Karen Filippelli

Mr. Ollivander

Today is Mr. Ollivander’s birthday, the wandmaker who sells Harry his wand on his 11th birthday, measures the wand’s of all the Champions in the Tri-wizard Tournament and is held prisoner during the Second War at Malfoy Manor. According to Pottermore he was influential to the wizarding world as he completely transformed wand making when he took over his family’s business. While I would have also liked the previous method of bringing something personal to have a wand made out of, Mr. Ollivander’s method of creating wands from selective materials and selling them to the wizard who had a connection with the wand is both a more logical approach and produced a noticeable change in strength and beauty for the wand holder. 

But there is more to his story....

As with the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Mr. Ollivander was Harry Potter’s, and our’s, first taste of magic. In his wandshop is where Harry first gets to perform just a bit of magic and, as he repeats throughout his years, how much he loves it. While Harry Potter might have been a special case, I believe that Mr. Ollivander was passionate and caring about each new (or older) wizard who came in for a companion in their wand and enjoyed being with them as they started their journey and full embracing the beauty that is magic. So thank you Mr. Ollivander for your passion, compassion, brilliance and heart. 

Ravenclaw Stats

87% of Ravenclaws are stressed out at this very moment.

Grown Up Girls

In the past few years, Disney has started to rise up as an avenue for equal representation for the gay community, diversity and female empowerment. While behind the times, being the powerhouse that it is, these changes are important to note as Disney is not only a powerhouse in it’s own right, but also an international platform that hits kids at a young age. 

Teen Beach Movie (2013) came out first, and in a lot of ways was a remake of Grease with the addition and explanation of feminism at different levels and circumstances. During the story, Mack (McKenzie) tries to make the point that other girls shouldn’t change for the boys in their world. Similarly, in her real world, she’s trying to figure out how to do what she wants to do when it goes against what another woman wants her to do, even if part of it is because of a boy. 

The smaller but still impactful part of the movie is her boyfriend who likes her as a person and gives a small push of how boys can be feminists. 

Invisible Sister (2015) stars Rowan Blanchard, a young warrior in the feminism and equality world. Along with her character in Girl Meets World, Cleo shows the longterm effects of -- but this story takes it a step further. While both sisters fight for visibility, this film digs deeper with getting to woman standing with each other and how different people can have similar struggles while similar people can have different struggles. Similar to Brady in Teen Beach Movie, in Invisible Sister Cleo learns not to judge a book by it’s cover and to dig a little deeper with her sister’s boyfriend who while not the brightest, is someone who is worthy of any warrior as he would love and marry her sister even if he could never see her again. 

So while you’re late, thank you for joining the table Disney--even thou you’re currently only at the beginners level. 

Remember, Remember the Titans

This is one of those movies, stories, days where I am both excited and appalled about how much and how little has changed in the world. Remember the Titans hits on a lot of topics, some that are only becoming more discussed than they were in 2000 when the film was released, and definitely not when the film took place in 1971.

There is discussion about how this story isn’t real, but of course it’s real. It might not be the day-to-day real actions and challenges faced by this specific number of obstacles but this all did happen. While the main focus of the story is racism, but it also touches upon current-hot phrase toxic masculinity and homophobia. Boys who were taught to be one thing, come to realize what they have been taught is wrong, something especially difficult when it seems that it’s almost everyone that is telling you something else. As the younger generations are showing to be more open-minded and tolerant overall there still are obstacles for them against their parents’ and sometimes friends and shown with Gary and his mother and his girlfriend who couldn’t understand what he was thinking—even though they couldn’t explain their point of view. Separate from general teasing both the players and the coaches have difficulties seeing what they have in common with people they believe are ‘different’ from them—with the players having an automatic hatred of Sunshine and the coaches missing they are both strong leaders who try to be good, equal and fair men and attentive fathers.

So whether this film accurately portrays the Titan players of 1971 of Coach Boone, it does portray the changes and struggles people dealt with once they were able to interact with each other without the rhetoric of others. One of the most important parts of this are the diner scenes once the team starts winning. Gary’s character, who at first hates Julius and is racist, homophobic and a bunch of other crap, gets confused when his girlfriend doesn’t like Julius right off the bat. Excusing the fact that just weeks ago he hated this man for no reason, he doesn’t understand why she does—because his viewpoint has now changed. Gary deals with this again because while the team is okay with black players winning games, they’re not okay with them eating at their restaurants. I think one of the best parts of this film is the constant reminder that while they were able to come together at camp, they had to refight some of their own battles once they left – because the world isn’t just how they see it.

Eh....Anonymous

All right, I’m not clean, proud nor happy about this but facts are true when we like them and when we don’t. These three films are brilliant (in my opinion), and I love them and while I will not purchase anything related to the man behind the shadows of these films, to not have them included in my favorites would be a lie—so I crammed them all together as films I wish were associated with someone else –and that’s all I can say on the matter as my alliance for these films still struggles.

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion 

Way back when, my family (mostly my Dad and I) would watch two films on New Year’s Eve instead of just one, along with getting Chinese food for dinner. The Curse of the Jade Scorpion was one of the first ones, one we watched at least a second New Year’s Eve and is one of my favorite comedies. I have re-watched it many times and I always love it. Like its main character, it’s ridiculous and cartoon-like, perfectly matching the music that goes with it--like a live-action Bugs Bunny cartoon. Watching an investigator thump around and somehow, luckily solve the mystery—is preposterous, even more so than the romantic ending. But if you find to have similar taste as I do, which most don’t, this one will have you laugh out loud so much that your father starts to watch from another room.

Crimes and Misdemeanors

Please, please, hold the accurate screams for the stars of this film that escape from your body as if you are a stereotyped middle school girl from ten years ago that just saw Justin Bieber. Sam Waterson, Jerry Orbach (RIP) and Alan Alda—heaven and probably my main reasons for loving this film (in order) not just because it was them but because I saw a different character of them that I was more used to (thou not Alan Alda in this case, I agree he was schmucky). I would agree with other reviewers that it’s not exactly the suspense of what’s going to happen that fuels the story but what these ‘average’ people will do, how they will react and how the rest of their lives will be impacted. Except for Judah’s connection to hitman, and part of the story having a connection to the acting/film industry—the stories are all pretty common. People who are in unhappy marriages, people who have affairs; these stories are common. A lot of “coming of age” stories are about teenagers and young adults, but after 50 or so years sometimes we come to a new level of understanding of ourselves or a different realization than before and make different choices and we adapt again rising to a new challenge or falling below expectations—but which one was which

“And after the awful deed is done, he finds that he's plagued by deep-rooted guilt. Little sparks of his religious background which he'd rejected are suddenly stirred up. He hears his father's voice. He imagines that God is watching his every move. Suddenly, it's not an empty universe at all, but a just and moral one, and he's violated it.”

Match Point

Match Point really is just an extension of Crimes and Misdemeanors, the only larger change is that the ending result comes from a combination of the actions of the main character along with ‘fate’ as opposed to just dumb luck. Both main characters in Crimes and Misdemeanors and Match Point show that with real consequences, the choices you make are different than what you think they would be; but also how your worst choices show your true character because even thou both Judah and Tom both felt extreme guilt….they got over it pretty quickly

 Shout out: Melinda and Melinda a complete extreme of how perspective can shape so much

To all the movies I've lost

There are classic movies, movies we're ashamed we love, movies we love to hate, the movies of our childhood, and movies that stick with us forever regardless of type of emotional connection we have with them. Sometimes regardless of their impact, we still lose them. For an English project I once had to watch a few horror/suspense movies and see how the story connected to events going on at the time, I ended up picking the movie The Night of the Comet, a 1980s film about how radioactive material mysteriously left my a passing comet evaporated people or left them sick and zombie-esque. I connected this to the mystery and panic occurring of the beginning of the HIV and AIDS epidemics and how people are panicked and you didn't know who you could trust. Other films I saw was The Shining, but as it took me three days to watch it once that didn't seem like a good choice to study and another film...where a woman gets remarried and starts getting harassed.

This film in random occasion will pop into my head late at night and frighten me to my core, while many claim they saw the ending coming (I agree you had ideas but the FULL twist that gets you at the end in the creepy phrase while she's fighting for her life in her own home)--I'm sorry, you didn't see those specifics coming. I'd like to see it again, either to be freaked or to help and try to get over it, but alas I can't, as I've forgotten what movie it is. I've e searched and searched with clues and facts and cannot figure out the film, so it will continue to haunt me, from a more petrifying distance of mystery, only to become clear as a nightmare

Happy January 13th

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Any possibility of Harry having a nice life, died, mercilessly, with this book, starting with him again not being to just be on the sidelines and ending with the full return of Voldemort. Okay, so it starts off with a horrible scene but actually the beginning is quite lovely as Harry writes to Sirius for help because he finally has someone he can write to with his problems that’s like a parent and then following the silliness of the Weasleys sending a letter with about 10 thousand stamps (why did no one give them basics after the phone call and really, Muggle Studies should be mandatory for everyone, is there really that little contact) and then of course, the Quidditch World Cup (see—Muggles).

But quickly the main themes of Harry being cursed (seriously—why did he keep going back) and teenage drama (Ron v. any and all sensibility) took over, but with some new dimensions. This was the beginning of true social justice for Hermione, something that she would stick with the rest of her life, and I love how it a) was for those who weren’t fighting for themselves, and b) wasn’t based on blood status. The choice and dedication she had to fight for equality and for others made sense as it was an extension from her fight the year before for Buckbeak and wasn’t for her, but something for others that was not related to school, but important, and a part of her and would’ve come out eventually, one way or another. In relation to the parallels created, the introduction of Rita Skeeter, her rumors, and the brainwashing of the media we later also see in Year Five are important parallels to our non-magical world. This extends to how we shouldn’t always trust those we believe we should and we should remain skeptical of those we don’t truly know (Alastor Moody, Lugo Badman, Molly Weasley with Hermione and Rita and others). These are lessons that we understand adults have not all mastered. Additional lessons can also be shown in the three tasks. The First Task reminds us to be creative with your knowledge as Krum hadn’t thought of summoning a broom to help him. The Second and Third Task make me think of moral fibre and compassion, and to not let the competition take over what you know is right. 

This book was long, and had a lot, but most importantly it stood as the midpoint, the break between young Harry Potter and older Harry Potter as the coming years would get even darker, and the lessons he learned this year and previously (along with the friendships he gained) would be more valuable in coming times than expected. Unrelated, the beginning chapter of this was so anti-Harry Potter, it had no magic, was complete mysterious and dark but not overdone, it was beautiful and sucked me in so much; truly showed how JK Rowling was a brilliant writer even outside the magical world she created. Also, would’ve loved a scene with Hermione showing Draco she captured Skeeter, once again showing how completely brilliant she is in having figured it out, also, badass!!

1st book: HP

If I ever had to choose a favorite book, it would be Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Bought by my mother because of it’s rampant success in England, it was and still is a very important book for me. The series was the first new-generations understanding of youth activism, feminism, equality and kindness. But the first book was, for lack of a better word as this word doesn’t seem to do it justice, home. I, like all great books, was taken out of my world to another place where I found friends and a family, and security. It gave me confidence, hope and connection while pushing me and allowing me to feel safe, all at the same time.

But Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is not my favorite books because of the story, a particular character or author, time period or residual feeling of inspiration. While it is one that continues to connect to me, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is my favorite book just because it is my home, my base and my beginning of reading. While I read before Harry Potter and surely would’ve read without it, the first chapter can always make me smile and bring me back to really beginning to love reading and experiencing that other world and how much books can bring joy, compassion and comfort. This book, that will always be my favorite book, represents more than even the world of Harry Potter represents to me with the characters and connections; it does in fact just represents me and my child hood and my love of reading and excitement to learn. 

All of the Harry Potter books will always have a place with me, but Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the first and the strongest and the one that can always bring me back to the places I love. Happy National Book Month

The thing with telling “cliche” stories, but with representation, is… these stories aren’t cliche for us.

Picture this. The people at the table next to you have been getting chocolate cake as a dessert for YEARS. After every meal, they get a chocolate cake. Now, it’s been years, and the people at that table can barely stand chocolate anymore. They want maybe a cheesecake. Or lemon mousse.

But your table? Has NEVER had chocolate cake. Mousse is also good, but you are SO hungry for that chocolate cake, cause you never had it before, and it’s brand new for you, and you’ve been watching the other table eat it for YEARS.

That’s what’s like getting a “cliche” story that’s representative. Has it been done a million times before? Yes. Has it ever been done for US? Well… no. Maybe it’s the 500th chocolate cake in existence, but all the other chocolate cakes weren’t meant for us (girls/PoC/queer folk/disabled folk/etc)

So it being cliche is not a bad thing. You may not want chocolate cake anymore. But we want our slice too.

Dorian

First, it’s amazing to me that I still don’t remember the TRUE title of this book. I always refer to it just as Dorian, then remember it’s Dorian Gray--completely forgetting it’s actually “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

I love this book so, so much. Forget the ridiculousness of homophobia in general and in the book, for Oscar Wilde to have written this book, have the visual degree he had, the understanding he had--it baffles and bothers me that people really considered anything else except for the pure genius that he was with this story and concerned themselves with other things. 

First, for the story, the use of the painting and Dorian as a split between him and his soul is amazing. While he begins his journey with a great lack of understanding, it brings about the idea that without consequences many will go astray--while also pointing out that those who choose to put their value in images or status instead of nature and character are going to be missing the truth about people--warned by Sybil, the painting and Bail’s disbelief of the rumours

Secondly, Dorian’s journey over the 18 years that were inspired by Basil’s painting and Lord Henry’s small chat, along with Dorian’s lack of follow thru to stay with Sybil both before and after her death--what concerns me with this is the reflection that that at that point his fate is sealed. While later true, Dorian and the other characters take the easy way out and similarly to my first point go towards the path of least resistance--in more ways than one, regardless of the logic or lack of behind it. 

Finally, and for me, the most awe-striking genius that I continue to be stunned by is the ending where Dorian meets his demise. While I know that our creativity comes from an inspiration within, the ending especially (along with the idea of the painting in general) was so ahead of its time. I am again in awe