|
Post by Admin on Mar 17, 2020 0:40:02 GMT
The onscreen adaptation of Jerry Spinelli's beloved YA novel Stargirl is finally on Disney+, and they couldn't have cast a better person to play the titular role. Stargirl tells the story of a shy teen named Leo who finds himself falling for the strange, elusive new girl who moves to his small Arizona town after only ever having been homeschooled. Though Leo has spent the majority of his life trying to blend in, he can't help but be drawn to this ukulele-playing girl who was born to stand out — and if anyone was born to play the role of the ukulele-strumming Stargirl, it's Grace VanderWaal. The Disney+ production is one of the first original films to debut on the streaming platform, and it's also VanderWaal's first acting gig. If you're wondering whether that's actually VanderWaal playing the ukulele in the Stargirl trailer, we can assure you that yes, it definitely is. Back in 2016, VanderWaal won America's Got Talent at just 12 years old, wowing fans with her original songs, incredible voice, and — of course — her ukulele skills. She went on to release her first EP, Perfectly Imperfect, followed by her first full-length album, Just the Beginning, and she's even toured with artists like Imagine Dragons and Florence and the Machine. In a January 2019 interview with Ukulele Magazine, VanderWaal said she taught herself how to play by watching YouTube videos, and now she's teaching herself how to act. "I'm not an actor and I don't know how to act, so I've been trying to connect with the lines in my personal way," she said. The interviewer noted that the role of Stargirl truly seemed made for her, and Stargirl producer Kristin Hahn seems to agree. Though over 700 girls auditioned for the role, Hahn (who also discovered Timothée Chalamet and cast him in her debut film, Miss Stevens) said she knew that VanderWaal was her Stargirl right away. "The world knows what a talented performer she is," she said in a statement, "and I cannot wait for everyone to see just how many sides there are to this special and magical young woman."
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Mar 18, 2020 18:13:02 GMT
With virtually all movie theaters in America and much of the world shut down for an indefinite period due to the coronavirus crisis, my film reviews for the time being will focus on streaming debuts (Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Apple, Amazon, etc.) and higher-end VOD entries — and I am discovering there are certainly a multitude worth talking about. Case in point is a new one from Disney+ that debuted over the weekend called Stargirl. That title won’t be unfamiliar to legions of teens who read Jerry Spinelli’s 2000 YA bestseller, about an unconventional and seemingly magical girl who comes into the life of a lonely teen boy in Arizona, changing it forever. Faithful to the beloved book, director Julia Hart and writers Jordan Horowitz and Kristin Hahn still manage to bring a sweet and smart cinematic touch that is more reminiscent of what the late great John Hughes regularly tapped into with films like Pretty In Pink and Sixteen Candles than the kind of stuff Disney Channel turns out, for instance. Hart, who clearly knows how to populate her films with authentic and fresh talent, has been blessed to find Season 11 America’s Got Talent winner Grace Vanderwaal, who plays the title character, and Graham Verchere, who plays Leo Borlock, the young guy smitten with her. They have instant chemistry in the sweetest way imaginable and make this story come alive. Verchere narrates the action as Leo, an unconventional kid whose dad died when Leo was only 9, and then found himself uprooted by his mother to a nowhere town in Arizona where he finds it hard to fit in with the kids at Mica High. Seemingly out of nowhere, Stargirl aka Susan Carraway appears and instantly gets his attention. She also is clearly a standout from the rest of the crowd, something to which Leo is instantly drawn. How many girls do you know who carry around a ukulele at all times? They strike up a friendship and she proves a very good companion, and soon she has the whole school on her side when she appears with marching band and uke to sing a rendition of the Beach Boys tune “Be True to Your School” at the big game. Suddenly, along with other well-known songs like The Go-Go’s “We Got The Beat,” the hapless team starts winning. It appears, as she does with Leo, to have some sort of undefined magic touch she can bring to anything around her, but it’s ethereal and never pronounced in a way that would send this careening into fantasyland. Stargirl is firmly planted in the real world of teens, and it is nice to report the usual stereotypes are thrown out the window here. When a key player for the other team is injured and Stargirl immediately runs to his aid, much to the chagrin of the other students, things suddenly change, so it does get a little complicated but never in a phony way to create unnecessary drama for a story that marches to its own beat. Vanderwaal has the right stuff, musically and surprisingly with acting chops that never make it look like she’s trying too hard. Verchere is a true natural as well, and though these two dominate the action some grownups show up, notably Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito offering sage advice. This is a promising film for the future of Disney+ to be sure. Hart continues to show great promise behind the camera, and you might check out her past films including Fast Color and Miss Stevens, the latter about a drama class field trip that features an early, not-to-be-missed performance by Timothée Chalamet that not only proves his talent, but also Hart’s for casting. Horowitz, who co-wrote this adaptation, was a producer of La La Land and they frequently work together (they are also married). It’s a great screen team to be sure if Stargirl is an example of what they continue to have up their sleeve.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2020 19:06:39 GMT
Stargirl leading lady Grace VanderWaal says she is “obsessed” with Guy Ritchie’s live-action remake of Aladdin and has already watched it half a dozen times on Disney+. VanderWaal, who is making her movie debut after touring alongside Imagine Dragons and Florence and the Machine, said she has only had eyes for one movie on the studio’s new platform. “I don’t know what it is with Aladdin,” the 16-year-old star told Yahoo Movies UK. She added: “I don’t know if it’s because of the beauty of the actor who plays Aladdin. I don’t know if it’s because of the amazing music. I don’t know anything. “All I know is that I watched this movie one night, then the second night I watched it again and the third night. I have watched it almost six nights in a row. “I just love it so much. I love Abu, and I want to be Aladdin’s sidekick so badly.”
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Mar 20, 2020 0:33:35 GMT
Now that Stargirl has received mostly positive reviews, fans can expect a Disney+ sequel, but what will it be about? Directed by Julia Hart, Stargirl's source material is based on Jerry Spinelli's eponymous 2000 novel, which was followed up by a 2007 sequel entitled Love, Stargirl. Disney's adaptation of Stargirl concludes with a post-credits scene that at once teases a continued storyline while punctuating the film as a whole. Disney+'s Stargirl follows the quirky title character, Susan Caraway (Grace VanderWaal), as she trades homeschooling for life at Mica High in Arizona. She befriends the shy and kind-hearted Leo Borlock (Graham Verchere), who similarly views himself as an outsider. Overall, the Disney+ adaptation mostly stays true to the book, as the two leads form a strong bond and must deal with criticism from their peers. But while the 2000 novel concludes with big drama involving Stargirl, the Disney+ movie features a musical spotlight for Leo, who ultimately reflects about lessons learned through voiceover narration. As a stand-alone film, Stargirl has a somewhat-cryptic final act: the title character disappears from Mica, while Leo and his peers discuss Stargirl's legacy at their school. She has become a mythological figure, a student who was the football team's good luck charm and then left town after winning a speech competition. Leo speaks as if he'll never see Stargirl again, and doesn't even mention if he'll somehow try to track her down. In Spinelli's novel sequel, however, Stargirl is indeed the narrator and has a whole lot to say about her experiences in Mica. So, that's the first thing to consider when anticipating a Stargirl sequel on Disney+, as VanderWaal's character will theoretically provide her point of view through diary recollections, described as "the world's longest letter." Stargirl will be further humanized, it seems, rather than being a girl that merely passed through town and left a big impression upon the Mica High boys and girls. If Disney sticks with the source material, Stargirl 2 will take place in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania; the same location where Spinelli currently lives. In addition, the storyline will pick up immediately after the events of Stargirl. VanderWaal's character will transition to her new life in the American Northeast with her mother, and write in her journal as she meets new people during both the fall and winter seasons. Just as Stargirl on Disney+ builds to a Homecoming party climax, Stargirl 2 will seemingly feature a Winter Solstice party sequence, in which the title character's former Arizona teacher Archie Brubaker (portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito in the Disney+ film) will arrive to celebrate and offer some much-needed advice. Stargirl 2 will feature a new love interest, Perry Delloplane, whose personality is quite different than Leo. Still, he treats Stargirl well, which makes the girl feel conflicted as she continues to reference Leo in her diary. After a first kiss with Perry, Stargirl has a conversation with Archie about what to do next. In Stargirl 2, Verchere will likely reprise his role for flashback sequences - some will probably be from the original Disney+ film, while others will be filmed specifically for the sequel for extra character development.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Mar 25, 2020 6:53:43 GMT
1. She Rose to Fame on America’s Got Talent VanderWaal began her musical career by posting videos of her original songs on YouTube. She would also share videos of herself singing covers and perform at open mic nights near her home in Suffern, New York.
In 2016, she won the 11th season of America’s Got Talent when she was just 12 years old, singing her original songs and growing her fanbase.
A few months later, she released her first EP, Perfectly Imperfect, and a full-length album the following year titled Just the Beginning.
While on AGT, VanderWaal met Stevie Nicks. During the finale, VanderWaal introduced Nicks, who performed “Landslide.”
When asked by host Nick Cannon if Nicks had any advice for the young protege, the Fleetwood Mac singer said, “I have to say, she reminds me a lot of me, and in a lot of ways we sing very similar.”
Nicks added, “She’s got it, she’s got that. Whatever happens, Grace is going to the top.”
RELATED: Grace VanderWaal Says She Has to ‘Fight for a Later Curfew’ Like Any Other Teen Her Age
2. VanderWaal Has Been on Tour with Some of the World’s Biggest Bands The young singer’s career quickly took off after her AGT win. VanderWaal toured with Imagine Dragons in 2018 in their Evolve World Tour.
In 2019, she joined Florence and the Machine on tour as their opener. She won the Radio Disney Music Award for Best New Artist in 2017 and became the youngest person to be named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Music List in 2018.
3. VanderWaal Was Considered for the Role of Stargirl Early on The singer opened up about her role of Stargirl to PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly while at Disney’s D23 Expo in August 2019, where she revealed she had been considered for the role years ago.
“I read Stargirl when I was 12 on America’s Got Talent,” she said. “Someone sent it to me and thought I’d be good for the role because they knew that a movie was being made. I was not ready for the role yet and I don’t even think they were ready for casting.”
“Years later, it got back to me again and I just sent in a video, I talked to Julia Hart the director and then I met Graham [Verchere, her costar who plays Leo Borlock] and we made the movie,” she said.
She continued, “I think I started to fall in love with the story as we were making the film. What surprised me the most about being on a set and making a movie was how fun it was. I was expecting it to be hard work, and it definitely was, but the cast was so incredible, I made so many friends and had so much fun.”
VanderWaal added her favorite scene to film included a particular rain scene.
“I was so, so happy about that and it fulfilled my childhood dream,” she said. “I grew up with High School Musical and so when Gabriella and Troy ran through the sprinklers in the summer version of it, that just stuck in my brain. I felt like I was living that out.”
“I knew she was Stargirl almost immediately,” Hart told Deadline in June 2018. “The world knows what a talented performer she is, and I cannot wait for everyone to see just how many sides there are to this special and magical young woman.”
|
|