In 2002, writer/director Todd Haynes released the film that may be remembered as his masterpiece, Far From Heaven. Julianne Moore starred as Cathy Whitaker, a wife, mother and homemaker in 1957 New England suburbia who appears to be living the perfect life. She has a handsome and successful husband (Dennis Quaid), two beautiful children, a lovely home and good friends.
But then the cracks start to show. Quaid’s character is a closeted homosexual and Cathy catches him one night with another man. As her life unravels, Cathy turns to Raymond (Dennis Haysbert), her sensitive African American gardener who lives with his young daughter, for solace. Their friendship grows and, although there is nothing illicit going on between them, tongues start to wag and Cathy finds herself shunned by her conservative white friends/community. Here’s the original trailer:
Dear White People:
Ah, summer. The season of weddings. And this year, it seems like there’s been more than the usual amount of weddings to attend. At one such event, I spied the bride’s best friend (an Asian American male) looking at her with what I could swear was longing in his eyes. I’m pretty convinced he was in love with his best friend/the bride who was marrying this other man. 
When Malcolm Gladwell’s book 
Director John Sturges’ 1955 film 
Fortunately, journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee were released a couple of weeks ago without having had to spend any time in one of North Korea’s brutal labor camps. But you, my friend, may not be so lucky. Let’s say you’re on vacation in China and you’re near the North Korean border and you think to yourself—“wouldn’t it be totally awesome if I just crossed into North Korea for a few seconds to take a quick photo so I can prove to my buddies I was there?” Before you know it, you’re surrounded by armed NK guards and taken into custody. 
The songs of the 1980s don’t simply exist to provide us with hours of listening pleasure. They are educational as well. They teach us valuable life lessons, impart interesting facts and ask probing questions. Here are just some of the random insights we can take away from this music:
(Thompson Twins: “I can’t tell them apart!”)
(Gordon Jump as the Bicycle Man in a very special episode of Diff’rent Strokes)
