2011 Loosening of Foot

Directed by: Craig Brewer

A movie that will fire up your dancing feet, make you groove to the beat, and take you back to your first and only love. Compared to the 1984 version of Footloose, this enhanced version is updated with the most recent comic wit, dance styles, and music to help this new generation to understand this classic masterpiece. Footloose invites you to this small town that's been tainted with a tragic past, and is reliving it day after day with the ridiculous laws they enforced because of the death of the town reverend's son. Dancing is illegal along with any music the town counsel deems inappropriate or too loud.

Amid all the illegal partying and fun the youth main characters have in this movie in order to hold the viewers attention, there is a underlying meaning that rings true. Ren MacCormack, an outsider who moves into the town, takes initiative to abolish the laws that prevent everyone from expressing themselves through dance and always being reminded of the loss of a loved one. Ren spends the time to study the laws of church and state, the separation between the two, and how the people in a society should have the freedom to dance, sing and praise when and where they personally see fit. This film reminds viewers that everyone has a choice and voice in governmental situations, and the rights of humanity stand true in any situation, whether it be to able to put on a town dance or having the right to marry whomever you please.

The characters are brilliantly portrayed, from the reverend's daughter going through a identity crisis to Willard the high school comedian with redneck blood flowing strongly through his veins. There are big shoes to fill when remaking a classic film, and this 2011 reproduction of Footloose did an excellent job, if not a better one.

Life Is a Dream

Playwright: Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Performed by: BYU Idaho theater students

Here's a story that can be summed up in a very short synopsis. There's a locked up prince who has anger issues, a neglecting father who somehow found a way to become king, a guard who apparently sleeps around and therefore doesn't know where any of his reproductions are, and a girl who insists on being a man. They all run around the castle dealing with love triangles, murder, and never really talking about the people they govern, too absorbed in their own lives to care. Even the battle at the end is for their own personal gain, to bring the prince out of imprisonment to rule the people. Remember, this prince with anger problems, who is a murderer, and knows nothing about ruling a kingdom? Yes, that man is who they want to free and bring to the throne. A man with no training, no knowledge of government, who is practically a beast who's been locked away his whole life and suddenly who is able to rule the land. Wouldn't be my first choice I'll tell you that.

The actors were definitely not professional, but were able to express the intensity of the play. They yelled a lot, which was only justified when the imprisoned prince would have his outbursts for of course he didn't have any social ques. But when emphasis is needed within a play it does not always mean you have to shout to emphasize, for even when you lower your voice it invites the audience to listen even more carefully, entrapping them in their humanity.

Now that I've gotten out all of my negativity about the play out in the open, I suppose it's time to express what I really enjoyed about the play. Though it was performed distastefully, besides the comic relief, the writing was quite magnificent. Introducing an ultimate question, is life a dream? What is real and what is make believe? The prince is faced with this struggle of knowing if he is a true heir of the throne, or a dreamer trapped in prison. Once he defeats the king and takes his place at the throne he still states that he may be dreaming, but he would enjoy it while it lasts. Saying that all happiness ends at one point, so you might as well savor it while it is in your grasp. Some may say that this is a very cynical outlook on life, I'd say that it sums up the hills and valleys we as mere mortals have to endure in existence.

Overall, good message though its cynical, but too prolonged and poorly performed for only one good message.