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Exploring Magic Films: Why Do They Continue to Draw in Crowds?

May 11, 2018May 24, 2018 Bosco Evert Movies

We generally love movies because they allow us to dive headfirst into whole new worlds where the impossible becomes completely possible. Today, we want to explore the films about magic. Specifically, we wanted to explore why they continue to draw in massive crowds. Magic has always been quite appealing to a majority of movie-goers around […]

As summer comes along like clockwork, it would be around that time of the year where a majority of people, brands, and even celebrities plan out a beach party. Beach parties are often “the place to be” during the summer months. If you’re planning on hosting a beach party, you’re going to have to be […]

SIFA on Spotlight: What Fun Things Can You Do There?

April 26, 2018May 24, 2018 Bosco Evert Festivals

The Power of Musicals: Two Reasons Why Musicals Still Matter

March 29, 2018May 24, 2018 Bosco Evert Music

Thinking of a Beach Party? Two Things to Consider When It Comes to Music

June 8, 2018May 24, 2018

After all, beaches are notorious for odd winds, sand which gets everywhere, and the ever continuous search for a reliable source of power. So if you’re planning on throwing a beach party, you may want to remember these two things when it comes to the planning it and the music that goes with it:

Check the Weather

Strong winds will require stronger sound systems. If the weather doesn’t look very good, you may want to consider moving your party to a latter date. The weather will determine if a party will have the sort of ambiance that it requires in order to be homey or fun.

The weather will also determine the viability of setting up equipment without getting it damaged. The weather will also be dictating whether or not the venue will be able to accommodate you and your party. So we cannot emphasize enough that you should always check with the weather.

Do yourself a favor and coordinate with the local government agencies if you’re planning on hosting it on a public beach.

Get a Good DJ

While one may think that having a well-built playlist is enough, you would be very much surprised. A DJ is an essential part of any good beach party. They set the mood and provide the party-goers with the chance to interact and really hype up the event.

For example, in 2014 there was a party at Siloso Beach. The DJs really tore up the place and to this day it is regarded as one of the best beach parties ever thrown. A good DJ will determine if your party is a hot one or a dud.

In Retrospect

The beach may not always seem like the best location to throw a party but it always pays off when you do things really well. There are a lot of times where the best sorts of memories are made on the beach. Our popular culture (which includes TV and movies) really puts a lot of examples out there regarding the sort of fun (and mistakes) you can have at a beach party.

Have you ever thrown a beach party? What did you do regarding the music?

Exploring Magic Films: Why Do They Continue to Draw in Crowds?

May 11, 2018May 24, 2018

Magic has always been quite appealing to a majority of movie-goers around the world. Unless, of course, you happen to be completely religious—but that’s another story! So why are movies about magic so popular? Well, we’ve got a few theories!

Macho Fatigue

For the past how many years, the muscle-bound action men like Schwarzenegger or even Tom Cruise which dominated much of the active cinema. The choices were rather simple if you look at the cinema playbill each month without a doubt you will always see something in the action genre.

While this was fine back then, people eventually got tired of seeing the same guy get into bigger messes and somehow still find a way to make everything okay. Mission Impossible is the biggest offender of this trope. So it doesn’t really surprise us in the least that people are just plain tired of the shooting, kicking, and even punching.

Not Every Culture Acknowledges Magic

There are those that fully believe in it and there are those that would fully crucify you if you even so much as brought it up. This is partly why magic shows like Vision are so popular. They provide audiences with a break from their normal culture and give them a period of time where they may actually believe in magic.

It’s a Different Kind of Thrill

While you would always like for the good guys to win, when magic is in the mix that can be a pretty tall order. Audiences are always holding their breath to see if a magic trick is going to go off without a hitch. There have been magical tales wherein the bad guy wins and the world lives in darkness for quite some time.

This isn’t something that you can expect from Tom Cruise movies that have a specified number of sequels in the contract. So it’s kind of hard to think they’re in danger when you know there’s a sequel coming.

In Retrospect

Magic will probably always be a hot topic when it comes to cinema-goers. It provides quite an escape from the mundane life that we typically live. It’s a good exercise in perception as well as there are usually little tells or clues when a magic trick goes down. Much like “The Prestige” or even “Now You See Me”, audiences are often left breathless until the reveal has been done.

Do you fancy magic films? Which one happens to be your favorite?

SIFA on Spotlight: What Fun Things Can You Do There?

April 26, 2018May 24, 2018

If you’re a music fan, you will be well aware that music festivals are one of the biggest celebrations of music that we have to date. There are a lot of different genres that are celebrated so you may want to go and check out which ones are the best fit for your taste.

In terms of reputation, Coachella often takes the cake as the most well-known music festival. Back in the day, that used to be the Burning Man Festival. This year’s Burning man will be on August 26^th so you may want to plot your trips. While both these festivals are western ones, this does not mean that the East doesn’t have their own music festivals. Today, we want to talk about SIFA or Singapore International Festival or Arts.

SIFA is not just a music festival; it is a festival of the arts so there will be massive representation of all types of art. Here are a few things that you can do there for fun:

Catch a Film

One of the highlights of SIFA is the fact that audiences get to view films from different countries. You can catch Singular Screens throughout the entirety of the festival. You can also choose to standby on the 28^th to catch “I’ve Got A Little Problem”—a submission by China.

Join a Literary Discussion

Many of us on the writing team are really looking forward to Verses of Love and Life; as well as, 1984. These literary pieces will be up for discourse through the eyes of fans and critics alike. It is always a treat to see a different point of view about a topic that touches the minds of so many.

Watch Poetry in Motion

The Dorrance Dance Company is gracing SIFA this year. They are a dance troupe which will be staging a history of tap dance. If you’re a big fan of choreography and want to also get a chance to pick the mind of a professional dancer, come and join this event.

In Retrospect

SIFA 2018 actually starts today and ends on the 12^th of May. So you may want to check if you’ll still be able to catch any of the festivities. If not, you have plenty of time to catch next year’s activities. Always remember that preparation is the key to make sure that you get the most out of your SIFA experience.

For those who are going to be able to go this year, here’s a question for you: which weekend or event are you looking forward to the most?

Of Brotherhood and Reality: Films Which Focus On the Tale of Brothers

April 12, 2018May 24, 2018

Movies have a great knack for accurately (or fantastically) depicting relationships between people. Today, we wanted to focus on the films which specifically focus on the tale of brothers. When we say brothers, of course we really mean a variety of things like: blood brothers, half-brothers, and even adopted brothers. While best guy friends can act like brothers, they’re sadly not making the cut today.

Without further ado, here are some of our favorite films about brothers:

Legends of the Fall

This 1994 American epic follows the tale of three particular brothers. The tale is set in the Western frontier where men lived off of the land. It follows the heartbreak of two older brothers failing to keep their younger brother safe from the war.

It also chronicles their passion for a single woman. This film does a pretty great job of juggling the difficulty of living back in the Western sphere—where Native Indians were not treated like people. It does a wonderful job of seeing the struggles of the heart and the eventual power of family.

Ran

If there was ever a film from the East that really went out to portray the intricacies of family relationship—especially when power played a factor—we highly suggest that you pick up Ran from 1985. The story follows three brothers and their subsequent power struggles to control what territories and legacies their father had left for them.

Life and familial relationships are never as easy as they appear to be. If you have ever wanted to see how the bonds of three brothers were tested, broken, and somewhat rekindled, you may want to tune into this film.

Black Mud

Canada came out swinging with this film. This particular story, much like the one above it is about a coming of age in the life of two young brothers. We liked this film a lot because not only were you able to see the myriad of complexities that came with a child trying to be an adult in a difficult situation but viewers were also treated to the beautiful expanse of Canadian wilderness and landscapes.

In Retrospect

The capacity of movies to fully depict or even inaccurately depict the dynamic between brothers is one of the reasons why we think it is fully fascinating. Everyone will have their own list of their ‘movies about brothers’ list so we hope that you give ours the benefit of the doubt.

That being said, what films about brothers do you keep for your personal collection or queue up in your streaming sites?

The Power of Musicals: Two Reasons Why Musicals Still Matter

March 29, 2018May 24, 2018

If you are really into music but want it to tell a story through music, you look no further than musicals. While there are those that continue to wonder about the power of musicals, we have a couple of reasons as to why they matter.

For beginners, musicals are either in the form of theater productions or films. They combine mastery of lyrics and symphony along with the subtle and effective nuances of narrative and acting. There are a lot of musicals out there ranging from the amateur ones to the ones that really made it big. Here are the two reasons why we firmly believe why musicals still truly matter:

Social Change

A common battle cry in support of musicals often says that they are an instrument for social change. We believe that musicals have the ability to challenge narratives that are presently believed or have always been believed.

For example, the likes of RENT showcased the reality of HIV and the stigma that people live with. How about the injustice that face those in the lower income bracket or the people who were not white; these issues were prevalent and there were so many more.

Celebration of Cultural Achievement

Musicals provide audiences with a very good example of cultural achievements that would not probably be noted. For example, back in the day women were not allowed to perform on stage. The stages were nowhere as sophisticated or as safe as they are now.

In Retrospect

Some of the more enduring musicals of our time either told a really good story or was a clear representation of the time period where it was set. If we were to rank which things made wide ripples in the sea of awareness, musicals would be ranked pretty darned high. Musicals aren’t just instruments for social change or a celebration of cultural achievement.

Musicals are the stories that we tell and pass down from one generation to the next. Do you like musicals? Which ones do you like the most?

Why Do the Music and Movie Industry Continue to Grow?

March 15, 2018May 24, 2018

There are probably an infinitesimal number of people who do not indulge themselves a good movie or a good song. The industries of music and movies continue to grow—let’s look at why that is.

Music Alters Moods

Studies have gone to show that music can actually alter and affect your mood. Your pulse goes up when you’re listening to music with a fast beat. Your breathing slows when you’re listening to something laid back.

Music can even invoke feelings and memories. There are certain parts of our brain that are steadily triggered through sound and song. As something that can be quite tied to memories and moments, it is not surprising at all that music will continue to have support from everyday individuals.

Movies Provide Escape

Movies are gateways to different worlds and other people’s lives. They provide us with a different perspective and even allow us to get to know ourselves a little better. We like to put ourselves in the situations of the characters in films and ponder what we would do in a similar situation.

This provides a form of escape from the everyday mundane life that we all tend to live. So it doesn’t really strike us as strange when we get reports that the movie industry is worth billions and even trillions of dollars.

In Retrospect

Both industries of music and movies play an integral part in representing the culture that we are all included in. No matter what part of the world you live in, you will hear songs and you will catch a film or two—even if it was just in passing. We honestly think that’s a good thing. There are so many emotions and lessons that are carried by both industries. These are things that everyone could learn more from.

Do you like movies or music? Why do you believe both industries will continue to grow?