07/12/2020

Today the challenge is to find a film that left you feeling confused. I had a hard time coming up with a movie that left me confused at the end. So I am taking literary license with this and feature a film that surprised me at the end — something I did not see coming. I think it sort of fits the criteria because I was surprised and confused.

The film I chose is the 1999 supernatural physchological thriller “The Sixth Sense”. I was so engrossed in the story that I did not see or pay attention to the clues that were scattered throughout the film. Writer and producer M. Night Shyamalan is well known for films that have twists and surprise endings. I am not the person who tries to dissect a film as I am watching it, so I might be fairly easy to surprise.

Of course, this film gave us one of the most over-quoted and overused phrases of that year: I see dead people.

I decided to take on this challenge for July after reading about it from SandmanJazz. Check out his blog and his entry for the twelfth day of the challenge. Maybe even join in!

Sunday is rolling around again and Jim is thinking about the four elements. This week his instructions are to use the words Air / Earth / Fire / Water as inspiration.

I decided to go with the song “Roar” released by Katy Perry in August of 2013. It was the first single from her fourth studio album “Prism”. The song was written in collaboration with Bonnie McKee and producers Max Martin, Dr. Luke, and Cirkut.

“Roar” reached number one on several charts including Billboard Hot 100 as well as the Adult Contemporary chart. It was also reached number one on several charts outside the U.S.

Of course, with success comes criticism. The song is an empowerment song, taking inspiration from prior songs “I Am Woman” and “Eye of the Tiger”. Songfacts did an interview with Jim Peterik, one of the writers of “Eye of the Tiger” and he had this to say about Perry’s song, “Roar”:

“I was very conflicted with that. I called my publisher and we were checking out the options: “Do we have a lawsuit here?” I thought her song was very good, but that’s kind of beside the point. And bottom line is, it would have been a tough case to win. So instead, I embraced it, and I started looking at it as a positive thing.

People enjoy music, but they don’t necessarily know it. So people say, “Oh, I love Katy Perry’s version of your song ‘Eye of the Tiger.'” And I’m going, “No, that’s not our song. That’s called ‘Roar’ and they used the phrase ‘eye of the tiger,’ and ‘we will rock you,’ and all these other references to pop/rock classics.”

But at the end of the day, I think “Eye of the Tiger,” our song is timeless. And the Katy Perry is a good song that will probably come and go. I just think “Eye of the Tiger” will stand forever.”

I think he threw a little shade there.

There were also accusations that the song was very similar to Sara Bareilles’ song “Brave” to which she responded that she and Perry were good friends and she had no concerns. As a matter of fact Bareilles was more upset at fans for making a ‘thing’ out of it.

The video for the song is placed in a jungle in which wild trained animals were used. PETA was not happy about animals being used because of the stress it places on them.

Roar
Lyrics from SongLyrics.com

I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sat quietly
Agreed politely

I guess that I forgot I had a choice
I let you push me past the breaking point
I stood for nothing
So I fell for everything

You held me down, but I got up
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, You hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up
Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter,
dancing through the fire
Cause I am a champion and
You’re gonna hear me ROAR
Louder, louder than a lion
Cause I am a champion and
You’re gonna hear me ROAR
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar

Now I’m floating like a butterfly
Stinging like a bee I earned my stripes
I went from zero, to my own hero