A Movie With an Empowering Message

Disclosure

Last Friday was a monumental day for human rights with the Supreme Court ruling that same-sex marriages are to be allowed in all 50 states. Have you ever stopped to think about how our nation has matured with respect to equal rights for all individuals regardless of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation? I’m not going to say that it’s perfect. It isn’t. But it is a far cry from where it used to be. The Supreme Court just showed us that. Again.

I like to believe it is because we are a generation of individuals more opened minded than our parents, who were more open minded than theirs. We are also a generation raising children who are more open minded than we are.

We teach our girls that everyone is equal yet different. People have different shades of skin. Different religions. Different ways of life. Different income levels. Different levels of abilities with respect to sports, intellect and social skills. Yet everyone should be treated equally when it comes to basic human rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We teach them this in a variety of ways, including utilizing digital resources.

While I agree that there should be limits to screen time, I’m at the front of the line when I think there are positive aspects of it as well. Brain Chase is a great example of positive screen time where kids are encouraged to use online time to read, hone their math and writing skills and learn a foreign language. There are a apps that teach social skills and behavior, too. There are even cartoons that teach about science and innovation. Then there are movies like Teen Beach 2 that encourage equality and empowerment.

I’ve touched on the movie when I shared about our Teen Beach 2 dance lessons and exclusive interview with Jordan Fisher and Chrissie Fit and again a bit when I provided some tips for a beach-themed party. But I want to circle back around and emphasize the positive message that this movie carries with it.

In Teen Beach movie, characters from modern day were swept back in time and dimension into the world portrayed in a fictitious 60’s beach movie. Things are flipped in Teen Beach 2 where some of those 60’s movie characters find themselves in the modern day world, posing a completely different landscape than what they were used to. The main character, Lela, realizes that women can have choices and she begins to rethink the path she has been on for her entire life. Teen Beach 2 emphasizes empowerment, friendship and the importance of following your destiny.

There’s more to the story than that though. It involves a lot of dancing, singing and a jovial mock on the sugar-coated smiles of 60’s musical movies. Here’s a trailer for the movie:

As I said in my post about the dance lessons, the music and dancing scenes are fantastic. They are well choreographed, fun and upbeat. There’s bonus footage available on the DVD taking you behind the scenes to see what went into making those dance scenes such a success. Let me just say, it explains the intense amount of practice needed to master the steps.

After talking with Chrissie Fit and Jordan Fisher about the filming, the movie itself, the dancing and hearing about the long days in the Puerto Rico sun, I have a great deal of respect for what goes into making a movie like this. It isn’t just sing, dance and a great movie is made. It’s about synergy, teamwork and a lot of practice.

If you are looking for a good family movie that offers an inspiring message, pick up a copy of Teen Beach 2 for your movie collection. The DVD includes with a never-before-seen dance rehearsal bonus feature and fun behind-the-scenes commentary.

Teen Beach 2 is a great example of how we can introduce our kids to some powerful ideas and give them the knowledge that they can make a difference.