"Chatroom" Shows How Dangerous the Power We Have at Our Fingertips May Be

           “It’s all so desperate. They’re turning us into these unbelievably dull people.” “Chatroom” forms a perfect example of how while technology advances, we tend to misuse the power we have at our fingertips. Five teens use their phones and computers as portals to escape from their reality in this film. 

Some of the teens believe to have found a safe haven to share what they cant in real life, but little do they know, they’re simply puns in a dark scheme. Each character would seem to have the perfect life, nothing to complain about, until someone with deep self hate gets involved. If “Chatroom” may only succeed in one thing; it’d be that we can be whoever we want online. 

            The story kicks off with a teen creating a chat room for teens. One girl comes in, a model in real life, enters the room bitching about her vapid friends. Every young adult in this story has a problem in real life that comes to surface via the chat room. One character suffers from being ignored by her parents who keep trying to mold her as they please, forgetting about her in the process. There’s even a moment where she overhears her mother wishing she could’ve had more children, but she uses her phone to tap into another world.  

            The teens that become usual visitors look up to the chat room moderator as an optimistic and inspiring young man. Our online personalities don’t always correlate with who we are in real life, or what we post online indicates our true intentions. The leader of this breakfast club seems obsessed with suicide, a dangerous obsession that’s inflicted on his peers. The story takes a dark twist as the chat room moderator exploits each one of his peer’s personal problems involving pedophilia, parent abandonment, bullying, and other issues.

            The story is well told, eloquently delivered, and the hard work behind each scene is admirable. The online actions like, creating a chat room, or sharing things online is portrayed in real life terms. Whenever online, the actors would wear the same clothes they had on their profile picture. Congrats to the production team for incorporating everyday online interaction into this film in such a creative manner. The entire cast did an amazing job at bringing three-dimensionality to their characters, making them inevitably likable. 

Though an entertaining and thoughtful film, it still manages to deliver a strong example of how well connected we all may be, and yet sometimes choose to hurt one another. "Chatroom" is a great film, feel free to check out the trailer down below and lemme' know what you think!

"Dear White People" Calls out Modern Black-Face Parties Thrown by White College Students

            "Dear White People" breaks away from the negative Black youth stereotype cultivated by Hollywood over the years. Every individual storyline is incredibly well crafted. The three dimensionality of each character leaps off screen. The exchange of dialogue expressing heavily opposing viewpoints is delivered, written, and portrayed on screen eloquently. The social commentary is worthy of being praised. This film is a powerful contemporary satire, and if it spurred outrage in people because of the title, or the portrayal of white people inflicting daily micro-aggressions on minorities, well, maybe that was the point? Do yourself a favor and watch this modern classic!    

            This successful independent film, that happened to be funded entirely by fans, delivered strong performances, criticizing modern “black faces.” This story narrates the racial tension building up between Black and White students in a predominantly white Ivy League University. Each character has an interesting backstory, one self-deprecating, another of a mixed race questioning her race identity, or a young writer who doesn’t fit any of the stereotypes his counterparts expect of him. “Dear White People” questions why every character in a Tyler Perry movie that’s college-educated is inherently evil, or consists of black women suffering the entire time.   

            The micro-aggressions depicted in the film like, confusing two people just because they’re of the same race, or asking someone who looks ethnically ambiguous what they are, are such an eye opener. 

            Here we are, in 2017, and people are still throwing parties with racist themes like, University Of Florida’s 2012 Blackface party, or Arizona State University’s 2013 MLK Black Party. “Those invitations, whoever sent them, should have been met with derision and outrage, instead, a hundred people- your students arrived with posters, decorations, and costumes they had prepared for such event… showing us exactly where we’re at.” I’ve seen this movie so many times, yet I’m always finding new underlined meaning behind each dialogue exchange. If this comedy makes you feel anything, speak up! In order for us to grow and move on from such an antiquated mentality, we have to take different people’s perspective into count. So, please watch this movie, you won’t be sorry!

           

"Detachment" Reminds us of the Hypocrisy Behind "No Child Left Behind" and Delivers a Memorable Film

Adrien Brody delivers an amazing performance as a substitute teacher that lives detached from people. He teaches inner city student, while dealing with a dying grandfather troubled by his past, and takes an underage prostitute off the streets and into his home. “Detachment” depicts the serious issues facing public schools, including staff and students, correlated with the amount of help received from the government. Director Tony Kaye reminds us that “No Child Left Behind” is bullshit, and which main concern is property value. The film narrates how unappreciated teachers are in the United States, the result of the lack of good parenting skills, and the external factors affecting the public education system. 

The film opens with real teachers describing how they fell into, or were inspired to be a teacher. As the stories progress, you soon understand that some of these people didn’t intend to be full time teachers, they had other plans, but the fallacy of comfort trapped them in. The movie follows a substitute teacher, who tends to live detached from people, throughout his encounters with students facing different problems. One student seems infatuated with hurting animals, another suffers from verbal harassment brought on by her parents, and so on. “Detachment” also explores how a teen may fall into prostitution just to survive, and asks, how long can she keep getting used before she just becomes a walking body?

The film comments on how the youth in America is under a marketing holocaust, limiting their mind’s capacity, pushing them towards an abyss of ignorance. James Caan interprets a teacher that pops pills and is not afraid of mocking narcissistic, empty-headed, problematic teenagers. One student comes in with a tiny top claiming to not be giving it up to “every dick in my face,” he showers her with pictures of gonorrhea infested vaginas. He humiliates another student by repeating what the kid said in opera form, and the list goes on. Without giving much away, throughout the movie, you understand how unappreciated teachers are in America, and how a simple, “Thank you,” can make a difference. 

Tony Kaye includes how the “No Child Left Behind” act’s only concern is raising property value through higher test scores. During a faculty meeting, a “No Child Left Behind” representative treats these educators more as real estate agents than teachers. The story exemplifies the result of lack of parental involvement in their children’s education, especially in inner city kids. The empty and silent hallways of this urban school on Parent Teacher night says more than a thousand word monologue. 

Finally, this film is an actual work of art; it’s a perfect reflection of our dangerous reality. The cast did a great job of bringing life to these troubled characters; the young cast did amazing, and the actors that portrayed the school faculty gave a soul to this film. Check out the trailer down below, and if you still don’t feel like watching it, watch it either way and tell me what you think!