Monday Movie: “School of Rock”

When rockstar wannabe Dewey Finn (Jack Black) gets kicked out of his band, he needs to find a way to make money to pay rent. When the opportunity arises, Dewey impersonates his friend to become a substitute teacher at a private elementary school. There, he discovers the musical talent of the students in his class, and instead of teaching them their normal work, he converts the classroom into a band.

School of Rock offers a hilarious story of a man down on his luck who tries to make his own through the American ideal of rock and roll. The movie does a great job of combining two sub-genres, the classic trope of the struggling musician trying to find his way, and the teacher who tries to ignite passion and determination in his or her students. And School of Rock plays both parts well, exploring Jack Black’s character and the characters of the students equally while also having a “stick it to the man” undertone.

School of Rock lives up to the title by supplying many references to classic rock from the 70’s and 80’s. Instead of handing out homework, Dewey hands out CDs of classic rock bands. He teaches the students how to play guitar, keyboard, and bass not like their classical teachers have, but as rockstars. And with each student, Dewey gives a unique role to participate so that each can shine. In this way, School of Rock shows the value of not treating every student the same, but recognizing the gifts and abilities of each and empowering them to pursue those in their own way.

And School of Rock has no shortage of humor. The kids in the class are almost as witty and funny as the star, Jack Black, who carries the movie as certainly the most dynamic character. Being in a rock band himself, Jack Black barely has to act as his love for music shines clearly.

In this way, School of Rock is a light-hearted homage to the transformative power of classic rock. Ignoring the more mature aspects that rock and roll influenced, School of Rock does showcase the power of music to influence, empower, and motivate people to pursue their dreams and passions. It is a movie that parents and kids alike will enjoy, since one major underlying message is that through hard work and determination anything is achievable. And that theme can be summarized in a statement Dewey (and AC/DC) make: “It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll.”

*written by Brennan Kress

Monday Movie: “Despicable Me”

In Despicable Me, the world is shocked when an unnamed villain steals an entire pyramid! And amongst those who are confused is Gru (Steve Carell), a villain down on his luck who is looking for one more big score to send him off into the sunset. But this new villain has upped the ante, which leads Gru to come up with one more master plan. He is going to steal the moon!

However, he first needs a shrink ray, which has been taken by the pyramid stealer, a new and young villain who goes by Vector (Jason Segel). And his fortress seems impenetrable, except for three orphan girls who sell Vector cookies. And so Gru has a plan: adopt the three orphans, use them to get the shrink ray, and then steal the moon.

On the other side of this story sits Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Fisher), who spend every day hoping that someone will adopt them. And so when Gru, pretending to be a dentist, adopts them, they are suspicious at first. Though Gru adopts them for nefarious purposes, he soon grows to love the girls and becomes torn between his goals as a villain and his new responsibilities as a father.

The movie is funny throughout, heartwarming, and contains an incredible message regarding the value of relationships. Gru’s Minions add a layer of hilarity and silliness to the movie that keep the viewers engaged through the main plot movements, though perhaps they don’t warrant their own movie like they got in 2015. The main characters are well thought out, though slightly one dimensional. The three girls each grasp on to one or two of their traits which is constantly brought up, and they don’t exactly change, except in their relationship to Gru. Gru, of course, changes the most, going from a jealous villain to a caring father.

This movie provides good family fun for all ages. It also contains an important message about caring for relationships over career. The only thing that might concern some parents is the fact that the main protagonist is a villain, though a villain that is silly and cartoonish, far from a violent monster or anything like that.

Despicable Me is available in the Logos.

Rated PG: rude humor and mild action.

*reviewed by Brennan Kress

Top 5 Comedy Movies At The Library

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Pexels.com

While comedies can have different plots and settings, from a road trip gone wrong to an awkward high school romance, they all have one thing in common: they make us laugh. Want to find funny movies at the library? Here are 5 comedic movies that are all available, and be sure to search our genre “Comedy” in our online Media Collection for even more.

*movie descriptions provided by the publishers, c/o the library catalog

 

Mean Girls

When a young girl who has lived in Africa and been homeschooled moves to New York, she must enter a public high school. Survival of the fittest takes on a whole new meaning when she falls for the ex-boyfriend of the most popular girl in school.

 

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Loosely based on Homer’s “Odyssey,” this is the story of three convicts- escapees from a prison farm in Mississippi- and their adventure as they travel home in hopes of recovering buried loot before it’s lost forever in a flood.

 

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

The quest for the Holy Grail by King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is retold in the inimitable Python fashion.

 

Duck Soup

To rescue the small country of Freedonia from bankruptcy, Mrs. Teasdale agrees to donate 20 million dollars if Rufus T. Firefly is appointed its new president.

 

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Toula is a quiet, devoted daughter in a big, crazy Greek family. Working in her father’s restaurant, she hides behind her family and keeps the world at a distance. One day at the restaurant she finds herself pouring coffee for a man who inspires her to change her life, and the way she sees the world . . . forever.

 

Bonus: Once Upon A Time . . . In Hollywood

This one’s more of a dark comedy/retelling of history, but it’s absolutely hilarious, particularly if you’re read up on 1960s history, westerns, and the Manson family.

Publisher description: From 1958 to 1963, American actor Rick Dalton knew the height of fame and fortune as the lead in the television series Bounty Law. Yet, Rick wasn’t satisfied with the work and used his popularity to try to become a movie star. By 1969, Rick’s career has stalled so much that he takes jobs as a guest star on various shows. He even starts wondering if the only way he can make a comeback is by acting in Italian productions. Cliff Booth, Rick’s long-time friend and stunt double, helps him see that possibilities for success still exist in the Los Angeles film industry if they work together.