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Really Loud
Music
In animation, the most noteworthy stories are those that get
really creative when telling them. If
you were to ask me when animated storytelling is at its most creative, it would
be when there’s a big emphasis on music.
Just as the medium has the power to bring any idea to life, music can be
arranged into any catchy composition and make for some awe-inspiring staging of
any moment. That’s why this
double-length cartoon turns out to be such a grand experience for this
show. It also helps that the grand
combination of animation and music is put to use in a relatable, heartwarming
story that stars, in my opinion, the Loud with the most potential, Luna.
Being the most musically-inclined Loud, it’s fitting that her
story is a musical where elaborate songs with imaginative visuals highlight everything. She’s working on a song for a contest that
can grant her with musical fame she’s longed for. Her initial song, “Play it Loud” kicks off
the whole thing with an awesome showcase of her love of the rock n roll style
and positive outlook on life. However,
there’s a human layer to Luna’s creative process. She’s proud of her work but
fears the whole world may not dig it.
While she's thinking of a different song to write, there’s an especially
creative direction. Around the house,
Luna sees her family doing their thing as their own catchy song. Of all the creative interpretations of normal
life this show has brought, this is the best one, and the songs’ different
styles make them stand out. Lana and Lola’s hobbies are exciting show tunes.
Lori and Leni talking about boys is a passionate love ballad. Luan has an energetic number while joking
around. Mom and Dad perform a country
song when alone. These are just a few
examples of the versatile songs of the Louds, and all of them actually being in
Luna’s head shows she has an interesting way of thinking.
As great as the songs are though, none of
them convince Luna that they’re what all the world wants to hear. Then comes a cheesy yet addicting bubble gum
pop song from the radio that gets the whole family dancing “Best Thing
Ever.” The addicting tone the song
brings transcends to a montage of side characters and people around the world
dancing to it. For this reason, Luna puts
her rock n roll love aside for the popular genre.
Her take on bubble gum pop is honestly more
enjoyable with her song, “What Everybody Wants”, sounding more personal to why
she’s going with this style.
As it turns
out, her new song gets her into the contest, but that’s where the story starts
taking a heavier toll. Luna isn’t just
expected to perform pop. The hosts of the contest change her appearance for the
crowd. They put Luna in a bright pink
getup and she’s instantly unrecognizable.
This doesn’t faze her at first and she understands that this is a
necessity to make it big. Then she fully
drifts away from her true self and passions when she learns she has to change
her name and isn’t even allowed to actually sing. This lack of acceptance is like selling one’s
soul, and Luna realizes that fame isn’t worth it if she’s not true to
herself.
Her accompanying song “What
Have I Done” is fitting for the moment and is easily the emotional set piece of the story.
The visuals of Luna reflecting on what she’s turned into, the melancholy
poetic lyrics, and the moody staging are beneficial to making this song so
moving. It shows how sad selling out can
really be.
It’s this sad moment though that
makes Luna’s performance at the contest so impactful. In front of everyone, she admits that her new
getup is not the real her and against the arrangements, performs the song she
initially wrote. It’s this act of being
true to herself that lets everyone know what Luna Loud is really like, the true
way for people to leave their mark in entertainment. Also with the help of her family, Luna
especially excites with her performance which never lets up on the grand scale,
energetic singing, and creative visuals. It closes the special with a bang
where Luna may be disqualified from the contest, but still has a chance to
leave her own mark in music. In a way,
this can be seen as a special kind of inspirational.
Though this show can be pretty basic with most of its
stories, this one stands as what may be its most impressive work. The character development is pure, the themes
are relatable, and the emotional aspect is at its strongest for this show. Above all, the use of music and songs works
as elaborate ways to emphasize what goes on and how the characters feel and
function. It’s a package of greatness I
wish the show would bring more often, but I will say that if this musical setup
is a once in a while or one-time thing, it’s quite a treat to say the least.
A+
The Ranking
1. Really Loud Music
2. Head Poet’s Anxiety
3. Roadie to Nowhere
4. Shop Girl
5. Breaking Dad
6. Gown and Out
7. Fandom Pains
8. Insta-Gran
9. Selfie Improvement
10. Scales of Justice
11. Net Gains
12. Crimes of Fashion
13. The Spies Who Loved Me
14. No Place Like Homeschool
15. The Mad Scientist
16. City Slickers
17. Missed Connection
18. Fool Me Twice
19. Deal Me Out
20. Teachers’ Union
21. Tripped!
22. White Hare
23. A Fridge Too Far
24. Sitting Bull
25. Pasture Bedtime
26. Absent Minded
27. What Wood Lincoln Do?
28. Friendzy
29. Pipe Dreams
30. Be Stella My Heart
31. Rita Her Rights
32. Ruthless People
The next Loud House review goes back to basics as Lisa does something about every little white lie in the house, and Clyde freaks out over Lincoln borrowing his new video game system.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is "The Good Lars" from Steven Universe.
If you would like to check out other Steven Universe reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.
Really Loud Music vs. What's Opera Arnold
ReplyDeleteWhich one do you think is better????
Hard to say really. Although Really Loud Music is my pick for The Loud House at its best, it's honestly the grand-scale exception to what I have come to see as an overly basic and not very impactful rule.
DeleteI'll go with What's Opera Arnold since I feel its more inventive with the story and its execution, as well as slightly more immersive in its take on the musical format.
Plus, as much as I love Luna and feel like Really Loud Music does great justice for her character that the series proper rarely gives, even she is no match for the majority of the Hey Arnold cast.