She's the Man: Twelfth Night done Teeny

This is an embarrassing first entry. I would like to come off as a real quality film buff, but I'm afraid I'm shooting myself in the foot right off the bat.

You see, the truth is, I actually liked and would recommend She's the Man to those who are in the right mood for a decent flick of the teeny genre. I won't waste my time typing too much of a synopsis (you can get that on IMDB). I remember really enjoying the Twelfth Night by Shakespeare when I studied it in school, and it all came back as I watched the same twists and turns in the brilliant backbone maintained for this comedy. Most of the characters from the play were also fit into the bodies of high schoolers for this flick (or I should say, 20-something playing high schoolers). Amanda Bynes takes the lead and carries the movie quite well. I think that she is actually a uniquely funny female actress along the lines of Lucille Ball style humor. Supporting roles are enjoyable, especially brief pearls of wisdom from the schools headmaster David Cross (Tobias Fuche from Arrested Development).

Again, let me specify that I am saying that this is a decent movie of the teen-flick genre. The Shakespearian element definitely boosts its value. The teens are not overly sexual, like in comparison to the American Pie smut. We actually watched it twice this weekend, once on our own and once with Aarin's family, including parents. So you know it can't be terribly vulgar if I watched it with my in-laws.

If you are going to watch it, be ready for a fair dose of cheese (Gouda especially). The end was considerably long and cheesy, but the end of all of Shakespeare's are cheesy with everybody getting married and whatnot.

Tobey's Review: B-

Movies, Books, Music...who's got time to keep track?

Hey all,

So, I got this idea from my friend Tobey that we should set up a blog where those of us who like film can post reviews of movies. I got to thinking, and realized that I'd also like to know what people are reading and listening to these days.

And why not? I'd much rather know what ya'll think than some random critic online or in the newspaper.

So I'm going to set this blog up for a few of us to be able to post. Let's see if it works. Tobey and Aarin, I'm extending the invitation to two of our good friends (two of our groomsmen, actually) over here in Texas: Paul, who somehow knows every awesome, new band about 3 years ahead of time, and Steve, who is another film buff. They both also read a lot. And it goes without saying that their new wives are part of the invitation, too.

No rules to this. Whatcha think?

Stand By Me: a classic that stands the test of time

Stand By Me is one of those movies that everyone has seen--except Tim, of course. So we decided to remedy that this week, after much fanfare from my end. It had been several years since I had seen it, and I only really remembered that the kid from Goonies was in it and that there was a bunch of throw-up at one point, but it left a positive impression on me. The problem with this is that movies such as Tombstone and The Jerk also left a positive impression, yet seriously disappointed me on recent viewings.

Anyway, we watched it and it was confirmed: good movie. Maybe not the best ever--I think The Sandlot produces heartier laughs--but nonetheless good. It's fascinating to watch a young River Phoenix showcase his serious talent, and those of us who love 24 can appreciate Keifer Sutherland's badass attitude.

Jamie's Review: B+