Aretha Movie Review 2021

ARETHA 2021

Movie Review 🍿 🎥  By E. Perryman 8.20.2021

Trailer: https://youtu.be/PBfVR_u_lGQ

Ok. So here goes. Please for the LOVE of God or whatever floats your boat, GO SEE ARETHA. I mean for cry Pete, the QUEEN of soul Aretha herself handpicked Jennifer HUDSON for her biopic. And Hudson does the job with real panache and pathos. 

7 reasons why you should see RESPECT: 

1. GREAT STORYTELLING Are you drawn to inspiring but heart wrenching stories about great voices in the past century? (I am so glad they told this story in a traditional way. I like my movie biographies like I like my popcorn. Just enough standard real buttery flavor; nothing too avant garde. The screenplay also alluded to but imo was gentle about the traumas Aretha faced.)
2. ACTING TOUR DE FORCE Do you like to watch actors “pee all over”, I mean, act the pants out of a movie character? (Apparently Etta James stopped singing a song because once Aretha sang it, Etta claimed that Aretha peed all over it and made it unsingable for others)
3. FOR THE LOVE OF FOREST Do you believe that Forest Whitaker is amazing in whatever he does and will watch him in anything? (Somehow Forest is so human, he makes you almost root for CL Franklin, the less than likeable dad of Aretha)
4. JENNIFER HUDSON Does Jennifer Hudson’s velvet mezzo belt send you to another dimension (and you take pride in her grammys and Oscars because you are still butt hurt about her finishing 7th on season 3 Idol?)
5. JUST GOOD CINEMA Are you willing to devote 2 ½ hours of your movie life to top notch acting, great singing, thoughtful cinematography, AMAZING ARETHA WARDROBE, and stand out performances by Skye Dakota Turner as young Aretha/Audra McDonald as Aretha’s mother?)
6. OLYMPIAN MUSICIANS Have you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall when the greats are creating musical history? This film does this in an extraordinary way. It’s a musical master class. You get to see musicians create legendary music in the moment. It’s compelling. I can say that as a former college musician sometimes artistry becomes still life rather than alive expression. Music was Aretha’s life force. I believe she was truly anointed. It wasn’t about bel canto. It was about delivering the message. She ministered though the universal healing power of music. 
7. ELPHABA MOMENT Does watching someone transcend their experiences and take flight in their own power galvanize you? I have rarely sobbed the way I did when I first saw wicked. We all have a little of a good and wicked within us. When we are finally able to be our authentic self, green warts and all, life opens up. You see this with Aretha as she grew in her legendary power. It is compelling to witness. 

If any of the statements intrigued you at all, it is imperative that you cue up this film sometime in the near future.  I’m left with wondering about whether Jennifer Hudson would ever entertain coaching an opera singing fan girl on acting and expressing a piece. Hmmm

ARMRESTRATING: I raise two soulful armrests up as high as a 60s bouffant from the clip and curl for a wonderful film. 

#anarmrestrenegade

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Movie Review: Remember The Titans

Where has this movie been all my life??? Yessssssssss. Good Lord, it is tremendous. This is not a democracy, indeed, Coach Washington.

As I wipe my tear stained cheeks and swallow the lumps in my throat, all I can say is that this is a GREAT movie. And out of all of the characters from Boone to Petey, my favorite has to be Louie Lastik. He’s from BAYONNE, NJ???

This movie is pure gold. Or perhaps all the metallic colors of the rainbow. Two multicolored arm rests way up for a movie that brought the ugly cry. The Titans shall be remembered indeed.
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Louie Lastik: I’m Louie Lastik, I’m offensive lineman, naval family just moved here from Bayonne, someone said football, so I come runnin’. What’s goin’ on everybody?

[awkward silence]

Big Ju: What you doin’ man?

Louie Lastik: Eatin’ lunch.

Big Ju: I see you eatin’ lunch, but why you eatin’ over here? Why not go eat over there and eat with your people?

Louie Lastik: Man, I don’t have any people. I’m with everybody, Julius.

Petey Jones: Yeah, he’s just a light-skinned brother.

Big Ju: Yeah, and I’m a dark-skinned cracker.

Petey Jones: [laughs]

Jerry ‘Rev’ Harris: Come on Julius, he’s just another blessed child in God’s lovin’ family.

Blue Stanton: [Blue starts to hum]

Big Ju: Come on, Blue. Let me…

Petey Jones: [Petey joins in with Blue]

Jerry ‘Rev’ Harris: God, we come before you today. To ask you to soften Big Julius Cambell’s heart.

———
Julius visits Gerry in the hospital]

Nurse: Only kin’s allowed in here.

Bertier: Alice, are you blind? Don’t you see the family resemblance? That’s my brother.

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Coach Boone: Lastik. I want you to tell me something about one of your black teammates.

Louie Lastik: [shouts] Sir yes, Sir! I’m roomin’ with Blue, sir! And I noticed that he wears that leopard-spotted underwear, Sir! Bikini-style, Sir!

Coach Boone: Ok. How about someone who’s not your roommate.

Louie Lastik: Sir, I eat lunch with Rev. That’s Jerry Harris, sir. People call him that ’cause he’s always praying and he won’t abide with a foul tounge, Sir!

Coach Boone: And what’s the Rev going to do after High School?

Louie Lastik: I don’t know. Go to college and all that stuff, I guess.

Coach Boone: What about you? You going to college?

Louie Lastik: [laughs] No, not me coach. I ain’t a brainiac like Rev.

Coach Boone: Think you got a future in football?

Louie Lastik: Heck no! I figured as long I’m going to be in school, I might as well hit some people while I’m at it.
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Coach Boone: This is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today. This green field right here, painted red, bubblin’ with the blood of young boys. Smoke and hot lead pouring right through their bodies. Listen to their souls, men. I killed my brother with malice in my heart. Hatred destroyed my family. You listen, and you take a lesson from the dead. If we don’t come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were. I don’t care if you like each other of not, but you will respect each other. And maybe… I don’t know, maybe we’ll learn to play this game like men.

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