Day: January 25, 2018

Movie Reviews

Movie Review by Kristin: THE GREATEST SHOWMAN | #GreatestShowman @GreatestShowman

by KristinLeave a Comment on Movie Review by Kristin: THE GREATEST SHOWMAN | #GreatestShowman @GreatestShowman

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Ladies and gentlemen, I finally got to see The Greatest Showman last night!

There’s a new movie theater that I’ve been wanting to check out and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. After work, we headed down there, grabbed a flatbread pizza and lounged in our extra comfy recliner seats. This may not come as a surprise, but I am a sucker for musicals and I’ve been so excited to watch this one–especially because one of my favorite dancers, Shannon Holtzapffel aka The Tattooed Man aka Prince Constantine is in it. But, you know, life happens and I ended up seeing it super late.

SYNOPSIS: “The Greatest Showman” is a bold and original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and the sense of wonder we feel when dreams come to life. Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.

In any case, I really enjoyed it! The soundtrack was absolutely phenomenal and now I’m extra salty that I wasn’t able to be a part of the sing-along viewings they had recently. The movie had a great message about embracing what makes you different, and also to remain true to yourself rather than conforming to society’s idea of perfection just to fit in. I think, in this day and age, these are extremely important messages to convey to younger generations. Bullying is at an all-time high, so it’s important to teach children to be accepting of those who seem different and to be satisfied with themselves despite their own differences. Those messages were never lost throughout the one hour and forty-five minute showtime.

The singing and dancing were fantastic, the cast was great and, while the special effects could have been a bit better, I thought this was a solid musical that everyone should go out and see. Hugh Jackman was the perfect person to play P.T. Barnum. He’s energetic, he’s theatrical and he has a great voice. Fans of Wolverine might be surprised to see him in this kind of role, but most of us knew he got his start doing musicals. Zac Efron and Zendaya were also great, but that was already expected. What wasn’t expected was how good Michelle Williams was playing Barnum’s wife, Charity Barnum. I know she’s a great actress, but she was exceptionally good in this role. Keala Settle plays the role of the “bearded lady” and WOW! She has a powerhouse voice that cuts through every song she’s a part of. This is definitely not the last we’ve heard of her.

I’ve seen some mixed reviews for the film because some thought it was too cheesy. Let’s be honest with ourselves . . . name one musical that hasn’t been cheesy. I’ll wait. I think cheesiness is part of their charm and you’re kidding yourself if you expect otherwise. Go into this one with an open mind and the willingness to have a whole soundtrack stuck in your head for days because that is what will most definitely happen.

Most importantly, show this to your children. Let them dream. Let them be different. Embrace their differences and teach them to be accepting of others. They’re our future, after all.

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30 Questions with Kristin | Part 3 of 3

by KristinLeave a Comment on 30 Questions with Kristin | Part 3 of 3

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Good morning! Thanks for checking out Part 3 of my Questions with Kristin posts. I might do something like this more often, so stay tuned.

Here’s the last of the questions:

  • What’s the biggest waste of money you’ve seen?

My number one answer, on a personal level, would be someone spending money on cigarettes. I just imagine rolled up dollar bills being burned away. I’d rather spend my money on something that’ll last. On a larger scale, I would bring back one of my responses to another question and mention celebrities who feel the need to have 10+ cars, gold silverware, Swarovski encrusted refrigerators, etc.

  • What common misconception do you hate to hear repeated as a fact?

Honestly, I don’t have any. People believe what they want to believe and if it works for them, so be it. I know that people say your hair grows back thicker and faster if you shave it, and I haven’t really known that to be a fact. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I hate it though. To each their own!

  • Where is the best place to go to meet awesome people?

Hands down, I would have to say a concert. There is so much excitement at a live show and everyone is there to see the same artist, which means you already have at least 2 things in common–a love for music and that particular artist. In my experience, I’ve also met some awesome people at fan conventions.

  • What food do you crave most?

I don’t know that I crave a certain food, but I’m half Cuban, so I definitely have a sweet tooth. Actually, I’d like to add that I could eat pizza (no pepperoni) every day for the rest of my life lol. I don’t crave it, but I do love it!

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  • What TV series do you keep coming back and re-watching?

FRIENDS and New Girl, for sure. I also wouldn’t be opposed to re-watching The Vampire Diaries and The Originals though.

  • Among your friends, what are you best known for?

Knowing who sings certain songs. I’ve been called the human jukebox. Also, I’m the person that friends bring essays and emails to for proofreading and revising haha.

  • Who of your friends is most like you?

Am I allowed to say my niece? She’s the most like me out of anyone I know. I have similar things in common with certain friends, but I don’t think anyone is really like me. If I had to choose one though, I would probably say Brancey. We both have a love for music that is not understood by most of the people around me. We’ve also had a tough time in the friend department, so we have that in common too.

  • What was the most traumatizing moment of your life?

In September 2011–just three months after my family reunion that I wrote about in response to another question–I lost my maternal grandmother. Just five months later we lost my maternal grandfather. Both of these were shocking and unexpected, especially because I felt like they were going to live forever. This sparked my anxiety attacks. Then I lost my paternal grandmother in 2014, my golden retriever in 2015 and my father just 2 months after that. All of the losses we experienced during that time were extremely traumatizing, but I have some amazing guardian angels looking out for me!

  • What’s the best lesson you’ve learned from a work of fiction?

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’ve learned a lesson from a work of fiction, but there are definitely lessons that we need to be reminded of sometimes. There are lessons that younger generations can certainly learn from fiction though. To answer this question, I’ll leave you with three quotes from the Harry Potter series:

  • What’s something you’ll never do again?

Trust a friend with an untrustworthy guy.