Oreos & Peanut Butter

Twins in Media: Liv and Maddie

Screenshot of Dove Cameron in ‘Liv and Maddie’. Copyright goes to Beck & Hart Productions, It’s a Laugh Productions, Oops Doughnuts Productions, and Disney Channel.

Hey! Hallie here!

‘Liv and Maddie’ was a show that came along a little while after I stopped watching Disney Channel. It wasn’t exactly influential to me when it aired, but my younger cousin watched it regularly, so it stayed on my radar. It’s probably one of the most recently popular depictions of twins in media. This show proved that audiences are still very interested in the idea of twins and popularized twins for a whole new generation. I know my cousin asked my sister and I plenty of questions about twins based on what she had seen in the show. So did this show impact twins positively or negatively? Let’s jump into it!

The Good:

Different Lives. I think this might be one of the best examples of this so far. Liv and Maddie grew up in the same household, but they didn’t feel obligated to do the same things. Liv decided to pursue a career in acting while Maddie didn’t really see the point. In fact, Liv decided to move away for several years when she became a series regular on a TV show. Meanwhile, Maddie decided to stay home and pursue sports. They have some of the same friends, and definitely some of the same interests, but they lead very different lives. Maddie, for example, has a much better relationship with their brother because she had been a bigger part of his life while he was growing up. But Liv, having been away from her hometown for several years, befriends Maddie’s friends first because she knows Maddie so well. This is how twins work. We might pursue different things, but in the end we know each other better than we know other people. We rely on each other for comfort in most situations, and often times that leads us to making the same friends or doing the same things. Even when that happens, though, we don’t share lives. Liv and Maddie illustrates this well.

Friends by choice. This comes up a few times towards the beginning of the show and I really like how it’s used. Often times the result of people viewing twins as one unit is the assumption that all twins must get along at all times. This seems to be where people come from when they approach my sister and I and say “I wish I had a twin”. It’s the idea that a twin provides another version of you, so you can have an instant friend who agrees with you all the time. But, of course, that’s ridiculous. We might agree on some things and we might have similar interests, but we’re also two different people with different thoughts and opinions. This is why I love the statement “Sisters by chance, friends by choice”. It’s definitely cheesy, but it highlights the individuality of both Liv and Maddie. They don’t have to be friends, but they choose to because they happen to have so much in common. Not all siblings are friends, but some happen to share interests that make them close. The same goes for twins.

The Bad:

Opposite Personalities. This, unfortunately, is the main trope holding this show back. Liv and Maddie absolutely use the opposites trope to the fullest of its extent. That’s even how they advertised the show. On every poster you’d see Liv wearing some sort of pink dress with her hair perfectly curled while Maddie would stand on the other side wearing her blue basketball uniform and glasses. Maddie is more awkward and her personality seems to revolve around the fact that she’s smart and sporty. Liv is more confident, which often comes across in the effort she puts into her appearance, and can be too self-centered to notice anything around her. Liv is an actor, which is used to make Liv glamorous and girly. Meanwhile Maddie is a basketball player, which seems to try to make her look boyish. If the show would have spent less time trying to make them seem so different, it could have created a very realistic portrayal of twins. Instead, it branded itself based off of their opposite personalities. It further communicated to audiences that twins can’t be different unless they’re VERY different, which is absolutely untrue. Twins should be recognized for their differences even if they aren’t so blatant.

Same actress. Dove Cameron plays both roles, and honestly, this is one of the worst twin performances I’ve seen from one actor. Even though the show takes great lengths to convince the audience of their differences, Dove Cameron can feel the same in each role. While Maddie does come off as more serious, probably because of the higher pitch Cameron uses when she’s playing Liv, both characters can often slip into just being Dove Cameron. I find this happens most in dramatic scenes. The scenes where Liv is forced to be more sad or serious, I absolutely feel like I could just as easily be watching Maddie. This is especially evident to me because, in my experience as a twin, my sister and I never react the same way to any situation, no matter how serious. We have very different reactions to something stressful or sad. I see none of that in Liv and Maddie. I just see one actress doing the same thing twice. It doesn’t help that both characters have the exact same appearance because it IS just one actress playing two characters. Twins don’t look exactly the same. That goes for identical twins, too. Even if you can’t see the differences, the twins can.

So are Liv and Maddie a good representation of twins in media? Not really. I would have given them more of the benefit of the doubt if the entire premise of the show wasn’t based on the opposites trope. But it definitely isn’t the worst representation of twins I’ve seen. It gets some important things right. So much so that I’m not all that sad that this show was the main twin representation my younger cousin saw when she was growing up. It introduces the twin characters as very different people, but it still allows them to like some of the same things. That’s a very basic trait I think is important for people to see in twin characters. Hopefully we can move past some of the less accurate things in later shows.

Don’t do anything fun until I get back!

Hallie

Twins in Media: Phoebe and Ursula Buffay

Screenshot of Phoebe and Ursula Buffay played by Lisa Kudrow from the television series ‘Friends’. Copyright goes to Warner Bros. Television and NBC.

Hi! It’s Annie!

Welcome back to twins in media week! Hopefully this will help distract from everything happening today, because for this I chose the classic and wholesome television show ‘Friends’! This beloved show has become one of the favorites for television watchers all over the world and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn’t at least heard of ‘Friends’. I grew up watching odd episodes of friends, I only watched it all the way through for the first time a couple years ago, and Phoebe has been my favorite character since I first started watching it (though I do love Chandler’s sarcasm). I don’t know what that says about me. I guess the odd episodes I watched as a kid did not include Ursula though, because I wasn’t really aware of her existence until I sat down and watched the series all the way through. As soon as the idea was introduced I had a bad feeling it would be handled poorly. But was I right? Let’s find out!

The Good:

Different lives. Phoebe and Ursula live different lives to the point that they don’t see or talk to each other. They have completely separated themselves from each other and have different, friends, jobs, and live in different parts of the city. Often times Ursula will even pretend like Phoebe isn’t her sister. So, that isn’t great, but at least it means that their separate lives are a focus! They also have different relationships with the people in their lives that they do have in common. Ursula has no interest in meeting her birth mother unlike Phoebe and, at one point, dates Phoebe’s best friend, Joey.

Different personalities. These two are definitely different. Phoebe is a bright and cheery person who doesn’t always think the most logically. Ursula is completely detached and jaded while also seeming like the more sane of the two (not by much), even if she is kind of mean. There is a reason they don’t get along.

The Evil:

Evil twin. Here’s another good example of this trope! The evil twin trope is basically the opposite personalities trope turned up to eleven. One twin is essentially the good guy, the sweet one, the one that the rest of the characters like and are familiar with. Then suddenly someone comes in who looks exactly like that character and acts in a rude way, making the other characters question what got into the first character. Then it is dramatically revealed that the entire time it wasn’t the first character, but the evil twin of them instead. This trope has been used so many times in media and I’m really sick of seeing it. Yes, there is a possibility that you might get along with my sister and not me or get along with me and not my sister. But that doesn’t mean that one of us is rude or evil. And we definitely don’t want to get asked in real life which one of us is the evil twin half as much as we do. People think it’s somehow a charming question and I really fail to see how. Anyways, please stop this stereotype that makes people think we are opposites of each other or that one of us must be worse than the other. My sister and I can still be different from each other without one of us having to be nice and the other having to be mean.

Sibling hatred. This comes up a lot in media with all kinds of siblings, but it feels really concentrated with twins. Like somehow in order to show the audience that these are two different characters we must establish that they don’t like each other. This is really sad to see! It’s already disappointing to see so many siblings in media portrayed as unsupportive or that they just didn’t get along growing up. I know television shows believe that it’s more dramatic for siblings to help each other when they haven’t gotten along, but in this case I would prefer to see something more heartwarming over something dramatic. But this is taken to an entirely new level when you are using this as some sort of character development for your characters without giving them actual character development. I would like to see more twins who are best friends but don’t act or live exactly the same, please.

Same actress. This one is really obvious. I just want people to start casting actual twins, or at least just two different actors as twins, in films and television. There are nuances with twins that you don’t get when one person is playing them both. My sister and I don’t look exactly the same and no twins actually do. We don’t have the same mannerisms either, we don’t even walk the same way. Though I do doubt Ursula, or really anyone, runs quite like Phoebe does. Just stop with the one person playing two roles. And if you didn’t think this is still happening, think again. I’m looking at you Mark Ruffalo. Playing twins should not be something that is still praised as taking on a difficult acting challenge. I don’t care if you’re playing two roles at this point. Because you’re the same person, there is no way to play those roles correctly. Cast two different actors and give us the representation we actually want to see instead of championing this as an impressive feat of acting. It’s not. It’s just messed up. And yes, this does affect my sister and I because portraying twins this way makes audiences feel like twins might as well be the same entity. My sister and I actually had someone who didn’t really know us tell us that we might as well be the same person. I’m really done with this. Can you tell?

Weird. This is what Ursula is used for. Either comedic relief or for the writers to point out that having a twin is weird. It’s not weird. We’re regular siblings, not comedic relief.

So are Phoebe and Ursula good examples of twins in media?

No, not really. They’re actually pretty bad. But I will give them that Ursula isn’t in most of the show, so this aspect isn’t really focused on. Though I will say again that them not being focused on isn’t necessarily a good thing. I want shows and movies to focus on twins, I just want them to actually take into account real twins when they try to portray twins. People think that twins are treated regularly so they don’t have to do research when portraying them. You should be doing research when attempting to portray any person who lives a life differently from you. I love Phoebe so much, but at this rate they just should have cut out the sister if they were going to portray her like this. But at least I can still enjoy ‘Friends’ without Ursula being present for too much of it! Now if you haven’t and you still can, GO VOTE!

See you across the pond!

Sincerely, Annie

Video Games: Top 10 Animal Crossing Special Characters

Screenshot of Isabelle from ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’. Copyright goes to Nintendo.

Hey! Hallie here!

When I’m stressed out, games like ‘Animal Crossing’ always bring me a little bit of peace and a little bit of happiness. A lot of players, such as myself, get a lot of satisfaction out of which villagers occupy our islands and which ones we interact with the most. But I also think it’s important to give some credit to the characters that stick with you regardless of which villagers are present. I see a lot of lists dedicated to the best villagers, but I love so many of the other characters, I thought it was time to give them a spotlight. For this list, I’m not going to limit myself to just one game. There are too many characters in Animal Crossing that deserve love regardless of when we met them! With that out of the way, let’s get into my top ten characters!

Tom Nook. Tom Nook is basically the devil, but let’s be honest, ‘Animal Crossing’ wouldn’t be the same without him. He provides every player, no matter which version of ‘Animal Crossing’ you’re playing, with a place to stay and an accompanying ridiculously expensive debt to pay off. It isn’t impossible to pay off, though. After days and days of playing, you might actually gain enough Bells to pay off what Tom Nook sold you. So that’s over with, right? No. Because you’re house is always pitifully small when Tom Nook offers it to you. So, of course, you want to upgrade. Which costs even more money than you originally had to pay. Tom Nook is on a mission to own your soul, and with the amount of Bells you owe him, he’s succeeding. He’s also kind of a jerk about it the entire time. What’s really interesting about Nook, however, is that he’s a racoon of mystery. Everyone has a strange speculation or some interesting info about his checkered past. We might never know who he really is.

Celeste. Celeste is the younger sister of fellow owl, Blathers. She’s one of the most adorable characters in the game, and that isn’t an opinion. Her overlarge pink bow and checkered belly are too cute not to notice. Celeste worked in the Museum with Blathers for many of the ‘Animal Crossing’ games. She was always in charge of the Observatory because of her love of constellations. As she was in charge of the Observatory, she would allow the player to search for constellations, or create and name their own. In ‘New Horizons’ she wanders around at night to wait for Meteor Showers. One of the best things about Celeste, though, can only be seen while she’s working at the Museum. She’s wide awake at night, but come across her at any other time and she’ll be asleep on the job. Me too, Celeste. Me too.

Kicks. Kicks is a skunk who sells shoes and socks. In some variations of ‘Animal Crossing’ he only shines your shoes, which results in the players shoes changing color to match their outfit. Regardless of how successful Kicks is with his business at the present moment, he’s an admirably humble guy. He hasn’t quite reached the success of any of the other shop owners in ‘Animal Crossing’. He works on the street in some versions of the game. Despite that, Kicks is a pretty chipper skunk and he’s always willing to start a friendly conversation. Kicks is the kind of skunk you want to root for. Here’s to hoping that he gets to keep his own store in later ‘Animal Crossing’ games.

Brewster. Brewster is a pigeon who owns a coffee shop called The Roost. While he’s been in many ‘Animal Crossing’ games, he has yet to be introduced in ‘New Horizons’. Players who have only played ‘New Horizons’ are really missing out on this character. He’s pretty closed off, but the more that you visit The Roost, the more he’ll open up to you. His best friend is Blathers, who helped him get back on his feet after Brewster’s coffee shop in the city closed down. The entire reason The Roost exists is because Blathers suggested Brewster should continue his business inside the Museum. If Brewster is comfortable with the player, he’ll also reveal to them his love of gyroids and will offer to store the players gyroids for them. Brewster is ultimately a very interesting and helpful character. You just have to drink your coffee scalding hot in order to gain his trust.

Mabel Able. Mabel is the bright, cheery, and eager co-owner of Able Sisters. She’s the first to greet the player whenever they walk into Able Sisters. She’s easily recognizable by her blue spikes, green apron, and the speed at which she’ll run after you while you’re shopping in her store. Able doesn’t say much about her past, but she’ll talk to you about literally anything else. She’s friendly and she works very hard to make sure customers are satisfied with her services. She’s also very understanding of her sister, Sable. Sable is shy and introverted, so if you’re attempting to talk to her while she’s working, Mabel will firmly but kindly steer you away from her sister. Mabel is worth mentioning simply for her general warmth.

Sable Able. Often times I find people mention Mabel more than Sable because Mabel tends to be more personable. But if you visit Sable everyday, she’ll gladly become friends with you. Sable, just like Brewster, takes a few visits to warm to the player. But when she does, you’ll realize exactly why she’s such an amazing character. Sable raised Mabel on her own after both their parents tragically died in a car crash. Which is kind of dark for a game like ‘Animal Crossing’. Sable was an excellent sister, and even more interesting, a close friend to Tom Nook. The two grew up together. She also harbors resentment towards her sister Labelle, who she feels left her to raise Mabel alone after their parents died. Sable is possibly the most interesting, and strangely dramatic, character in ‘Animal Crossing’.

Rover. Rover, in many games, was the first character the player met when they started the game. This cat provided a very friendly face for the new players to get to know as they created their character. He always served the role of looking after the player. He’d express concern and excitement for characters moving to a new place, and in some games, would help the player set up their game before they even started playing. Often times his presence was necessary because, let’s be honest, it’s just a bit creepy when you’re left alone in a bus with Kapp’n. Rover is the first friend I made in an ‘Animal Crossing’ game, and for that he’s become one of my favorite characters.

K.K. Slider. K.K. Slider is effortlessly cool. He’s the dog you can’t afford to miss. Whether he’s playing at The Roost, or he’s randomly wandering around, his music is one of the highlights of any ‘Animal Crossing’. Not that it’s a masterpiece. It’s performed in Animalese, which is cute but not necessarily pleasing to listen to. Still, seeing him perform a concert is a rare occurrence. You have to catch him at just the right time. But when you do catch him, he’ll gift you whatever song you let him perform. You can even make requests once you’ve heard some of his songs. He’s a laid back guy, but he’s passionate about performing for whoever he can. It feels like a serious accomplishment when you finally get to see him play.

Isabelle. I’ve heard some players find Isabelle annoying, but I can’t really see it. She’s immediately sweet to the player once they meet her, and she’s eager to help the player with whatever they desire to do. She’s also an insanely adorable, yellow Shih Tzu. She makes it her job to get to know every villager because she views them all as family. She doesn’t like confrontation, but she will step in if someone is being unnecessarily mean. She can also be clumsy and forgetful, but her nineteen engineering degrees argue that she’s very intelligent. Isabelle does her best to provide whatever the player needs for their village or island. In some situations she’ll even take the entire workload on herself. Honestly, Isabelle deserves a long break and a large hug.

Blathers. Blathers is the director of the Museum. He can often be found sleeping in the Museum entrance. He’s an owl, can you blame him? If you come around at night, however, he’s energetic and happy to help. He’s eager to talk to the player, whether it be facts about whatever they have decided to donate to the Museum, or even himself. Because of that, he has one of the most detailed backstories out of any character in the ‘Animal Crossing’ series. Blathers grew up in the city and earned various degrees. His goal was to get a Doctorate, but before he could, a professor approached him with a vacant Museum director job in the country. Blathers enjoys the job, but he also possesses a serious fear of bugs, which is unfortunate considering how large the bug section in the Museum is. If a mantis egg case broke and thousands of mantises flew at your face, you’d be terrified too. Blathers has proved to be a caring friend and a hardworking director. You can’t help but love to support him.

There’s my list! There are so many loveable characters to get to know in the ‘Animal Crossing’ series. So many still lack stories, as well. Hopefully, as the game continues to grow and develop, we’ll get to know more about the animal characters we’ve all grown to love so much. In any case, now is a great time to revisit your village or island. ‘Animal Crossing’ is a relaxing escape into a world full of bright, cute, characters. Take some of the work off of Isabelle! We all know she needs some help!

Don’t do anything fun until I get back!

Hallie

Book Adaptations: Peter Pan

Screenshot from Disney’s ‘Peter Pan’ (1953) starring Bobby Driscoll and Kathryn Beaumont. Copyright goes to Walt Disney Productions and RKO Radio Pictures.

Hi! It’s Annie!

Happy November everyone! Now that we’re back to our regular posts, I wanted to cover a piece of media that is one of the most nostalgic for me. When I was younger I considered myself a Lost Girl (and kind of still do). Neverland was an escape for me more than any other fictional place; even more than Hogwarts which also meant a lot to me at the time. My parents knew when I was having a bad day because I was in front of the television watching Disney’s ‘Peter Pan’. I mean, what’s not to love (other than the racism that I made a point of skipping most of the time I watched the movie)? I wanted to go to the mermaid lagoon, I wanted to go marching through the forests with the Lost Boys, I wanted to battle pirates, and most of all I wanted to go flying with Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. There are so many adaptations of Peter Pan that I can’t possibly talk about them all, so instead I’m going to rank my favorites. I’m also going to remind you to NEVER watch ‘Pan’ because it’s absolutely awful. Ready? Off to Neverland!

7. Return To Neverland:

This straight to DVD sequel is not necessarily the best of movies. The plot is pretty shallow and the main character, Wendy’s daughter Jane, can be pretty annoying. The story follows her as she is kidnapped by Hook who mistakes her for Wendy and she works for Hook through some of the movie in an attempt to get home, as she does not believe in Neverland. I mean, she almost kills Tinkerbell! Then again, Tinkerbell almost kills her Mom in the first movie so I guess you could consider it payback. The real reason to watch this movie for me, is the character of Peter Pan himself. Peter Pan is extremely charming in this film and an absolute joy to watch. Obviously, this movie came out decades after the original film, so Bobby Driscoll was no longer around to voice him. But Blayne Weaver who voices Pan in this installment is both great at capturing the same energy and a very charming rendition of the character. He has voiced Peter Pan for Disney in just about everything since. Though Peter Pan is charming and loveable in the first movie, there’s still something about the character that Walt Disney himself found a bit lacking. Walt Disney thought Peter Pan was too self-centered and mean in the original film, and if you look you can kind of see it. This rendition of Pan tones down his self-centeredness and gives the audience the version of the character that Walt originally wanted. Though I love both versions of the character, I can respect what they did with Peter Pan here. And the entire movie is made worth it just by the reunion scene between Peter and Wendy at the end of the film.

6. Tinkerbell:

This isn’t exactly a direct rendition of Peter Pan. Years ago, Disney released a series of books based in a place inhabited by fairies in Neverland called Pixie Hollow. I grew up with these books and absolutely loved Pixie Hollow. I still have a few of the books sitting on my bookshelf. A few years after most of these books had come out, Disney decided to create movies based off of Tinkerbell and her friends in these books; but with massive changes. Instead of using Tinkerbell’s main friends from the book, they bumped up a bunch of barely mentioned side characters so that they could do their own characterization. I refused to watch the first Tinkerbell movie for years because of this, but I’ve definitely warmed to the movie and characters since then. The movies in the Tinkerbell series are definitely made for children and definitely cheesy, but they are really cute watches. You’re not going to cry or anything while watching these, they aren’t that emotional (unless you’re watching ‘Tinkerbell and the Neverbeast’ because that ending came out of nowhere…don’t judge me), but there’s enjoyment to be had here. I’ve been compared to Silvermist several times at this point, and I’m definitely not mad. The movies may be cheesy, but the magic of Neverland is in them.

5. Finding Neverland:

This movie became so popular that they made it into a Broadway musical that I actually watched a couple years back. It was cute, as is this movie. This movie is a overly fictionalized view at the life of the author of Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie. It’s a well written and heartwarming story and I can see why it got so popular. But it’s difficult for me to watch this movie and not remember the dark parts of J.M. Barrie’s life. Barrie, much like Lewis Caroll, was also accused of being a pedophile after he became close to a widow in order to get close to her children. Though the kids were questioned as to whether he behaved strangely towards them and all of them denied it. That doesn’t take away from the fact that he changed the will of the widow after her death to place himself as one of the main care-takers of all of the children. Because that did really happen. Also, for the love of God don’t look up any of the children unless you want to be depressed. So, as long as you don’t look up anything farther about how fictionalized this really is; this is a pretty wholesome watch.

4. Peter Pan Goes Wrong:

This is another of ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ series, and is the most hilarious of all of them in my opinion. If you can get your hands on it, it is definitely worth the watch. I was crying so hard from laughter the first time I watched this that I kept having to pause it or rewind because I either couldn’t hear or see the screen. If you want to see an actor playing Michael who forgets his lines so much that he is loudly paged them through a large set of headphones, a man as the dog Nana getting stuck in various parts of the set, several Peter Pan’s getting injured due to faulty flight mechanisms, and Captain Hook rowing in a public pool, this is for you. Though this isn’t a direct adaptation of Peter Pan either, it is an adaptation of the story and it is the best play adaptation of this you will ever see. If you want to laugh so hard you cry, definitely go for this one. I do apologize because this one can be difficult to find.

3. Peter Pan (2003):

This is the absolute classic starring Jeremy Sumpter that resulted in almost everyone having a crush on Peter Pan. This movie captures the true magic of the original novel while also spending a lot more time on the relationship between Peter and Wendy than most adaptations do. Jason Isaacs will always be a real force to be reckoned with as Hook and Peter Pan is quite possibly the most charming he ever is in this movie. This was the Peter Pan movie that made Neverland the most real to me. Seeing how magically and realistically it was shown in this movie made the audience feel like it could be a real place. If you want to feel like you are truly being transported to Neverland; watch this movie. It is one of the best escapes in a film you will ever find.

2. Peter Pan (1953):

Ah, the original Disney classic. This is the one I grew up with. This is the one that I watched when I had a bad day. This is the one I’m most nostalgic for. Though Peter Pan is, admittedly, pretty self-centered in this version, he is that mostly because he’s a child. He’s still in the “look what I can do!” phase. But he always comes through when it counts, like relenting and taking Wendy, John, and Michael back home at the end of the movie. He is the spirit of youth and childhood, and that definitely doesn’t make him flawless. The Disney 2D art style that makes the entire film look like it’s a painting and the effortless charm of Peter Pan when he’s fighting pirates is really what makes this movie. This is the movie that truly showed audiences everything that Neverland and Peter Pan could be, and it is absolutely loveable for it. I watched this movie so many times that I can probably quote the entire thing. It’s that bad.

1. Hook:

Starring the absolute great who is possibly my favorite actor of all time, Robin Williams, this film explores what it really means to be young at heart. Robin Williams plays Peter Pan who grew up after deciding to marry Wendy’s granddaughter and have children of his own. He has since forgotten about Neverland, now believing it to be a dream, and works a boring job where he has lost his youth completely and now can’t pay as much attention to his children. When he realizes he must now save his children from Hook who still has a vendetta against him, he returns to Neverland and discovers he must relearn what it’s like to be young in order to save his children. This is another one of my favorite movies of all time. Robin Williams is a charming and wholesome Peter Pan and this film has risen into infamy just because Prince Zuko, Dante Basco, plays Rufio so well. Not only is this movie cute and absolutely magical, but it’s message about always remembering what it’s like to be young makes me cry every time. If you haven’t watched this movie, absolutely go watch it right now! There is no excuse, it’s Robin Williams for crying out loud!

Peter Pan has always meant so much to me and I know I’ll always be a Lost Girl at heart. Literally any chance I get to immerse myself in the world of Neverland, I will take. Another movie featuring Peter Pan is coming out soon, ‘Come Away’ which features the stories of both Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. I’m really excited to see that one and to finally see Hollywood letting children of color portray these roles. This really should have happened a long time ago. Hopefully you saw an adaptation of Peter Pan on this list that you haven’t watched that interests you. Happy watching! RUFIO!

See you across the pond!

Sincerely, Annie

Halloween: Ranking the Citizens of Halloweentown

Screenshot of Behemoth, Mummy Boy, and Igor from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’. Copyright goes to Touchstone Pictures, Skellington Productions, and Walt Disney Productions

Hey! Hallie here!

Happy Halloween! After a month of almost every post being Halloween themed, we’ve come to our last October post. And what better way to close off this Halloween season than to give some credit to the citizens of Halloweentown? So many of Halloweentown’s residents get ignored, which is a shame because so many of them have really awesome designs. Today I’m going to put some focus on these characters by ranking them based off of what we see of them in the movie. For this list, I’m keeping it strictly to the citizens that aren’t main characters. That means no Jack, Sally, or Oogie Boogie. I’m also limiting the list to twenty because of the amount of characters. Otherwise, there are quite a few of Halloweentown’s residents to go through. Let’s get started!

Melting Man. Let’s be honest, this guy is kind of gross. The only thing he really does is accidentally get stuck to things. But he’s kind of nice about it! He never seems offended when someone (Jack) accidentally pats his head and needs to spend a few minutes getting his hand unstuck. He doesn’t say much, but he always seems attentive and interested in what others have to say. If only he wasn’t constantly dripping all over the floor.

Igor. Igor literally eats dog treats. There is something very wrong with him. He doesn’t seem to be the brightest person in Halloweentown, but he’s most definitely helpful. He tries his best to please, especially Doctor Finkelstein who it seems he’s most loyal to. He’s also very eager. Almost too eager. But you have to appreciate his enthusiasm. Igor might not be the most welcoming looking member of Halloweentown, but you can’t deny the bright look in his singular eye.

Devil. The Devil is pretty straightforward. He’s the Devil. There’s nothing much more to him than that. But he does try to contribute to all the endeavors Halloweentown gets up to. He’s not usually at the front of the crowd, but he’s somewhere near the middle. He’s trying his best and he’s mostly recognizable for it. He also seems to be pretty intelligent, although that could just be the convincing tone in his voice. And one would think he’s somewhat of an inspiration to Lock considering the fact that Lock dresses up as him every single day.

Corpse Family. The Corpse Family consists of a mother, father, and small boy. You see Corpse Boy the most in the movie. He always seems to be clinging to someone leg or the mayor’s hat. This family is kind of adorable in a creepy way, but they’re also some of the more plain looking residents. Still, they seem to be a pretty welcoming family. They’re also all pretty enthusiastic about Halloween. You’ll see the Corpse Boy at the front of most of Halloweentown’s gatherings. This family strikes me as the type that would be first in line to greet you if you were to visit Halloweentown.

Hanging Tree. The Hanging Tree doesn’t contribute a whole lot to everything that goes on in Halloweentown, but can you blame him? He’s kind of big and he needs to stand in the back of most rooms to get space. Plus, he’s really cool. The Hanging Tree is a terrifying face carved into a tree, with several of his closest (I would hope) skeleton friends hanging on his arms. They all have their own comments to make, but in the end they come together to make what is possibly the most intimidating citizen of Halloweentown.

Wolfman. The Wolfman is pretty straightforward as well, but he’s also absolutely terrifying. His teeth are always bared and he could absolutely beat me up in a fight. Most people seem to want to stay on his good side, and you have to respect him for that. Especially since everyone in Halloweentown is already various degrees of frightening. He’s also one of the most vocal citizens in Halloweentown. Whether howling, or genuinely sharing his opinion, you’re sure to notice him in every scene he’s in.

Doctor Finkelstein. Doctor Finkelstein gets an entire arc in the movie, but he’s all the way down here for being a creepy jerk. He’s very possessive over Sally, but only because he wants an assistant. In fact, he creates another assistant halfway through the movie to replace her with someone prettier and more obedient. He only seems to want a good looking girl on his arm. But he does get points for helping Jack throughout the entire movie. He provides him with scientific supplies and creates his skeletal reindeer. And he absolutely did something right when he created Sally.

Cyclops. Cyclops is pretty small and, in some scenes, can easily be mistaken for one of the kids. He can also be pretty dramatic, which is kind of relatable. But he seems to be a pretty cool guy. He always seems in awe of everything that’s going on around him, which is probably because of how much his singular eye stands out. In a strange way he’s adorable and his excitement is contagious. I always appreciate looking over at him just to see his wide-eyed, slack-jawed expression.

Mummy Boy. Mummy Boy is one of the kids, but he doesn’t have any parents that appear to be around. That doesn’t stop him, though. He’s always involved in what the adults are doing. In fact, he seems to be in charge of some of the towns practices, like sounding the alarm. His responsibility instantly earns him my respect. But he also spends some time with Corpse Boy just being a kid. I like seeing both sides of him. He deserves more recognition.

Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde is three for the price of one. He wears a very large hat, which would be outrageous if it was seen anywhere other than Halloweentown. But he wears that hat for a reason. Underneath it is a smaller version of him with another hat. THAT hat holds yet another version of him with a large hat. Unfortunately, it stops there. Still, as the versions of him get smaller, their voices also get adorably lighter in pitch. Even without that aspect of him, his hair is the best in Halloweentown other than Sally’s. I wish I could have his curls.

Clown. This clown proves that clowns are scary enough to deserve a place in Halloweentown. But this clown isn’t just in Halloweentown for his general frightening appearance. He can also TEAR OFF HIS OWN FACE. This is especially interesting when you realize his screechy voice becomes deep and intimidating when he does so. He was scary enough before he showed off that interesting ability. The Clown gets up this high on the list for surprising me with an extra ability that he didn’t even need.

The Witches. Both Witches have major crushes on Jack. Honestly, me too. They are very loud and very opinionated, and they have every right to be considering they’re some of the only women in Halloweentown. There are only two of the Witches, which makes me think that Shock must be an honorary member. After all, you need three to create a coven. The Witches are some of the most important members of Halloweentown, and I can’t stop thinking about how cute it would be if that Shock thing was actually real.

The Vampires. The Vampires have very specific looks to them that make them stand out. Every single one is different and yet, they create a very unified and terrifying look when they’re together. They also seem to be very helpful. They’re some of the most helpful citizens when Jack goes missing. They can also remove their eyes from their sockets, which is an interesting little feature. They won the award for Most Blood Drained in a Single Evening. You can’t really argue with that.

Undersea Gal. Undersea Gal is easy to notice because of how deep her voice is. Her tone is very interesting and alluring. She also has a very unique design. She’s the only aquatic member of Halloweentown, so her green skin and gills make her stand out. She spends most of her time in the fountain, which seems to be the main, and only source of water in Halloweentown. She has a very commanding presence. Every time she’s on screen you can’t help but think that, if Jack wasn’t in charge, it’d probably be her.

Behemoth. Behemoth is adorable. He isn’t very smart, but you wouldn’t be either if you had a giant axe lodged in your head. He still tries his best to be helpful, but he’s hopelessly terrifying. All he wanted to do was pet the Easter Bunny but the Easter Bunny ran away in fright. Evidentially I have a lot of feelings about that one part of the movie. Still, Behemoth is the kind of person you see being used by members of Halloweentown because he doesn’t have much brains of his own. He really needs a good friend and a good hug.

Harlequin Demon. The Harlequin Demon has one of the most visually stunning designs of all the citizens of Halloweentown. His mouth is split into two parts that are only held together by what appears to be his tongue. He has three horns protruding from his head and what appears to be different types of feathers all over his body. He always struck me as the most interesting citizen to look at. Even better, he’s voiced by comedic legend, Greg Proops. What more could you want from a demon?

Halloweentown Band. This band seems to be the most rational members of Halloweentown other than Sally. They see everything and try their best to help out anyone who they see is in need. They put up with Jack’s crazy antics, but they always have some sort of words of comfort for when he spirals out of control. They also look like they need a break. I expect all of them to look wearyingly at the camera after every scene where Jack presses them to do something ridiculous. Hopefully they’ll get the appreciation they need from the Pumpkin King to take a well deserved vacation.

The Mayor. The Mayor is an excellent interpretation of every single politician ever. He’s two faced and constantly on edge. After something goes even slightly wrong, he needs the other citizens of Halloweentown to scrape him off the ground. He also doesn’t make much of the important decisions. He doesn’t even seem to know why he’s in charge of anything while Jack is calling all the shots. But he’s very encouraging. Also, the two sided face that he has is one of my favorite design elements of any character in this movie.

Zero. Zero’s loyal and adorable. You can’t help but be drawn in whenever he’s on screen. He’s appears to be a ghost dog, but he’s much more than that. For one, he has a glowing pumpkin on his nose that gives him his own unique look. He doesn’t really know what’s going on for most of the movie, but he does know that Jack is sad. He does his best to cheer him up, even when Jack’s obsessive behavior gets a bit out of control. And he’s there for Jack the entire time. He only leaves Jack’s side when Jack gets sucked into Christmastown, and he’s terrified for Jack the entire time. Zero is one of the unsung heroes in ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’.

Lock, Shock, and Barrel. This mischievous trio are, without a doubt, the most intriguing citizens of Halloweentown. They’re only children, but they’re mischievous nature lead them to turn on Jack and swear loyalty to Oogie Boogie even before the movie begins. They fight a lot, but they’re true loyalties lie to each other. They like the chaos Oogie Boogie sows, but they don’t care much when he dies. They help the Mayor find Jack in order to clear their names when Oogie Boogie is defeated. They backstab and trick almost every single character throughout the movie, which puts them in the position of being smarter than most of the other characters. And they get away with it. After everything they did to Santa, they avoid facing consequences. You don’t see the minions succeed while the villain fails very often.

So there’s my list. There are even more citizens of Halloweentown, so I’d recommend looking them up to appreciate some of them as well. After all, all of the Citizens of Halloweentown were very carefully designed and molded into figures that could be used for the stop motion animation style. The movie wouldn’t be the same if any of them were missing. Have a good Halloween, and make sure to stay home and stay safe! Starting tomorrow we’ll be back to our regular programming!

Don’t do anything fun until I get back!

Hallie

Disney: Sugar Rush

Promotional shots of characters from Disney’s ‘Wreck It Ralph’ (2012). Copyright goes to Walt Disney Pictures and Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Hi! It’s Annie!

One of my favorite parts of Halloween is, in fact, the candy, so I thought it would be fitting to go over the racers from this sweet fictional game depicted in Disney’s ‘Wreck it Ralph’. Sugar Rush was my favorite part of the movie and, probably because of that, I dove really deep into whatever lore I could find that they published. But also, this movie had one of the Disney villains that scared me the most in theatres. I absolutely hate bugs, so this one hit home. But, in the spirit of Halloween candy, I thought I would rank the main Sugar Rush racers and explain a little more about them! Please note that I am going to disregard the second movie in this installment because I really didn’t like it. Sorry. Also, I would like to mention that this article will be pretty nonsensical and is not to be taken too seriously. Ready? Set? Go!

Vanellope Von Schweetz

Obviously, the princess…ahem, president….of Sugar Rush is the best. She’s the only one with a lot of character development, and she’s just adorable. She says it herself! Vanellope is based off of vanilla by name and looks just as sweet. Her adorable hair is covered in stray candy and is held up by a licorice tie. But mostly, she just has a great personality. She’s sassy, can hold her own, and is the bravest of anyone else in the game. Her determination is the cause of most of the plot points in the movie, and she proves herself time and again to be a caring and cute leader. Even if she teases everyone all the time, sometimes with death. We all know about Vanellope already though, so let’s move on!

2. Rancis Fluggerbutter

He’s the racer that represents peanut butter cups and chocolate in general, so I may or may not actually be biased. He is probably the racer that is focused on the most other than Vanellope, King Candy, and Taffyta which entirely has to do with a book that was released about him after the release of this movie. This book actually depicts Ranicis as a good guy who goes through his own bullying and eventually befriends Vanellope. Though he comes off as a brat at first, he’s the first in any published works to really discover the error of his ways and readjust the way he treats other racers. He truly does have a melty heart. (Are you sick of the sweet puns yet?) Also he wears a peanut butter cup on his head and those are probably what I eat most of on Halloween. Did I mention his kart is called the Kit-Kart? Now I’m hungry.

3. Minty Zaki:

Minty is dressed all in green and her theme is mints and candied apples. To be honest, I just really like her design. Her shoes are adorable and I’m a sucker for that green bow she wears. She does not have much time in the movie as she is not part of the major mean group, nor is she focused on in other books. But her kart is called the Veloci-rapper and that just might be my favorite thing that I’ve heard in a while. Also, can we talk about how shimmery her skirt is? I love her.

4. Crumbelina DiCaramello

She’s another one where I just love her design. She’s actually more Italian pastry based, which I find a really interesting addition to the racers in the game. But mostly she just looks like a giant cookie. And what do I love more than chocolate? That would be pastries. Also, unlike the other racers, she has this giant really cute hat that sets her apart. Her cart is called the Tira-Missile, which isn’t as great as some of the other names, but her pigtails and hat more than make up for the disappointing name.

5. Gloyd Orageboar

He has a giant pumpkin on his head and I’m not sure what says Halloween more than that. Well, that and the candy corn on his shirt. He is literally a Halloween themed racer. He is described as a prankster and he is actually one of the racers shown the least, which by default means he’s one of the racers the least awful to Vanellope! His kart is called the Kernal, which I don’t think is one of the best either but he definitely wins me over with his Halloween vibes. Also, his hair is the best.

6. Snowanna Rainbeu

She is entirely based off of snow cones, which aren’t really a candy and aren’t my favorite. She’s another one that wins me over with her design. He kart is called the Fro Cone which is awesome and she’s the only racer to be confirmed to be a music maker. Also, the fact that her nose is slightly red because of the cold is a really nice addition to her snow cone design.

7. Jubileena Bing-Bing

I don’t know what it was about her red pig-tails and peace sign, but she was one of the racers from this game that blew up the most after the release of this movie. It seemed like you couldn’t go to any Disney event without somebody randomly dressed up as her. She has a pretty plain cherry candy theme, but she has some of the most personality without saying anything. Her peace sign is meant to represent her love for peace and love, but with the way the racers treat Vanellope in the movie, she just comes off as a total liar. Though I will slightly forgive her because her kart name is the Cherriot, which I do like. I also really like the cherries hanging off of her skirt.

8. Adorabeezle Winterpop

We have finally gotten to the racers that I don’t like. She is based off of rocket pops and peppermints, but we already have a mint character and I don’t think her design is completely clear. I was kind of confused when I first saw her. Her kart is called the Ice Rocket which is a little on the nose and another kart title I don’t like as much. But she’s still cute! It’s really hard to be a Sugar Rush racer and not be cute, except for when you’re picking on other racers. I’m still mad about this, ok!

9. Taffyta Muttonfudge:

Of course I don’t like her! She was main mean girl who bullied Vanellope! But at least she was amusing to watch and I really like her white and pink colors. I guess there’s something to be said about her being the Sugar Rush racer other than Vanellope and King Candy who is focused on the most. I also really want her dress, jacket, and leggings. But she’s a jerk. She is strawberry candy themed and her kart is called the Pink Lightning which are both pretty unoriginal in comparison to other designs. And, once again, she wrecks Vanellope’s kart! But she’s voiced by Mindy Kaling, so you have to give her that.

10. Candlehead:

She is also one of Vanellope’s main bullies along with Taffyta and Rancis, but she has no pride. She’s constantly crying at everything, which seems pretty fake, and she throws Taffyta under the bus as soon as she realizes Vanellope is the princess. She knew what she was doing! Her theme is birthday cake and ice cream and her kart is called the Ice Screamer. I just think the name is unoriginal and that’s a lot of sweets crammed into one racer theme. She’s definitely the most annoying racer in Sugar Rush, that’s for sure.

11. Swizzle Malarkey

You look at him and just feel like he’s one of those really cocky douchebags. He’s just got that vibe to him. He is lollipop themed, but this is another design that feels a little unclear. His kart is called the Tongue Twister. I really can’t decide if I like that name or not. Really his green and blue color scheme doesn’t really match what most people expect from lollipops and I just don’t like that smirk. It seems malicious to me.

12. The Alternate Racers

What are the point of them? They just look like carbon copies of the other racers with slightly different colors. You almost feel bad for them. Almost. I mean, none of them stand up for Vanellope do they? (Was this article written by Ralph?)

13. King Candy/Turbo

He is unlucky number thirteen for a reason. Holy crap did he scare me when I first saw this movie in theatres. He actively tries to murder people after his identity is revealed. If you didn’t think that giant bug King Candy with fangs glitching and turning into giant bug Turbo was scary, you’re lying. He literally tells Ralph that he wants to kill him and the way his bug body moves still gives me nightmares. Not really…but still. I really hate bugs. He was a great villain though. The movie was able to pull off the twist really well, it was completely unexpected. And the Turbo reveal during the race was one of the best scenes in the entire movie. I will never forgive him for turning into a giant bug though. Even if he was a fun villain to watch. I am not kidding when I say this is one of the main Disney villains that never fails to scare me. I hope that’s not too pathetic. Remember, I can’t even watch horror films.

I love the first Wreck-It-Ralph movie and I really wish that the second movie hadn’t been just a huge Disney commercial. But my love of Vanellope has definitely translated into a love of the rest of the Sugar Rush racers. And now that I’m about to stuff my face with Halloween candy tomorrow, I couldn’t help but think of these adorable (and even Halloween themed!) racers. And also the Disney villain that scared the begeezus out of me the first time I watched that movie. Maybe this is a Halloween movie. Huh. Remember to eat a bunch of candy tomorrow and for the love of God please just stay home!!!!

See you across the pond!

Sincerely, Annie

Disney: ‘Tower of Terror’ Movie Review

Screenshot of Lindsay Ridgeway, Melora Hardin, Alastair Duncan, Wendy Worthington, and John Franklin from 1997’s ‘Tower of Terror’. Copyright goes to Zaloom/Mayfield Productions and Walt Disney Television.

Hey! Hallie here!

I’ve talked about both Haunted Mansion and Phantom Manor during this month, but I’ve neglected to talk about Disney’s other famously spooky ride, Tower of Terror. Tower of Terror has a basic story, which we’ll get to in a bit, but it’s story isn’t very detailed. So it made sense that in 1997, Disney decided to flesh out the story a bit more with a made-for-television film. Ok, so made-for-television movies don’t exactly have the best track record of being, well, good. Still, even with low expectations, I was interested to see what this movie would do with the Tower of Terror lore I already knew. So did this movie give me the interesting story additions I was hoping for? Yes and no. Let’s look into what it did right and what it did very, very, wrong. SPOILERS ahead!

The Good:

The way the original characters were used. The strongest part of the original Tower of Terror’s storyline are the characters we see as ghosts during the beginning of the ride. The only things we’re given about the characters come from one black and white video we’re shown during the introductory segment of the line. We know that only Hollywood’s elite stayed at the Hollywood Tower Hotel, further proven by the paparazzi taking pictures of each character as they enter the elevator. We know what the characters appear to be: A couple, a little girl, a strict woman, and a bellhop. That’s about it. This movie does much more for the characters. It focuses on the little girl, Sally Shine, who is revealed to be the reason why all of the characters were at the hotel in the first place. She was a child star, and because of her popularity, her birthday party was being held in the hotel for Hollywood’s elite to attend. The strict woman is Emeline Partridge, Sally’s nanny. For much of the movie it’s believed that she was the reason Sally died, but she was in fact not as strict as many believed. Carolyn Crosson and Gilbert London, the celebrity couple, weren’t quite together. They were obviously interested in each other, but Gilbert feared Carolyn didn’t care for him because he had seen her flirt with other men. Even the bellhop, Dewey Todd, was given a backstory. He wasn’t very good at his job, but he was desperately attempting to impress his father who worked in a high position within the hotel. Every character is given a deeper story and is properly explored in the movie.

Shooting on location. The sections of this movie that take place on the grounds of the Hollywood Tower Hotel were shot at Walt Disney World. The movie uses the actual ride, as well as the first room in the line, to further immerse the audience in the story. Even when the characters enter parts of the hotel that are obviously sets, rather than locations from the ride, it feels like it could be a room in the hotel because we had seen the characters walking through the actual hotel façade a second earlier. I enjoyed seeing the little details put into the line for the ride being used for the immersion of the movie.

The Bad:

The other story. This movie doesn’t focus on the characters or the lore we know from Tower of Terror. Instead it chooses to focus on a father-daughter duo and their familial issues. While the daughter is a bearable character who seems genuinely interested in the ghosts inside the hotel, the father is established as being selfish and overbearing early on in the movie. He attempts to hire an actress to play a ghost for pictures of the hotel so that he may make a tabloid story out of it. His story arc in the movie revolves around the fact that he’s lost relationships in order to write interesting news stories to relive his glory days. The movie focuses on these bad traits so that this character may learn from his mistakes by the end of the movie, but not only is his character unbearable for most of it, his story is the least interesting part of the movie. The ghosts provide some intrigue while his storyline only consists of him arguing with his daughter and his ex-girlfriend, and saying something vaguely offensive to anyone who isn’t those two. I was left wondering when the movie would return to the ghost characters whenever he was onscreen. The movie had an entire world to explore with what the Tower of Terror ride provided, but instead it decided to focus on a largely dislikable character with a boring story.

The drop. What’s the most prominent part of the Tower of Terror ride? Obviously, it’s the drop. Park guests see the lightning hit the elevator with the tower’s residents inside during the introductory video in the line. It foreshadows what’s about to happen to the guests once they get on the ride. The narrator directly states that what happened to those residents is about to happen to you. The destroyed elevator can be seen in the line as well. So I was very confused when the movie took out the falling elevator during the initial lightning strike. The characters simply disappeared and then became ghosts. In fact, part of the main plot is that the elevator stopped right before the level where the birthday party was being held. The entire reason why the ghosts can’t move on is because the elevator is still stuck there when the other characters enter the hotel decades later. The fact that this initial drop, which is a major part of the Tower of Terror, isn’t included in the movie is bewildering to me. There is an elevator drop that occurs during the climax of the movie, but it doesn’t fix the fact that the movie just decided to take out a major part of the Tower of Terror’s lore for no apparent reason.

So what’s my overall verdict? This movie was ok. It was kind of cute. It had some good ideas, but it stumbles quite a bit by deciding to insert and focus on characters that take away from the interesting parts of the movie. Everyone who wanted a Tower of Terror movie wanted a story to explain the characters and lore we were given. Preferably in the style of the original Twilight Zone. This movie does explain some things about the ghost characters, but in the end, they’re side characters. There isn’t enough of a focus on them and some of the initial lore is even taken away to better suit the movie. And if you’re looking for a Twilight Zone feel, you won’t find it here. This movie is very family friendly. There’s nothing particularly scary about it. Regardless, it has a satisfyingly creepy aesthetic and is a fun enough exploration of the ride. At the very least, if you’re interested in Tower of Terror, it’s a fun watch for Halloween!

Don’t do anything fun until I get back!

Hallie

Twins in Media: Twitches

Screenshot from ‘Twitches’ (2005) starring (left) Tamera Mowry and (right) Tia Mowry. Copyright goes to Disney Channel and Buena Vista Television.

Hi! It’s Annie!

More Halloween themed twins in media! When I was really young I used to watch ‘Sister, Sister’ starring Tia and Tamera, but for some reason this never extended to watching ‘Twitches’. I had always heard a lot about this one, but for years I just wasn’t interested. I really have to be in the mood to watch Disney Channel movies, and if I do it’s always the ones that I’m nostalgic for. But obviously, not covering roles played by Tia and Tamera in a twins in media post would be a crime. Their Halloween movie was absolutely perfect for this week, so I finally decided I had to sit down and actually watch the first ‘Twitches’ movie. To be honest…I didn’t have many expectations, but this isn’t really a movie I’d return to. Even though, I did think it was funny that my sister and I are twenty-one watching this for the first time while the characters are also twenty-one during the events of the movie. Regardless, this is one of the most interesting portrayals of twins I’ve seen in a movie in a while. But is it interesting in a good way?

The Good:

Separate actors. Tia and Tamera are two different people rather than one person playing two people! Yay! This is always an important distinction for me. I don’t care if the actors are twins (though it’s awesome if they are!), I would just like for two different people to be playing two different siblings. Having one person play two people fuels the idea that twins are the same or two halves of the same whole. We are two different people and having two people with slight differences in voice, appearance, and other realistic things actually gives the audience a glimpse into how different twins can actually be. My sister and I don’t actually think we look a lot alike and our voices are completely different. I have a slightly higher pitch to my voice than my sister does along with the way we speak being different. No twins, even if they are identical, are EXACTLY identical. Especially not in personality and mannerisms. For example, when I’m feeling anxious I bite my lip, play with my hair, and massively over-think. When my sister is anxious she’s more likely to clench her fists, choose something else to focus on, and try to move on.

Realistic reactions. This movie, unfortunately, is one of the many that has the separated at birth twin trope. However, I want to give props to their separate reactions when they figure out the other exists. Firstly, it isn’t all immediate joy. Secondly, they react completely differently to the news. While Cam is excited and has obviously grown up with a lot of the media’s ideas and tropes surrounding twins, Alex has a much more realistic reaction. It would be odd to find out you have a long-lost sister, and just because they’re related doesn’t mean they suddenly know each other. Though Cam’s reaction is based off of tropes, the movie points Alex out as being more rational and realistic about the situation. The reactions of the friends and family around them are also great. They don’t treat either character differently after suddenly discovering that the two are twins; they just check up to see how the situation is going. From experience, I can tell you that this depiction can be better than real life. I once didn’t tell friends in a class that I had a twin sister (not on purpose, it just never came up), and when they eventually found out, the way they treated me was definitely different. They no longer would check up on me and would just ask me questions about my sister all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I love talking about my sister. She’s awesome. But I don’t want to talk about her all the time. I’m really glad that most of the family and friends of the girls in this movie didn’t do that.

Different lives. They have different friends, even different family, and have different relationships with the new people they meet throughout this movie. Even when they know the same person, their relationship to that person is different. It’s always nice to see this distinction in the personalities of twins in media. They also have different hobbies which I really liked. One of them really liked drawing while the other was more prone to writing, which really reminded my sister and I of the two of us when we were younger.

The Bad:

Opposites. I love that they have different personalities, and this trope is certainly better than the hive-mind trope, but it’s still problematic. Because the next best thing for media if they can’t portray twins as exactly the same is, for some reason, treating each character like they’re each a half to a whole rather than whole people by themselves. Portraying twins as opposites is a good way to do this. Cam is influenced by the sun; she gets up early and has a more cheerful and emotional personality. Alex is influenced by the moon; she stays up late and has a more rational and laid-back personality. The movie takes every opportunity to point out that they’re opposites. Not different, but opposites. Portraying something as different and opposite of each other is very different.

Supernatural powers. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really glad they didn’t go with something stupid like twin telepathy. But the sun and moon opposite twin powers was still trope-y and definitely cheesy. Although, this is a Disney Channel movie so cheesy is what this kind of movie does best. I’m glad that they did point out through dialogue in this movie that these supernatural powers were not common among twins and sort of played that one off as a joke. That’s not what my problem is though. This, again, goes back to the ‘each is one half of a whole’ idea. I really dislike the idea that they are each fine on their own but their powers are only really strong if they do something together. If you look at the original symbol that their father used, it was both a sun and a moon. It’s supposed to be because their father split his powers in two for the both of them, but it is quite literally two halves of the same whole. It is one of the most literal definitions of this trope in anything I’ve ever seen. I would just like for twins to be portrayed as their own whole separate people and not like their twin is somehow possessing something that they are lacking as an individual. By all means, give twins supernatural powers! But please stop making them reliant on each other.

Separated at birth. You don’t have to have your characters separated at birth to make them different. Most twins grow up in the same household and are different people regardless. I know this is commonly used also for drama, I would just like to see more portrayals of realistic twins who grew up together and are still different people. Using this trope as much as it has been used adds another weird element to twins in the media. Twins aren’t in general a dramatic plot point or an odd happening. We’re just regular siblings who are slightly more likely to be close because we’re the same age. We’d like to be treated like regular siblings.

So, are these two a good representation of twins in media?

They’re ok. There’s nothing super great about them and there’s nothing really bad about them either. They have problems and there’s some things this portrayal got right too. This would have been better if they hadn’t made the characters so reliant on each other and kind of helpless without the other. I really like the idea of twins as witches, but it’s never done that well. Padma and Parvati in ‘Harry Potter’ would have been really good if they had been focused on more in the book and if they hadn’t been shoved into the same house and given matching outfits for the Yule Ball in the movie. I have yet to see twins as witches in a portrayal that I like, and it’s a little disappointing. Hopefully we’ll be able to see better portrayals of twins in media soon and that will spur some actual badass portrayals of twin witches.

See you across the pond!

Sincerely, Annie

Twins in Media: The Grady Twins

Screenshot of Lisa and Louise Burns as The Grady Twins in 1980’s ‘The Shining’. Copyright goes to Warner Brothers, The Producer Circle Company, Peregrine Productions, and Hawk Films.

Hey! Hallie here!

We’ve finally reached the week of Halloween, and that means more Halloween-themed twins to talk about! We’re starting this week out with the most popular spooky twins in Horror, The Grady Twins. These two don’t have too much of a background, but they’re so iconic that we couldn’t not talk about them for this series. Who hasn’t quoted “Come and play with us” at some point? These two are arguably the most recognizable part of ‘The Shining’, and are definitely one of the two most parodied and referenced elements of the 1980 movie. I don’t think I have to specify which Jack Nicholson scene takes the second spot. Their popularity has made it impossible for twin girls to go through their lives without at least being compared to them once. So let’s get into what we know about these two to determine how good of a representation of twins they are.

The Good:

Played by actual twins. In every adaptation of ‘The Shining’, The Grady Twins have been played by actual twins. Using actual twins for twin characters always makes them stand out, especially to actual twins. In movies that use one actress to play two roles, it’s always obvious that there are no differences between them. Whenever two different actresses portray twins everything feels more realistic. There’s no better way to take a twin in your audience out of your story than to present them with one actor or actress who is being used for two separate characters. Twins always have differences, even if they’re subtle, and the differences lend to more realistic characters and a more immersive story.

Slight differences. It’s unclear whether these differences were put in because the original book gives the girls ages as 8 and 10, but there are differences between the twins. Some have mentioned that there is a height difference, but I think the most telling difference is actually their dresses. One girls dress is shorter than the others. It’s not really a difference in fit either, because the skirt lengths are pretty obviously off. Considering that the girls were not twins in the original book, it’s possible this was done to point to their different ages. Still, as the movie treats the girls as twins, it’s important to point out that there were steps made to differentiate them. Even if it was a very, very, very, small difference.

The Bad:

Twins are creepy. These two characters were not necessarily twins when a casting call was put out to fill these roles. It was only when Stanley Kubrick saw Lisa and Louise Burns that he decided to go with a pair of twins because they would be creepier. Putting twins in ‘creepy’ roles such as this helps along the narrative that twins are abnormal. Of course, this isn’t true of twin characters that are written as two separate characters. But The Grady Twins wear the same outfit and say the same lines at the same time. It’s safe to say that much of the creep factor for these two came from a focus on the fact that they were twins. It’s a very good way to give society a reason to give twins a wide berth. In the very least, it doesn’t help normalize twins to audiences.

Synchronicity. The fact that they can say the same things at the exact same time, on purpose, is truly impressive. Because my sister and I can only do that on complete accident, and never twice in a row. Needless to say, it isn’t a very realistic trait to give twin characters. Of course, the scene would have been much less creepy without the girls speaking at the same time. The issue is that this is a trope that is used very often for twins and these two don’t escape it. In fact, this is a defining feature of The Grady Twins. Eventually, it would be nice if twin characters could express different thoughts without falling back on ridiculous tropes such as this one.

The same outfit. I mentioned earlier that their dresses are slightly different, but let’s be honest, these two are easily recognizable because they wear the same exact outfit. It helps them look even more like identical twins. I’m not saying that twins, and even some siblings, don’t wear matching outfits at young ages. But it most definitely doesn’t help audiences go out and treat twins like two separate people. The matching outfits add to a few very obvious twin tropes that are often used to make twins look both odd and exactly the same. To be completely honest, whenever I see twins wearing the same outfit in any movie or tv show, I’m pretty certain I’m about to see a very bad interpretation of twins. After all, if the costuming department didn’t find it important to make the twin characters appear different, the script probably didn’t either. The Grady Twins are a great example of this.

So are The Grady Twins a good representation of twins in media? Not really. They’re a pretty basic representation of the most used twin tropes in media. To be clear, there isn’t much information we’re given about The Grady Twins in any version of ‘The Shining’. Still, ANY twin characters that are presented to the audience as the same, whether it be physically or mentally, is going to be a bad representation of twins. Twins are nothing more than siblings who look more alike than most other siblings. Twins have different opinions and tastes, and we are just as unique of individuals as every other person on the planet. When it comes to The Grady Twins, I enjoy their creepiness with the hope that we don’t see more twin characters like them in media any time soon.

Don’t do anything fun until I get back!

Hallie

Halloween: Best Murder Mystery Movies

Screenshot from ‘Knives Out’ (2019) starring Ana de Armas and Daniel Craig. Copyright goes to Rian Johnson, Lionsgate, MRC, and T-Street.

Hi! It’s Annie!

Some of my absolute favorite movies to watch around Halloween are classic feeling murder mysteries. I just love a good murder mystery. There’s something about the cozy fall or winter atmosphere that most seem to have while still being horrifying. But also, who doesn’t love a good mystery? I love watching a movie and casting my guess throughout the movie as to who did it and what actually happened. Of course, they also definitely have Halloween vibes because of the murder and constant suspense. As someone who doesn’t like watching horror movies (and honestly wouldn’t be able to watch them even if I wanted to), finding alternative movies like this that still get me in the spooky mood is important. So, here we go!

Knives Out (2019):

This is quite possibly one of my favorite movies of all time. I saw this in theatres last year with some family and had no expectations going into it. I always know I’ll like a good mystery, but I’m never reminded of how much I really love them until I walk out of the theater after I’ve watched one. This was one of those occasions. Firstly, huge props to Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, and Chris Evans for being more than amazing in this movie. But what really stood out to me about this movie was the immense kindness of the main characters. Marta Cabrera is the nurse of Harlan Thrombey, a very rich and kind old man. After his death, she spends most of the movie believing that she was the one who committed the murder. Unfortunately for her, the detective on the case, Benoit Blanc, takes an immediate liking and interest in her. As the movie goes on they both find that this murder is much more complicated than they originally thought. Marta Cabrera, despite believing that she is guilty, constantly chooses other people over herself and is rewarded for her kindness at the end of the movie. Benoit Blanc is smarter than you think he is and, in one hilariously memorable scene, goes off on the family of Thrombey for how horrible they all are. In a genre of movies that tries to focus more on making their characters cool, it was so nice to see characters who are so unapologetically kind over anything else. Not only that, but this movie will keep you guessing until the very end. Every time you think you’ve solved it, they throw another wrench into the plot. This movie will keep you on the edge of your seat and is funny and wholesome at the same time. Also, watching Chris Evans point at different people and say “eat shit” is worth watching the entire movie to see.

Murder on the Orient Express (2017):

This is a more recent movie as well with an all-star cast (Kenneth Branagh, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Leslie Odom Jr., etc.) based off of the classic murder mystery novel written by Agatha Christie. If you’re looking for a truly confusing murder mystery, look no farther than this one. This one follows Hercule Poirot who is a world famous detective looking for a break when he stumbles on a murder mystery on the very train he is travelling on. Not a single odd character on the train isn’t suspicious and, as it goes on, you find that the people on this train may have more in common than you originally think. I had not actually read the novel before I saw the movie even though, when I knew I was going to see this movie, I was already dying to read the novel. I purposely waited until after so that I could go into this movie not knowing anything. I’ve always loved riddles, so I can be pretty good at guessing in murder mysteries. I was absolutely delighted when I couldn’t guess a single turn in this film and it all still came together perfectly at the end. This movie does not rely on particularly odd turns or supernatural happenings to trick it’s audience so thoroughly. Instead, it hides behind objects and feelings that would generally make an audience feel safe. If you haven’t read the classic novel yet (which I do highly recommend), definitely go into this movie before you’ve read the novel. You will come out of this movie feeling kind of stupid but in the absolute best way. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Clue (1985):

Every year I grow increasingly more discouraged by how many people haven’t actually seen this classic comedy. This movie is based off of the famous board game of the same name and stars the absolute legend, Tim Curry, as well as Christopher Lloyd (yes, it is Doc), Madeline Kahn, Michael McKean, Leslie Ann Warren and several other amazing comedians. Like I said before, this is a murder mystery but it’s also a comedy. And it is one of the most hilarious movies you’ll ever watch. This movie is quoted so much in my house it’s insane. Several people are called to a mysterious residence in the middle of nowhere by a mysterious Mr. Body. They soon find out that they are all being blackmailed by Mr. Body and after someone turns out the lights, they find Mr. Body dead. From there you follow the entire party as they split up, run throughout the house chaotically, and scream. One of the best parts of this movie is that it has three different endings. Every version that you can buy or watch now will have all of the possible endings compiled at the end of the movie, but that wasn’t what the movie was like when it first came out. Theatres were randomly given an ending, inspiring initial chaos as their audience could not come to an agreement on how the movie ended. This chaos is perfectly reflective of the movie, and one of the many good reasons as to why you need to watch this movie. This is another one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s Tim Curry! How can you not?

The Play that Goes Wrong:

Ok, I know this doesn’t really count by any means, but I had to add it. This is not actually a movie, but it is instead a play about a play about a murder mystery. You can find clips of it online, sometimes they will release a full version of the play at certain times of year. But even watching the clips of this online is absolutely worth it. A small time theatre company has done a production of a murder mystery on a small budget and absolutely everything goes wrong. Though you can spend some of your watch of this attempting to determine who the murderer is, that isn’t really the point of this play. This is all about the comedy as thing after thing goes wrong and the “actors” find hilarious ways to keep the scenes going. If you want to watch a full version of ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ you’ll probably find better luck with one their Christmas specials. My personal favorite of their works was the televised ‘Peter Pan Goes Wrong’. I’m not generally one for comedy that puts people in precarious situations or involves people apparently hurting themselves severely, but this is definitely an exception. If you ever need a pick-me-up or a laugh, it is more than worth it watching anything from this series of plays. I will admit, I have actually watched the original murder mystery version of ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ live and it was amazing. But that was actually last summer, before that the clips were all I had. Again, even the clips of this murder mystery are more than worth it. Also, “Peter Pan Goes Wrong’ does feature, David Suchet, the actor who originally played Detective Poirot in the ‘Poirot’ series based off of many of Agatha Christie’s novels.

Rear Window (1954):

Most people call this a thriller film, but it is also a murder mystery. This legendary Alfred Hitchcock movie stars the absolute greats Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly as they attempt to solve a murder that Jimmy Stewart’s character, Jeff, is sure he witnesses in a neighboring apartment. Despite his broken leg, Jeff sets the task upon himself to bring the murderer to justice and becomes more unhinged and paranoid as he finds out more and more secrets that he should have never known. Alfred Hitchcock is the brilliant mind behind many of the horror and thriller movies we still love, and this movie is one of his best. I’m a sucker for a good black-and-white classic film, and this is my favorite of those to watch around Halloween. There’s something about being trapped inside the apartment with Jeff that makes this movie that much more suspenseful. Especially because it doesn’t get much better than Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly starring in the same film.

I feel like when people think of Halloween movies to watch they skip over a lot of murder mysteries because they just don’t think of them. But really, these are some of my favorite movies in general and they are often best enjoyed around the Halloween season. These are right up there with spooky Burton movies and Horror films on the list of good movies to watch around Halloween. I mean, just look at the time of year that most of these movies take place in. Chilling movies for the chilling weather. So now I’m probably going to be watching ‘Knives Out’ sometime this weekend. What non-scary movies do you like watching around Halloween? Hopefully this list has given you a more expansive view of new things you can watch to spice up your Halloween season! Other than actual pumpkin spice flavored products which are far too addictive.

See you across the pond!

Sincerely, Annie