World Reviews Now!: February 2016

Review: Being Mary Jane Seasons 1-3

Monday, February 29, 2016 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

For Black History Month this February and with Women’s Month in March, why don’t we merge both celebrations in one three-part TV series? So here’s Being Mary Jane, the Season 1-3 review!

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” – Oscar Wilde on an MJ note

The Rundown

Behind the name: Original title—Single Black Female—to spotlight what it means to be a single black female in the USA

Country: USA, 2015

Genre: Drama, Romance

Network: BET

Director: Salim Akil (most episodes)

Cast: Gabrielle Union (as Mary Jane Paul/Pauletta Patterson), Lisa Vidal (as Kara Lynch), Margaret Avery (as Helen Patterson), Latarsha Rose (as Dr. Lisa Hudson), Aaron D. Spears (as Mark Bradley), Richard Brooks (as Patrick Patterson), B. J. Britt (as Paul Patterson, Jr.), Raven Goodwin (as Niecy Patterson), Richard Roundtree (as Paul Patterson, Sr.), Stephen Bishop (as David Paulk)

Compare to: Can’t think of anything right now or the more serious, older version of The Mindy Project

Hate it or Love it? Love it

Synopsis in a Sentence: Mary-Jane, a television news anchor navigates social issues in America as she works to balance family, career racial, and social issues as a fabulous, endearing, and relatable Single Black Female—but she’s just being Mary-Jane.

On Writing: The Plot

The plot is interesting; it’s deep and hard-hitting, it touches on subjects from singlehood to marriage, to female and racial issues and even more. The writing is well done and very well executed. Since this review covers 3 seasons, here’s a very, very quick run-down of the general plot of each season:

Season 1: The Single Lady Story – Season one was all about the story of the single girl, our introduction to Mary Jane and here persistent balancing act between her single life—which can be both a blessing and a curse—her family drama, and her professional challenges.

Season 2: The Black Story – Although an ever-present theme in this series, season two delved deeper into the issues of being black in America, with of course, Mary-Jane’s singlehood and search for a baby, professional growth, and of course, all the juicy family drama.

Season 3: The Selfish Story – In the latest season, we see a more layered and compley plot, but overall a self-interested MJ. The plot focuses on her as an individual, and delves into LGBT issues, racial and inter-racial issues, and spotlights on various US, such as the “Black Lives Matter” movement, and even a small focus on international issues. But more generally we see a more selfish MJ. She’s mad at everyone, she seemingly doesn’t take time to mourn a best friend nor does she take any sliver of responsibility she may have played in her decision to commit suicide. Still, at the same time, Mary Jane is more centred and focused. We find a character who is determined to get what she wants and we can’t completely blame her for that!

This is a black show—more accurately—it is an African American show, which is fabulous, because there aren’t many shows at all that go this genuinely deep into Afro-American issues, especially from a female perspective. Very importantly, it highlights a good section of African-American experience that arguably has not been effectively covered in modern television. At the same time, from some perspectives, it seemingly unwittingly has done so at the expense of putting down another section of the black community—the African community—in America. More than once, and over more than one season, BMJ has, in reference, put down Africa not in an overt way, of course, but in a condescending way that is handed down so inadvertently it is simply insulting! And that is alienating. It’s great to celebrate brown people on television and in media, but that should not come at the expense of another set of brown people.

For a show that seeks to highlight issues faced by a minority in society, it’s slightly putting down another minority on the world stage. But this is a Single African-American’s story to tell. Africans will tell their own story, and Africans are rooting for you, Mary Jane Paul!

(4/5)

On Acting: The Cast

Gabrielle Union

Gabrielle Union is Mary Jane Paul and there’s almost nothing more to say about that! Can you imagine if, one day, Production pulled a “Days of Our Lives” and switched the actress for Mary Jane with another actress? Would you care to watch? Union relays her characters assertive confidence and complexity with ease and intrigue!

Love watching Lisa Vidal as Kara Lynch in Being Mary

Lisa Vidal

Jane! Her drive and passion and expertise in her work is great! And Vidal does well to relay all of that!

Stephen Bishop is the on-again off-again

boyfriend so we have to keep him as a male rep on here. He plays his character so well I’m almost exasperated writing about it right now!

Our other male rep. is BJ Britt, MJ’s lil brother, and the smart young man. As the actor skilfully portrays, book smart, but I wouldn’t say life smart as I am sure his not-so smart decisions will come back to bite him. Just wait for season 4!

(4/5)

On Production: The Creativity

Oh production is almost everything! The music is lit! The set design—MJ’s house is one fantasies are made of! #LifeGoals #ProductionKillsIt

(4.5/5)

On Resolution: The Conclusion

Each season ends well, hinging on an incomplete story willing you to come back for more. Season three takes its newly found greater focus on social issues to the next level, daring you to come back for season four. Ratings show Being Mary Jane steadily dropping despite its previously earned accolades. Are shows like Empire proving more competition, or is Mary Jane as a personality becoming just too grating and overbearing? Will you watch to see more or will you, of whatever reason, ditch Being Mary Jane?

(3/5)

The Verdict: An interesting look into social issues in America, and an entertaining watch too.

Overall Score = 15.5/20

Posted In 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, African American, Black, Drama, English, Female, Female Director, Gabrielle Union, Romance, TV Series, USA, Women | 0 comments |

Review: Love★Com (2006 Film)

Saturday, February 13, 2016 | Posted by The Entertainment Geek

Ignoring my better judgement not to judge a book by its cover, I picked up Love★Com because it looked really animated. And as the cover suggested, the movie was essentially anime in real life!

“Annoyingly animated, yet ridiculously fun.”

The Rundown

Behind the name: ラブ★コン Full name—Lovely Complex based on a Manga

Country: Japan, 2006

Genre: Teen Comedy

Distributed by: Schochicku Fuji Company

Director: Kitaji Ishikawa

Cast: Ema Fujisawa (as Risa Koizumi), Teppei Koike (as Atsushi Ōtani), Nami Tamaki ( as Ishihara Nobuko), Heikichi Nakao (as Yusuke Yamazaki)

Compare to: Sailor Moon, Romeo x Juliet, Cardcaptor Sakura

Hate it or Love it? Luv it J

Synopsis in a Sentence: Rika likes Otani, buts she’s taller than your average girl and he’s shorter than your average guy, so they try to make things work, but together they make an off-beat, quirky high school couple.

Love★Com is your typical shōjo manga* story transposed into film. Directly transposed. So as you can guess, its all anime, anime, anime and the film is no different. It’s quite interesting to see film pop-out at you like video out of a book, but if you’re not in the mood, you’d only be annoyed by it. Still, there’s no doubt that the story itself is popular, as the story has survived transmission from manga to TV, to anime, to video game and finally, to film!

*(A shōjo manga is a comic/print cartoon directed toward female audiences between 10-18)

On Writing: The Plot

In film form, the writing quite honestly falls flat. There’s really nothing to it, but ridiculous comedy which kind-of works, but lacks any real base. Regardless, you’ll be too distracted by the overly active production techniques in the film to care. Its pop-up, out-in-your face, anime, anime, anime!!!… in the form of film.

But the plot addresses real issues: prejudice and double standards, and as the title entails, the “lovely” social complex faced by short-man, tall-woman couples, especially in societies like Japan.

(3.5/5)

On Acting: The Cast

Like the production, the cast is overly active. Think bizarre gestures, outrageous clothes (pink caps, green shorts and blue vests for boys, red, white and pink polka-dotted dresses for girls) and ridiculous film techniques (pop-out characters, game characters coming to life). It’s really not bad but it might grate on you, then again, you don’t see many films like this so why not just enjoy it?

Ema Fujisawa

Although Lead actress Ema Fujisawa plays a character much younger than her real age, she certainly doesn’t look it but her unnecessarily animated gestures tell us that it’s been a long time since she was in high school. A talented actress, regardless. She single-handedly keeps us into the film.

Teppei Koike

Teppei Koike who takes the role of lead actor suffers similar symptoms, but mostly in the wardrobe department—who says playing dress-up on a man will make him a boy? His acting skills don’t suffer though, although he is betrayed by the wrinkles by the side of his eyes.

(3.5/5)

On Production: The Creativity

As though it hasn’t been said enough, this film is all-around anime, as put by another review; it’s essentially transposed anime. And it really is, but It’s actually fun. Think Lizzie McGuire, pop-up cartoon movie. While this is done sparingly, in a more sophisticated, comedic fashion, it’s done tastefully, and it is, in a ridiculous manner, honestly, quite fun!

One more thing—there’s a slight goof in production, but I’ll let you figure that out yourself. Somewhere mid-film.

(4/5)

On Resolution: The Conclusion

This film is made for younger viewers, but a good film should translate into any age range, and as the target age range is up to 18 years old, its no excuse that the film does not tend to the greater movie viewing audience. When it comes down to it, it’s essentially a love story, and regardless, the ending was good, actually.

(3/5)

The Verdict: See it when you’re on sugar (or anime) overload J

Overall Score = 14/20