Our Rating: A+

While the world continues to wait for the most glorious movie ever, they will also continue waiting for the greatest night at the movies. As for the Coral Gables Cavaliers and the Gablettes and co., they worked together to create that special moment.

On the night of Dec. 19, the Mr. Coral Gables show, the annual male upperclassman beauty pageant, went down in the Coral Gables auditorium. 25 of the most talented Cavaliers put themselves on display, showing the entire school why they were the best embodiment of the Cavalier spirit. Who would have ever thought that the best night at the movies would end with a Cavalier being crowned “Mr. Coral Gables?”

The Cavalier pageant, organized by Gablette director Ms. Diaz, Gablette Captain Janelle Lora and Gablette Chris Caceres, had been in the works for months. After a very successful “Mr. Coral Gables” pageant in 2018, the Gablettes and co. worked to create the perfect sequel, and they did just that.

Upon arrival at the event, the genial atmosphere immersed supportive friends, family members and past and present members of the Cavalier community in cheers and endless laughter. While there was some competition among the contestants and the audience, it never overpowered the sense of unity that was felt in the auditorium that night.

The show opened with an epic choreography as the contestants danced to fan-favorite music for the whole family, breaking it down to modern hits and even timeless tunes like Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The song choice and the array of dances were very well-choreographed thanks to months of practice with the multi-talented Gablettes. The crowd roared as the mash-up of songs and dances shifted to give a glimpse of what each contestant had to offer.

Arguably the funniest and most exciting part of the show, the swimwear exhibition allowed the audience to get to know each contest in their true form. Senior hostess Ketty Dones provided a comical commentary as each contestant flexed their swimsuits and their personalities. The audience had a meltdown as things began to heat up on the stage.

Following the climax of the show, the most controversial part of the pageant heard loud sighs, but even louder cheers. As the Top Ten contestants were announced, fifteen contestants were eliminated from contention for the “Mr. Coral Gables” title. The top ten were pre-selected during final auditions and interviews which did not float the boat for some. Members of the student body felt as if the audience should have voted on the top ten contestants.

“All of the Cavaliers that performed were spectacular. I had such an enjoyable experience at the show. I really wish that we could have seen some of the talents of contestants that did not make the top ten, because I know that they all worked extremely hard to put on a show for their school,” senior Ana Guerrero said.

The Top Ten contestants moved on to the next round as the rubber met the road. In a light-hearted performance, the Gablettes danced with Top Ten contestants. The judges, who were all Cavalier alumni, returned to their alma mater to score each of the contestants, keeping an eye on each of the contestants to see who could keep up with the talented dancers.

The audience was in agreement with the selection of judges, as almost any bias was removed from the judgement process. The Cavalier alumni faced the new generation of Cavaliers, who they were unfamiliar with, and were ready to get to know the contestants in the highly anticipated talent show.

From performing beautiful Frank Sinatra songs on the piano, to wholesome dancing with the crowd, to hilarious political impersonations, the top ten contestants left the auditorium in tears of laughter. Alexander Sutton – Mr. Model United Nations – had the auditorium in shambles with his impersonations of President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin while brilliantly involving the student body.

As with any other contest, there can only be one winner. With the help of the judges, five contestants were unfortunately eliminated from contention. The emotion diffused among the audience and hearts were beating quickly as the judges interrogated the top five contestants to crown the one and only “Mr. Coral Gables.”

This movie ended with the happiest of endings, as Student Council President and Mr. Model United Nations himself, Alexander Sutton, was thrown up in the air with the crown on his head and confetti flying on the stage. “Mr. Coral Gables,” who also won the “Most Talented” title, stood with the runner-up Jonnathan Gonzalez, “Fan Favorite” Gabriel Armendariz, and “Mr. Congeniality” Marlon Frederique.

“I was so lucky to be a part of this event. I had so much fun and I did not regret a single second spent preparing for this. Although I was not able to make the top ten, I am super content being “Mr. Congeniality.” I am glad that the student body had the opportunity to vote for a winner,” senior Marlon Frederique said.

While it seems that this movie had only four triumphant studs have a happy ending, the Gablettes and co. and the rest of the “Mr. Coral Gables” contestants were all winners in the end. Together, they worked to create the best night at the movies for everyone, and it is undeniable that the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) and Rotten Tomatoes might agree once and for all and give this movie a perfect rating.