Review: Melanie Martinez's K-12 Musical Film&Soundtrack.

  I remember when I first heard something about Melanie.  The year was 2016 and I was teaching a bunch of teenagers and they kept talking about how perfectly cute this singer was while I was trying to get their attention back to their books however I'm always down to listen to new artists so I promised them if they did their homeworks and assignments I'd listen to her and might also bring one of her songs to class. 

  The first song I came across was "Dollhouse" and what a great song to be introduced to a new artist it is. She had me shook when the chorus hit and after that I became a "Crybaby" which is how their fan-base call themselves and it is also the title of her debut album. The thing that impressed me the most about her was how she could boldly tackle on social issues with meaningful lyrics and danceable (if that's a word) beats. From that point on my love and appreciation for the fictional world that she's created just grew a little more each day. When all that scandal with her ex-bff came to light I thought that was the end but as the whole truth began to unfold we had reasons to stand by her, she was still the same girl the only thing new was that she was dealing with the betrayal of a friend just to damage her image and gain some fame.

  Some years passed and I read somewhere the announcement of her new album accompanied by a full-length film and she was directing it as well as writing the songs and designing all the costumes (WOW, leave something for us, please!). The name was K-12 which makes perfect sense. Even though the information was limited we already had an idea of what to expect from it. We knew she was writing a song against Trump and she would talk about topics like, bullying and abuse of power.

  The movie alongside with the songs came out last Friday, September 6th, 2019. I didn't want to spoil the whole experience so I didn't listen any of the leaked tracks. To my (and I guess to everybody) surprise she uploaded the FULL movie for FREE on YouTube. Link HERE! That  was a present we didn't ask for 'cause we know how this stuff works money-wise but we totally appreciate it. If you haven't watched the movie I promise I won't spoil it too much, just a bit. It is easy and pleasant to watch, I've done it a couple of times since it came out then reading this won't spoil anything, trust me.

  From the very start she makes clear the movie will be bringing important issues to the table as she prepares for the "first day of hell" as she wrote in her calendar and the first song just leave us with no doubt of her ability to make it without bringing us down. "Wheels On The Bus" became one of my favorite songs from the album not only because it sets the tone for the whole movie but also because we can hear a more mature and vocally-improved Melanie. I highly recommend you to see it, specially if you're one those people who never misses a movie from Tim Burton 'cause much like Burton, Melanie is able to create very interesting and exciting worlds. The story-line with the teacher who's transitioning into female is awesome 'cause it open the gates to the song written to Trump, "The Principal". When it comes to Metaphors she is a genius as you can notice throughout the movie.

The Marvelous Soundtrack

  As said before, it is a musical so the songs are a huge part of the whole film. It seems like they depend on one another to make sense. After watching the movie you will get my point. Another thing that you will notice too is how her songs from "Crybaby" would fit perfectly inside this movie, "Pacify Her" should definitely be part of this soundtrack as well as her b-side "Piggyback". There are many catchy songs I can't stop listening though. To simplify I've decided to make a top 5 being all these songs my equally favorite songs of the film, here they are:

1. High School Sweethearts

2. Nurse's Office

3. Wheels On The Bus

4. The Principal 

5. Detention

Hope you'll enjoy the film&songs as much as I did. 

Have fun!