Archive for August 2015

“I define being the best as competing against the best there is out there and beating them.” –Torrance (Bring It On, 2000)

“I don’t know what’s scarier, neurotic cheerleaders or the pressure to win. I could make a killing selling something like Diet Prozac.” –Missy (Bring It On, 2000)

“Look, we’re the shit, the best. We work hard, have fun, and win national championships. I’m offering you a chance to be a part of that.” –Torrance (Bring It On, 2000)

Title : Bring It On

Director : Peyton Reed

Starring : Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, Gabrielle Union

Genre : comedy, teen drama

Distributor : Universal Pictures

Release date : 25 August 2000

Running time : 98 minutes

"Bring It On" movie poster - source: en.wikipedia.org

Being a grown-up is not only measured by the number of age, but also the maturity of mind. It’s not about how old we’ve got, but it’s more about the matter of how our lives so far has shaped our perspective towards life itself, how we handle things, how we deal with daily problems, and how we want to find ourselves in the future. A life-changing moment can happen in anytime, hence people will never stop growing up. Within the ups and downs of life, people are forced to keep growing strong, and that’s the measurement of being a grown-up. Well oh well, August will be over in just two days and this perhaps is our last post for Growing Strong. Me myself had a roller-coaster month and it has been amazing with its ups and downs. So, in order to conclude this amazing month, I would like to present a review of the film titled “Bring It On”. And apparently, a few days ago was the 15th anniversary of this cult classic teenage movie.

source: imdb.com

The movie follows the journey of high school cheerleading squad, the Toros of Rancho Grande High School, led by the newly appointed team captain Torrance Shipman (portrayed by Kirsten Dunst). However, during the first practice they have with Torrance as captain, one of her teammate is injured and can no longer compete. After having an audition, Torrance replaces her injured teammate with Missy Pantone (portrayed by Eliza Dushku), a gymnast who recently transferred to the school with her brother Cliff Pantone (portrayed Jesse Bradford), with whom Torrance develops a flirtatious friendship. After watching the Toros practice, Missy recognizes their routines from a rival squad that her previous high school used to compete against. She drives Torrance to Los Angeles, where they watch the Clovers of East Compton High School perform routines that are virtually identical to their own team’s. Torrance learns that the Toros’ former captain regularly attended the Clovers’ practices to videotape and steal their routines.

At the Toros’ next home game, the Clovers, led by team captain Isis (portrayed by Gabrielle Union), show up and perform the Toros’ routine in front of the whole school, humiliating them. The Toros realize that they have no choice but to learn a different routine. In desperation, they employ a professional choreographer named Sparky Polastri (Ian Roberts) to provide one, as suggested by Torrance’s boyfriend, Aaron (Richard Hillman). However, at the Regional Championship, the team scheduled immediately ahead of the Toros performs the exact routine they had been practicing. The Toros have no choice but to perform the very same routine. After the debacle that ensues, Torrance speaks to a competition official and it turns out that Polastri has provided the routine to several other teams in California. As the defending champions, the Toros are nevertheless granted their place in the National Championship, but Torrance is warned that within the limited time and high pressure, a new routine will be expected from the Toros.

source: imdb.com

The art of creating something organic and original is never easy, and also, not to mention the difficult work that goes into that creative endeavor. Nevertheless, life is about hard work, and it’s a part of growing up too. When Torrance takes the leadership baton from the former captain of Toros, the team is at its peak, defending champion for years at the Nationals. Consequently, this makes her not only being responsible to continue the legacy, but also to defend their winning status. However, responsibilities aren’t as simple as just painting by a set of simple numbers to take her team to victory. The thing about life is, it isn’t handed to you on a silver platter. It’s about hard work, and Torrance is about getting to understand it when she becomes the captain. And in order to trigger creativity, sometimes we have to get out from the comfort zone, tear it all apart, and build it all over again from the beginning. It’s hard and nobody says it’s gonna be easy. But at least, we try our best, and growing up takes some trials and errors.

Through Torrance’s journey here, we can see the rough and painful transition from high school to adulthood; about growing up and accepting responsibility. Not all of her team members are following her just because she is the captain, yet from this she learns that a leader doesn’t lead by status, but by attitude. The effort doesn’t end by becoming a leader, because there’s always be the next challenges, perhaps even bigger and harder than before. The fight doesn’t end by becoming a champion, because there’s always be another contenders, perhaps even stronger and tougher than before. Thing about highs school is, well, while living it sometimes we were drifted away, we feel like we live in this protective little bubble filled with friends and exams and extracurriculars. And while some of that prepares us for college and the world beyond, none of it truly prepares us for the responsibilities and the harsh realities of being on our own, of taking ownership of our mistakes and our faults, of trying to be better versions of ourselves.

source: imdb.com

Therefore, in life there are people known as the agents of moral awakening. Someone will meet some people that give enlightenment towards them, give meanings and new perspectives, or even open their eyes and become a trigger to something important in their life; that’s the agent of moral awakening. As for Torrance, that person is Missy. Missy helps remove the blinders from Torrance’s eyes, showing her a world that exists beyond her high school, and even her own city, by taking her down to East Compton to see the Clovers, whose cheering routines her former captain plagiarized. I recognize the same pattern with what happens in “Pitch Perfect”; Beca is the agent of moral awakening for Aubrey, only it doesn’t take the whole team to disenchant Torrance that a change is indeed needed in order to be better. On the other hand, she is the one who has to convince her team to take a chance and make a change and breakaway, to gather their courage and trust, to make it all work and grow strong together as a team.

With all that’s happening in her life, Torrance probably doesn’t have time to think about romance. Well, it’s not high school if there’s not a splash of romance in it. It’s an inevitable part of growing up. And romance, probably, is one of the most crucial triggers in human’s maturity. As for Torrance, through her relationship with Aaron, she realizes that everyone needs somebody who’s always there to support and console them whenever they need, not physically but psychologically. When she fails, she needs someone to cheer her up instead of someone who judges and brings her down. Through her budding friendship/romance with Cliff, Torrance realizes that boyfriend is not merely a lover, but more of a bestfriend and partner, apparently, something that she hardly finds in Aaron. Moreover, she finds out that Aaron cheats on her, and this is the worst part of a relationship. She’s young, beautiful, and talented, so why wasting her time with unfaithful boyfriend like him. Here, Cliff becomes her another agent of moral awakening; rude, but for good.

source: imdb.com

Since its release, “Bring It On” has become a cult classic, been appeared in some other movies with teen or cheerleading theme. It received mostly positive reviews, with some critics praising its light nature and humorous take on its subject. All of the cast members were falling right into their places, and I have to mention that the chemistry between Dunst and Bradford was no joke. Jessica Bendinger did a well-done job as the scriptwriter, making a witty and quite realistic plot, which in the end, it’s not the result that matter the most, but the hardships that we’ve been through during the process. Just like (ups, spoiler upcoming!) what Torrance said to Cliff when the Toros won only second place at the Nationals, which means they were failed to hold their defending champion, “It feels like first.” In return, they got new friends and became unified stronger than ever, and more importantly they understood that it’s so much more than just a winning trophy.

“I am a choreographer. It’s what I do. You are cheerleaders. Cheerleaders are dancers who have gone retarded. What you do is a tiny, pathetic subset of dancing. I will attempt to transform your stiff, robotic routines into poetry written with the human body. Follow me or perish, sweater-monkeys.” –Sparky Polastri (Bring It On, 2000)

Wrote by Mashita Fandia

source: here

Good people are gone too soon, that’s what they always say. And they’re probably right. Perhaps it’s true, well, it’s true most of the time; good people are gone too soon. Lately I’ve been thinking about death. No, not my own, but people around me. People whom I used to know, or people whom I didn’t get to know. Thinking how and why I didn’t have the chance to know them better, yet it feels fascinating to be able to learn something from the memories of them. And some days ago, an unfortunate event happened. Someone passed away. Someone whom I only knew for a short time, yet she was so kind to me, a warm and lovely woman. The thing is, people will never know when death is coming. And not all of them can say goodbye properly. That’s just they way life is. Like a mid summer night’s dream, she just passed away like that. This post is dedicated for you, Ma’am, rest in peace. And may the living can keep growing strong.

“And I loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter, and I gave forgiveness I’ve been denying. And he said, someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying.” –Tim McGraw, Live Like You Were Dying

For my beloved Ma’am, today’s song is titled “Live Like You Were Dying”, performed by American country singer, Tim McGraw. The song was released on June 7th 2004 as the first single and title track from his eighth studio album of the same name. I first recognized this song when a fictional a cappella group, Tone Hangers, performed it during the riff-off scene on 2015 musical comedy film, “Pitch Perfect2”. The country song was written by Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman.

"Live Like You Were Dying" single cover - source: en.wikipedia.org

Though Tim McGraw didn’t write the song himself, he particularly agreed to sing this song because it was lyrically associated with his father, Tug McGraw, who was hospitalized with a brain tumor and cancer before he died ten months later. It tells the story of a man in his early forties who gets the news that his father has an unspecified, life-threatening illness. His father’s message is to live life to the fullest and do things that he had always wanted to do. “He said I was in my early 40s with a lot of life before me, and a moment came that stopped me on a dime. I spent most of the next days looking at the x-rays, talking ‘bout the options and talking ‘bout sweet time. Asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real end, how’s it hit you, when you get that kind of news, man what you do, and he says,” if only people knew that they were going to die soon, they might do what they always wanted the most. If only.

People who have been touched by the death always have some different perspectives about life. And whenever they touch other people, the perspectives are spreading too. Have you ever read Mitch Albom’s “Tuesdays with Morrie”? Well, you gotta read if you haven’t. Like Tim McGraw, Mitch Albom is a person who had been touched by people who had been touched by death. And it’s fascinating to see their point of view towards life. “He said I was finally the husband, that most the time I wasn’t, and I became a friend a friend would like to have. And all the sudden going fishing, wasn’t such an imposition, and I went three times that year I lost my dad. Well I finally read the good book and I took a good long hard look at what I’d do, if I could do it all again, and then,” realizing that death can come in anytime subconsciously makes people appreciate and cherish their life more than before.

The life of the departed ended when they were died. But someone’s death can be a beginning of someone else’s life. There’s nothing more precious human left behind in this world than their memories; meanings, that can give lessons toward other people around them. People whom they used to know. People whom they didn’t get the chance to know. People who only hear about their stories. My late Grandpa always told me to take the chance, to do what I want, to be brave, to keep growing strong. “I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing, I went 2.7 seconds on a bull name Fumanchu. And I loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter, and I gave forgiveness I’ve been denying. And he said, someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying.” And as I’m getting older I understand, every time we have in this life is a gift. Make the best out of it is the greatest way to be grateful. The deceased are already gone and done with this life, but the living are continue living. “Like tomorrow was a gift, and you’ve got eternity to think about what you do with it, what could you do with it, what can I do with with it, what would I do with it.”

Tim McGraw in "Live Like You Were Dying" music video

“Live Like You Were Dying” gained a commercial success, by reaching number one on the US Billboard country music charts and holding that position for a total of seven weeks. It was also named as the Number One country song of 2004 by Billboard. Hearing this song somehow gives me strength, to live like I were dying, to keep on living while growing strong. And once again, may the departed people rest in peace.

“Like tomorrow was a gift, and you’ve got eternity to think about what you do with it, what could you do with it, what can I do with with it, what would I do with it.” –Tim McGraw, Live Like You Were Dying

“He said I was in my early 40s with a lot of life before me, and a moment came that stopped me on a dime

I spent most of the next days looking at the x-rays, talking ‘bout the options and talking ‘bout sweet time

Asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real end

How’s it hit you, when you get that kind of news, man what you do, and he says

I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing, I went 2.7 seconds on a bull name Fumanchu

And I loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter, and I gave forgiveness I’ve been denying

And he said someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying

He said I was finally the husband, that most the time I wasn’t, and I became a friend a friend would like to have

And all the sudden going fishing, wasn’t such an imposition, and I went three times that year I lost my dad

Well I finally read the good book and I took a good long hard look at what I’d do

If I could do it all again, and then

Like tomorrow was a gift and you’ve got eternity to think about what you do with it

What could you do with it, what can I do with with it, what would I do with it

Sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing, I went 2.7 seconds on a bull name Fumanchu

And I loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter, and I watched an eagle as it was flying

And he said someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying

To live like you were dying, to live like you were dying

To live like you were dying, to live like you were dying”

Wrote by Mashita Fandia

source: here

Have you ever been cheated? Have you ever cheated? Well, as a person who has been both, I’ll say both sucks. At first that I had been cheated before, I thought it would feel great when I could be the cheater or the third person, just to, well, you know, feel better, even the score, get some new perspective, and shits like that. Well, I can’t say that it didn’t feel good at first, but soon after I learned that it didn’t get better. I did even the score, in some way. I did get some new perspectives, eye-opening ones. But definitely didn’t feel better. See, the thing is, a cheater is just an empty shell. They just don’t know what they’re looking for, yet. And worse, they don’t have any idea what they really need for life. Been cheated on before doesn’t give you right to be a cheater or the third person. Just for the sake of yourself, or your next person if we think ahead, think before you cheat. If you’ve been cheated once and for the first time ever, don’t let it sucking you up. It stinks and hurts so much too, I know, but you must be growing strong for the sake of no one else but yourself. Grow strong and make him thinking before he cheats.

“I dug my key into the side of his pretty little suped up 4 wheel drive, carved my name into his leather seats. I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slashed a hole in all 4 tires. Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats.” –Carrie Underwood, Before He Cheats

Today’s song for Growing Strong is titled “Before He Cheats”, performed by Carrie Underwood, American singer who rose to fame as the winner of American Idol in 2005. The country pop-rock track was released on August 19th 2006 as the fourth single taken from her debut album, “Some Hearts”. It was written by Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear.

"Before He Cheats" single cover - source: en.wikipedia.org

Thing about women in love is, they tend to forgive and forget easily. Thing about cheaters is, there’s really no stopping them, unless we do something about it, and though, well, even that’s not a guarantee that they won’t do it again. “Before He Cheats” is lyrically speaking about a woman taking revenge on her unfaithful lover, could be boyfriend or husband. “Right now he’s probably slow dancing with a bleached-blond tramp, and she’s probably getting frisky. Right now, he’s probably buying her some fruity little drink, ‘cause she can’t shoot whiskey. Right now, he’s probably up behind her with a pool stick, showing her how to shoot a combo. Right now, she’s probably up singing some white-trash version of Shania karaoke. Right now, she’s probably saying, ‘I’m drunk’, and he’s a-thinking that he’s gonna get lucky. Right now, he’s probably dabbing on 3 dollars worth of that bathroom Polo. And he don’t know,” that the way women’s intuition works is more terrifying than how Sherlock Holmes’ brain thinks.

Women always know, whenever something is off, something is not right, something wrong is going on, and else. And when a faith is broken, women know. And when women are in rage, the result could be even more horrifying than Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk. “I dug my key into the side of his pretty little suped up 4 wheel drive, carved my name into his leather seats. I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slashed a hole in all 4 tires. Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats.” When women discover that they’re being cheated, there are at least five stages they’ll face afterward: denial, anger, fear, bargaining, and acceptance. Can’t believe they does that, it makes us so mad, but we can’t leave them, how about we just forgive and forget. It’s a long way to go, girl, but when it turns out that nothing could make the cheater stop, then just accept that we need to move on. “I might’ve saved a little trouble for the next girl, ‘cause the next time that he cheats, oh, you know it won’t be on me. No, not on me.”

Carrie Underwood in "Before He Cheats" music video

Music video for “Before He Cheats” was directed by Roman White. It premiered on MTV’s “Total Request Live” in April 2007. The song and video gained both commercial and critical success, leading to a number of accolades received. A character played by actress Anna Kendrick, Beca, sang this song during the riff-off scene in 2015 musical comedy film “Pitch Perfect 2”.

“I might’ve saved a little trouble for the next girl, ‘cause the next time that he cheats, oh, you know it won’t be on me. No, not on me.” –Carrie Underwood, Before He Cheats

“Right now he’s probably slow dancing with a bleached-blond tramp, and she’s probably getting frisky

Right now, he’s probably buying her some fruity little drink, ‘cause she can’t shoot whiskey

Right now, he’s probably up behind her with a pool stick, showing her how to shoot a combo

And he don’t know

That I dug my key into the side of his pretty little suped up 4 wheel drive

Carved my name into his leather seats

I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slashed a hole in all 4 tires

Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats

Right now, she’s probably up singing some white-trash version of Shania karaoke

Right now, she’s probably saying, “I’m drunk”, and he’s a-thinking that he’s gonna get lucky

Right now, he’s probably dabbing on 3 dollars worth of that bathroom Polo

Oh, and he don’t know

I might’ve saved a little trouble for the next girl

‘Cause the next time that he cheats, oh, you know it won’t be on me, no, not on me

‘Cause I dug my key into the side of his pretty little suped up 4 wheel drive

Carved my name into his leather seats

I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slashed a hole in all 4 tires

Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats

Oh, maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats”

Wrote by Mashita Fandia

source: here

People grow up and at some point they cross path with some other people who bring out the different side of them. Some of them are good ones, but there are also bad ones. When we’re teenagers for example, all of us must have met some people whom we dislike, or even hate, so much to the bone. Whether those people have annoyed us in some way, hurt us in a very horrible way, or perhaps, even just their appearances were bothering us somehow. Well everyone has their evil side inside them. And at that time, we might have wished the worst thing for life. We might have wished them death. We might have wished them to just feel how it is to be on our feet and experience the same pain they gave towards us. We might forgive, but definitely not forget. But then we’re becoming an adult. Time has passed, we meet those people again, knowing that they’re doing just fine. And then we realize, letting out our anger is not working for anyone else but ourselves, in order to settle with our inner peace, light a fire in the darkness of our hearts. Therefore we’re able to move on. Therefore we’re growing strong.

“I’m in the details with the devil, so now the world can never get me on my level. I just gotta get you off the cage, I’m a young lover’s rage, gonna need a spark to ignite.” –Fall Out Boy, My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)

A song titled “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)” is today’s song for Growing Strong. The electronic pop-punk-rock track is performed by American rock band Fall Out Boy. It was released on February 4th 2013 as the lead single for their fifth studio album, “Save Rock and Roll”. The song was served as the band’s first single following their three years of hiatus, as well as marking the band’s return to music. It was written by Fall Out Boy themselves; Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz, Joe Trohman, and Andy Hurley, along with Butch Walker and John Hill. Commercially, the single debuted on charts worlwide with success, and was certified three-times Platinum.

"My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)" single cover - source: en.wikipedia.org

Everyone has a little dark in them. Perhaps in a form of rage, or resentment. It’s not a good thing to hold back, and sometimes we just have to burn it all, in order to raise up, growing strong. The lyrics of “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)” speak about someone who start with a clean slate, by burning all of the darkness inside them, being born and raising again from the ashes like a phoenix. “Be careful making wishes in the dark, can’t be sure when they’ve hit their mark. And besides in the mean time, I’m just dreaming of tearing you apart. I’m in the details with the devil, so now the world can never get me on my level. I just gotta get you off the cage. I’m a young lover’s rage, gonna need a spark to ignite.” Some people are possessed by the devil, some others are the devil itself, and some are just victims. Being hurt doesn’t give us the right to hurt someone else. In some way, at some point, people are meant to be hurt, to feel in pain, rage, disappoinment, anger, resentment, hate, and let them all out, spell a curse. That way they’ll learn and understand how to deal with themselves. That way they’re growing strong.

Everyone has a dark side of them. And it’s all in their hands whether to be consumed by it or not. Everybody has a choice. And if we’re not careful with it, we might be turning into the devil itself. Everyone has been hurt, yet it’s not a reason to hurt someone else in return. Because the best revenge is to walk on and show them that it’s not a big deal what they’ve done to us. The universe always has its way to balance itself. “All the writers keep writing what they write, somewhere another pretty vein just dies. I’ve got the scars from tomorrow, and I wish you could see that you’re the antidote to everything except for me. A constellation of tears on your lashes, burn everything you love, then burn the ashes. In the end everything collides, my childhood spat back out the monster that you see.” It’s never too late to start a fresh. It’s okay remember what we’ve been through. But don’t let it affect too much in what you’ll become. Anger, disappoinment, pain, resentment, hate, burn it all, light up the darkness; it’s all for growing strong. “My songs know what you did in the dark. So light ‘em up, I’m on fire in the dark.”

Fall Out Boy in "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)" music video

A music video for “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)” is the first of “The Young Blood Chronicles”, an ongoing series with the band filming a video for every song on “Save Rock and Roll”. The song was a comeback success for Fall Out Boy, reaching over 5 million digital downloads by August 2015, being the band’s first song to do so. A remix version, featuring rapper 2 Chainz, with hip-hop sound was released on April 3rd 2013. The a cappella rendition of the song was performed in the musical comedy film “Pitch Perfect 2”, covered by the fictional a cappella group, Das Sound Machine, for their World Championship final performance.

“All the writers keep writing what they write, somewhere another pretty vein just dies. I’ve got the scars from tomorrow, and I wish you could see that you’re the antidote to everything except for me.” –Fall Out Boy, My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)

“Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa

Be careful making wishes in the dark, dark, can’t be sure when they’ve hit their mark

And besides in the mean, mean time, I’m just dreaming of tearing you apart

I’m in the details with the devil, so now the world can never get me on my level

I just gotta get you off the cage, I’m a young lover’s rage, gonna need a spark to ignite

My songs know what you did in the dark

So light ‘em up, up, up, light ‘em up, up, up, light ‘em up, up, up, I’m on fire

Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, in the dark, dark

All the writers keep writing what they write, somewhere another pretty vein just dies

I’ve got the scars from tomorrow and I wish you could see that you’re the antidote to everything except for me, me

A constellation of tears on your lashes, burn everything you love, then burn the ashes

In the end everything collides, my childhood spat back out the monster that you see

Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa”

Wrote by Mashita Fandia

source: here

I grew up being taught that the heaven lies in mother’s soles of the feet. I used to accept it as an understanding that we must respect our mothers. They bear us for nine months and deliver us into the world while risking their own life. They feed us and give up everything they have to raise and protect us. If there’s a real superhero in this world, it would be a mother. Well now, as I’ve grown up, I learn something new. Every mother is a woman before she is a mother. Therefore, ‘the heaven lies in mother’s soles of the feet’ is basically telling us to respect women in general. And in my case, to respect myself as a woman. I used to wonder; will it be great if I were born as a man? Silly thought, I know. But an interesting thing about being a woman is, in my opinion, no matter how may times I wonder how it is to be a man, I never wished to be one. On the other hand, I’m so grateful being born as a woman. Eve was sent onto this world because Adam needed her, right? See, girls? It’s men who basically need us. They need us to run the world, because we have the lock. So ladies, don’t think that we’re worthless or helpless, not even for a second. For running the world, we need to be growing strong.

“This goes out to all the women getting it in, you’re on your grind. To other men that respect what I do, please accept my shine. Boy, I know you love it how we’re smart enough to make these millions, strong enough to bear the children, then get back to business.” –Beyonce, Run The World (Girls)

Today’s song for Growing Strong is an inspirational track that gives strength for women, titled “Run The World (Girls)”, performed by American singer Beyonce. The dubstep R n’ B track was released on April 21st 2011 as the lead single from her fourth studio album, “4”. The female empowerment hit was written by Beyonce Knowles herself, along with Terius “The-Dream” Nash, Nick “Afrojack” van de Wall, Wesley “Diplo” Pentz, David “Switch” Taylor, and Adidja Palmer.

"Run The World (Girls)" single cover - source: en.wikipedia.org

Who said we, women, can’t be fierce and aggressive? The lyrics of “Run The World (Girls)”, according to Beyonce herself, is saying the things that women want to say but sometimes are not confident enough to say. Well yeah, I’m thinking about it and still can’t get quite sure why do men are being tolerated doing some things when women aren’t? For example, cursing. When people see a man curse, they go ‘well, okay, he curses,’ end of story. But when they see a woman curse, they go like ‘how can a woman has a rude tongue like that? Didn’t her parents teach her anything about being polite?’ Well that’s unfair, everyone, I tell you. We, women, we like to curse too, you know. It doesn’t make us the worst person ever. We can curse and then put the trash into the garbage. Damn it! “Some of them men think they freak this like we do, but no they don’t. Make your check come at they neck, disrespect us no they won’t. Boy don’t even try to touch this, boy this beat is crazy. This is how they made me Houston Texas baby. This goes out to all my girls that’s in the club rocking the latest, who will buy it for themselves and get more money later. I think I need a barber, none of these niggas can fade me. I’m so good with this, I remind you I’m so hood with this.”

Totally sad but true, there are still people living in this world who are still thinking that women belong only in kitchen and bed. Come on, seriously? We’re not living in that age anymore, baby, wake up! Nowadays women are studying higher and working even harder than men. And I must say, a real man can never be offended by that. Instead, a real man will be honoured to have a woman like that, not standing behind him, but staying beside him. For people who still think that women can’t have both career and family run well along side by side, then think again. I won’t go too far, take my mother for example, she’s a wonderful mom yet she’s a woman of career whose earnings can send her daughter off to college. “It’s hot up in here, DJ don’t be scared to run this back. I’m reppin’ for the girls who taking over the world, help me raise a glass for the college grads. Fourty-one rollin’ to let you know what time it is, check. You can’t hold me, I work my nine to five, better cut my check. This goes out to all the women getting it in, you’re on your grind. To other men that respect what I do, please accept my shine. Boy I know you love it how we’re smart enough to make these millions, strong enough to bear the children, then get back to business.”

In several times, women degrade themselves and they do that in purpose to get a man. Perhaps I did that too subconsciously at some point. But at some point too somehow, I realized that it’s not a right thing to do. Well, we might get a man by doing that, but definitely not a real man. A man will work hard and not letting his woman to do a harder, or even better, work than him. But a real man will work hard while supporting his woman to do her work too, since we never know what tomorrow may bring, it’s better to be prepared, right? Do you have any idea how many single mothers are in this world? Well, a lot. It could be the death, could be a divorce; one way or another, a real man need a strong woman beside him, and we need a real man beside us. “Boy I’m just playing, come here baby, hope you still like me, f- you pay me. See, you better not play me, oh, come here baby, hope you still like me, f- you hate me. My persuasion can build a nation, endless power. With our love we can devour, you’ll do anything for me.” If a man breaks you up using ‘I’m not good for you’ or ‘you’re too good for me’, it’s not on you, it’s just him who can’t keep up with your awesomeness. Don’t get weak, standing up, growing strong, because, “Who run the world? Girls!”

Beyonce in "Run The World (Girls)" music video

A music video for “Run The World (Girls)” was directed by Francis Lawrence. It premiered on “American Idol” on May 18th 2011, received general acclaim from critics, and won the Best Choreography at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. The song itself was covered in the a cappella mash-up for musical comedy film “Pitch Perfect 2”, performed by the Barden Bellas during their World Championship final performance.

“My persuasion can build a nation, endless power. With our love we can devour, you’ll do anything for me.” –Beyonce, Run The World (Girls)

“Girls, we run this motha, yeah! GIRLS!

Who run the world? Girls! Who run this motha? Girls! Who run the world? Girls!

Some of them men think they freak this like we do, but no they don’t

Make your check come at they neck, disrespect us no they won’t

Boy don’t even try to touch this, boy this beat is crazy

This is how they made me Houston Texas baby

This goes out to all my girls that’s in the club rocking the latest

Who will buy it for themselves and get more money later

I think I need a barber, none of these niggas can fade me

I’m so good with this, I remind you I’m so hood with this

Boy I’m just playing, come here baby, hope you still like me, f- you pay me

My persuasion can build a nation, endless power, with our love we can devour

You’ll do anything for me

It’s hot up in here, DJ don’t be scared to run this, run this back

I’m reppin’ for the girls who taking over the world, help me raise a glass for the college grads

41 rollin’ to let you know what time it is, check

You can’t hold me, I work my 9 to 5, better cut my check

This goes out to all the women getting it in, you’re on your grind

To other men that respect what I do, please accept my shine

Boy I know you love it how we’re smart enough to make these millions

Strong enough to bear the children, then get back to business

See, you better not play me, oh, come here baby, hope you still like me, f- you hate me

My persuasion can build a nation, endless power, with our love we can devour

You’ll do anything for me

Who are we? What we run? The world (who run this motha, yeah)

Who are we? What do we run? We run the world! (who run this motha, yeah)

Who are we? What we run? We run the world

Who run the world? Girls!”

Wrote by Mashita Fandia

source: imdb.com

“Sometimes you have to break things down before you can build them up again.” –Aubrey (Pitch Perfect 2, 2015)

“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I’m afraid too, to move on, to graduate. It’s really scary.” –Chloe (Pitch Perfect 2, 2015)

“You know, when I look back on this, I won’t remember performing and competing. I’m gonna remember you, weirdos. It makes me really sad to think it won’t ever be like this again. I’m gonna miss you guys.” –Beca (Pitch Perfect 2, 2015)

Title : Pitch Perfect 2

Director : Elizabeth Banks

Starring : Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin, Hailee Steinfeld

Genre : musical, comedy

Distributor : Universal Pictures

Release date : 15 May 2015

Running time : 115 minutes

"Pitch Perfect 2" movie poster - source: imdb.com

College life plays a significant role in a human’s life, which is a never ending journey of process. Whether they are freshmen or seniors, college life has its own charms that can excite and terrify people at the same time. It’s just a history repeating itself from time to time. Getting into a school that we’ve always wanted is like living in a dream; it’s so exciting yet so terrifying, now that it’s really happening, can we do great, or just good at least? Being in a group that we’ve always been is like living in a dream too, because we know that sooner or later we have to move on and leave it all behind; and now that it has become our everything in life, how will we leave that behind? Well, every in-between transition of life’s stages makes people scared and growing strong at the same time. Eventually, every moment of the present will be memories for the future. So while we’re living it, why don’t we make it into a wonderful one? Here is the second movie for Growing Strong, “Pitch Perfect 2”. Yup, they’re back, pitches.

source: imdb.com

Three years after the events of the ending scene in “Pitch Perfect”, the Barden Bellas are now led by co-leaders Beca Mitchell (Anna Kendrick) and Chloe Beale (Brittany Snow). Their performance at President Obama’s birthday gala disastrously ends when Fat Amy’s (Rebel Wilson) airlifting solo goes awry, and they are suspended from performing in any a cappella showcase. The National A Cappella Association, hereby represented by Gail (Elizabeth Banks) and John (John Michael Higgins) makes a deal with Beca that Bellas’ only shot at redemption is to win at the World Championships of A Cappella, which is almost impossible for an American group to do so. As a part of their suspension contract, the Bellas aren’t allowed to participate in the audition to recruit new members. However, a freshman Emily Junk (Hailee Steinfeld) stops by the Bellas’ house for an audition, which is not violating the terms since Emily is the one who’s coming to them, not the other way around. And also, she’s a legacy –her mother, Katherine Junk (Katey Sagal), was once a Bella – and the Bellas need new blood anyway, so they decide to accept her.

Meanwhile, Beca secretly starts an internship work at a recording studio that only her boyfriend, Jesse Swanson (Skylar Astin), knows about. None of the Bellas, not Cynthia Rose (Ester Dean), Stacie (Alexis Knapp), Lilly (Hana Mae Lee), or Flo (Chrissie Fit), find that out but Fat Amy. Because of her new job, not only Beca has her concentration divided between it and the Bellas, but she also doesn’t present when the Bellas are recruiting Emily. The two meet for the first time during a party, the same one which the Treblemakers’ member Benji Applebaum (Ben Platt) flirts with Emily, as well as Fat Amy with the ex-Trebles-now-campus-security Bumper Allen (Adam DeVine). The Bellas confront with Das Sound Machine, intimidating German group led by Kommissar (Birgitte Hjort Sørensen) and her second-in-command Pieter Krämer (Flula Borg). Despite their big efforts to reinstate their status, the Bellas find their warm-up performance becomes another disaster, which leads them to go to a retreat led by their former leader, Aubrey Posen (Anna Camp).

source: imdb.com

People who once found their harmony, they will always find it again no matter how many times or how bad they’ve lost it. The harmony is always there. It’s just that they’re too busy seeing something else out there, rather than just trying too look at deeper inside. At some point, disharmony apparently happens when people are on top of the world, when everything seems like an easy clear path to them. They basically do whatever it takes until they’re losing their originality, subconsciously. They start to lose focus and end up losing their true spirit of harmony. In order to find it again, they must try to bound themselves, like they did the first time they succeed. In attempt to regain their lost harmony, people have to go back to ground zero, refind their original intention of having the harmony in the first place. And that’s what Chloe tries to do by taking the Bellas to a retreat with having Aubrey back as their coach.

Apparently, the retreat reveals their individual problems all this time, Beca and Chloe in particular. Both have a post-graduation syndrome, but in different ways. In Beca’s case, being a part of the Bellas doesn’t make her forgetting her dream of being a music director, and she thinks that three years in Bellas are enough time, and that everyone’s thinking the same: focusing in life after college and the Bellas. In Chloe’s case, she’s intentionally failed to graduate three times, stubbornly staying her seventh year in college now, just to be a Bella, and she thinks that the Bellas are her only life, her everything, and that everyone’s thinking the same: focusing on how to reinstate Bellas’ status. They both have the wonders and the fears: what will they do after this? Will they do better without it? Will they ever felt the same feeling again? Will they ever get a moment like this again? Have they done enough experimenting so that they won’t have any regret later?

source: imdb.com

Well, those kind of wonders and fears are natural for seniors like Beca and Chloe. They’re afraid of failing. They’re anxious of being success. At some point in life, we will eventually get to that. We will eventually come to the time and space we only imagined before. And at that time, the thing we only imagined before is happening before us. And when it happens, it’s just happening. We will eventually realize that there’s nothing more to be afraid and anxious of. It’s just another next phase of our lives. Just because someone is graduating and moving on, doesn’t mean that they are really going away. Just like Chloe finally realizes that she must graduate this year, pursue what she likes to do, and make her last performance with the Bellas the best of all. Just like Beca finally realizes that although she will leave the Bellas sooner or later, she must leave it with a good legacy instead of one with a disgraced reputation as it is now.

As long as people live, bigger challenge will always come towards them. The seniors Bellas now must make their final attempt to repair the damaged legacy, in order to leave the group with a good one. They’ve hit the rock bottom, therefore they’re growing strong. They’ve visited their ground zero, and so they’re ready to crush it again just like the first time. The bigger challenge usually leads people to their life-changing event of life, a rediscovery of dreams, a rebound of will. Just take a moment for a deep breath, look around, be grateful, because, “When tomorrow comes, I’ll be on my own, feeling frightened of the things that I don’t know. I got all I need when I got you and I, ‘cause I look around me and see your sweet life. I’m stuck in the darkness, you’re my flashlight, you’re getting me through the night. You kick start my heart when you shine it in my eyes, I can’t lie, it’s a sweet life. I’m stuck in the dark but you’re my flashlight, you’re getting me through the night.”

source: imdb.com

I remember Jesse said in the first movie, “I told you, endings are the best part.” And here for the sequel, I’m telling you that the ending is the best part. Actress-producer Elizabeth Banks took over the directing helmet from Jason Moore this time, marking her directorial debut. The story is developed from the perfectly laid background story from the original movie. Though Beca-Jesse romance is being benched in their stable state of relationship, we can see the comical relationship built between Fat Amy-Bumper, and also the new romance bloom between Benji-Emily. The Bellas also show a transformation in their more fashionable and feminine looks, without losing the touch of their true personalities. Kay Cannon who was back as the scriptwriter daringly took the story to the another level, which turned out great. As a result, “Pitch Perfect 2” has surpassed the total gross of its predecessor and also become the highest-grossing music comedy film of all time, making it one of the few successful sequels ever being made.

“We are gonna show them who we are. A bunch of ethnically diverse, for the most part feminine, amazing singers! Let’s just go out there and ack the world!” –Fat Amy (Pitch Perfect 2, 2015)

Wrote by Mashita Fandia

About Me

Featured post

Out of the Woods

TSOGM - a fiction

Blog Archive

FOLLOW US @ INSTAGRAM