Double review: Book and Film

This is my first "double review". I thought it would be fun to review both the movie, and the book it was based on. This is also my first movie review, not just at Lesbiatopia, but in general.






BOOK REVIEW

by Cynthia Rodriguez

"QUEEN BEES & WANNABES"

by Rosalind Wiseman


I wish this book had been around when I was a teen. It would have saved me a whole lot of heartache, and confusion. "Queen Bees..." was originally intended for parents of teen girls but has become a marvelous instruction manual through "Girl World" that is just as relevant for adult women. Rosalind breaks it down for us in an entertaining, amusing fashion, the hierachies, the cliques, roles and games we play on ourselves and each other, and how all types of relationships we have/had as teens help mold our connections with everything else as adults.

This lady KNOWS teenagers. You can tell she knows what she is talking about. The book is based on her wonderful "Empower Program" (look it up), in which she goes into schools and educates and advocates a no violence policy by enlightening these youngsters on their own psyche. Alot of the book is actual feedback from the teens on subjects discussed in their classes regarding the agenda.

I was compelled to read this after seeing one of my favorite movies "Mean Girls" for about the 50th time. For me, the bottom line is, people don't really change too much after high school. The biggest, most obvious indicator of this is the work place. You have your "Queen Bees" and the others wherever you go. You can't go through this book, and not say out loud to yourself quite a few times, "Omg, that was ME!", "That's STILL me!", "I do that!", etc. The sad fact is that women can be real bitches to each other. No matter what your background, nationality, sexual orientation, whatever. Of course, the fact that I used the word "bitch" probably defeats the entire purpose of the book. At least I'm aware of that. Well, you know what I mean, I think.

Another significant issue is a girl's issues with her significant other, or others. Naturally, relationships, the good, the bad and the ugly, with family, friends, and boyfriends/girlfriends will shape future relationships. Sometimes it just comes down to breaking that cycle of abuse. I feel that most women never really learn to do that, especially with themselves.


I recommend this book to ALL women, whether you have children or not.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to ALL parents of teenage girls, or will become one someday.

I consider this book a bible for parents of girls. It can save you alot of the hassle of deciphering what's going on in their universe. You'll need it.

This is part of the reason why I chose to remain "child-free", so good luck with that.






MOVIE REVIEW

by Cynthia Rodriguez

"MEAN GIRLS"






The first time I saw "Mean Girls", I thought it was going to be another brainless teen film. Boy, was I wrong. This isn't your typical teen movie. No one is going to White Castle or getting half-baked. It is probably the most intelligent teeny bopper film I can remember watching. It has become one of my favorites. Also, I think it's the smartest movie starring a significant amount of SNL cast members. However, the wit and wisdom do not take away from it's ability to make you LOL (laugh out loud), partly because you know it's true. Brilliant as always, Tina Fey's film adaption of Rosalind Wiseman's book, "Queen Bees & Wannabes" stays true to it's serious messages.

My favorite movie with Lindsay Lohan, who I feel was at the peak of her cuteness, and that sort of innocence about her, is perfect as Cady Heron, a formerly home schooled teen from Africa, who is thrown into a different type of jungle. Public High School. She quickly learns that her excellent book smarts are no match for a different kind of education that most of us are unfortunetly all too aware of. The modern day social science of "Girl World".


There is a hilarious, maybe a tad exaggerated representation of all the different cliques, from the jocks, to the nerds, to the burnouts. Even still, I believe you can identify with one group more than the other when you see it.

The DVD's special features are priceless. I love how it continuously refers to the book the way it does to show it is true to it's origins. You don't see that too often in special features on DVD's, which is interesting being that alot of the material in films ARE from books.

So if you haven't seen "Mean Girls" yet, ya' gotta check it out. I guarantee you'll find a little bit of your high school self in it, as well as the person you are today.