Change Your Image
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Reviews
HAPPYish (2015)
Will Most People Get This?
I'm not sure how this series would be perceived by young people, or by seniors, but as a middle-aged person, I feel like the topics covered in this series are dead-on.
Ignore the characters for a moment. If you focus just on them, you might see this series as a story of entitled people who have all they need (and more) but still feel unhappy. To me that's not the message at all. Through these characters the viewer is exploring a rather serious topic in our modern society. What makes us happy? Or perhaps more accurately, why are so many people unhappy? Anti-depressants are the most profitable pharmaceutical drug of this century. They don't really cure anything yet so many people are, or have been on them. Why? Are we all just a bunch of malcontents or is something really wrong here?
Statistics have shown that people in their 40's are the least happy demographic but that they find themselves again in their 50's. What changes in those few years? I believe it's that we go through a second rebellion. If we are smart, we concentrate on life, living, being with those we care about and caring less about how we look, and what other people think. Downscaling, shedding responsibilities, finding more time for leisurely pursuits and spending less time working or chasing a fleeting goal - these things are important.
We've all been sold a bill of good by our parents, schools, media and advertisers. Go to school, then college, fall in love, get married, buy a house, eat this, buy that, achieve success - and so on. Increasingly, people feel like this model of happiness doesn't fit for them.
Look around, people are quietly ditching our commercial culture for one that fits their real needs.
Despite persistent messages that consumption and conformity are the paths to happiness, many of us are increasingly learning that following our own path is what we really should be doing.
Great series. Very inspiring - but watch it with the attitude that much of what is depicted is metaphorical. It leaves the viewer to ponder what it is that they gave up to be just another cog in the machine.
And a side-note to the guy who said; "worst liberal self hating selfish ,me,me,me,me bull crap." This is not a story of liberals or conservatives. You have missed the point entirely. Depression and self-doubt do not favour any particular political persuasion. I suggest you re-watch without the political bias. Interpret Happyish in black and white and you'll miss the shades of grey in this, and in real life.
Anvil: The Story of Anvil (2008)
What goes up, must come down.
I have waited over a year to finally see this movie. Anvil are a well known Canadian band and most of the Toronto area musicians of their era know them either by reputation or have met them somewhere on the road. We were rootin' for them when this movie came out because it tells not only their story, but ours.
Anvil were one of the lucky ones. They achieved some success and notoriety early in their career during the early 80's, influencing such heavyweights as Metallica and Guns 'N Roses. But, what goes up eventually comes down and for them "down" was almost a 30 year ordeal.
The Canadian music scene is littered with talented musicians who "almost" made it. It was always more difficult for us to crack that elusive and lucrative U.S. market. Anvil almost did; and when they didn't it left us scratching our heads. A simple twist of fate, being in the right place at the right time makes the difference between being Guns 'N Roses or Anvil, rich or poor.
While many of their peers found day jobs and hung up their axes, Rob and Lips persevered and never completely lost hope and in doing so have become local heroes. The release and success of this movie prove that opportunities still exist even for musicians who cannot be signed by our age-conscious and corporate driven record labels.
The message of this movie? Never give up on yourself or your dreams. Don't listen to naysayers. And be nice to people on your way up because they may be able to help you once you are down.
Excellent, heartwarming, funny and sadly true film.