Following the reaction to Gordon Hayward’s injury, sports journalists need a different approach
“Oh my goodness, Hayward came down so hard. Hayward broke his leg. Hayward has broken his leg. Oh my gosh… Oh my gosh. And that is how quickly a season can change.”
This was the live play-by-play by Kevin Harlan of TNT during a broadcast of the Boston Celtics game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, when Celtics star forward Gordon Hayward fractured and dislocated his left tibia.
Media outlets are often criticized for their handling of traumatic events. Some show the play over and over again, leaving their audience nauseous or numb to the gravity of the situation. Others are hesitant to refer to the play at all, and call the rest of the game as if nothing changed.
TNT received praise for their handling of the Hayward situation. Broadcasters kept silent while the Celtics’ medics attended to Hayward. Only the murmurs of concern from the crowd could be heard on TV. The crowd at the TD Garden in Boston was near-silent. Neither Harlan nor colour analyst Reggie Miller spoke until Hayward was removed from the court.
However, seconds after Hayward went down, Harlan commented on the effect this injury would have on the Celtics’s season. After the injury, bloggers and columnists were talking about what the Celtics would do to fill Hayward’s place in the line-up.
For analysts, it’s easy to forget the athletes in front of them have to recover from their injuries. Athletes also experience stress and psychological obstacles during their recovery, and negative responses from the media don’t help.
Soon after the injury, Fox Sports analyst Skip Bayless tweeted: “If Gordon Hayward is gone, maybe for the season, LeBron’s path to losing a sixth finals gets even easier,” making reference to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ chance to return to the NBA final. And while this response is particularly soulless, its sentiment isn’t altogether uncommon.
Despite some examples of bad coverage, the media also has positive coverage of injuries. There is a much higher emphasis on head safety than there was in the past by both sports teams and the media. Media outlets now praise teams for being upfront and transparent in their treatment of head injuries, rather than discussing a player’s absence and potential replacement.
A player can heal a lot quicker from physical injuries, such as broken bones, than head-related injuries. Yet there isn’t enough thought put into the repercussions a physical injury can have on an athlete’s mental health. When the media focuses on the injured player’s replacement rather than their well-being, the player may get frustrated or lack the motivation to recover quickly.
There should be an onus to treat both head injuries and physical ones with the same level of empathy within sports journalism. The media applauded teams for improved handling of mental health issues stemming from head injuries. Now it’s time to focus on long-term physical injuries and the emotional responses that come with them.
Understanding the concept of intersectional feminism and its significance in today’s society
In 2017, the word “feminist” is no stranger in our society. Intersectional feminism, however, may be a term you haven’t heard before.
According to Merriam-Webster, intersectionality is defined as “the complex, cumulative manner in which the effects of different forms of discrimination combine, overlap or intersect.” This term relates back to intersectional feminism because it emphasizes that some women in society—women of colour, women from the LGBTQ+ community and disabled women, among others—experience an interplay of discrimination, not just because they’re women but because of an overlap of identities.
It’s no secret women have been and continue to be oppressed within our society, but intersectionality highlights other characteristics that affect the equal acceptance of women in society—be it their race, ethnicity or even socioeconomic status. Personally, I think the fact that we have to qualify the term intersectional feminism as a category of feminism is an indication that we have a long way to go in terms of equality.
In my opinion, feminism is equality for all people. However, I think there is a lack of attention toward intersectionality in today’s society. This refers to equality between races, socio-economic status and abilities. The feminist movement is not truly equalizing to all, and it still lives in a place of ignorance, with massive blind spots and misunderstandings.
I am a white woman, and I grew up with parents who sheltered me from oppression. It is only in my young adult life that I have learned more about gender inequality. I am an example of someone who has benefited greatly from the previous waves of feminism.
According to the organization Progressive Women’s Leadership, the first wave of feminism occurred in the 19th century and focused on political rights, like a woman’s right to vote. The second wave was in the 60s and focused on women’s reproductive rights. The third wave of feminism started in 1990 and continues to push for workplace and financial equality, along with reproductive rights. It also works towards a more intersectional outlook on feminism. I benefitted from these past waves because they were specifically geared towards achieving equality for white women.
When it comes to intersectional feminism, however, I have so much to learn. I have to continue to ask questions, think critically and question my surroundings. I have to reach out, listen to diverse voices, believe their experiences and share their message. I also have to educate myself on identities that vary from my own. This is what people like myself can do to help foster the intersectional movement. In the same way, we need men to get involved. We need men to want to understand more about this movement. Bringing more people to the table, in terms of voices and power, is what helps create change.
It’s also important to note that you can hold different degrees of privilege within feminism. For example, if a woman is black and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, she could be subject to discrimination regarding her race and sexual orientation as well as the oppression she may feel as a woman. In comparison, a straight, white woman will likely not face discrimination for her sexual orientation, but could still feel oppressed for being a woman. The straight, white woman holds a position of privilege within the movement of feminism compared to the black, LGBTQ+ woman.
Feminism can’t resolve problems until all women are heard. People of colour and the LGBTQ+ community fight everyday to be heard, seen and respected in society. As a privileged woman, I need to understand that women from other communities have platforms where they can use their own voices, and I need to be open to listen and learn more about their issues. Feminism, to me, is as simple as being able to express yourself as you want to. It’s being able to get the job you want, dress the way you want and lead the life you want.
Part of the intersectional feminist movement is telling white women they are not doing enough. It’s clear feminism has a long way to go, but the only way to get there is by working together as a society. It’s important to be on the same page and learn about what is going on in your neighbour’s life, and to learn about experiences besides your own.
Jump scares have become an overused technique in horror films hoping to cause a fright without actually terrifying anyone.
A look at a trend affecting the quality of modern horror releases
If you ‘ve seen any horror films released within the last decade, it’s likely you have experienced a jump scare. The term “jump scare” is used to describe the introduction of a sudden image on the screen, usually accompanied by a loud noise, with the purpose of scaring the audience. This gimmick can be observed in the majority of current cinema, particularly the horror genre, according to YouTube movie critic Jack Nugent. Movies like Paranormal Activity are notorious for their overuse of this technique—to the point of annoying the viewer. However, the film still managed to gross over $100 million on a $15 million budget, according to IMDB. Its success sparked a handful of other low-budget copycats like the 2011 Canadian horror film, Grave Encounters trying to capitalize on the jump scare technique. Despite saturating the market with this tactic, horror movies like The Conjuring and Sinister, that rely on cheap thrills are still performing rather well, according to moviepilot.com. The introduction of the jump scare generated a revival of the horror genre.
Scary movies tend to bring in a bigger audience—usually teenagers seeking thrills. According to Livescience, the typical horror viewer is a male between the ages of 15-45. Films like The Purge Anarchy are destined to be experienced in a packed theater anyway, since part of the fun is hearing the audience react to the on-screen action, according to Forbes writer Scott Mendelson. The thrill of watching a scary movie is the experience itself—which surpasses the act of merely seeing a film, said Dr. Mark Griffiths in Psychology Today. As horror movie watchers tend to be rather young, an R-rated horror movie will lose any potential spectators who are not old enough to buy a ticket. For instance, Forbes writer Scott Mendelson pointed out that Eli Roth’s cannibal thriller, The Green Inferno, was an abysmal box-office flop because the studio did not want to embark on an expensive marketing campaign for an R-rated horror movie, decreasing the chances of making a profit from the film.
Mohamad Hassan Bassal, a member of the Concordia Film Union, argued that jump scares are an easy and cheap way to scare the faintest of heart. It is an inconsequential technique which will not leave the viewer terrified after watching the film. It is a quick and inoffensive rush. The omnipresence of the jump scare does not allow for the quality of scare classic horror movies to be delivered. The reason why films like The Shining or The Exorcist are truly scary is their use of atmosphere and suspense. Despite these movies being beloved by critics, “there isn’t a lot of interest in the more suspense-driven horror style,” according to Bassal. Movie producers seem to be more focused on creating franchises like Paranormal Activity.
Aside from superhero movies—which are breaking box-office records one after the other—PG-13 horror films are the biggest money-makers right now, according to entertainment outlet The Wrap. Don’t be surprised if there is another onslaught of jump scares in this year’s horror releases.
A study on the reasons Disney is remaking its beloved animated movies
If you’ve been following entertainment news recently, you might have heard Disney is planning on releasing live-action retellings of its classic animated movies. The first film in this genre was Alice in Wonderland, a 2010 remake which grossed over $1 billion worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Although the Jungle Book exceeded the studio’s forecasted expectations, the recent onslaught of adaptations announced within the last week has left some people dumfounded.
There are now 12 live-action Disney films in the works, including some childhood favorites like Aladdin and The Little Mermaid. Even a Chip ‘n’ Dale adaptation was announced earlier this month, according to mashable.com. In my opinion, these remakes are a ridiculous idea with the sole purpose of increasing the production company’s bottom line. Why is Disney rushing out all of these remakes instead of developing new ideas?
For starters, according to Business Insider, Disney is a risk-averse company, and every time they take a chance with a challenging project, they fail miserably. For example, their attempt at entering the video game business—which, according to the same source, resulted in hundreds of jobs lost and the closing of six video game studios. According to Forbes, movies like Mars Needs Moms and John Carter lost the company upwards of $500 million. It is becoming incredibly difficult to attract audiences with new ideas in a world filled with derivative works, or works based on something that already exists, like a book. Moviegoers want to go see a film they know they are going to enjoy, not risk spending two hours grinding their teeth, Business Insider states.
It is also important to mention that Disney, like any other company, has to have a constant stream of output. The many animators hired by the company can’t remain idle—it would bankrupt the studio. Hence, any project, no matter how absurd, might start production if the executive team believes in its money-making power, as said in Creativity Inc., by Pixar president Edwin Catmull and Amy Wallace.
According to the same book, by adapting their previous works, Disney believes they will attract millennials who have been increasingly avoiding movie theaters. According to an article in The Atlantic, people between the ages of 15 and 30 grew up watching The Lion King on VHS and will go see its adaptation regardless of its quality. This is worrisome as the increase in ticket sales might cause Disney to believe that they no longer need to come up with new ideas—they can just continue to allow one remake after another.
This is not the first time Disney has opted to recycle stories rather than develop something new. The studio has been releasing sequels to their animated films since the late 90s and early 2000s, from Cinderella 3 to Aladdin: The Return of Jafar. At least the company had the decency to release those films straight to video instead of giving them worldwide theatrical releases.
According to Catherine Russell, chair of Concordia’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema, filmmaking is constantly evolving. Due to its constant transformation, the movie industry should be dominated by adventurous producers, not money-hungry executives.
The Concordian retroactively attempts to set things right, refusing to produce disastrous movies
Dear Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer,
Last year, you did the impossible — you ruined a Dr. Seuss story. Now, you’ve written Eurotrip, which is repulsive, idiotic and utterly uninteresting.
Eurotrip is a failure on all levels. It is not an excursion into Europe, as you claim. It is an excursion into the lowest forms of screenwriting. It could, and should, be used in film classes as a counter-example to, say, Casablanca, or Citizen Kane. Your cardboard vision of Europe is artistically bankrupt.
I didn’t believe in the characters. I doubt that you did either. Have you ever had friends? A relationship of any kind? Gone on a real trip, or at least dreamt of doing so? You should have written a film about these experiences. Eurotrip might as well be a science fiction film about aliens who have worked to master our looks, but couldn’t grasp the essence of humanity.
I was about to call the story ‘offensive,’ but you know what, I didn’t even care about it enough to be offended. You can’t just throw a few morally reprehensible concepts together and expect people to have their feelings hurt. Offending is a more subtle art than that. The fact that you used incest as comedy is sad and misguided. I wasn’t offended; I was appalled that none of you could tell the joke would fall flat.
The working title of Eurotrip was Ugly Americans. Stick with that.
Sincerely,
Elijah Bukreev
[divider]
Dear Mr. Levin,
Thank you for submitting your script for the movie Mutant Vampire Zombies from the ‘Hood! While we appreciate new and original idea submissions for horror movies, it is with a heavy heart that we must reject your request for production.
Due to the sensitivity of our audience, the inclusion of black and Asian ‘gang’ stereotypes (“G-Dog” and “Dragon” for example), as well as the idea of cannibal zombie vampires having a blood-fuelled orgy in an old strip club, are not aligned with the content we seek to push forward to the silver screen.
Despite our rejection, we strongly encourage you to seek independent film studios to help materialize your idea, no matter how silly it is.
Regards,
Jocelyn Beaudet
[divider]
On behalf of Disney Studios, we at The Concordian are writing to acknowledge the receipt of your pitch for a Lion King sequel. Unfortunately, we will not be pursuing this concept at this time.
As you are aware we have recently undergone a change in management and have shifted our focus as a result. We will no longer be funding franchise attempts through sequels.
Rather, we will be focusing on cultivating the Disney brand name by carefully crafting timeless stories.
The cornerstone of Disney has always been imagination and innovation; your script shows neither. The story is lifted from Romeo and Juliet while being less effective. Why is Simba xenophobic? When did Scar have children? Where were the outcast lionesses at the end of the first film? These elements were not present in the original because they were not necessary. This is not the story we want to tell. Producing this movie would be as ludicrous as retelling the original movie from the viewpoint of a set of secondary characters.
Thank you,
Robin Stanford
[divider]
Dear creators of this fourth opus of the celebrated Indiana Jones series—previously known as a trilogy.
Sincerely,That is why we decided, as a favour to humanity and to preserve the collective memory of Indy’s fans, to refuse you the right to produce The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The iconic hat-and-whip-aficionados community would find this to be an unnecessary Indiana Jones movie. We also feel it necessary to tell you that a cheap alien twist is never the answer to your scripting problems.
Oh, and concerning the fridge versus bomb larger-than-life scene: seriously, what were you thinking?!Your manuscript has been returned because the idea has been done before. Your concept has actually been wonderfully done three times before and gifted us with one of the most entertaining trilogies of all time, not to mention one of the most lovable characters we have encountered in American filmography.
Frédéric T. Muckle
[divider]
Re: Mr. Marlon and Shawn Wayans,
Unfortunately, we will not consider producing Scary Movie at this time. While we can entertain the idea of spoofing conventional tropes of horror films, the script, as it stands, shows no humour. We believe that the slapstick brand of comedy is taking its last breaths as we enter into the new century.
Additionally, we find that your proposal to star in the films yourselves, and have your brother, Keenan Ivory, direct it, feels like too much of a family affair. It seems to be a script written solely to create jobs for yourselves.
We also find some of your proposed casting choices questionable, especially that of Carmen Electra — who has proven in the past that she cannot act, and is indeed not funny.
Finally, we feel that Scary Movie will not have mass appeal and would not be financially profitable — we can hardly foresee a sequel, let alone a franchise, develop based on this movie.
All the best with your future endeavours,
Alex Lau
[divider]
Mr. Nguyen,
While we appreciate your script submission for Birdemic: Shock and Terror, it is with absolute certainty that we express not only our unanimous rejection, but also our complete bafflement into your submission in the first place.
Birdemic is quite possibly one of the least competently hacked-together scripts to have ever graced our presence. To this moment, we are still unsure of how or why the birds in your movie can simultaneously spray acid and explode on impact because of global warming. With that being said, we strongly suggest you give up your career as a film writer immediately and perhaps take up knitting or stamp collecting.
A letter to the disappearing art of buying and listening to CDs
Photo by Keith Race
I remember the excitement I felt when I started buying my own CDs. I would beg my parents for money, and when they finally gave in, I’d beg them to drive me to the mall after school to buy the latest release from whatever artist I was obsessing over at the time. I’d immediately go home, tear open the plastic, and flip through the album artwork, admiring each glossy page.
I may no longer save up my allowance or beg my parents for money to buy a CD, but the excitement is still there. In the age of digital downloads and torrents, people expressing their love for compact discs is rare. They’re becoming less and less prominent, and that makes me sad. I’m that person who counts down to an album release and goes to HMV to buy it the day it comes out. I always have been and I always will be.
I’m not saying that I don’t download music digitally, because I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. Most of the music I have on my computer was downloaded. Some albums though, deserve to be purchased, and even though you can buy an album within seconds from the comfort of your own home on iTunes, I can’t stand the idea of not having a CD to hold in my hands.
When I was a kid, I didn’t have a computer in my room, I didn’t have a laptop, and I didn’t have a cell phone. I had my CDs, and I would put on my headphones and listen to some of them for hours on end, replaying my favourite songs until I knew them by heart.
Each CD I have brings back a memory — some good, and some bad. Britney Spears’ In The Zone, for example, reminds me of when I was dragged to my older sister’s soccer games as a kid. I would bring my portable CD player (remember Discmans?), find a nice shady spot, and listen to Britney. The countless scratches on the case prove that it’s been through a lot, and I love that. I even remember when I was around nine-years-old, and my sister wanted to borrow my Christina Aguilera CD. I reluctantly let her. When she returned it with a cracked case, I went ballistic.
Maybe I’m just being overly-sentimental, but I love being able to look through my collection and reminisce. Some of my older purchases are a bit questionable, but I still have a story for every CD I own. Whether it’s when I got it, who bought it for me, or how I related to the music at the time, I’ll never forget how it came to be mine. That’s what makes them special. You don’t get that feeling when you digitally download an album.
In the fast-paced modern world we live in, we’re constantly finding ways to make our lives more compact and efficient. Over the decades, we’ve moved from records to cassettes to compact discs, and now digital downloads. It may be more convenient to download an album on your laptop rather than going to the store to buy it, but if you’re as sappy as I am, you know that it’s not quite the same thing.
I’ll keep buying CDs for as long as they’re still producing them. I don’t care if I’m running out of storage space, or that my family and friends think I’m weird for actually paying for my music. They’ll always have a special place in my heart.
The city will be holding the 17th annual Montreal International Children’s Film Festival until March. 9. This festival encourages excellence in filmmaking and promotes the best of children’s cinema worldwide in order to foster a creative frame of thinking and a critical eye for a younger generation.
We asked you what film inspired you as a child, which one helped shape you and which one is your favourite.
Princess Mononoke
I am about eight years old, Christmas is around the corner and my brother and I are watching Tele-Quebec’s special holidayprogramming. The lady’s voice announces to us that we are now going to watch a darn princess movie — probably one of those girly Disney films that our sister is so fond of. Then, the movie starts and I rapidly realize not only that this is definitely not one of those boring princess stories, but also that this is probably the most epic and awesome movie I have seen in my entire life. During the hour and a half that followed, my brother and I screamed out of excitement and surprise, shared the profound pain of the kind yet doomed young prince and cried out from rage and despair while looking at the destruction of nature by the hands of greedy humans.
More importantly, I fell in love with the fearless Princess Mononoke. Ever since this marvelous abnormality that clashed so fantastically with the naivety typical of the usual children’s films that have entered my life, there has been very few holidays that did not involve an enchanting rendezvous with my favourite princess. You can all keep your apple-eating, shoe-losing, sing-songy princesses — mine has been raised by giant wolves, and that is only one of many things that makes her the best!
-Frédéric T. Muckle
Home Alone
As a child, didn’t you fantasize about staying up all night long to watch action-packed movies while eating ice cream in your parents’ bed? Home Alone gave us the opportunity to live that dream in a more thrilling way with the main character, Kevin, portrayed by Macaulay Culkin. This 8-year-old boy is accidentally left all alone at home by his parents. Besides fully enjoying this experience, he also proves that he can be responsible, by taking care of the house in a more than unusual manner.
Most of the film concentrates on the ingenious traps that Kevin fashions to get rid of the two burglars trying to invade his personal space. While in this particular situation, most children his age would probably panic and cry, but this little boy finds a fun way to solve his problems. Following Kevin’s approach would be almost impossible in real life, but this movie incites the audience’s imagination and invites us to consider that not making a mountain out of a molehill can bring an unexpected denouement. Being a child, I loved watching, year after year, the well-known blonde kid—the protagonist of a suspenseful plot emphasized by surprising special-effects and talented actors of one of the most appreciated children’s movies of the ‘90s.
-Cristiana Iulia Ilea
Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back
Having been immersed in both Eastern and Western cinema, choosing one ultimate film from a plethora of films is a painful decision to make. However, there is one that strikes a chord and induces a sense of nostalgia, where I enjoyed and cherished the moments watching that movie with people who were close and dear to me. After all, isn’t that what an awesome movie experience is supposed to be?
It was Pokémon. Yes, I am that much of a fan when it comes to this multimedia video game franchise conceived by Satoshi Tajiri. People who know me personally are well aware how much I geek out over these cute, powerful little creatures. I guess there is something really exciting in this film that me and my cousins enjoyed when we first watched it together back in 1999.
Just like the group of young trainers going on an adventure, this movie was in itself a personal cinematic quest — including good times and bad.
We had the colorful holographic trading cards, the moment when Ash Ketchum rescues a fainted Pikachu from the wraths of the villain-possessed Mewtwo and on top of that, who could even forget M2M’s sweet and sappy rock ballad, “Don’t say you love me”?
You may judge me, but please don’t. Pokémon was my favourite movie as a child.
-Saturn de Los Angeles
The Land Before Time
When I told my friends I wanted to have a nostalgia-themed movie night and watch The Land Before Time, I was surprised to see just how excited they were to revisit this childhood gem. Seems that anyone who grew up in the ‘90s has fond memories of Littlefoot, Ducky and all the rest of the prehistoric pre-pubescent creatures on their perilous adventure to find the Great Valley.
The reactions I got from my friends (both in the latter half of their 20’s) when re-watching this film as adults, sums it all up:
“That’s Cera. She’s such a bitch,” spewed the 26-year-old marketing executive — hateful venom in her eyes, when the triceratops character first appears.
“This movie is so sad!” wept the 29-year-old pharmacist, hiding her face in her hoodie, while Littlefoot’s mother lay dying in the rain.
Don’t let the cutesy cartoon dinosaurs and their childish names deceive you. This is a movie with a dark streak — a movie about the greatest fears that plague us all.
It is these universal, powerful fears that make this a profound experience for children and adults alike: fear of losing your loved ones, fear of braving the great unknown, fear of those that are different, and ultimately, fear that the path you’ve chosen may lead you not to a lush evergreen valley, but to a fiery volcano. On this dark and fearful journey who better to keep us company than a cast of characters that are funny, colourful and unique. It is their optimism and bravery that guides us through the bleakness, showing us in the end that courage and friendship can truly conquer all.
Does The Land Before Time stand the test of time? In the words of Ducky, “Yup yup yup!”
-Tomer Shavit
Toy Story
One of my earliest memories is of exploring my grandfather’s substantial VHS collection—drawers upon drawers of films, recordings
and songs. Surely more than enough to last you a lifetime, but I didn’t need most of them — I had Toy Story. To think of it, that was possibly the first movie I ever saw.
It came out in 1995, one year after my birth, so I must have been about three when I first fell under its spell. Back then, I spoke not a single word of English; needless to say, the film’s existential themes, the witty dialogue, the amazing voice-acting, all flew right over my head.
I was genuinely shocked, having rewatched the animated classic for the first time in over 10 years, to discover it only ran 81 minutes. How could that be? It used to feel as if a whole day — or all of eternity — had gone by from the moment Buzz Lightyear made his exuberant entrance to the end credits filled with bloopers that made you believe the film was made not on computers but with traditional cameras.
Yes, this is one of my favourite films. Its characters have never left my mind — I still have a life-size Woody toy — and to see the third movie, arguably the best of the series, on the big screen was an experience to behold.
Bieber: known to be a famed Canadian export alongside Celine Dion, poutine and Rob Ford. He’s the youthful Internet-sensation turned colossal overnight pop-star.
Press photo
Bieber: a powerful force within the social media spectrum, and the pop-star who can’t seem to take a break from all of the online hate, or jealousy, or mob of fans out there viciously wanting to have a piece of him, literally and metaphorically.
Bieber: the once naive young singer from Stratford, infamous for his notorious but dangerously catchy lyrics of “Oh Baby, baby, baby, ohhhhh…”
Singing along? Gotcha. But this isn’t a karaoke piece.
After all of the countless flops, from riding the Great Wall on a scooter to allegedly harassing his fans, to announcing that he would retire from public life, our little home-grown sweetheart brings us a documentary film which seems to show his good side — and that’s about it. The 90-minute film is called Believe.
The film kicks off with a candid moment of him playing a piano while he talks to people around him. The scene suddenly transitions to random footage of him performing on stage in front his many fans.
Moments later, you see him explaining on camera why he feels judged by many people, and why they should give him a chance. Then you add in a multitude of testimonials from famous contemporary pop artists in the American music business, and an unlimited number of streeter interviews from mostly teenage fans lining up to see one of his concerts. Stitch them all together like a worn-out patchwork quilt, and voila, there’s your documentary.
I wouldn’t really mind this kind of presentation, but chronologically speaking, it was all over the place. What makes this film really uncomfortable to watch is how it feels more like a public relations piece instead of a factual piece of intimate storytelling. When I think of music-related documentaries such as Michael Jackson’s This Is It, or Jukka Kärkkäinen’s The Punk Syndrome, I find an actual narrative of human beings — not musicians — talking about why they do music, how they’re passionate about music, and why music is important to them.
As a music fan, I acknowledge and respect people’s passion and enthusiasm for any artist they like. If you’re a Belieber, this is absolutely a resourceful audiovisual material to indulge in. But if you were hoping to see a candid conversation about an artist and the music that he makes, you will be left very disappointed.
On Sunday, Nov.24, an NFL showdown will take place between two of the greatest quarterbacks the game has even seen: Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, and Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos. Constantly pitted against each other in discussions regarding who the greatest quarterback of all time is, these two really do stand out from the rest of the league’s QBs.
Brady, 36, is a three-time Super Bowl Champion with the New England Patriots, while Manning, 37, is a one-time Super Bowl Champion with the 2006 Indianapolis Colts. Manning, who signed with the Broncos in 2011, was drafted by the Colts in 1998 and was their starting quarterback up until his release from the organization in 2012.
Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts, is known as “The House That Peyton Built.” He took the Colts from the darkness of a dying franchise to Super Bowl stardom, with numerous playoff appearances in-between. Peyton is looking for one more Super Bowl ring before he retires and in the midst of perhaps the greatest season of his career, he just might get it.
On the other side, you have Tom Brady, who’s captained his men in blue unflinchingly for over a decade, amassing three NFL championships and two Super Bowl MVPs in the process. Regarded as one of the greatest leaders in any sport, in any time in history, his unparalleled leadership on and off the field is shown week in and week out.
It was a tumultuous off season for the Patriots, as they lost key offensive players in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, the latter having recently returned from injury. Brady once again displayed his ferocious leadership abilities this season as he took a raw and inexperienced offensive corps and gave them the tools and confidence they needed to win games, as they now lead the AFC East division by a mile.
Wes Welker, who was a leading wide receiver in New England, signed with Denver in March and will now face his former team for the first time since the move. It will be interesting to see how No. 83 will perform at Gillette Stadium, before his former teammates and home crowd.
Perennial contenders in “greatest quarterback of all time” discussions, you really can’t argue against putting these two up there with such venerable greats as Montana, Unitas and Elway, to name a few. The outcome of the next couple of seasons could cement either one as the best quarterback to ever live.
No matter the outcome of the game on Sunday, seeing these two legends play against each other is always a treat, and with both quarterbacks getting up there in age, this Sunday may very well be one of the last times we get to see these two greats share the field together.
