Whip It!

Drew Barrymore's directional debut was absolutely PHENOMENAL. This sounds so corny but it made me want to follow my dreams no matter what the road blocks and no matter who tells me to do otherwise. I haven't felt the inspiration to do that or be like that because of something I watched late one night a midst a blizzard, well ever. I want to be my own hero, I want to be corky (already am but to a new extreme), cover my arms in tattoos, dye my hair erratic colors, wear old band t-shirts with shoes that were bought next to antique bongs, I want to work at a restaurant where I have a pig apron over my clothes, and at night I want to be part of a kick ass roller derby team. My team mates are my sisters and throwing out a punch on the rink is more than okay, it's recommended. It's also a place where you can wear fish nets and slutty girl scout uniforms and it's known as "uniform", and my personal favorite "you can never have to much eyeliner" of which I agree whole heartedly. Ellen Page stars as a girl named Bliss with not much confidence, but a big brain and an even bigger heart. She just doesn't know what to do with that love and that intelligence in a small suburb town outside of Austin, Texas. She gets good grades, she earns a decent teenage salary working at a pig themed diner with her loud mouthed best friend and a boss the duo refers to as "birdman", and as for extra curricular her uptight mom is obsessed with pageants that she signs her up for weekly. The movie starts with Bliss at a pageant, dressed in a beautiful white gown, and her hair is dyed bright blue. You know from that point on we're in for a typical Ellen Page like treat. While shopping in Austin with her uptight mom, she sees a few tattooed badasses on skates dropping off flyers, Bliss snags a flyer and a week later she and her best friend attend a roller derby match, which resembles the looks of a concert/ wrestling match. After the race she goes to congratulate the girls by saying "You're my new heroes" and they invite her to try out the following week. With barbie skates she wows the girls by going faster then the normal. From then on it's history, Bliss finds something she's in love with, she finds the sisters she's always longed for, and she even meets a guy played by musical favorite Landon Pigg. She eventually even teaches her uptight family to accept her love of roller derby, and her now found self. On top of it all her now found confidence teaches her to deal with bullies on the rink, like skating nemesis played by Juliette Lewis, and even childhood enemies in school like snobby prom queen, Corbi. Catherine Marie Thomas is now a hero in my eyes for being the costume designer of this film. She did an amazing job using vintage band t-shirts, floral high waisted skirts, tattoos, trendy harem pants, tons of eye liner and funky eye shadows, blue hair dye, doc martens, tie dye, ripped jeans, fish nets, and metallic booty shorts..all together to dress a fabulous, corky, and bad ass cast who topped it off in chunky roller skates and awesome moves. We all knew from Grey Gardens that Catherine Marie Thomas was more then capable of transforming a group of modern actresses to a different time and different life using clothing and accessories, but FUCKING WOW. I LOVE YOU WHIP IT!