles. "Dive" brings back the 80s feeling guitar riff, and it once again is simply amazing to hear. I love how inspirational this song is, as Kevin talks about how he will rise above those who might try to turn him against God: "I'll run and not grow weak/Walk and will not faint/Climb the highest mountain to dive off/And I'll fly high on broken wings". I love specifically the mentioning of broken wings, as that is where Kevin subtly acknowledges that he is still a broken human who still has potential to fall. He isn't ignorant to temptation, and just because he's flying high right now doesn't mean he won't fall later. This song is a powerful testament to how lyrically and theologically honest Disciple has always been in their lyrics. "Fight For Love" is a pure pump up song and the most intense track on the album. I love every single second of it. The album starts to wind down with an interesting rock track in "Purpose to Melody", which has an effective slow burn chorus. I like how the song is essentially a personal story about why the band makes music. The album ends off with the beautiful ballad "No End At All". This band almost always makes really good ballads, and this track is no exception. I think it works that this album ends off on a solemn note, just to give you a time to reflect from all the intense material that the rest of it has to offer.

If there was any one track that I have issue with on this overall nearly flawless release, it would have to be "After the World". I think that this might be a combination of it being played on the radio far too often when it came out, and I also think its placement on the album is not effective. I also don't think that Kevin's voice on this one is quite as impassioned on other tracks, as this song was clearly made just to have radio success. Fortunately, Disciple hasn't made another song like this. This one weak moment on "Scars Remain" does not detract from the fact that this continues to be one of my favorite albums of all time. Disciple really showed what they were capable of musically on this album, shifting impressively from hard rock to 80s to even some metalcore. This album also has a powerful arc of overcoming the hateful parts of ourselves and instead looking to find redemption through God. I can't recommend this album enough. Be on the lookout for my fourteenth favorite album of all time, coming soon!

Favorite Songs: "Game On", "Regime Change", "Love Hate (On and On)", "Scars Remain", "Dive", "Fight For Love"
Least Favorite Songs: "After the World"

Logan and Jake Paul: The Scumbags of YouTube

By: James Southworth

Before getting into this piece, I'm just going to say that there will probably not be another post in the vein of this one. I don't like making hit pieces on specific people. Now I don't mind when it comes to critiquing a person's content, because I do that in the same vein for movies and music. With YouTube creators, though, hit pieces are a bit more of a dangerous matter to go into. For certain creators, you have very rabid fan bases to deal with, while with others they might be genuinely good people but their content is just awful. For the Paul brothers, the former is very true of them- their extremely rabid prepubescent fan base is the YouTube equivalent of fan bases like those for Twenty One Pilots and Beyonce. But, I don't care. The anger I've built up for the garbage, and oftentimes morally wrong, content these two put up has reached a tipping point.

If you are not familiar with the YouTube creator scene, then you may not know who these two are. But there is a possibility, because they're reached a celebrity status outside of that sphere. Logan and Jake Paul are both vloggers who put out videos pretty much every day. The vlog throughout seemingly every day without ever putting the camera down. I will admit, both of them seem to know what they're doing business-wise. They know the exact amount of time they need to make their videos for, they've hired a team that does constant editing on them so as to make the videos feel quicker, and they both keep constantly energetic personalities. They also both INCESSANTLY promote their merchandise throughout their videos, both even making songs that are entirely dedicated to promoting their merch. These two have made their brand a walking advertisement, and it works. So many young kids have brought into their brand, and call themselves Jake Paulers or Logangsters (cringy, I know). Even though I don't like the way these two do their business, that is not really where my problem with them lies. My problem lies within their content and their disturbingly entitled personalities.

Let's start with Logan Paul, the older brother. He's practically the biggest YouTuber now- yes, I know that PewDiePie has way more subscribers than him, but Logan gets so many views and is still gaining subscribers at an incredibly quick rate. I know a lot of people have said that Logan is the smarter and wiser older brother to Jake (this was when Jake was under fire for a lot of different things), but I have never found that to be true. Logan is just as bad, and recently he's proved that he might be worse. He has done some scummy things in the past, such as faking that he's colorblind just to get views on this video where he claims that these glasses are helping him see color for the first time. I don't know whether that's the worst thing in the world, but something about it still rubs me the wrong way. What really sets him over the edge, though, was a recent video he made where he recorded a dead body in a Japanese suicide forest. I wish I was joking, but I'm not. Logan decided that it would make for a great video to go into this forest and go "ghost hunting". That's a good excuse, but it was clearly not his real purpose. Him and his team break the rules and go off the trail. They find a dead body hanging from a tree. Instead of being like any other sensible decent person and immediately putting the cameras down/calling the police, they proceed to record it. They blurred the body, but not very well, and they kept on recording it for a disturbing amount of time. Logan and his crew were all laughing. You could argue this was a coping mechanism, but Logan is all about making a performance out of all of his videos. It was no different for this one, and I was actually shaking with anger with all the horrific reactions he and his friends were having. Logan has since issues two apologies, but I just can't help but think one thing: what made him think this was a good idea in the first place? Oh I know: all he cares about are the views, and the controversy on this video has helped him rather than hurt him. YouTube didn't do anything about taking down the video, they clearly care about protecting their golden boy. It's just a sickening situation. Even more recently, a YouTube channel showed video clips that reveal how Logan has been disrespectful to Japanese culture as a whole.I just think he likes to do whatever he can to just to generate some sort of controversy. He makes himself look like an compassionless idiot. But he never gets in trouble for it, and he's manipulated his fan base so much that they don't at all see what's wrong with anything he does. I don't think I'm being hyperbolic when I say he has fans who will fight to the death to defend him. Logan Paul is manipulative and cruel, and I don't think he really cares. Don't support him.

Jake Paul, quite honestly, is just as bad as Logan. I don't think either one is worse than the other, as they both have some awful things under their belt. Whereas Logan's actions are a bigger in scale but more spread out, Jake's have come more in quick succession. One of the primarily most identifiable is when abuse allegations came out against him from his ex Alissa Violet. Jake did respond to these allegations and of course deny them, but it seemed like Alissa had a pretty concrete story to me. I'm not a big fan of her either, but there didn't seem to be any good reason for her to lie, as she is already well-known without Jake. If Jake did abuse her, then that already makes him just as bad as Logan. He also bullied these foreign twins in his team. I can totally believe that, as it seems very clear to me that Jake is just a bully in general. He likes to make scenes in public and disturb his neighbors from living in a peaceful, safe community. He's had to make at least two apology videos already for incidents he has done, and neither of them come across as incredibly sincere at all. Just today, there are videos of him dropping the n-bomb while he freestyle raps. Whatever the case, Jake produces just as bad content as Logan, and yet he too has a fanbase that will support him no matter what. He's convinced his fanbase that you should live this life where you constantly act like a rich entitled moron, and then you can become just like him. It's disheartening, and I don't most of his or Logan's fanbase have much self-awareness.

The bottom line is that these brothers are currently dominating the YouTube platform and turning it into a joke. All these two really do is make vlogs where they use other people as punchlines and are constantly interested in making themselves the main character. Only they are important, and nobody else's problems really matter. These two deserve all the backlash they are getting. While I don't hate them, I certainly don't like them either. It looks like we're gonna have to deal with these two for a while, and it's really quite disappointing to say that they will be dominating YouTube for a long time. They both have been without consequence from YouTube. This strikes me as ironic, as PewDiePie was thrown under the bus for a false Nazi narrative. I understand why advertisers would want to avoid that. He, too, mistakenly dropped the n-bomb, and that made him less advertiser friendly (which I understand why and agree with). Logan and Jake Paul have both done far worse in my opinion, as their actions have been at the expense of other people. These two need to be punished. That is why I'm writing this.

Short Reviews #6

By: James Southworth
 
My year end favorite movie and TV shows list is coming soon (hopefully the end of this week). Before I made that list, there are several movies that I wanted to see. Somehow, I got time to see them. So, here are brief reviews for all of them!

Lady Bird
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

When I saw all the critical acclaim going around for Greta Gerwig's directorial debut, I knew I had to see it. This movie beat out "Toy Story 2" for the highest 100% that any movie has received. It has moved to 99% since then, but it nevertheless is certainly the most critically acclaimed movie of this year. This film did not disappoint; A24 proves yet again that they are one of the best movie companies out there, and I have the feeling that they're just getting started. This film could've easily been cliched as it is a coming of age story. Protagonist Christine aka "Lady Bird" has a fraught relationship with her mother and is also struggling to figure out who she wants to be. That very simplistic narrative framing actually remains the main story throughout the whole movie. Everything about this idea makes it sound like this movie couldn't work. But, it does, and that is due to Gerwig's incredible writing and the dynamic performances throughout. This film doesn't feel like your typical narrative with one main story arc. Instead, it's more like you're just watching Christine go through her life, experiencing different things. But that's what I love about the movie. You feel like all the characters here are so real and are not just movie characters. You can feel they have a history. It helps that Gerwig gives every character heartwrenching moments as well as redemptive ones. All the performances in the film are fantastic. Saoirse Ronan is outstanding as the titular character, really giving her so much depth. We see every part of this character. She's human, so we can easily love her at one moment while feeling frustrated with her at another. Ultimately I was so invested in her and wanted to watch where she went next. Laurie Metcalf gives my favorite performance as Christine's mother Marion. Laurie gave Marion such a touching arc, really just making her entirely believable. I understood why she couldn't always open herself up to Christine, and why she got so angry with her so often. Marion's arc is so powerful by the end; I was nearly in tears. Lucas Hedges as Danny has one of the most heartfelt scenes of the film, and gave his supporting role plenty of depth. I also loved Tracy Letts as Christine's dad Larry. His scenes with Christine were some of my favorites in the film. I suppose if I had any issue with this film, it would be that some of the story beats are passed over a little too quickly, and deserved a little more depth. But, that's not even that big of a problem. This movie is nearly flawless, and will most certainly get a spot in my top 10 films of the year. Go see it.

Wind River
Rating: 4/5 Stars

When I saw the trailer for this film, I was definitely interested in it. This movie takes place on a Native American Reserve where an Indian woman is murdered. Hunter Cory Lambert decides to help FBI agent Jane Banner in this case, as the father of this woman is one of his best friends. He also wants to get redemption for his own daughter's tragic passing. This film is incredibly intense. There's hardly a moment where it lets up once it really gets going. Violent scenes often come out of nowhere. The raw and real feeling way in which they are executed often left me white knuckled. At no point in this film is the violence fun, and it's not supposed to be. The scene in which it is revealed how exactly the Indian woman is murdered is effectively bone chilling and frightening. I don't know if any other scene has left me with such a feeling of anger at injustice as that scene did. This film has commentary about how Native Americans are treated in America, and I think it's done excellently. Instead of hammering in its message, it does it in a compelling way, showing things rather than simply telling us. So many films seem to forget just how to do that, but this one definitely doesn't. This film is also visually impressive, with many beautiful shots of snowy landscapes. Performances in the movie are all around great. Jeremy Renner gives quite possibly his best performance to date as the hunter Cory. I liked how he gave this character a certain sense of mystery, making him vulnerable and intimidating at the right moments. Elizabeth Olsen really delivers as Jane Banner, giving the best performance of the film. Her character's transformation is well-executed, and I love how she shows Jane's hatred for the injustice against Native Americans. Graham Greene gives a subdued, and sometimes funny performance as Ben, making him a powerful supporting character. The main issue I have with this movie is that there are points in the middle of it where it slows down a bit too much. It takes a while to get back to the main story. I also felt that the movie could've revealed even more about Cory, because I wanted to know more. Still, this is a great movie with commentary that is relevant for today. It is definitely recommended.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

This is another film here which has gotten a lot of critical acclaim. I believe it is currently in third place for most award winning movie in 2017. Main character Mildred challenges the police of her town for not solving the murder of her daughter by putting up several billboards, which say things like "Still no arrests?" It becomes the talk of the town, and Mildred becomes a very controversial figure. I love this movie; it's another one that definitely deserves a place in my top 10. This movie has at its center a commentary about the human heart, and how easy it is for us to harbor hate and bitterness, but we should overcome it and try to care for those important to us. Mildred stands at the center of this theme, as she is full of bitterness. The viewer sees that she is justified in being so angry, but the way she goes about expressing her anger can be wrong. We aren't meant to entirely agree with our protagonist, and I liked that aspect of the movie. Mildred is a great character, which is helped by the searingly powerful performance given by Frances McDormand. She makes this character feel absolutely real. I loved how she passionately embodies this character in every moment, delivering some great punchlines with a delightful venom. Yes, believe it or not, there's actually quite a bit of black, black comedy in this film. It works every time; I definitely laughed a lot. The humor helps lift what can be a movie that goes to dark places. Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell also give impassioned performances as Sheriff Willoughby and Dixon. Harrelson gives some unexpected compassion and weight to his character, and Dixon has a powerful character arc. Dixon could've so easily been just a typical redneck cop, but instead director Martin McDonagh makes him so much more than a stereotype. It's hard to say if there's any real flaws in this movie. I guess that there were some points where the movie was focusing on one plot point for too long, or there were some conversations that meandered. The film is nearly flawless though. The more I think about it, the more I love it.

The Disaster Artist
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

If you haven't noticed yet, pretty much every movie I'm reviewing here I really like. The same goes for this one. This film was not at all what I expected it to be based on trailers. I have seen "The Room", and yes, it is very bad but in the most delightful way. I was honestly expecting this movie to make fun of it as well as Tommy Wiseau. Instead, what it more often offers us is a touching story between two friends who want to make a dream come to life. There are very funny moments in this movie for sure; in fact its comedic moments are among the best parts. But the dramatic moments in this film work naturally, and are touching. James Franco gives a bravura performance as Tommy, one of my favorite performances of his by far. I thought that I might get distracted by him wearing the black wig, but instead I quickly forget that Franco was even there. All I saw was Tommy, as Franco uncannily portrays a lot of Tommy's mannerisms. I like how he never makes Tommy a punchline. We are always laughing with Tommy rather than at him. I was legitimately rooting for him in his endeavors to make this movie. My favorite performance actually comes from Dave Franco as Greg. He serves as the main character of the film, which makes sense because he's not the enigmatic mystery that Tommy is. I thought Franco made Greg very charming and likeable. I liked getting to discover this person's own story about the dream that they had. The audience loves it when Greg succeeds, and we understand him when he starts having conflict with Tommy. Seth Rogen was a surprising highlight as Sandy. I've never been the biggest fan of Rogen, but he's great here. I also enjoyed Zac Efron's hilarious portrayal of Dan, as well as Alison Brie as Greg's girlfriend Amber. Much like most of the other movies on this list, it's hard to identify many problems with this film, as I was having so much fun watching it. I think its ending may go on a little too long. I also feel that the movie could've gone a little more quickly into the shooting of "The Room", rather than giving us so much backstory. But those are honestly more nitpicks than anything. This is one of the most fun films I watched all of 2017, just because of how much it surprised me at every turn.

The Greatest Showman
Rating: 4/5 Stars

I was a little unsure going into this movie how much I would like it based on the critic vs. audience discrepancy. Audiences were clearly loving this movie, and several of my friends were praising it. But the critics were considerably more negative towards it. I tend to agree more with critics (as a critic myself), but this time I found myself leaving the movie theatre with a smile on my face. Sure, this movie is by no means perfect, but this one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had at the theatre in a while. What easily shines the brightest about this film and really makes it work is its combination of music, wonderful visuals, great choreography, and great performances from a talented cast. The music in this film was written by the lyricists of "La La Land", and it shows. The songs here range from fun to very touching in their themes. My favorite would have to be "Rewrite the Stars", a duet between Zac Efron and Zendaya. This song sounds beautiful, and is actually a very well-written love song. Efron and Zendaya have clear vocal chemistry. I also loved "This Is Me" and "A Million Dreams". There's no doubt I'm buying the soundtrack. The visuals of this movie are excellent as well. Director Michael Gracey has a clear knack for how to make a good-looking period piece, as you can feel the location the film takes place in. Most every shot pops off the screen. The choreography in the movie is amazing to look at, as all of it is done very naturally and effortlessly. Grounding this film are all the great performances from a dynamic cast. Hugh Jackman is the clear highlight as P.T. Barnum. His charisma seeps off the screen in every minute. I like how he shows Barnum's earnest desire to follow his dream. His failures are not idealized, making it more inspiring to watch him get back up again. Zac Efron and Zendaya as Philip and Anne offer one of the most powerful side stories of the movie. I felt both of them gave compelling weight to their characters, and had the audience really caring about their relationship. Other highlights include Keala Settle as Lettie Lutz (who has an INCREDIBLE singing voice, by the way) and Michelle Williams as Barnum's wife Charity. I'll admit, this film's flimsy story-telling is noticeable at times. I think the first half of this movie is really strong as it focuses primarily on Barnum's story. The second half introduces Philip, Anne, Jenny, and a critic as other major roles. The movie tries to tell all of their stories, but it can come across as a little messy at times. Also, Barnum's problems may be solved a little too quickly. However, when I watch a musical, I'm not always expecting an entirely consistent story. The many stories we are offered here are all still good. They all work together to hone in an inspiring theme about following your heart. I totally understand why audiences love this film. It has a sort of genuineness to it that reminds of classic films, and it is very fun. This movie makes the fun pay off by having moments full of emotional weight and power. This is a great movie, definitely go see it!