Hamilton Song Countdown (#1- #23)

Happy New Year, everyone!

I hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday, and is doing well in spite of the global pandemic that is still currently happening.

I, for one, am in a good mood all things considered, because in spite of all of the chaos and devastation that 2020 and the first few weeks of 2021 has caused, at least we as a country have managed to get one thing right. We elected a new president of the United States!

I'm just as relieved as the next person that Donald Trump isn't going to be in office anymore, and in light of the inauguration coming up, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite musicals that celebrates the birth of our great nation, Hamilton.

In case you've been living under a rock, Hamilton was a 2015 American musical that was made into a film on Disney+ last year, in which all of the original cast reprised their roles in a taping of the stage performance. Hamilton is also the best movie that came out in 2020, hands down. (And I know that's a low bar to beat considering that most movies coming out in 2020 were released on streaming or delayed due to the pandemic, but still, trust me. It's good.)

As someone who was never really into musical theater, I consider Hamilton to be one of the rare exceptions where everything just... works. The casting works, the music works, the production works. Everything about this show and this film proves to be so amazing that it actually lives up to the hype around it. The story and the music are accessible for those people who don't like musicals, and even those who don't live in America. The whole thing is a perfect storm of brilliance and creativity.

The only thing is, though, not every song on the Hamilton soundtrack slaps as hard as it possibly could. In the context of the show, the entire album is fabulous, and frankly, well deserving of it's multiple Tony and Grammy wins. However, when the show is over and you go back to listen to the soundtrack on your own, there might be some songs that you want to revisit and replay over and over again, and then there are those that you skip.

I've seen Hamilton at least five times already (both last year on Disney+ and many years ago on YouTube when some cheap theater-goer illegally recorded the show and uploaded it. Talk about a true American hero.), and each time I've seen the show I can safely say there are songs that I would unironically crank all the way up, and there are definitely songs that I felt were just filler for the plot of the musical. 

The first time I watched the show (illegally on YouTube, mind you), was my first time hearing the album all the way through, and it shook me to my core at how good it was. But in the years since, I have definitely developed a sense of what songs are actually good, and which songs just needed to be in the musical to move the story along.

In this review of sorts, I will be ranking all 46 songs on the Hamilton soundtrack based on how good they are not only in the musical, but in general- based on how well they establish each character, how well they move the story along, and overall, just how good they sound. This is the first of two parts, as I will continue this review in February. This is partially because February contains President's Day, and also because this review would be too long if I didn't break it up.

So- please allow me to rank the top 23 songs off the Hamilton soundtrack from best to worst. (If you haven't seen the show yet or listened to the soundtrack yet, this review probably won't make much sense, so proceed with caution. Spoilers ahead!) 

1. Non-Stop

I think a large part of the reason why I love this song so much is because of the way it bookends the first act of the musical. "Non-Stop" is the number that sets Hamilton up on his rise to greatness just before his catastrophic fall in Act II. 

It quickly establishes all of the major accomplishments that Alexander and Burr did after the Revolutionary War, and how they became more divided on their stance about not only the Constitution, but also their personal lives. Aaron Burr is so envious of Alexander's drive and his success that he's confounded when Alexander is able to write 51 essays in defense of the Federalist papers.

I think one of the main reasons why I love this song so much is because it's incredibly obvious that Hamilton thinks he's the smartest person in town, and he's so determined to prove it, which is oddly relatable for me. (I'm not saying that I have a big chip on my shoulder like he does, but I can relate to occasionally thinking that I'm better than other people because I think that my ideas are right, even when no one else is listening to me. This proves to be a fatal flaw for Hamilton, but we won't get into that now).

Also this song sums up the founding of our nation and transitions Hamilton's character from a child into a man in a fast paced way that slaps. I personally adore all of the animatics of this song (and every other Hamilton song), but this one, below, is my favorite animatic possibly ever. It's by an artist named pevelis on YouTube.

2. My Shot

This song speaks to me on so many levels, and I'm not sure why.

I think it's got something to do with the uplifting nature of the lyrics and the beat that makes me feel like I can do anything. All of the characters in this song (sparing Burr, of course) are filled with a certain life and urgency that comes with being with your friends and having goals that you want to accomplish. Lafayette wanted to liberate France, Hercules Mulligan wanted to join the rebellion, and John Laurens wanted to free the slaves. All of them wanted to do something great with their lives in order to secure their legacy, including (ESPECIALLY) Hamilton.

I think my favorite part of this song is the "Rise up!" verse where everyone is chanting and singing, because it speaks to a deep part of me that aspires to "rise above my station" as Hamilton would say. It seems reminiscent of the American dream, or Frank Sinatra's law: "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere." (If you get that Dimension 20 reference we can be friends.) "My Shot" just fills me with a hopeful optimism every time that I hear it, and that's why I love it. I even briefly considered getting a "Rise Up!" tattoo on my wrist back in 2017.

3. Satisfied

Let me tell you something right now. You'd be lying if you said that you have ever heard a song more dramatic with greater twists and turns than this one. This song is the PEAK of theater perfection. It's just too good.

Not only does this song start immediately after Eliza and Alexander get married, but it allows the audience a peak behind the curtain into the mind of the single best character in this musical (in my opinion), Angelica Schulyer, on their wedding day.

This song is amazing because it includes it's own time travel aspect that absolutely blew my mind the first time I saw it on stage. (Actually, if you want to believe it, "Satisfied" was the first song I heard from Hamilton- aside from "My Shot," obviously- but it was the celebrity album where artists did covers of the songs. So the first time I heard this song, Sia was singing it. And while Sia was good, let me tell you, Sia was NOTHING compared to the fantastic Renee Elise Goldsberry.)

As you may or may not know, I'm a sucker for a good time travel concept, and this song has that baked into the music, by reframing everything that happened in the previous song, "Helpless" and showing us how things looked from Angelica's perspective.

In her perspective she decided that she loved her sister more than she loved Alexander, which is both heartfelt and concerning considering that she also said that she knew Alexander was a gold-digger...

Anyway, the point is that "Satisfied" is one of the best songs in this entire musical, and it's incredibly hard to follow up. Renee Elise was incredibly deserving of the Tony that she won for this role.

4. Alexander Hamilton

It's funny that the song about the main character that also happens to be the title of the show is not the best song in the production, but it cracked the top 5, so I guess that's still pretty impressive.

This song is iconic because the opening theme of this song literally bookends every chapter of Hamilton's life. The iconic opening of "Alexander Hamilton" is how you know some more shit is about to happen to everyone's favorite problematic founding father. It's amazing, and it perfectly opens up the show and sets your expectations for what's about to happen without spoiling anything, which is also amazing.

5. The Schulyer Sisters

Remember when I said that everything about this show just works?

Well, I meant it. Literally.

This song is the epitome of "independent woman who don't need no man." This song told me to get my shit together and stop worrying about big headed boys, because I too, am lucky to be alive right now.

This song has no business being so good. It starts off strong with Aaron Burr introducing the three main female leads of the play, two of which remain in their roles throughout the rest of the show (with Jasmine Cephas Jones returning later to play another character). But then Angelica comes in and steals the show with her mention of independence and women's rights. 

With the nod to the Declaration of Independence and referencing meeting Thomas Jefferson, Angelica became the single most iconic character in the entire show. (What makes it better is that it is speculated that the real Angelica Schuyler had a romantic love affair with Thomas Jefferson while abroad. They exchanged love letters and everything.)

Basically Angelica invented women's rights, and we have no choice but to stan.

6. Guns and Ships

This song might not be my favorite song in the entire musical, but let me tell you that this song SLAPS THE HARDEST.

This is the song that people go hard to on the Hamilton soundtrack, and it's frankly the song that put Daveed Diggs (the actor who plays both Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson) on the map, I feel.

I can't help but get hype when I listen to this song, even today. It's just so damn good and energetic, and it fills me with a sense of purpose that a lot of other songs fail to do. Screaming "Lafayette!" at the top of my voice just makes me feel so good, whenever that part of the song comes on. You're lying if you say that it also doesn't make you feel good, too. Like you're a part of something larger than yourself.

7. Right Hand Man

This song starts out so strong and really only gets stronger as it goes along. The entire song is about the introduction of one of the most important characters in the show, George Washington and his relationship with Alexander Hamilton.

This song is great because it also shows us how Washington responded to Alexander and Aaron very differently. The first time I heard George Washington's dismissal of Aaron Burr, MY feelings got hurt. It was bad. Which is also one of the reasons why this song is so good. It helps to establish the connections that Alexander is making while Burr has been essentially sidelined by one of the greatest war generals in American history.

Honestly songs like this help to build up to the growing resentment that leads to Burr killing Hamilton at the end of the show.

8. Wait for it

This is the song that basically moves Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom Jr.) out of the background of the show and proves to everyone that he's just as important to this story as Hamilton is. Sure, the show may be titled after Hamilton, but Burr is just as much of a main character, if not a perfect foil to Hamilton in this show.

It's a song about questioning your own circumstances while also looking at those around you who are doing better than you. It's a song where Burr explores in real time what happened to him to make him the way that he was, and how he feels about Hamilton and his successes.

It's honestly one of the more poignant and beautiful songs in the whole musical, and I'm here for it.

9. Stay Alive

I like that this song starts with the dramatic cry from Eliza in the wings saying, "Stay alive!" and then evolves into a sort of hip-hop song in which a literal war is happening.

This song is exciting, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that my favorite part of this song was Charles Lee's personal attack on George Washington after he demotes him in the military. Something about it just makes me want to sing along every time, and outside of John Laurens, he may be my favorite character in the whole show, just because he's such an asshole.

Also this song ends in a duel, which is also pretty sweet, if you ask me.

10. Aaron Burr, Sir

This song is great because it does the work of introducing all of the major players that are going to be in Act I of the play without being obnoxious about it. It also introduces the audience/ listeners to Hamilton's particular brand of cocky and Burr's brand of shady. It quickly establishes that they are going to be foils early on (after all, it's only the second song in the show), and it makes the auxiliary characters like John Laurens (played by Anthony Ramos) Marquis de Lafayette (played by Daveed Diggs) and Hercules Mulligan (played by Okieriete "Oak" Onaodowan) sympathetic and fun to be around by comparison. 

I honestly love this song with all my heart, but that might have something to do with the fact that I think Anthony Ramos is adorable and John Laurens is great.

11. The Story of Tonight

I think one of the main reasons why I love this song is because of how it begins with Hamilton singing, "I may not live to see our glory."

Something about that is so hopeful and optimistic while also being so utterly heartbreaking, and I think that this has a lot to do with why I think the lyrics in this song (and this musical overall) are so brilliant. They make you feel something.

When everyone in Hamilton's crew joins in (Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, and Lafayette), it just builds a warm sense of comradery in me that makes me feel like I'm a part of something bigger than myself. 

"Tomorrow there'll be more of us," is both so hopeful and so optimistic as well as utterly devastating (especially if you've seen the musical on Disney+ and you know about what happens with Laurens' song that wasn't on the soundtrack).

Overall, when I first saw the show, "The Story of Tonight" was one of the songs from the musical that I couldn't get out of my head. I definitely kept repeating it on Spotify. 

12. The World was Wide Enough

This song breaks my heart every time I listen to it. It's one of the last songs of the entire show, and it's the first song on this list from Act II.

"The World was Wide Enough" is honestly amazing and I love it so much, because it's essentially the musings of man who screwed up by killing his former friend. I think this song is so beautifully crafted, and the way that it was executed on stage and on the album is flawless. The spoken word before Hamilton gets shot is honestly breathtaking and it makes me tear up most times that I hear it. 

I think my favorite part of the song, though, are Burr's last lines, because they mirror real lines that the actual Aaron Burr has said about killing Hamilton. "Had I read Sterne more and Voltaire less, I should have known the world was wide enough for Hamilton and me.”- Aaron Burr

This song is so great that I love two animatics for it. Check them out if you feel so inclined: The first one is by stariitea on YouTube, and the second if by ThirdChildFilms on YouTube.

13. You'll be back

The first time that I saw this show I think I was confused by this song. I think I was wondering why King George was singing a 60's love song to his colonies in this show based around hip-hop and revolution, but then I realized because this show has a flair for the dramatic. This show can be so off the wall ridiculous while being absolutely heartwarming and utterly wrenching all at once that it's hard to know how to feel at any given moment, really.

However, "You'll Be Back" is a great song, performed expertly by the excellent Jonathan Groff, who we all know from Frozen (Ugh... Read my Frozen review if you really want to know my thoughts on that, by the way). 

Overall, when he came out, I was expecting this song to be a little slow and boring the first time that I saw him, but in the end, he wound up being one of my favorite parts of the show. His sarcasm and pithy dialogue really made him stand out, and having him on stage was a nice break from all of the fun stuff happening with Alexander and his crew during the first act.

Overall, 10/10 for His Majesty the king.

14. The Story of Tonight (Reprise)

I think I just like this song because it plays off of the original song in a fun way. This song is immediately after "Satisfied" and it's such a good time to listen to because of the way that this song is performed both in the show and on the soundtrack. 

This song is meant to follow Hamilton's wedding to Eliza, and it begins with Hamilton's friends all ribbing him for marrying up in the world, which is fun and lighthearted. The lyrics were tweaked so that they would suit this new, happier occasion immediately following this joyous life event.

Then the music switches when Aaron Burr arrives, into a rendition of "Aaron Burr, Sir" to pay homage to the fact that Hamilton looks up to Burr despite how different they were at that point in their lives.

I think I just like this song because of how funny it is. I like that Hamilton's friends give him shit for marrying a rich woman, and I like that they make fun of Burr, calling him the worst. I especially love the shock in Hamilton's voice when Burr reveals that he's having an affair with the wife of a British officer. 

This song's got everything: playful ribbing, infidelity, drunken singing. It's a fun time, and I love this song so much.

15. That Would Be Enough

This is one of my favorite songs on the soundtrack because it reprises one of my favorite lines from the "Schulyer Sisters" song earlier in the musical: "Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now." Something about that really speaks to not only my inner optimist, but it's also a line that will never not be true, which I think is nice.

(At one point I even had that line as my Twitter bio because I was such a Hamil-stan. Hell, I still am.)

This song is so sweet and beautiful, and it reminds me of how completely talented that the gorgeous Phillipa Soo is, which I love. The line "Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now," almost becomes Eliza's calling card, because it's repeated by her and to her in no less than five songs throughout the entire musical.  

That's my long winded way of saying that I love this song. It also doesn't hurt that the animatic for this song is absolutely gorgeous. The animatic is by the artist szin on YouTube. 

16. & 17. Cabinet Battle #1 & Cabinet Battle #2

I feel like this meme perfectly sums up the mood of these two songs, and I love it.

Both of these songs are a perfect combination of pettiness, sass, and classic hip-hop references. It's through these songs that we learn more about Alexander Hamilton's relationship with Thomas Jefferson, who he viewed as a political barrier while he was working for President Washington.

In a way, these songs are like those Epic Rap Battles of History that were really popular on YouTube in 2012. They're somewhat educational, but they're mostly just an excuse for two political figureheads to shit all over each other in a public setting.

Overall, both of these songs SLAP, and Hamilton really digs into Jefferson in both of them, which I respect. 

18. Take a Break

I love this song. It's got everything. 

Counting in French? Check.

Adorable children rapping? Check.

Possible infidelity? Check, check, triple check.

I love "Take a Break" because of Angelica and Eliza, specifically. Both Angelica and Eliza (Renee Elise Goldsberry and Phillipa Soo) carry this song on their backs and I'm perfectly okay with that. 

Honestly, both Angelica and Eliza deserved better.

19. The Room Where it Happens

This song is the epitome of an "I want" song, as seen in many a Disney movie in the late 1980s and 1990s (see The Little Mermaid's Ariel singing, "I want to be where the people are..."). It is easily one of the best examples of character development in the show, as it takes Aaron Burr, a character who is too cautious to state his desires for fear of being wrong, and turns him into someone who is now willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He now wants power for the sake of having a claim to something, as opposed to Hamilton who wants it for the sake of leaving a legacy. It's a fundamental flaw that Burr eventually comes to terms with, but in the incorrect way, and that's what makes him such an interesting character.

"The Room Where it Happens" is also one of the most notable songs in the entire show not only because it is the one that sounds the most like a traditional showtune, but it's also the most referenced in pop culture. Hell, one of Trump's former National Security Advisors, Michael Bolton, essentially stole the title of this song for his latest tell-all book. Now that's what you call a cultural impact.

20. The Election of 1800

This song is WILD. It's nearly one of the last songs in the show and so much happens that I'm not even sure where to start. 

This song is great because it leads into the final conflict between Aaron and Alexander, and you can truly see how all of the resentment and anger between them has developed over the course of the show. They have a serious Mozart and Salieri complex, and it comes to a head in this particular song perfectly. Even the secondary antagonist of the show, Thomas Jefferson was impressed with how the events in this song played out.

I also love this particular animatic for this song, so feel free to check it out. It's pretty masterfully done, by the artist pevelis on YouTube once more.

21. Dear Theodosia

This song is so gosh darn sweet and cute that every father should aspire to be as enamored with his children the way that Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton were in this show. This song is also great because it reflects how the two characters were sharing a similar experience despite having completely different outlooks on life, and it reinforces the fact that the two main characters of the show, Hamilton and Burr, were truly foils of one another. Well done, Mr. Miranda. Well done, indeed.

22. Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)

This song is great, because it's like the end of Hamilton's arc for the entirety of Act I. His whole identity up until this song was based on the idea that he was going to die at war for a cause that he believed in because he was determined to leave a legacy. This song is the epitome of that, because it lets Hamilton lead a command under Washington (which is what he'd been begging to do since he met Washington), while also thinking about his future, which he had never done before (because he references his wife who's "expecting").

After they win the war in this song, it's almost like Hamilton was forced to grow up. Soon after this song, Eliza gives birth to their son, Phillip, which motivates him to work even harder to fight for his country. This song was a good transition into this new Hamilton, because it leads into the end of Act I nicely, wrapping up an entire war in about 4 minutes.

 

23. Meet Me Inside

The first time I saw this song performed, I was blown away by how hard they were committed to the whole "Hamilton's got daddy issues" bit, but honestly it works SO WELL. It adds so much to Hamilton's character to know that he sees Washington as a sort of father figure, and then to have Washington treat him accordingly is also fantastic. It really builds on the dynamic that they have together and it leads to some great moments not only in this song, but throughout the show.

Overall, Hamilton (2020) is a near perfect experience. The whole show is fantastic, and if you haven't seen it yet, feel free to listen to the soundtrack or check it out on Disney+ and tell me what you think. Or if you have seen it and you disagree about what the best Hamilton songs are, I would be more than happy to tell you why you're wrong.

Well, that's all I've got for now. The best 23 songs on the Hamilton soundtrack have been officially ranked. Check back in with me next month when I finish up this list and tell you what my absolute least favorite Hamilton song is. (It might not be what you expect...)

Big Hero 6 // Review #7

Now, if you've talked to me in person for any length of time about anything Disney related, you'd probably know a few things about me right away:

1. I hate the Disney "classics" Sleeping Beauty and Pinocchio with a passion. To put it briefly, I think they are boring and disturbing, respectively.

2. I have a lot of opinions about Frozen that a lot of people don't quite relate to (If you're curious about what I think, you should read the post I wrote dedicated entirely to that movie.).

And 3. I love the 2014 Disney movie Big Hero 6, and I think it is wonderfully underrated.

Now, if you frequent any site that has a large fandom community, you've probably seen something about this movie. At the very least- you've heard of Baymax.

Baymax from Big Hero 6

The thing about Big Hero 6 was that even though Disney did advertise for it and promote it before the movie came out, it wasn't a smash hit like Frozen the year before. It did well in the box office, and even won its own Academy Award for best animated film in 2015, but it didn't get nearly as much hype as its predecessor, and it mostly got swept under the rug.

Aside from this movie's obvious lack of princesses, I'm really not sure why Big Hero 6 was less popular than Frozen. To me, this movie's structure is much more interesting and compelling than Frozen by a long shot, and honestly, I enjoyed Big Hero 6 much more than Frozen when I saw each of them in theaters.

But, let's put all speculation aside for now and just get into the breakdown of why I think more people should watch and appreciate Big Hero 6 as much as I do (Warning: Potential spoilers ahead!):

Category 1: Plot- B

I love the plot of this movie because it feels like something ripped straight out of a comic book (likely because the source material was a Marvel comic, but I digress). When I saw this movie in theaters for the first time I was in shock because of how well the plot introduces all of the main players and throws them into an action packed adventure.

Needless to say, the plot is on par with literally any of the Avengers movies, sparing maybe the very first one, because I'm convinced that the first Avengers movie was the best one (don't come for me). Essentially Big Hero 6 is about a brilliant kid who plots to avenge his brother's death by turning himself and his brother's friends into superheroes. (Now that I put it like that, it sounds literally exactly like the 

Avengers, except more gender-balanced and diverse.)

If we want to talk about why this movie didn't do as well as Frozen, I'm gonna be honest with you. Based on the promotional materials for Big Hero 6 alone, I wasn't super clear on what this movie was about. The only thing I knew about this movie before it came out was that it had a banger of a soundtrack (with "Immortals" by Fall Out Boy and "Top of the World" by Greek Fire playing in the advertising), and so I when I saw it, I went into it optimistic, but unsure.

I will say that the marketing for this movie certainly didn't do it any favors, and the fact that it was not as cutesy as Frozen with its Disney Princess charm definitely didn't help, either. But I still feel like this movie was grossly overlooked, even considering the popularity of other superhero movies at the time. Hell, The Guardians of the Galaxy came out the same year as Big Hero 6, and yet that movie was a smash hit.

 As much as I hate to say this, I think one of the reasons why this movie didn't do as well as some of the other superhero movies to come out during this time is because of the next category...

Category 2: Characters- C+

The one detriment of this movie is that it doesn't fully explore the depths of all the characters all that much. Like, there are six characters (seven if you count Tadashi, but it's called Big Hero 6, not Big Hero 7...), but I can really only describe like two of them to you in detail: Hiro and Baymax.

Hiro is a kid genius attempting to relate to the world, despite his insane mental capabilities. His older brother, Tadashi, was a saint, who was probably going to cure the world of all its infectious diseases (Lord knows we need that right about now). Tadashi was a good, kind hearted person, and that eventually comes to be true of Hiro, after he realizes what happened to his brother and he learns to forgive the bad guy at the end of the movie.

Even though Baymax was a robot in the movie, he had a lot of personality. It was mostly in the innocence with which he interacted with the world, and his lack of social skills that sold him for me. Multiple times he references uncomfortable topics such as puberty and grief during inappropriate moments, and it comes off as charming because he's a robot that doesn't know any better. Plus, it doesn't hurt that they designed him to look so darn cute.

Hell, Tadashi even mentions that he wanted to design Baymax to look and feel like a big marshmellow, and so his design is meant to draw you into his charm.

The rest of the crew I can sum up in maybe like a phrase each, from left to right. 

Wasabi: Nervous wreck (Honestly, same).
Honey Lemon: Cute overachiever.
Go-Go: Strong independent woman who don't need no man.
Fred: Idiot. Oh, and he's rich.

Overall, I just wish there was more character progression among the supporting cast of characters. And while I understand that the bulk of this movie is about Hiro and his emotional battle after the loss of his brother, it was hard for me to remember literally anything about the rest of the cast after the movie was over. They weren't particularly memorable, and I think that's a little bit of detriment.

Sidebar: To Disney's credit- I do admire how they depicted different types of people in their character design. I like how Wasabi is shown as this big black guy who's smart, but also neurotic, and Go-Go looks and acts amazing as well. I hate to give studios credit for doing the bare minimum, but I like to shout out representation when it's not problematic, too, so I guess we've reached an impasse.

(Mind you, I know that this is based on a comic book, and in the comic book, all of the characters look insanely different than they're depicted in the movie. Of course Disney had to up the cute factor to make it more appealing to general audiences, because the source material? Well, it looks pretty anime, to say the least.) 

Big Hero 6 comic book covers

Category 3: Themes- A

No joke, I love the themes in this movie so much.

Not only are there themes of revenge, sacrifice, and forgiveness in the face of evil in this movie, but this movie also raises the question of what are the consequences of seeking revenge? It honestly made me think. (SPOILER WARNING) If Callaghan hadn't gotten revenge on Cray- he wouldn't have known if his daughter was alive. But since he did get revenge on Cray, he got sentenced to a life in prison while discovering that his daughter was alive and was able to be saved from a wormhole. But the question is, is it better to not know if your daughter is alive and try to live peacefully, or to cause chaos for the sake of just knowing?

It raises some interesting questions that I still think about even now, despite this movie being several years old. It really makes you think, you know?

Category 4: Animation- A 

I mean, it's hard to argue that the animation in any Disney movie is bad, but in this movie I kind of felt like the animators were just showing off. In fact, the animators on this movie met with real researchers from Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute in order to come up with a way to make Baymax look as soft and inflatable as he does in the film. 

Not only was Baymax's design inspired by real robots that are actually being researched right now, but

Hyperion was a brand new animation engine that Disney created and used on this film in order to make Baymax reflect light in a realistic way. According to Teena Maddox from TechRepublic.com:

Hyperion is what gives "Big Hero 6" its beautiful cinematic imagery and depth. Until Hyperion was developed, Disney was never before able to use light in such a way. The light is what gives Baymax a transparent glow and allows light to bounce around inside of him, explained Don Hall, who directed the film with Chris Williams. (par 4)

On top of Baymax's lighting and design, the setting of this film is also pretty unique and phenomenal. Combining the eastern aesthetic of Tokyo with the more western aesthetic of San Francisco really works to build the character of this movie. Not only were they able to design the fully realized fictional city of San Fransokyo, but they were able to make the setting seem real and lived in.

Overall, I really can't help but appreciate the quality animation that went into this movie. Disney usually kills it in their animation department, but in this movie it's easy to tell that the animators really put a lot of hard work into it. 

Category 5: Comedy- B+

The comedy in this movie will leave you in a good mood. This movie isn't insanely funny like some of the other Marvel movies out there, like Thor: Ragnarok, or even sarcastic and full of quips like any of the Iron Man movies, but it brings its own humor in it's relatability.

There are so many moments of relatable humor in this movie, that I- no joke- have about five or six memes for this movie saved onto my phone. Many of the humorous moments come from the fact that this is an animated movie and ergot it's more adaptable to comedy, but some of the funniest moments just come from the characters themselves. The fact that almost all of the main characters are overworked college kids is funny, because they're relatable. They're dealing with things like normal people would, and it's incredibly apparent with characters like Tadashi, especially when he is working on Baymax in one of the most pivotal emotional scenes in the movie.

I think that's what I like the most about this movie- it's got a lot of balance. (SPOILER WARNING)  Like, sure, it's sad because Tadashi dies, but it's also got so many moments of brevity that it doesn't feel like you're overwhelmed by sadness like some Disney movies can leave you (take the first ten minutes of UP, for example). There's even a Stan Lee cameo in the movie, and it's pretty funny what they do with him.

Literal Big Hero 6 memes that I still had saved on my phone after all these years. (Mind you, this is nowhere near all of them.) 

Category 6: Kid-Friendliness- C+

Let's get one thing straight: this movie is not Frozen. Frozen was appealing to general audiences because it promoted themes of family, love, and sisterhood over all else. Now, was that bad?

No.

Did those themes weaken the overall value of Frozen for a more mature audience?

I would say yes (see my argument on why I think Frozen should have focused more on mental health), but a lot of people would say no.

I think its a toss up. While Frozen was arguably more kid friendly (with less death and explosions and more singing trolls and ice palaces), I feel like this movie is probably more important for children to watch.

Will it keep them as entertained as Frozen would?

No, probably not. That is, unless they're the type of kid who's more into superheroes than princesses.

The only thing is, for younger children, this movie may be a tough watch. Kids should see this movie when they're ready and aware of the subject material. This movie is for children that are familiar with the concept of death, and who need to learn how to overcome it without being a victim. Kids above the age of eight would appreciate this movie for what it is- an animated action dramedy. Anyone under eight years old might just enjoy it for the sake of laughing at Baymax.

Baymax petting Hiro's cat, otherwise known as a "hairy baby."

In the end, I love Big Hero 6 with all my heart. It's honestly one of my favorite Disney movies, one of my favorite superhero movies, and one of my favorite movies in general. I still feel like this movie is dreadfully underrated, and I will recommend it to everyone I know until the day I die, but I hope that I maybe convinced someone out there to watch it for the first time.

I would (obviously) give this movie an A for "Awesome," because Baymax warms my heart. Watch it with your family this holiday season and see if they don't love it, too.

I hope that everyone out there is having a safe and happy holiday season, and I hope to see you all next year. Happy Holidays! Please wear a mask!

Julie and the Phantoms // Review #6

If you're feeling down right now, do yourself a favor and watch this trailer for Julie and the Phantoms, Netflix's newest teen series. Then, once you've done that, go ahead and watch the show. It's even crazier than it sounds.

Now here's the thing, I love this show. I literally binged the whole season twice in like a few days, and I managed to talk my mother and a few of my friends into watching it just because I love it that much. It is one of the few Netflix shows to come out recently that actually makes me feel good about the world (you know, despite the global pandemic).

For a brief synopsis of what the show is about, I will provide you with a screenshot of an actual conversation that I had with one of my friends while I was trying to convince them to watch it. Behold:

 If that wasn't enough to convince you, allow me to break this down even further.

Brazilian TV show, Julie and the Phantoms (translated from Portuguese)

Julie and the Phantoms is a new Netflix show about a sixteen year old girl named Julie, who forms a band with a group of boys who died in the mid 1990s. If that sounds ridiculous, you'd be right, but it's also not incredibly original. This show was based on a Brazilian TV show of the same name that came out in the early 2010s. While the original show only lasted for one season, the concept was basically the same with some minor changes. However, this newer, updated version has the potential to turn into an international Netflix hit because of its overall appeal.

Allow me to convince you as to why you should watch this show and join my Julie and the Phantoms fan club.

(NO SPOILERS!)

Category 1: Plot- A+

After I watched this show the first time, I wanted to share it with as many people as possible, but I found myself having a hard time explaining the plot to them. I tried to explain it to my mom, but she didn't understand why I was so hyped about this show about three dead guys performing in a band with a living girl. She didn't understand it, because when presented with just that, the plot sounds crazy. 

This is definitely one of those shows that you have to watch to understand why it's so beloved, but it's worth it, I promise you.

Here is the best way that I can simplify the plot without spoiling anything in the show: Julie is a sixteen year old girl who just lost her mother, along with her love of music. After playing an old CD from the 1990s, Julie is brought together with the ghosts of a 90's boy band, and together they become a hit singing group that helps her regain her confidence.

It sounds wholesome, but it's definitely got a lot more heart than most other Disney Channel shows out there nowadays. If Disney wanted to be even a little more controversial and include deeper themes of loss and found family on their network, this would be the show for them, honestly.

Category 2: Characters- A

Without getting into too many spoilers, you should just know that there are three main ghost characters, and they each have their own loveable personality that helps bring life (ha!) back to the show. Julie's character interacts with each of them in a way that feels authentic, and they each play off of each other really well. The three band mates are Reggie, Alex, and Luke, and they each have their own baggage that they have to deal with in the wake of their death. Having these three characters around helps to strengthen not only the emotional moments of the show, but also they help to boost the comedic moments as well.

Obviously Julie herself is a relatable main character with good intentions and real struggles. She helps to ground the show in reality and to act as a stand-in for the audience that has no idea what is going on at first. 

Then there are the secondary characters like the traditional mean girl and the mandatory best friend. Even these characters were enjoyable to have around because while they were expected, the show was fresh enough that the tropes and archetypes didn't feel stale. (Although sometimes her best friend kind of annoyed me, to be honest- but I digress.)

Overall, all of the primary and secondary characters in the show worked hard to make this show feel as authentic as possible while also letting everyone be a little silly. The casting really worked well, because everyone seems like they fit their roles perfectly.

From left to right: Reggie (Jeremy Shada), Alex (Owen Joyner), Julie (Madison Reyes) and Luke (Charlie Gillespie)

Category 3: Music- A

If you grew up with Hannah Montana, Camp Rock, and Victorious like I did, there is really no excuse for you not to watch this show. This show is the spiritual successor of all three of those combined. The music in this show SLAPS. HARD.

It's better than your average teen musical, and I'm willing to bet that it has something to do with the fact that Kenny Ortega was involved. He directed a few episodes of the show and also acted as an executive producer over the series. If you know anything about Kenny Ortega's career with children's entertainment, you would know that he has an eye for talent and good music. The man directed all three High School Musical movies, The Cheetah Girls 2, and also all of the Descendants movies. He's got a gift, and so I was not surprised when I discovered that this show feels so similar to some of his earlier projects.

Each episode of the series is about 35 minutes long, and in that time frame they manage to cram in 2-3 songs, each performed by the main cast. Madison Reyes (Julie) truly has some pipes on her, which is clear from the first episode, and all of the boys are incredibly talented. I wouldn't be surprised if they did a Camp Rock/ High School Musical type tour where they made the cast perform around the country once this pandemic is over, because each song is so good, and so memorable. 

Perhaps the most impressive part is that the song "Perfect Harmony" performed on the show by Luke (Charlie Gillespie) and Julie (Madison Reyes) was actually written by the two of them while they were filming. Everyone on this show is so multitalented that it's insane. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is: stream the Julie and the Phantoms soundtrack on Spotify. It's good.

Category 4: Diversity- B

One thing that this show has going for it is that one of the main characters is gay, and it's openly discussed in like the second episode of the series. I was surprised to see a show geared towards younger audiences so open about the fact that one of the characters was gay, but JATP managed to make it into a part of the story without shoe-horning in a message or tokenizing him. He was just a normal character who happened to be gay. (This is another reason why I felt like this show wouldn't air on the Disney Channel.)

Also Julie and her family are all Latinx. Her father, brother, and aunt appear throughout the show, and they remind the audience of Julie's home life. I thought it was neat of them to cast a Latinx family and a Latinx main character, especially since the original show took place in a Latinx country, Brazil.

Category 5: Costume Design- A

This is a category just for me, but I have to admit that watching this show I was a little jealous of all of the outfits that Julie and her friends were wearing. I remember thinking that all of their outfits were styled impeccably, and everyone looked cute as hell. If I was in high school, I think I would be lowkey jealous of all of the fun outfits that everyone got to wear, including the boys. I just thought that everyone looked really good in the show, in no small part due to costuming and fashion design.

Screenshots of the original costume designs for Julie and the Phantoms alongside the finished outfits (Courtesy of @Soyonan on Instagram)

Category 6: Family Friendliness- A

 

I'll be honest: When I watched this show the second time, I watched it with my mom. She was curious about why I was so into this kid's show, and so I made her watch it with me. When it was over, even she had to admit that the show is good and worth the hype that I gave it. It's a real feel good type of show, which is something we all need right now. It also has something for everybody: high school drama, death, romance, comedy, music... I could go on, but I think you get the point. It's the perfect show to watch with your preteen sister, or even (in my case) your adult mother.

I think this show has universal appeal. The characters have relatable stories, and they're able to tell them while still being lighthearted enough for children and adults to enjoy.

Overall, I give Julie and the Phantoms a 10/10 (or an A) for being such a mood booster in these dark times. After watching it the first time, I was excited in a way that only happens when you know you've watched something spectacular. I felt that way after watching Hamilton for the first time, and I felt it again after watching this.

I really hope that this show gets a season two, because after sharing it with my mother and a couple of friends, it's safe to say that we all have our theories on how a second season could possibly top the first.

If you haven't seen it already, I recommend you give it a shot. It's worth the time, and it's definitely worth the emotional investment.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Stay safe, and stream Julie and the Phantoms on Netflix so that we can all fan-girl together.