"She's the Man"

Amanda Bynes
Channing Tatum
Laura Ramsey
Vinnie Jones
Robert Hoffman
Alex Breckinridge
Julie Hagerty
David Cross




PG13           105min           2006


Amanda Bynes proves that girls can do anything guys can do in “She's the Man”. The laughs are non-stop when Viola (Bynes) disguised as her twin brother Sebastian (James Kirk) joins the high school boys’ soccer team and helps win the big game while unexpectedly falling for Duke (Channing Tatum), the star forward. Viola discovers that dealing with high school politics and twisted love triangles is a major challenge when you’re a guy who’s really a girl. – from the back cover

Inspired by “Twelfth Night” by William Shakespeare but more of a re-imagine of “Just One of the Boys”, a title to a movie that I had to research as I saw this movie when I younger. Amanda Bynes leads a cast of beautiful people trying to seem like their lives are normal. It’s a movie that does what it set out to do is be funny.

“She's the Man” takes a lot of the names and places from the Shakespeare play and relies heavily on its plot. But as I was watching it I kept be reminded of this film that I saw when I was a kid and I just couldn’t remember the name. They play very similar to each other by following the same shtick or they are just following the line that William Shakespeare laid.

This is a cast of beautiful people in a beautiful world doing things that until recently people who have never done. Maybe Shakespeare wasn’t just a writer but a foreseer to and instead of making prophecies he wrote them into plays. There’s one moment when she steps out of the car that you believe she could be a boy. The rest of the time her voice betrays her, it sounds like a castrated six year old, which is fine for a girl. The old change in her voice is when she’s coaching Duke in one scene. Even though she’s not convincing to him as a boy she is a talented comedic actress.

“She's the Man” does what it set out to do…be funny. It set its characters in situations that were bound to be funny. Amanda Bynes carries the majority of the load but she also surrounded by some talented comics too. David Cross and Julie Hagerty make you laugh the minute they hit the screen. It’s a teen comedy classic depending on your taste.

This DVD is full of features. It has a director and cast commentary and a pop-up trivia track. It contains several deleted scenes and a gag reel. There is a boiler plate behind the scene make of featurette and a music video by Dave Lichens called “Let Go”, pay close attention to extras in the video many of them are former child stars of the 90’s. There are movie previews for “Over the Hedge”, “Failure to Launch”, Laguna Beach, Season 2”, and “All You’ve Got”.

I give it 2/5 Gs.

"Waiting...(2005)"

Ryan Reynolds
Anna Faris
Justin Long
David Koencher
Luis Guzman
Chi McBride
John Francis Daley
Kaitlin Doubleday
Rob Benedict
Alanna Ubach
Vanessa Lengies
Jordan Ladd
Max Kasch
Andy Milonakis
Dane Cook
Emmanuelle Chriqui

Unrated           94min           2005

“Waiting…” follows one day in the life of a fictional restaurant named Shenanigans where it focuses on a waiter Dean (Long) and the realization that he may have wasted the last four years of his life working here.

This is a film that everyone should see. Some will say that this is fictionalized but in fact I know that some of these things happen in real life. Some of the things that happened in this film my sister told me happened when she worked for a similar restaurant. Even before I watched this film I was weary of pissing off my waiter or waitress in restaurants.

The entire establishment from the wait staff to the cook are a nuthouse of functioning ‘mentally handicaps, see I used the politically correct term there, but Mitch explained it best with ”…it like being the smartest kid with down syndrome.” Its there insanity that makes them funny, it’s getting a behind the scene look at a world that is never seen by the public.

From the beginning to end you will constantly laugh because the jokes come at rapid fire. This is a full out comedy; not only does it come from the jokes, but it comes from the situations that happen and the actor’s skills. The actors cast shine in their parts, but Alanna Ubach standouts with her delivery and her character quirky. Although she doesn’t have that much screen time she steals the show every time she is on.

“Waiting…” has not easter eggs that I can find and it has a complete separate disk of special features. On the second disk is the feature with the director and producer commentating and writing on a tele-monitor over the film. The rest of the disk is just some cast scene specific commentary. Mainly it contains a bunch of features that talk about the film and the process of making the film from script to production.

I give it 4/5 Gs.

"The Girl Next Door"

Emilie Hirsch
Elisha Cuthbert
Timothy Olyphant
James Remar
Chris Marquette
Paul Dano
Amanda Swisten
Sung Hi Lee
Jacob Young
Olivia Wilde
Autumn Reeser

Unrated           110min           2004


“The Girl Next Door” is about a high school senior (Emilie Hirsch) who meets the girl next door (Elisha Cuthbert) and the adventures he faces with her and his friends during his final days of high school.

It stars some of ‘Young Hollywood’s bright stars.’ To me this is a modern “Risky Business”, but with its own flavor. Just as ‘Risky Business’, “The Girl Next Door” will become a cult classic.

Emilie Hirschis a relative newcomer and with Elisha Cuthbert, they lead a cast that you may know their faces but not there names. Chris Marquette (Joan of Arcadia) and Paul Dano play his faithful friends. Jacob Young noted for his role of JR Chandler on All My Children play a big man on campus jock. Olivia Wilde and Auteem Reeser having had significant parts on ‘The O.C.’ play popular girls of the campus.

“The Girl Next Door” is a more daring “Risky Business”. The both following the same major plot the all-American boy on the fast track to success meets a girl that uses sex as a living but with a heart of gold. They fall for each other and face difficulties on their relationship road. Both star relative unknowns in the leads but where they differ is that TGND has a more hopeful outlook.

Even though it has many similarities to “Risky Business” it has its own story to tell. Risky Business is a tame version of “The Girl Next Door”. The tings brought up in TGND were taboo when RB came out and American are less uptight about the sex they see in films. TGND takes more ‘risk’ than business did and it makes for a funnier movie.

Sex and the American dream sells and I think that’s why these themes and films will always be classics. Americans are always searching for the American dream of power, money and success; both movies deliver. Sex, which will always be fashionable in movies, is display in both but differently, reflection the changes in the society. “Risky Business” displayed it’s sexual content more subtly, where 'The Girl Next Door' has it in your face, the normalcy in today’s cinema.

“The Girl Next Door” gives a tale that has been seen several times over the years of cinema, not as successful but just as entertaining. It displays some of the young talent that Hollywood has to offer. It is this generation “Risky Business”.

I give it 3/5 Gs.

"Eurotrip"

Scott Mechlowicz
Jacob Pitts
Michelle Trachtenberg
Travis Wester
Jessica Boehler
Kristin Kreuk
Vinnie Jones





Unrated           90min           2004

“Eurotrip” is about a high school graduate who after his girlfriend breaks up with him he finds out that his German pen pal Mieke is not a dude but a girl who wants to meet him. Now Scotty and friends traverse Europe on a trip that they will never forget.

This takes the after high school European trip to new comedic heights. The premise is believable and this trip leads into an outlandish tale that if were true would be in a Ripley’s believe it or not. It has the standard acting and all the right ingredients to make a good teen comedy. But what makes this DVD worth seeing is the extras on the DVD.

“Eurotrip” an easy enough premise. Its basic and simple and it gave the writers the room to use their imaginations and that’s what they did. Taking their characters to on a trip that they will never forget and all the while having fun. They make Europe seem like the destination of choice, for graduates were as another film Hostel makes Europe seem like the outer rim of hell.

Acted my mostly relative unknowns this does displays a mature Michelle Trachtenberg. She was displayed more as women than little Penny from Inspector Gadget. As the major female presence in a male dominant film she shines in one of the funniest yet more disturbing scene, if it were true, in the film. Boast some funny cameos from Fred Armistice, Matt Damon, and Lucy Lawless.

This is a top teen comedy. “Eurotrip” gives you memorable scenes and a catchy tune to remember, “Scotty Doesn’t Know” but where this DVD shines is the extra. It has a sex scene index, hilarious deleted scenes, and some of the funniest commentaries. The Party Along commentary features the three writer/directors playing a college drinking party and getting stupid drunk. It’s funny to hear them getting drunker and having to go to the bathroom. It’s a drinking that seemed to be enjoyable.

“Eurotrip” is one of those memorable teen comedies. It boasts a funny premise, featuring some funny cameos, and situation that keep you laughing from beginning to end. This DVD has some of the best DVD extras and that’s what makes “EuroTrip” worthy to buy.

I give it 4/5 Gs.

"John Tucker Must Die"

Jesse Metclafe
Brittany Snow
Ashanti
Sophia Bush
Arielle Kebbel
Penn Badgley

PG13          89min           2006

When a High School serial cheater’s three girlfriends find out they aren’t the only one… they get even. Enlisting the help of innocent new student Kate Spencer. They plot the downfall of John Tucker in “John Tucker Must Die”.

John Tucker is a funny teen comedy, Formulaic in plot. It’s like other teen comedies and it plays that way. Great school location. Where it shines in that it boasts some of Hollywood’s young talent.

Everyone knows that high school “player” the guy with the stable of women, Jesse Metcalfe, of Desperate Housewives fame, plays him to a tee. Anything that his scorned beauties, played by Sophie Bush (One Tree Hill), Arielle Kebbel (The Grudge 2) and R&B singer, Ashanti, throw at him, he rolls with the punches. These ladies enlist Kate, a shy new student to the school, played by Brittany Snow (American Dream).

The things that they put him through are funny and hilarious. It keeps you laughing. Then you wonder as beautiful as these women are…”Why are they jealous of John Tucker when the quartet could have the rest of the males at their feet”. Queens dethrone John’s kingdom.

Penn Badgley as Scott ”The Other Tucker” was severely under used. A surprise cameo by Jenny McCarthy is one the peaks of this film. The highlight of the film that you will debate with your friends is the thong scene.

I gave it a 2/5 Gs.

'Dirty Deeds (2005)'

Milo Ventimiglia
Lacey Chabert
Tom Amandes
Matthew Carey
Mark Derwin
Charles Durning
Michael Milhoan
Zoe Saldana
Arielle Kebbel
Ray Santiago
Erin Torpey

Unrated           87min           2005“

'Dirty Deeds (2005)' is an American Pie-esc teen comedy in which a high school senior tries to complete the Dirty Deeds, an outrageous series of challenges that must be completed between dusk and dawn on the Friday night of Homecoming Weekend.

I watched the Unrated version so I can say what was in the rated version. ‘Dirtier Deeds’ showcases some of the most outrageous and dirtiest deeds I have ever seen. They were nasty and funny at the same time; its no wonder very few people from this school completed the ‘deeds’.

‘Dirtier Deeds’ is just as raunchy as the American Pies but not as funny. Most of the characters are high school stereotypes. It follows the same basic movements and theme of a teen comedy.

You watch to find out what the next deed was and how was it going to be complete. You never doubt Ventimiglia is going to complete the deeds. It’s about the obstacles that are put in his way. Lacy Chabert, from Party of Five fame, plays the under used love interest. Mark Derwin plays the mob boss who is neither scary or threaten; you never get the feeling Zach is in any real danger around him.

‘Dirty Deeds’ can be skipped unless you a fan of one of the actors. There is nothing original that this movie has to offer. This is a raunchy guy film, that has its funny moments. It is something to watch while drinking and laugh. It’s a male movie from the male mind.

There is not much in the way of special features; just a few featurettes.

I give it 3/5 Gs