December 26, 2008
“Guys need all the help they can get”
Reminiscing of his high school years, a recently divorced Jack Twiller pops out his high school yearbook and has a flick through to remind himself of the good times. It all starts sometime in 1956, in a quaint American suburb..
New in town and already sick of shifting boxes, Jack (Chris Young) is impressed when introduced to local kid Crutch (Keith Coogan), who offers a quick neighbourhood tour. Fearing having his ass kicked for being the new face, Jack warily tags along, while Crutch gives him a not-so-honest lowdown on his impressive social status in the neighbourhood. It’s a shame that they have to bump into the notorious Angelo Gabooch and his leather-clad gang while on their travels, as Twiller now has to learn – the hard way – who runs the joint.
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December 05, 2008
“A free lay with every stay!”
Sam Kehoe (Gary Herberger) is the new kid in town, and not overjoyed by the fact. All he wants to do is fit in, make friends, and be an average teenager. But things are difficult when your eccentric father has just invested his money in a new property. And not just any old family home, either, but a thirty room motel, complete with honeymoon suite (above Sam’s bedroom, of all places!).
To worsen Sam’s first day at school jitters, he is forced to make do with a rather unflattering mode of transport: the baby pink estate wagon that was thrown in with his father’s purchase. It wouldn’t be so bad if it was just a baby pink estate wagon. Of course, Sam isn’t that lucky. This baby pink estate happens to be complete with the motto: “a free lei with every stay”, above which a big ol’ Paradise Motel logo sits. And that isn’t all. The seventeen year old even has the privilege of travelling with a bit of company. An extra passenger – on the roof – in the shape of a hula girl. But what a disgraced Sam is unaware of is that all this blatant self-advertising is about to become the motel’s biggest success in alluring a regular clientele. I mean, what the hell right? Who would benefit from spare, away-from-home double beds better than horny high schoolers?
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December 05, 2008
“School’s out and everything’s in!”
Pick-Up Summer, or the more aptly titled Pinball Summer, is a slapstick Canadian teen comedy that begins on the last day of school and ends, presumably, towards the end of summer at the big(?) local pinball tournament. The plot, or lack of one, centers around the teenagers who populate the rowdy-but-cool O.J.’s Fast Food Restaurant and Pete’s, an amusement arcade complete with its very own mascot cheerleaders. The arcade, being the spot where all the kids hang out, is home to endless brawls (and as much as we’d hoped to see Principal Vernon walk through the door and ask what’s that ruckus, it wasn’t to be) and a helluva lot of commotion, resulting in complaints from the uptight residents of the town. But if all the Pete’s protesters reckon their complaining’ll do anything to straighten out the loudmouthed teens, they’ve got another think comin’.
First on the agenda for main characters Greg and Steve and their girlfriends Donna and Suzy is to terrorize the dorky neighbourhood rich boy, but not before being harassed by the leather-clad, motorbike riding hard nut of the town, Bert. But when the pinball championship trophy is stolen, the kids are less worried about picking fights, quick fumbles and days at the amusement park than they are of finding the trophy for themselves. And when it falls into the hands of Bert and the biker gang, Greg and Steve hatch a plan to steal it back, hiding it in a place where no one would think to look. Well, no one except overweight, under-brained and butt-of-all-jokes Pete’s employee named Whimpy, who later discovers the trophy hidden inside a pinball machine.
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December 03, 2008
Willy/Milly
Milly is annoyed whenever her mom tells her to behave more appropriate for a girl. She’s just not interested in fancy dresses or prom dances. Some day her best friend’s little brother offers her a potion which can make her deepest wish come true during a solar eclipse. She goes through with it and ends up with male genitals, additionally. So she has to decide if she wants to life as boy or girl. Her father, who always wanted a son, supports her in checking out life as a boy. Hence Milly changes school and starts out as Willy.
I remember seeing this one on the shelf at the video store back when I was a rental gal. It piqued my interest slightly, but I never ended up getting it. It’s got the chick from Grease 2, and the Gate II, and now Californication. I want to like that show, but just can’t bring myself to. But I’m like that with all shows.
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December 03, 2008
“Everyone thought David had it all.. until the day David ended it all”
Yes, Keanu Reeves is in this movie. No, it doesn’t suck.
Permanent Record is the story of David Sinclair (Alan Boyce), a popular high school kid who seemingly has just about everything going for him. Perfect grades, a sterling reputation with teachers and a fine relationship with his parents and little brother. His outstanding musical talent doesn’t go unnoticed either, having just been handed a scholarship to a highly regarded music college. In an ideal world, David couldn’t be happier..
Chris (Reeves) has a thing for music, too, and spends his spare time jamming in the band that he and best friend David created. A popular haunt for the local kids are the sea-side clifftops – a convenient parking spot, where they can drink beer, hang out and do as they please. One night, during the celebration party (complete with chips, dips.. and vegetables) thrown together by Chris and David, those cliffs – the same cliffs where girlfriends and boyfriends go to play music and make out – are to be the scene of something way more sinister, unforeseeable and tragic than any of the teens could imagine. The heartbreak that is in their midst is only minutes away from shattering an entire community – most of all Chris – who is unfortunate enough to be at the fateful scene as it unfolds.
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November 25, 2008
Rock & Roll High School Forever
This one is as obvious as anything. It’s actually a fucking travesty that I don’t own one of these posters yet. I have been this movie’s most outspoken advocate for many many years now, and if you haven’t seen it, I suggest you track it down (cheap cheap on DVD), and bask in it’s awesomeness. But yes, the poster. I like this one because it accurately portrays just how cool Corey Feldman is. Not that reality TV show making-lost boys sequel starring Feldman, but the REAL Feldog. The one we left behind in the 80′s. He’s so freaking badass with the guitar and the burning school in the background. Effin aye. I think it’s time for a little large appliance worship.
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November 21, 2008
Its been a while since my last update, and to get myself back into the swing of writing, I\’m going to share with you the last five movies I got my hands on.
Deathrow Gameshow
Chuck Toedan’s the host of a gameshow featuring death row convicts competing in life-or-death contests in hopes of cheating the executioner or, at the very least, winning some nice prizes for their next of kin. Not surprisingly, Chuck has made more than a few enemies, from outraged viewers trying to ban his show, to families of losing contestants looking for revenge. A hitman hired by one such family has shown up at Chuck’s office, and he’ll need to enlist the help of his most outspoken critic to keep from ending up like most of his contestants.
When this one showed up, I immediately felt like I had to get it. The first thing that popped into my head was that incredibly twisted Daffy Duck cartoon where he constantly tries to kill Porky Pig (or was it Elmer Fudd?) on that sadistic game show. I hope this movie is as good as that cartoon.
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“Guys need all the help they can get”
