WARNING: This review contains SPOILERS.
 
Overall: The storytelling is a bit rushed, but it's an entertaining and uplifting "celebration of humanity"

If you haven't heard already, Michael Gracey's The Greatest Showman is very loosely based on the life of P.T. Barnum, the legendary circus ringleader. Looking at the film's inspirational themes, and the vast liberties taken with the facts, it's clear making another biopic wasn't the intent. Instead, screenwriters Bill Condon and Jenny Bicks use the symbolism of Barnum to remind us to dream, show benevolence and focus on what matters.
 
We watch Gracey's Barnum from his youth as a misfit (Ellis Rubin). He copes with the bleakness of his poverty-stricken life with imagination, charm and humor. He hopes to one day show up his elitist naysayers by wowing and entertaining the world. When of age (Hugh Jackman), he marries his childhood sweetheart (Skylar Dunn; later Michelle Williams), who happily leaves her lap of luxury to be with him. "Barnum's Circus" is eventually launched, piquing both interest and protest for making stars out of outcasts. The lineup consists of performers exiled for their physical appearance. To appeal to the upper-class, P.T. recruits a more traditional act: a glamorous singer named Jenny Lind (Rebecca Ferguson). He also enlists the help of a wealthy playwright, Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron). Phillip's budding romance with Anne Wheeler (Zendaya), a black trapeze artist, tests them both in different ways. Things also get sticky between P.T., his wife and Jenny. It all comes to a head as his obsession with raising the show's profile gets the best of him, and the performers are attacked.
 
As with any proper musical, the songs strike the emotional chords of the story and sharpen its tones. Holding the defiant and aspirational spirit of the characters, each track is stirring. So much so, you'll forget you're watching a movie and will clap by reflex at the end of numbers. This is particularly true with "Never Enough" and the outsider anthem "This Is Me," beautifully led by 'bearded lady' Keala Settle. "Never Enough" marks a 'make or break' instance for P.T. He's hired Jenny by word-of-mouth alone, and has promised awe to cynical crowds with her debut. I myself was prepared to be unimpressed. I thought "I'll accept this for the pivotal scene it's supposed to be, no matter how unremarkable it is." My breath was taken away right with the fictional audience. Recall the first time you heard Adele's "Someone Like You," Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," Whitney Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You" or Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love." Those kinds of memories will flash before you. Perfect diva science was smartly applied to create the desired effect. You know the formula: sweet lyrics, stunning vocals and 'just right' structuring to where the song escalates, but never crushes its own tenderness. The chops were provided by Loren Allred, who appeared on season 3 of NBC's The Voice (it's awkwardly noticeable that Ferguson is lip-synching). I think it's unfortunate (and a little strange) that a dual actress/singer wasn't cast as Jenny. This way, the architect of such an wonderful moment was left out of the party.

Every year on or around January 16th and August 25th, I usually do something to commemorate the life of R&B singer Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash in 2001. Since I’ve had this blog, I’ve written tribute pieces, trying to describe and relay to my audience why Aaliyah was so important to music, to me and why losing her still impacts me to this day, but it seems there are never enough words to fully convey it. For those who adore and appreciate her as I do, I need not explain, but there are many who the significance is lost upon (for various reasons). These people were once again mystified when there was such a strong reaction to news of the production and casting of an Aaliyah biopic on the Lifetime network.

For years, there were stirrings that some form of a film was in the making. Fans were split about whether or not a movie should happen. Some were flat-out against the idea, saying “let her rest.” Others formed their opinion based on how Aaliyah’s family felt (the latest statement was given by Aaliyah’s cousin and record label associate, Jomo Hankerson, who said the desire was for a major studio release, not a TV movie). The remaining portion of her followers were adamant about seeing Aaliyah’s story onscreen, but only if it was done “right:” a non-salacious and quality script, brilliant actors with close-enough likeness and involvement with her family and/or close friends, like her primary creative partners, Missy Elliott and Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley. A similar reactionary effect would occur anytime there were rumors of posthumous music. Hankerson ceased development of an alleged duet album produced by Drake and Noah “40” Shebib that would pair Aaliyah’s unreleased vocals with various artists after a backlash from fans and disapproval from her immediate family. Despite Drake making his adulation for Aaliyah extraordinarily known, fans just weren’t comfortable with anyone touching her music but Elliott and Mosley. To put it lightly, there was a less-than-enthusiastic response in June to 17-year-old Disney star Zendaya Coleman being cast as Aaliyah for the Lifetime project, with complaints that she may not have the acting chops, didn’t resemble Aaliyah enough and wasn’t the proper race even (Coleman is half black and half white). Let me just say, though I didn’t think Coleman was the best fit, she is a very talented young lady and claiming that she isn’t “black enough” because of part of her lineage and sending her hate messages is divisive, ignorant and cruel. Now, back to our regularly scheduled program…showing how guarding of the Aaliyah brand Zendaya is herself as a fellow devotee, she pulled out of the film, stating “…the production value wasn’t there, there were complications with the music rights, and I just felt like it wasn’t being handled delicately considering the situation…I tried my best to reach out to the family on my own and I wrote a letter, but I was unable to do so, therefore, I felt not really morally okay with moving forward with the project.”

Why is it all such a big deal? Why are we so protective when it comes to all things Aaliyah? We have different ideas on how things should be handled posthumously, but it’s all for the same reason. It’s because her story is unfinished. We got 2 fantastic albums that left us terribly yearning for another. When Aaliyah took a hiatus to reportedly finish school (she was really a teenager, huh?), many begged “When are you coming back?!” There was so much excitement about the things to come (which included a budding acting career) once there was buzz she had returned to the studio. We were eager to be reunited with our princess, our “cool older sister,” our BFF in our heads. We were granted with a simply timeless self-titled record after 5 years in July 2001, but just 39 days later, Aaliyah died. She was only 22….22. Her style and musical contributions to the history of R&B are indelible and iconized (a little more on that in a moment), but there’s a heartbreaking sense of unfulfillment because we knew the carving in the wood would’ve been driven even deeper. That’s why there are dozens of articles from magazines and blogs hypothesizing how our musical lives would’ve changed or been enhanced had she lived. In “Rock&Rant: Hip-Hop Killed R&B,” I suggested that R&B lost its identity while meshing with hip-hop.  Considering that Aaliyah was 1 of the pioneering figures in R&B’s hip-hop merger, could the influence of her ever-novel work with Missy and Timbaland have kept the genre from going off-course? We knew what she was, we knew what we had and we wanted the world outside of our own to see it, and since Aaliyah is not here to execute that dream, we circumspectly appraise anyone (or anything) that attempts to do it for her. We don’t want her narrative and definition to be altered or presented in a way that is not true to her essence.

Album Review by @EddieJSays, Contributing writer

Likes: Fireflies, Putcha' Body Down, Heaven Lost an Angel
Dislikes: My Baby
Overall: Breaks out from the Disney mold, better vocals than expected

For anyone who is on the fence like I was as to whether or not “Shake It Up” Disney newcomer Zendaya has any real vocal ability, in addition to being a great comedic actress who can dance her butt off, you might want to take a listen to her new self-titled debut album.

Surprisingly enough, Zendaya’s sound isn’t easily recognizable as a “Disney girl” (as her 1st single “Replay” sort of hinted at) and that alone sets her and the album a part from the rest of her predecessors. Disney-affiliated debut albums are usually “kiddy bopper” ones with mind-numbing ditties that no one over 16 wants to admit to knowing the lyrics of. However, Zendaya’s is actually quite musically mature and has an urban (yes, urban) sound throughout that incorporates the high-tech bells and whistles from the dubstep, techno and EDM genres we’ve all grown to “love” over the last few years. The production is solid: every bass-thump rumbles the subwoofer with purpose and the music is just as infectious as the melodies being sung over them. The rhythmic natures of songs like “Putcha Body Down” and “Only When You’re Close” make it obvious the album is dance hip-hop influenced.

Vocally, Zendaya has introduced herself as any singer who wants longevity in this industry should: she cherishes her vocal strengths, knows her limits (with both range and texture) and how to utilize vocal tricks in a way that keeps the listener impatiently waiting for the next showcase. Her best vocal feature is her airy, soaring head-voice, where she performs a variety of versatile runs. Her chest voice has a thin, Taylor Swift quality to it, which may thicken as she grows a little more as a vocalist and maintains more character (she’s only 17). Her voice has a distinctive quality, having more dexterity than a Cassie or a Rihanna, but not as refined as her contemporary, Ariana Grande. Her knowing what she lacks as a singer ironically adds to the enjoyment of the record because we are literally mystified as to what her vocal weaknesses are (aside from the tone of her chest voice, which she can’t help right now), giving the perception of a vocally seamless and coherent project.

The songs are catchy and have a witty and illustrative lyrical quality, but they don’t go beyond the topic of love and how a guy is supposed to make her feel. “Fireflies” (written by Dawn Richard and produced Harmony Samuels) is enjoyable in every regard as well as the soft-spoken, mid-tempo “Cry for Love.” “Heaven Lost An Angel” has a nice new-aged 80s theme and the Nick Jonas-written “Love You Forever” is a great summer-into-fall jam, having a melancholy undertone, while the actual percussion keeps the tempo at a head-bobbing pace. Literally, the album as a whole is appealing, cohesive and flawless. Here is my only real qualm, and this goes for most of these newer artists: what is the deal with putting the crappiest song at the end of the album?! I was enjoying the ride and then “My Baby” comes on and I’m ready to push stop and try to erase the song from my cerebral cortex. The song sounds like it belongs in 2002 and should have a rap feature with Mannie Fresh and Juvenile or the Franchise Boys. To add to it, it’s her worst vocal performance on the entire album.

Nonetheless, Zendaya is a star in the making, with the full package of singing, dancing and acting. Hopefully, she can break the Disney curse and become even more successful and potentially an icon. For now, we can settle for great consistent albums with amazing production and her clear, crisp, puerile voice maintaining the attention of teenagers and adults alike. That in itself is a feat that most Disney girls before her couldn’t claim at her age.