ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Jennifer Lopez

Marry Me: First comes Marriage, then comes Love

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Hey kids, gather around and let me tell you a tale.

Once upon a time, there was a film called ‘the mid-budgeted, adult-targeting romcom’ that roamed the Earth. These films featured notable, likeable (and usually bankable) stars in the lead and they would find themselves in an implausible romantic situation that could never happen in real life. After all, they’re too different.

But maybe, just maybe, it’ll work out for those crazy kids.

Obviously I’m joking but, in all seriousness, these sorts of romantic comedies do feel like dinosaurs in a cinema filled with brooding superheroes and gritty dramas. But it’s also possible that this is the genre that we didn’t know we needed as we come out of the bleakness of the pandemic. With Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock’s The Lost City and Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson’s Marry Me becoming moderate box office successes, it’s possible that the genre is beginning to pick up steam once again. (Heck, even romcom icons Julia Roberts and George Clooney are back together later this year!)

But let’s get back to Marry Me, which is available on Blu-ray and DVD today.

Directed by Kat Coiro, Marry Me follows pop superstar Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) as she prepares to marry her boyfriend live onstage before her millions of fans. However, right before the nuptials take place, Kat discovers that he’s been cheating on her and melts down publicly. As an act of defiance (and insanity), she decides to marry a complete stranger instead. Locking eyes with Charlie (Owen Wilson), a single divorced father who teaches math, Kat invites him onstage and the wedding takes place. But, after the dust settles, the two must decide whether or not this marriage of convenience may actually have something worth fighting for.

Fueled by a non-sensical premise and numerous ‘meet-cute’ style interactions, Marry Me simply sounds ridiculous. (A pop superstar marries a stranger onstage out of spite?) But, much like their characters’ relationship, Lopez and Wilson make it work.

Onscreen, Lopez and Wilson seem like an odd pairing with she, an icon of glamour in style, and he known for his puppy dog eyes and innocence. However, that’s exactly what gives the film its charm. Once a bankable romcom star at the box office herself, Lopez looks incredibly comfortable in the role of superstar Kat Valdez. Often portrayed as larger than life herself, Lopez still brings a humility to the character that make her instantly likeable. The unlikely pairing with Wilson provide both actors with a space to let their charm come to the forefront, without ever losing Lopez’s star power. Together, they have genuine chemistry and are an absolute delight to watch.

It’s also worth noting that Marry Me is refreshing in its use of romcom stereotypes. From examples such as Pretty Woman, Crazy Rich Asians to Lopez’s own Maid in Manhatten, the romcom genre often tells stories of a ‘wealthy man and the carefree woman who comes into his life and changes everything’. Instead, however, Marry Me takes the opposite approach. With Kat confidently at the wheel, the film manages to empower her while still showing the give-and-take necessary to make their relationship work. At a press conference after their ‘wedding’, Kat speaks to the women of the audience when she says, “Why don’t we switch things up? We’ll pick the man, propose and choose to see if they’re worthy.” (In fact, Marry Me even reverses one of the most age-old romcoe tropes in the film’s climax.)

With an eye on the magic of romance, Marry Me dreams that love is worth the risks, even if it doesn’t always make sense. Although Kat believes in love, Charlie is not so sure. After all, he’s been burned badly before and struggles to move beyond his hurt. To him, love is a risk and it’s far easier to live a life of anonymity in a bubble with his daughter, co-worker friend and aging dog. On the other hand, Kat’s global notoriety never taints her faith in others… or in love. To her, the world is not a scary place because she remains firmly grounded in what’s most important. Her love of others helps her to keep an open mind about the possibility with Charlie… and an open heart. (After all, no matter how much fame and popularity that she may have, JLo… er… Kat is still ‘Jenny from the Block’.) As she embraces romance, so too does she help Charlie to embrace life and, potentially, new love as well.

So, yes. Marry Me may be goofy and non-sensical at times. But I have to admit that it also couldn’t help but soften this jaded heart along the way. Delightful from start to finish, Marry Me warms the heart, makes you laugh and is definitely a comedy worth saying yes to.

Marry Me is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

GIVEAWAY! MARRY ME on Blu-Ray!

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Mother’s Day may be over… but you can still share the love!

Thanks to our friends at TARO PR, we’re giving away 3 copies of Marry Me on Blu-ray!

Pop superstar Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) is about to get married before an audience of her loyal fans. However, seconds before the ceremony, she learns about her fiance’s cheating ways and has a meltdown on stage. In a moment of inspired insanity, Kat locks eyes with Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson), a total stranger in the crowd and marries him on the spot. As forces conspire to separate the unlikely newlyweds, they must soon decide if two people from such different worlds can find true love together.

In order to enter, simply like/share this post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and tell us your favourite Jennifer Lopez song or film!

Winners will receive a Blu-ray copy of Marry Me!

All entries must be received by 11:59pm on Wednesday, May 11th, 2022

6.19 HUSTLERS, Sexuality and the Super Bowl

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Inspired by a true story, HUSTLERS follows a band of former strip club employees, led by the street-wise Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) and pragmatic Destiny (Constance Wu), who band together in order to take back power and independence against their Wall Street clientele. This week, we welcome actor Audra Choy, producer Diane Johnstone and Dwayne Choy to the show to talk about the power of sexuality, the Super Bowl and who really gets hurt.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

6.19 HustlersDownload

Hustlers: Getting What’s Yours

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Starring Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu, Hustlers gives the audience an inside look at highs and lows of the adult entertainment industry. Set in the early 2000s, the film tells the story of Destiny (Wu), an up and coming stripper who is taken under her wing by Ramona (Lopez), an older stripper with a knack for landing high-end clients. Together, the two women soon find themselves earning thousands of dollars a night until the global financial crisis of 2008 hits suddenly. Hitting every industry hard (even the adult entertainment business), the changes force the women to rethink their strategy to earn high-end money. For fear of losing the lifestyle to which they have grown accustomed, they and their friends band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.

Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, Hustlers is inspired by a New York Magazine article by Jessica Pressler that went viral. (In fact, the narrative of the film is framed through flashback as reporter Elizabeth [Julia Styles] is trying to get ‘the facts’ of what really happened.) Shot with energy and fun, the film mostly maintains a playful tone throughout, even in its more serious moments. As the lead women of the team, Lopez and Wu have genuine chemistry as their relationship balances between a battle for leadership and the joy of sisterhood. Though all the cast are clearly enjoying themselves, it’s Lopez who knows how to handle comedic material. As the troupe leader, Lopez laughs and dances her way through the film with her signature charm, even in moments when the script is lacking. This is a film that wants the audience to enjoy the show, with all its glitz and glitter, while celebrating the strength and sisterhood of women. (The film even ends with the lead cast members dancing together onscreen ‘one more time’.)

 Through the use of satire, Hustlers examines sexual exploitation from a decidedly unique perspective. Rather than focus on the abuse of power at the hands of men, Hustlers is interested in exploring what happens when that power is taken back by confident women. Working in an industry built upon the male gaze, these women are determined to reclaim their sexuality into a position of dominance. (“This is a story about control,” the film’s opening voiceover proclaims.) For Ramona and her crew, there is strength in sexuality that allows them freedom from control. As a result, there is a feeling of empowerment within the film, despite their spiral into criminal activity.

Having said this, it’s also interesting that the film chooses not to judge the characters for their actions either. Despite the fact that Ramona, Destiny and her team are drugging and robbing men nightly, their justification is that their marks likely had it coming. (“I don’t judge you,” says Elizabeth “because they probably deserved it.”) Right and wrong become blurred as the women’s decisions become more and more unsafe so that they can protect their way of life. As a result, the women come to view themselves as heroes of their own stories, even as their actions become more villainous. 

Despite a script that misses its potential at times, Hustlers achieves its goals. While Scafaria wants to engage her audience visually, it’s Lopez’s charm and Wu’s unwavering poise that help give the film the confidence it needs to entertain. Despite its flaws, Hustlers knows what it wants to be and invites its audience to sit back enjoy the ride.

Hustlers dances into theatres on September 13th, 2019

TIFF ’19: Hustlers

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Starring Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu, Hustlersgives the audience an inside look at highs and lows of the adult entertainment industry. Set in the early 2000s, the film tells the story of Destiny (Wu), an up and coming stripper who is taken under her wing by Ramona (Lopez), an older stripper with a knack for landing high-end clients. Together, the two women soon find themselves earning thousands of dollars a night until the global financial crisis of 2008 hits suddenly. Hitting every industry hard (even the adult entertainment business), the changes force the women to rethink their strategy to earn high-end money. For fear of losing the lifestyle to which they have grown accustomed, they and their friends band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.

Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, Hustlers is inspired by a New York Magazine article by Jessica Pressler that went viral. (Shot with energy and fun, the film mostly maintains a playful tone throughout, even in its more serious moments. As the lead women of the team, Lopez and Wu have genuine chemistry as their relationship balances between a battle for leadership and the joy of sisterhood. This is a film that wants the audience to enjoy the show, with all its glitz and glitter, while celebrating the strength and sisterhood of women. (The film even ends with the lead cast members dancing together onscreen ‘one more time’.)

Despite a script that misses its potential at times, Hustlers achieves its goals. While Scafaria wants to engage her audience visually, it’s Lopez’s charm and Wu’s unwavering poise that help give the film the confidence it needs to entertain. Despite its flaws, Hustlers knows what it wants to be and invites its audience to sit back enjoy the ride.

Hustlers is currently playing at the Toronto International Film Festival. You can look up alternate showtimes here.

20 Years Young: Selena, The Movie

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In the 1950s, a group of young Mexican-American men joined forces to make doo-wop music in hopes of making it big in the music business.

‘The Dinos’, including Abraham Quintanilla Jr., experienced racism from venue owners and patrons alike. Owners would send the band away when they found out the members were of Mexican descent.  Patrons of Mexican venues would be upset when a band of Mexican descent would play doo-wop music, rather preferring music they could dance to.

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Eventually marrying and having children, Abraham began noticing his youngest daughter, Selena’s musical talent. He began projecting his music dreams onto his children, encouraging them to learn to play instruments.

Although initially uninterested, Abraham’s children, Abraham III (A.B.), Suzette, and Selena, began performing at the family restaurant. They called themselves ‘Selena y Los Dinos’ and played mainly Tejano music, a Texan-Mexican fusion inspired by many elements including pop, rock, polka, mariachi and cumbia. Despite preferring to perform English music, Abraham’s influence dictated a belief that they should tap into their Mexican heritage.

After a slew of financial misfortunes, the family took their act on the road, performing at minor gigs to earn money for food and gas. The band grew in popularity but continued to have their fair share of disadvantages. A female lead in the Tejano world was unheard of at the time and the band were often turned away by Tejano venues.

Selena y Los Dinos began recording music and making promotional appearances and, once she was ‘discovered’, she went on to win Female Vocalist of the year at the Tejano Music Awards.

Selena’s story is a true example of never giving up on your aspirations despite all the difficulties you may face. It proves that the bond of family is strong and can carry you through hardship.

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The band went on to hire a guitarist, Chris Perez, despite Abraham’s concerns over how Chris’ image would make the band look. Eventually, Chris and Selena began a secret romantic relationship. Upon finding out about their relationship, Abraham stopped it and attempted to force them to end it but they continued the relationship discreetly. Then, when Abraham found out they were continuing to see each other, he fired Chris from the band.

This particular situation brings up many interesting relational elements. We have the strict father and fairly virtuous daughter who shows defiance upon falling in love with an unconventional suitor. It’s almost painful to watch Selena experience being pulled in two different directions and forced to choose between the two most important men in her life.

Chris and Selena eventually elope and have to face the family after their ultimate betrayal of Abraham. Contrary to their worst fears, Abraham, although heartbroken, learns to accept what has happened and welcomes Chris into the family.

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We go on to see Selena thrive. Continuing to succeed in the music business, she plans an English language cross over. She tries her hand at fashion design and, upon successfully tapping into that world, she opens her own boutique, Selena, Etc.

In late 1994/early 1995 the family began having difficulty with the manager of the fashion boutique, and fan club president, Yolanda Saldivar. Soon after, however, they discovered that Saldivar was embezzling money and forging cheques.

On March 31, 1995, Selena went to the hotel Saldivar was staying at in an attempt to retrieve financial documentation. Instead, Saldivar shot Selena in the back right shoulder, severing an artery. Selena died shortly after in hospital at only 23 years old. The police were in a nine and a half hour standoff with Saldivar before she surrendered. She remains imprisoned to this day.

The 1997 movie about the life of Selena was a fairly accurate and respectful depiction. It was mostly well cast, with the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Jon Seda and Edward James Olmos rounding out some of the main roles. This was the role that shot Jennifer Lopez into stardom, and inspired her to pursue a singing career.

Although Constance Marie performed well, particular as young Marcela, it was somewhat awkward having her play Selana’s mother later in the movie given her young age. To compare, Constance Marie is actually younger than her on screen daughter, Jackie Guerra.

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Despite being 20 years old (and Selena being gone for longer), this movie is still incredibly relevant today. Selena’s impression on the world is a lasting one that has shown no sign of fading. Selena represented hope and love. She was a down-to-earth girl who was just like the rest of us. She brought the Latino community together. She paved the way for female artists in the Tejano genre.

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A statue memorializing Selena continues to stand by the shore in Corpus Christi, Texas. A museum, also in Corpus Christi and run by her family, houses Selena’s most precious memorabilia, including her concert outfits, Grammy award, recording equipment, and Porsche. Fans continue to flock to the museum and gain access for only a few dollars each.

This movie is the 11th highest grossing biopic of all time, only recently being bumped from 10th place by Straight Outta Compton, and is in the company of such others as Walk the Line and Ray.

Is this movie scripturally and visually ground-breaking? No. Is the acting top notch? Not entirely. But somehow, it just doesn’t matter. It digs deep into a beloved tale of an even more beloved figure and pays rightful respect to her honour.

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