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[ Friday, April 12, 2002 ]

Satirical farce 'Spice World' presents positive message

Collegian Staff Writers

It's time to spice up your life with Wonderbras, lip gloss and girl power.

Fun-and-fashion-filled extravaganza Spice World features pop's favorite has-beens the Spice Girls in their feature film debut.

Released in 1997, at the height of the Spice frenzy, Spice World generated much of the same critical buzz as the Girls themselves. Spice World is silly and shallow, but it's also surprisingly witty and more fun than a shopping spree.

The glossy, glam Spice adventure chronicles five days in the lives of five sassy singers.

For those of you who donated your platforms to Goodwill in hopes of forgetting the blinding glitz of '90s pop culture, here's the Spice lineup:

Brainy Ginger Spice (Geri Halliwell) leads the Girls with her "girl power" motto and cherry hued hair.

Scary Spice (Melanie Brown) flaunts her power to scare with her curly mane, trend-setting tongue ring and growling.

Not as raucous but just as intense is energetic, down-to-earth Sporty Spice (Melanie Chisholm).

Quite the opposite, Posh Spice (Victoria Beckham) obsesses over designer labels and stiletto heels.

Rounding up the quintet is pig-tailed, teddy-bear-toting Baby Spice (Emma Bunton).

The British babes spend their Spice World days posing for pictures, practicing for their televised gig, and loafing with Meat Loaf, driver of the double-decker Spice Bus.

The bus boasts five sections, each decked out for a unique, stereotypical Spice.

Critics mock the Girls for playing up to phony, one-sided personalities, but the Girls recognize and embrace their stereotypes in Spice World. During a photo shoot, they try switching costumes and characters, but discover that they're happiest being themselves.

Self-confidence is just one of the movies' girl power positive messages.

Though parents of the '90s worried that the Spice Girls defined girl power as cleavage and miniskirts, the Girls' actions show that girl power runs much deeper.

The fab Spice five are as wholesome as Jessica Simpson. Their Hallmark cheesy lines express the importance of courage, loyalty, confidence, and most importantly, friendship.

"Some things are more important than gigs you know. Like self-respect and our freedom!" a Spice declared to her domineering manager.

Showing that they're just like all us regular gals, the Spices would rather chat with pregnant best mate Nicola (Naoko Mori) and scamper off on an aquatic adventure than practice. This could be why the Spice Girls no longer pump our top 40s hits.

Even though many people bashed girl power when the Spice Girls were all the rage, today's teenyboppers would benefit from the Girls' influence. Unlike today's blonde, busty, male-fantasy pop stars, the Spice Girls sport healthy, realistic bodies and potent personalities.

Though lacking a plot, the spirited music, extravagent costumes and irrelevant humor make this satirical farce a brilliant success.

Contributing to Spice World's accomplishment is an action-packed, suspense-filled final bus ride. As the girls rush to make it to their concert on time, they fly the Spice Bus over an opening bridge.

The dazzling though low-budget special effects will keep you laughing and inspire a second, thir d and fourth viewing.

Rent Spice World with an open mind and a few fun-loving friends and you just may find that's it's never too late to spice up your life.

 



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