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Reviews
Geography Club (2013)
Geography Club
Geography Club is an inspirational movie that every LGBTQ youth should see. It's based off Brent Hartinger's novel of the same name and follows Russell Middlebrook as he learns to be proud of his sexuality and unafraid of what others think. Cameron Deane Stewart lends a quiet grace to the character of Russell and makes you hope that things will work out for him and his secret quarterback boyfriend Kevin, played by Justin Deeley. Their sweet romance was one of my favorite parts of this movie. When Russell and Kevin get caught kissing by Min, a fellow classmate, she invites them to join the 'Geography Club' which is the code name for a secret meet-up of fellow gay students. Min's girlfriend Terese is played by Hairspray's Nikki Blonsky in a role unlike anything she's done before and Alex Newell, from The Glee Project and Glee, puts in a heartfelt and humorous performance as Ike, a boy who's desperately trying to convince others he's "80% straight." As the movie goes on, Min wants to drop the 'Geography Club' façade and invite all students to join their school's first GSA but the others are unsure. The film doesn't shy away from showing the heartbreaking things that gay youth must deal with, including bullying, ignorance, discrimination and disappointment. Teens watching it will feel less alone and realize that other people are going through the same things they are. Geography Club sends out a message of tolerance, respect and love to its audience. The stunning performances from the young cast and the engaging, realistic storyline make Geography Club a must-see.
Dislecksia: The Movie (2012)
A documentary about understanding dyslexia.
Dislecksia: The Movie was a really informative and engaging documentary. Harvey Hubbell directed, co-wrote and stars in the film. He has dyslexia and his experience with it is the frame of the film. He uses actual quotes from his former teachers to show how misunderstood kids with dyslexia are. Hubbell uses a lot of other approaches as well. People are randomly asked on the street questions like "What is dyslexia?" and "Do you know any famous people with dyslexia?" There are interviews with famous people, like Billy Bob Thornton, who talk about their experience of having dyslexia. Interviews are also conducted with scientists, educators, researchers and legislators. The documentary shows that a lot of successful and highly intelligent people, like Albert Einstein, had dyslexia. On the flip side, almost 70 percent of people in jail in the US are illiterate and a phone interview was conducted with a 21 year old man who had just learned to write and was serving a long jail sentence. This shows that while some people overcome dyslexia, many others are negatively affected by it. It was heartbreaking to see the struggles people went through in school because dyslexia is such a misunderstood condition and the current education system is failing children with learning differences. That is the crux of the movie. Hubbell wants everyone to realize that dyslexia is not a learning disability but a learning difference and changes need to be made so that children will not feel uncomfortable or miserable at school. Dyslexia also needs to be better understood by not only educators, but the general public as well. As someone who didn't know much about dyslexia before watching this documentary, I definitely learned a lot and was entertained the entire time.
The Dirties (2013)
Two high school outsiders make a film project that quickly turns too real.
The Dirties has been garnering rave reviews and collecting awards at multiple film festivals and for good reason. It's a powerful, engaging and important film. Two high school best friends, Matt and Owen, decide to make a movie project for class where they pretend to murder the group of boys who routinely harass them. Matt is played by Matthew Johnson who also wrote and directed the film. It was filmed at a real high school with actual students so the line between reality and fiction is significantly blurred. Matt is an outsider but one that viewers can relate to, with his quips and love for movies. This makes it all the more disturbing when he begins to take the murder plot too seriously and takes action that will change his life, as well as the lives of all those around him, forever. This movie is not just about a school shooting. It's about consequences, it's about friendship, it's about loneliness. It's definitely a must see.