Two Amazing Movies That I Saw

This past weekend, I watched two movies that I loved: Little Miss Sunshine and Favela Rising.

It seems cliche to say that I liked Little Miss Sunshine, because everybody who watches The Office (american version) loves it simply because Steve Carrell is in it. The reason I liked the movie is that it shows a broken family. It's the realism of this movie that captivated me. There is a father who is laying unbelievable amounts of pressure on his family to be "winners", a mother who is ready to quit the family, a grandpa who is a heroin addict, the wife's brother who is a gay professor who attempted suicide because of his lover leaving him for his nemesis, a son who hates so much that he decides to not talk to him, and a daughter who is not "beauty pageant" material, but is accepted into the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. I would say, if I had to compare the movie, that Little Miss Sunshine was like National Lampoons Vacation only darker and hits closer to home with dysfunction and what is happening to some of today's families (though not the exact same problems).

Favela Rising is a documentary showing a ghetto in Brazil. Here is a story of a favela (ghetto) run by drug lords and dirty cops, and a guy who's brother was murdered by the cops decides to do something positive instead of sinking deeper into the world of the drug lords. He starts a music group which sings about what is going on in his neighborhood. They begin gaining the respect of the neighbors because of their positive impact and message, and even gain respect of the drug lords. They begin the Afro Reggae movement and even begin teaching kids how to play the drums. This is what was so impactful about this movie for me. I began wondering what I have to offer the kids in my neighborhood. What could keep some of them focused and away from the drug scene? This movie really challenged me to think "what am I doing to make a positive ding in the Roosevelt Neighborhood". This is a dangerously inspirational movie. If you've got Netflix, flick it now.