The Star Spangled Man With A Plan

There's something very, very right about the Marvel Studios movies of the last five years. I love Christopher Nolan's Batman Triology, I think they are master films. But somewhere on his quest to create a grim and gritty reality, Chris lost the, well, fun of seeing a guy in tights fight evil.

No fun allowed!

Marvel has yet to lose the fun. Their movies are bright, colorful, fast moving and at that, pretty remarkable bits of film making. Captain America: The First Avenger, directed by Joe Johnston and starring Chris Evans as Cap himself, continues well in this vein.

Evans has proven himself in the action adventure field fairly well. In fact, last year I dubbed him "Comic Book Man," having been the only good thing about The Fantastic 4 movies, and playing sell out Lucas Lee in Scott Pilgrim. But he's perfectly in his element as Captain Steve Rogers. CGI'd down to look like a skinny weakling for the first forty five minutes, Evans still shines through as the Brooklyn kid with a heart of gold who just wants to serve his country.

But then things get fun. The fangirl in me loves the Marvel Studio movies because they do very well on the hottie front! Not to sound like a bad stand up, but sometimes you just need a little eye candy, amirightladies? Now even once he's suped up on Dr. Abraham Erksine's (played to lovable perfection by Stanley Tucci) syrum which turns him into the perfect physical soldier, he's no Chris Hemsworth, but Evans is dreamy in that All American, throw a baseball, drink a beer, backseat of a Chevy kind of way. (As opposed to the Broody Norse God running through the rain kind of way...*sigh*)

Seriously, Sexiest.Thing.Ever.

Captain America ups the hottie ante, though, with Sebastian Stan as Roger's best friend James "Bucky" Barnes, and wait for it...Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark!

Close Second

Yes, that's right, not only is Howard Stark a prominent part of the film, but he's played by the absolutely smoldering Cooper, (who I've been mildly obsessed with since I saw him in The History Boys on Broadway.) If this is a fictional universe where Dominic Cooper is Robert Downey Jr.'s father, I WANT TO LIVE IN THIS UNIVERSE!

But back to the movie. Captain America fights The Red Skull, played by Hugo "Agent Smith" Weaving. Seriously, folks, when he opens his mouth even when he's playing an elf king or in this case a deranged Nazi scientist who's face has been mutated to look like a well, red skull, my CSD kicks into high gear and I immediately expect him to start dodging bullets and asking if he can speak to "Mr. Anderson." But still, he was awesome.

Rounding out the cast were Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K, um I mean Federal Marshal Sam Gerald...OK look, he was playing Colonel Chester Phillips, but really he was doing his Tommy Lee Jones thing, and doing it real well and Hayley Atwell as Agent Peggy Carter. I even almost forgot about that time she went to the fair with Dawson Leary she was so good. (I said almost. This is Dawson's related CSD, the deepest kind)

Of course, like all of these movies, Captain America was a set up. There's an End Game. And that End Game is The Avengers. And that's what's up next. When Steve brought down The Red Skull's plane in the middle of the ocean, his friends searched for him. They found the Tesserae (do I have that right?) but no Steve. He wound up frozen for 70 years, and was awakened in modern New York, by Nick Fury. The credits roll.

But this is Marvel, so you've got to stick around until the very last frame. After the credits we see Steve beating a hanging punching bag, which he then punches right off the ceiling. Fury enters the room and gives Steve a message. "It's time to save the world."

Then we see it in all of it's glory. The trailer for The Avengers, with it's amazing tagline "Some Assembly Required." I was too busy gaping (and I kind of had to pee) to take you through it blow by blow, but it looks fantastic. Plus I got a tingly when I saw Chris Hemsworth as Thor again, so we know that's not a passing thing...

Pop Goes the Prom

Tonight is the most epic night in the history of nights.

That's right, it's Glee's Prom Night episode. I try not to read spoilers, because I love to be surprised but I do know a few things.

Quinn is going to smack Rachel in her pouty little face.

and

JESSE ST JAMES is going to be back.

I won't even get into how much I love Jonathan Groff, (described by my sister Mary as "The Straightest Gay Man Alive") because this post isn't about how Groff has been playing dreamy broody teen boys for almost a decade now while living happily out of the closet, it's about the best proms in the history of pop culture (of which this will surely be one.)

10. Sunnydale Senior Prom, Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Why it ranks:
Because of the hellhounds that were unleashed, causing panic. Because it began the Anya/Xander relationship. Because Wesley kissed Cordelia and it was awful, but hilarious. Because Angel came, danced with Buffy and gave her the "one normal high school moment" she had been craving. Because the (at this point) adorable Jonathan presented Buffy with the "class protector" superlative. And it was awesome!

How Glee can beat it:
It can't...move on.

9. The Anti-Prom: Dawson's Creek


Why it ranks:
Because it was the height of Dawson's self righteous, "I'm the nice guy so Joey should love me" phase. Because Jack learned what a douche that guy he was dating was. Because it allowed for "Leary's Fresh Fish" to be shoehorned into the plot ONE LAST TIME before season 3 ended. Because Jen took Henry and they were adorable. Because it was the moment when Joey realized she loved Pacey. Because it finally removed the random and useless Nelly from any and all plot lines in the future.

How Glee can beat it:
Burt Hummel, who makes Mitch Leary look like a father who neglects his kid except when he hits him, so John Whitter, makes sure that Kurt can bring Blaine, thus allowing Brittney to bring Santana, or Brittney and Artie get back together.

8. Manny and Paige Showdown: Degrassi: The Next Generation



Why it ranks:
Because Paige and Manny showed up in the same dress and Paige arranged to have her win prom queen only to humiliate her. Because it was the first time Jimmy was back at Degrassi since he was shot. Because JT and Liberty were still a couple. Because I'm pretty sure Emma still had gonorrhea of the throat. Because Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes were there for no explicable reason (except that they were filming a movie at Degrassi.) Because Downtown Sasquatch played.

How Glee can beat it:
Downtown Sasquatch plays. Except that I think if Jonathan Groff and Jake Epstein are on film together it will rip a hole in the space time continuum, also Aubrey Graham is a little busy. But a kick ass surprise celebrity guest star wouldn't go amiss.

7. "You said you couldn't be with someone who didn't believe in you": Pretty in Pink


Why it ranks:
Because it's the only time John Hughes took on the prom, which means it must be the most epic prom of all time. Because after it all, Andie and Blane kiss in the rain by his car. Because Duckie wears a bolo tie.

How Glee can beat it:
Kiss in the rain. Anyone can kiss in the rain.

6. Two proms, one crazier than the last: One Tree Hill



Why it ranks:
Because at one of them, Peyton didn't show because Psycho Derek tied her up in her basement and tortured her with autotuned versions of her own podcasts. Because at the first one, Peyton had painted "whore" on Brooke's dress prompting Brooke to go rescue her from Psycho Derek. Because the second one was in the town that one the "best OTH fans contest." Because at the second one the whole cast dressed up in 70s clothes. Because at the second one Chris Keller was there. Because Haley was pregnant at both proms and no one blinked.

How Glee can beat it:
Terry kidnaps and tortures Emma by throwing dirt on her, and Will saves her. New Directions gets hired to sing at the Dalton prom, thus creating an epic "second prom" scenario for Glee, which I have already discussed is the same show as OTH.

5. "I just wanted her to have the perfect night": Gossip Girl

Why it ranks:
Because Serena and Dan went "as friends" which is always hilarious. Because Nate and Blair broke up amicably, in the first and only case of lower drama making for a better episode in GG history. Because the B storyline was a failed pilot for a spin off about Lily in the 80s. Because Blair was elected prom queen. Because it turned out the whole night was an elaborate manipulation of Chuck's to make sure that Blair had the perfect prom night. (And I cried and cried)

How Glee can beat it:
Rachel does the same for Finn. Or Finn arranged for Jesse to come to bring Rachel so she can have the perfect prom night.

4. "Dad, I'm going to the prom!" "Very funny sweetie!": 10 Things I Hate About You
Why it ranks:
Because Save Ferris and Letters to Cleo performed. Because Bianca punched Joey in the face. Because even though Kat and Patrick get into that fight you know he feels really bad about it. Because Bianca's prom dress is the most epically 90s prom dress ever. (Bright pink satin and her midrift is bared)

How Glee can beat it:
I think they might, because it looks like Quinn is going to punch Rachel in the face. Good for you Glee!

3. Donna Throws up in the bathroom and gets suspended: Beverly Hills 90210

Why it ranks:
Really? I need to lay this one out? OK, um, Because Donna got drunk, threw up in the bathroom, and got suspended. This paved the way for the epic "Donna Martin Graduates!" storyline. And some half assed message about underage drinking.

How Glee can beat it:
Much like Buffy, this one is just too epic and iconic. Nothing Glee does will touch it.

2. "Is that all I am to you Zach? Am I a bet? Am I a F*@#KING bet?": She's All That


Why it ranks:
Because half the student body knew a choreographed dance number. Because rather than bring another girl than the one he loved, Freddie Prinze Jr. brought his little sister (Anna Paquin). Because Paul Walker brings Rachel Leigh Cook to screw with Freddie Prinze Jr. (That is the most 90s sentence ever written.) Because the "cool hot girl" who was no where near as hot as Rachel Leigh Cook wore the second most 90s prom dress ever. Because Usher DJ'd the party.

How Glee can beat it:
Usher.

1. "Is this a party or what? LET'S DANCE!" - Footloose

Why it ranks:



Because of that.

How Glee can beat it:
Finn sings "Footloose." Also maybe Kevin Bacon shows up? I don't know. It's a thought.

So there you have it folks.

Fanboys vs. Fangirls

I'm kind of into gender studies. In case that needed to be said. I'm a XCORE cultural and social feminist, (I espouse the belief that on a political and legal level men and women are equal in this country. There is no more institutionalized sexism, which is cool and all, except for that there are still sexists. Cultural feminism focuses on changing attitudes through cultural shifts to remove sexism.) But one of the big things to look at when it comes to gender studies is the difference between men and women, Mars and Venus and all of that.

While I was trying to write a coherent review of Thor that didn't just go: "And then we saw Chris Hemsworth's abs and it was glorious!" I started thinking about the difference between fangirls, and fanboys.

To the uninitiated, a "fanboy" or "fangirl" is an excessive fan of genre material, usually sci fi or fantasy. Usually, fanboys and fangirls are not exclusive to one franchise, but obsess about many different series. The Stars, Wars and Trek, tend to be exempted, since they're both so extensive, one can be a Star fanboy or girl, because there is so much information to take it.

But there are huge differences between fanboys and fangirls.

Fanboys tend to get obsessive about the minutiae of things. They're details guys. You know, they're the ones who noticed Greedo shooting first, and have written pages and pages and pages about Hayden Christiansen being edited into the end of Return of The Jedi. These are the guys who own The Animatrix on DVD, who tried to piece together every piece of the Lost puzzle. They go to conventions and post on Whedonesque. They collect things.

Fangirls obsess about the big picture stuff. They want to know plot details and are concerned with...you know what, forget it.

OK, here's the deal with fangirls, they want to know who ends up with who. They form "Teams," which are highly cultish groups of fangirls who support one outcome or the other. The most famous of these obviously come from Twilight, and the Team Edward and Team Jacob. But it's not the only one. I know as Lost was wrapping up, several fangirls started splitting into teams, and the same as Harry Potter approached it's finale. (For the record, here are my teams, Jacob, Sawyer/Juliet and Ron/Hermione Harry/Ginny I was also however briefly Neville/Luna.) Fangirls also bring this into things that are non genre, I know that Team Brooke and Team Peyton was a thing for One Tree Hill for a while, and I continually declare myself in the Nerena camp for Gossip Girl (So blonde, so dumb, so perfect!) But for the most part we stick with the genre. We're the girls who couldn't believe that Rachel was going to marry Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight, and were even more shocked when she died. (WHO WILL BRUCE MAKE OUT WITH NOW?) We have tee shirts and chat rooms and everything else.

Also, we really like seeing guys with their shirts off. I'm pretty sure fanboys also enjoy genre boobs, so that's something we have in common. That being said, I know girls who are more fanboy, and boys who are fangirl. I like to think that I'm somewhere in between, but I definitely lean more towards fangirl.

He who is worthy...

Last night I checked out Thor in 3D. Here's the thing...I was going in very skeptical. I love superheroes. I really do. But I really wasn't sure that Thor warranted his own movie. I mean, I get it, they have the list of Avengers that Joss Whedon wants.

Joss wants magic in his comics movies. Also feminism

But really? Did we need a Thor movie? Did we especially need a Thor movie directed by Kenneth Branagh? Somehow I didn't see this working out well.

Something rotten in the state of Marvel.

I will say it when I mean it. I was wrong. This movie was fantastic. I didn't want to punch Natalie Portman in the face, which speaks a lot to how well written her character was, or how Branagh managed to reign her in. Maybe I just didn't know enough about Thor, so I couldn't see how it would work, and how the vision of a guy like Branagh could make it work.

The film begins with Jane Foster (Portman), a brilliant (and mondo hot, this is comics people, its worse than TV with everyone having to be absurdly good looking) astrophysicist on the verge of a huge discovery, racing through the desert with her assistants, Erik Selving (the AWESOME Stellan Skarsgard) and Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings, basically being every Kat Dennings character). They hit a man who appeared from nowhere. A beautiful, beautiful blonde shirtless man...

Sorry, I drifted off. With one, "Where did he come from?" We're transported to the magical realm of Asgard, and get regaled with Anthony Hopkins telling us about some war that the viking gods once fought against the Frost Giants? Then we meet Thor, his brother Loki, and their warrior friends who decide to go after the Frost Giants themselves, after Asgard is attacked.

After they get back is when I realized that Branagh was the man for the job. After his father Odin expells Thor from Asgard, and Loki finds out he's actually a Frost Giant and goes mega evil, that half of the movie basically becomes about Loki's epic power grab for the throne of Asgard, and Thor and friends trying to stop him. This is subject matter that works for Branagh, since he's a Shakespeare guy.

"Once more into the breach dear friends..."

The other half of the movie consists of Thor wandering around the New Mexico desert being baffled by modern conveniences and helping Jane take the next step in her research.

Also there's a scene where he runs around in the rain looking like this.

Throw in some S.H.E.I.L.D agents, a few throwaway one liners reminding us that the Marvel Film universe is alive and well, like when Loki sends down a destroyer after Thor, the S.H.E.I.L.D agents ask, "Is that one of Stark's?" and another says, "I don't know, he doesn't keep me up to speed." and when S.H.E.I.L.D. agents show up for the first time Erik gets worried, "I knew a scientist once, an expert in Gamma radiation. S.H.E.I.L.D. showed up and he was never heard from again." Don't forget to stay for the credits when we see the ultimate uniting.

The 3D was good, the movie was enjoyable and I'm looking forward the The Avengers. Overall I recommend the experience. It wasn't anywhere as strong as the Ironman movies, but it was definitely on the level with The Incredible Hulk. (The good Edward Norton one). Also there were trailers for Captain America: The First Avenger, Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Green Lantern. It's going to be a really good movie season guys!

Rebooting the Field

I've made my general distaste for reboots and remakes known, but they are unavoidable in the current pop culture climate. With the news of the casting in Baz Luhrman's version of The Great Gatsby coming to light. (Toby Maguire as Nick Carraway? Yes please! Leo as Jay Gatsby? GOD YES!) Not to mention the I'm ignoring it news that Jennifer Garner is going to be playing Miss Marple (seriously, I'm pretending it's not there) I've been thinking about remakes and reboots I would be OK with, depending entirely on the casting I outline here:

Guys And Dolls:

This one gets special mention, based on the fact that the original film is subpar to the brilliant Broadway Musical it inspired. Also the fact that between the rise of Gleekers, Apatow friends and well, NPH the time is right for a second look. Acceptable Casting: Neil Patrick Harris as Nathan Detroit, Mark Salling as Sky Masterson (Seriously, watch the man sing Lady is a Tramp in season 1), Anne Hathaway as Sarah, Mila Kunis as Miss Adelaide, Jason Segel as Nicely Nicely Johnson, and the rest of the gang taking on the minor gangster roles (Jonah Hill as Big Jule especially.)

The Thin Man Series


Nick and Norah Charles are two of my all time favorite old school film characters. Basically they exchanged witty banter while drinking martinis in fancy hotel suites. They also occasionally solved murders. You know who needs to do those things? Ed Westwick and Leighton Meester. They already do it once a week, but without the murders. And really, it's only a matter of time.

The Vampire Chronicles

Let's face facts, we live in a Post Twilight, Mid True Blood world. The time might be right to resurrect Lestat, Louis, and Claudia and get another, more accurate look at Anne Rice's version of the blood suckers, with all of their gay innuendo bi contintental, rule defying behavior. I'm not touching cast for this one, because while the film Interview With A Vampire has some flaws, casting was not one of them, Brad, Tom and Kirsten rocked. Queen of The Damned on the other hand...


Buffy The Vampire Slayer
OK, so this one has already been announced, it's more about the casting for me. Apparently the new film version is going to be a Scooby free zone, but I'm not sold on that, or well, just about anything about the movie except for the fact that Joss seems to think it's a good idea. However, there are only two acceptable actresses to step into the chosen one's shoes. Emma Stone if they want to stick to teenage Buffy, or Kaley Cuoco if they want someone a little older.

Those are just a few of the possibilities. Any reboot ideas you would be OK with, readers?

Pop-cabulary

I realized earlier today that when I said used one of my favorite made up words that my friends and I use to describe things in pop culture, or life in a pop culture context. So here's a quick index of some of those words:

Jimandpam- verb When a TV couple isn't even on again off again, simply will they or won't they. Derived from The Office, who went 4 seasons Jimandpamming us all over the place, with Jim and Pam.

Used in a sentence:
"I'm getting fed up with Glee and how they keep jimandpamming Will and Emma."

Entering OTH Territory - verb, meaning when a show leaves behind all pretenses of being grounded in reality, or at all original. Derived from the way One Tree Hill did around the middle of season 2, when Nathan had that dream where he and Lucas switched places.

Used in a sentence:
"When Liz Lemmon dumped Matt Damon on the plane 30 Rock totally entered OTH Territory."

McLaren's - noun, any bar that is located underneath a residence. Derived from the bar where they hang out on How I Met Your Mother, which is located under Ted's apartment.

Used in a sentence:
"Remember when Katie had that apartment in Hoboken and we went to McLaren's?"

Character Separation Disorder (CSD) - noun, A difficult personality disorder in which a pop culture addict cannot separate an actor from the iconic roles they have played. Derived from something that I do frequently, also when my brother suggested that Martin Sheen could get elected president, because people in this country are that stupid and oblivious.

Used in a sentence:
-My favorite part of He's Just Not That Into You is when Rachel Greene marries Holden McNeil. It's so nice that he's not a neurotic paleontologist, and she's not a lesbian.
-The thing is, in that example, you're not suffering from CSD, that's just how lazy the characterization in that movie was.

The Jacob - noun, the third, usually more awesome tip of a love triangle who for some reason the main person in the triangle doesn't choose. Derived from Twilight, and Bella Swann's inexcusable stupidity of choosing Edward Cullen over Jacob Black, particularly in the movie versions, where she is choosing Robert Pattinson over Taylor Lautner and it makes no sense at all what so ever

Used in a sentence:
In this whole forced, QuinnFinnRachel triangle Rachel is totally the Jacob. But in the PuckQuinnFinn triangle, it's Puck and in the FinnRachelJesse triangle, it's Jesse. (Glee works well for this one, because like Twilight, it's protagonists are really stupid and whine a lot.)

Those are a few examples, any others?

Alert The Media

Last night I checked out the remake of Arthur, starring Russell Brand in the title role. The original is one of those movies that is so intertwined with my childhood and my general consciousness that I don't remember when I saw it for the first time. (Others like this include The Indiana Jones movies, The Star Wars Trilogy, Field of Dreams) And I've been charmed by Brand, due to his appearances on Conan and SNL, and his marriage to Katy Perry and the way they relate to each other, plus Helen Mirren is fantastic, so I had middling hopes that I'd at least enjoy myself.

I laughed a lot, and the movie definitely has a lot of heart. It has it's own story to tell, and tells it in a different way, so it feels a little bit more like Ocean's 11 in the remake way, rather than something like Sabrina.

However, unlike Ocean's 11, it doesn't actually improve upon the original. A preachy soul searching ending kills a lot of the fun. For Dudley Moore and Liza Minelli, having each other in the end was enough, bu Russell Brand and the adorable Greta Gerwig, they must be self actualized as well. (She becomes a children's book author, and he joins AA and stops running around New York in a top hat!)

The movie still has a lot of quotable moments, and I didn't mention Jennifer Garner, who does a good job of updating the role of Susan, Arthur's socialite fiance, (instead of a dippy social climbing ice queen, she's a tough as nails corporate ladder climbing ice queen), but I somehow doubt that in thirty years there will be grown ups who quote this movie to their children when they announce that they're going to use the potty.

Nothing makes you quit announcing that faster than ten adults saying in a snooty British accent, "I'll alert the media!" And then laughing for ten minutes.

I'm Black and I'm Proud

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

In continuing with my series, which I'm tentatively calling "Random Pop Culture Crap My Family Loves" I'm going to discuss today one of our most obscure (on this continent at least!) obsessions. The Irish film The Commitments.
The Commitments is the story of a bunch of young Dubliners who start a soul band that plays in some bars and changes their lives, but not by making them rock stars, just by giving them something to do, for however long they want it.

Come to think of it, there's a little bit of Jimmy Rabbitte (the band's manager) in myself, seeing as I started my theater group on kind of the same principle.

The music of The Commitments is what got me first, since I'd practically worn out the film's soundtrack years before I was allowed to see the movie. My brother and I clocked it once and the say the "F" word once every minute and a half, which is pretty amazing considering it's only about two hours long and at least forty minutes of that is singing, where there are no "F" words.

The movie is sharp funny, and very Irish. The nation's history is summed up in a quote by Jimmy, when one of the other band members question whether they've any right to sing soul:

"The Irish are the blacks of Europe, and Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. And the Northsiders are the blacks of Dublin. So say it once and say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud!"

Once, following that same logic my brother and I decided that we had every right to blues, because our family are farmers from Roscommon, so if Dublin is urban black America with soul, Roscommon is the Delta.

CSD - Oscar Edition

Last night's Oscars were pretty much predictable, (Although The King's Speech taking home the biggie over The Social Network was kind of a shock) but the whole time my pop culture addled brain was completely thrown off, I will give you a glimpse into the confusion...

As the night kicked off and Mia Thermopolis and Harry Osbourne led us through the night's best picture nominees,I giggled a few times. It wasn't Oscar's best opening sequence, but it wasn't terrible either.

As the night continued on I couldn't put my finger on things, like why was Jackie Burkhart presenting an animation award with the guy from "D**ck in a Box?" And how did Princess Giselle lose yet another Oscar? She's been nominated every year pretty much...

Then some writer won for Best Adapted screen play and gave a speech that sounded exactly like something President Bartlett would reassure the nation with and I felt like I was going crazy! And everyone kept showing shots of Bellatrix LeStrange and I was thinking "OMG! Why hasn't anyone captured her?" Viola De Lesseps sang a country song.

Finally Jack Kelly won an Oscar and then later Padme Amidala got up there and she was pregnant, and I was all..."But you already had the twins!" and then to top it all off Mr. Darcy got up on stage and made the whole ballroom fall in love with him.

Character Separation Disorder is a very serious disease that affects pop culture addicts the world over. Learn more about it here, and please, spread awareness and if there is a pop culture addict in your life, give them a good shake and tell them that it's not real. These people are just actors. Just actors...

Best of A Decade: 2004

2004 was a lean year for new movies for me, because I spent a lot of it catching up on stuff I missed in 2003. But there were definitely some stand outs, and here they are.

Garden State

I think that Garden State is one of the most romantic movies ever made. Plus I love a good behind the scenes story, and Garden State has one of the best. When Zach Braff got the job as Dr. Jon Dorian on Scrubs he immediately quit his day job. When he found out it would be a year before he would actually be working on the show, he sat down and wrote this little beauty. Plus it made me not hate Natalie Portman, and got me listening to Frou Frou.

Jersey Girl

One of the things that I love about Kevin Smith's movies is that there isn't an ounce of pretension in them. They are exactly what they are, with no apologies. Jersey Girl is a soft, sweet, marshmallow of a movie about fatherhood, family and being who you are. It doesn't try to be something else and that's what makes it great. Also Ben Affleck and that little girl singing Sweeney Todd. That's good too.

Saved!

"I am filled with Christ's love!" Let's face it, Born Again Christianity is funny. Most religion is funny, when you employ comedy. This movie, about a perfectly behaved born again girl who's boyfriend tells her he's gay, so she has sex with him to prove he isn't (one is the lesser sin!) and then finds herself pregnant and ostracized. And as good as Jena Malone is in this as Mary, it's Mandy Moore owns as the meanest mean girl you'll ever see. One who thinks she's doing God's work.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

Ben Stiller's character in this movie is just an R rated version of his Heaveyweights character from the 90s, but what makes this movie great are in the fact that the characters are all so out there that Vince Vaughn is the strait man. Also it ends with the heroes receiving a trunk full of gold labeled "deus ex machina." I love a good Greek drama joke, don't you?

De-Lovely

OK, another one of those not that good movies that the experience of made it for me. I went to go see this Cole Porter bio-pic with the cast of a production of Anything Goes I'd just finished. We all sang along and it was very nerdy and very fun.

Spider-Man 2

The first movie was better. But it didn't have Alfred Molina in it as Doc Oc. Therefore there wasn't that wonderful visual that I get every time I see it...That of him singing if "If I were A Rich Man," and doing the Tevye shimmy with all of those mechanical arms. So funny!

Shaun of The Dead

I love Simon Pegg. I love him. I love this movie and it's gory funny, perfectness. A lot of laughing.

The Incredibles

As good as superhero movies get, they're not better than The Incredibles. Everything about this was funny.

Finding Neverland

I'd watch Kate Winslet in anything. But I really love this movie, and James Barry, the author of Peter Pan. Less because of Winslet, and even less because of Johnny Depp and more for Freddie Highmore, as Peter, the precocious boy whose name Barry steals for the play.

Coming in 2005: Episode III, Walk The Line, Rent and more!

Best of a Decade: 2003

I was finishing out my first year of high school, and I still maintain that 2003 was the beset summer of my life. That being said, I didn't see a lot of movies, which is why this is a slightly shorter list.

Bend it Like Beckham

Kiera Knightley and Parminder Nagra are fantastic in this girl power comedy about soccer, family and finding yourself. But without this movie we probably never would have gotten Neela on ER.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie

I've mentioned my Duff-love, no? I loved this little gem of a Disney tween flick. When Lizzie and crew head to Rome for the summer and she becomes a pop star it's absolutely perfect. And she and Gordo get together at the end, and Kate and Ethan do too. Plus try getting that song out of your head. "Have you ever seen such a beautiful night? I could almost kiss the stars for shining so bright..."

X2: X Men United

The first X Men movie brought about the era of comic book movie blockbusters. This one proved that they could be amazing movies. With the mythos of the X-Men established the movie was allowed to dive into the characters. Centered around a combination of stories, including Wolverine's quest to piece together his past, Jean Grey's growing powers, and a government sponsored researching wanting to take revenge on Dr. X and the other mutants, it makes for an extremely compelling action flick. Plus you know, HUGH JACKMAN!

Down With Love

A more modern take on the screwball comedies of Doris Day and Rock Hudson, starring Ewan McGregor and Renee Zellwegger. The clothes and look are divine, the script is pithy and bantery, and of course, it ends with a song. The twist ending is kind of out there but nothing says "Battle of The Sexes" like that montage where we hear the Sinatra version of "Fly Me To The Moon" mashed up with the Astrud Gibrelto version (in that battle, Frank wins. Frank always wins!)

Finding Nemo

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." Pixar has magical powers. I've always admired how well they tell stories. Nemo is not an exception. Brightly colored, fast moving and lovely, the story of the little fish and his dedicated father is beautiful. I still haven't yet figured out if Marlin and Dory are supposed to be a couple at the end. Also, I love the sharks. "Fish are friends, not food."

Camp

As a Sondheim obsessed, overly critical sixteen year old, I truly felt that this was the greatest piece of film ever. My friends and I still quote it incessantly, although we do feel that it's probably not the cinematic masterpiece it once was. And a few of the Camp alumni have done pretty well for themselves. Anna Kendrick, is well, Anna Kendrick. Dequina Moore has done some really great work on Broadway and Robin DeJesus...well, "Lights up on Washington Heights..."

(He's the little kid in the hat!)

Pirates of The Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl

"They're making a movie based on a Disney ride? That'll never work!" Guess what? It worked. The first Pirates movie was unbelievably brilliant. Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow is one of his greatest method creations, and Geoffrey Rush's Captain Barbosa is still my favorite part of this whole series. Orlando Bloom is even decent in this first one, and Elizabeth was still really cool and hadn't gotten annoying yet. Work has begun on a fourth installment (Without Will and Elizabeth) but nothing will ever beat this first go round, probably because it was such a surprise.

School of Rock

Jack Black is a comic genius. This is a movie that showcases every minute detail of that. Not to mention the music is very very good. And Adam Pascal plays the lead singer of the band that kicks Black out. And Sarah Silverman is great as the annoying girlfriend. And Miranda Cosgrove...just Miranda Cosgrove.

Elf

Instantly quotable, warm, fuzzy. Jon Favreau's instant Christmas classic, gave us everything we like about Will Ferrell without all of that stuff that's annoying. Not to mention it introduced everyone to Zooey DesChanel's singing voice. "The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear!"

The Lord of The Ring: The Return of The King

Sometimes movies become events. Sometimes event movies tie themselves in with a moment in our lives and we can't ever untie them. This is one of those movies. My sister and I went to go see it not two hours after hearing that our Uncle Billy had passed on, to escape from what we were feeling. We laughed, we cried, we were those obnoxious people that chanted "Rudy, Rudy, Rudy!" as Sam carried Frodo up Mount Doom. It was a good three hours.

So that was 2003.

Coming in 2004: Garden State, De-Lovely, The Incredibles.

Best of A Decade: 2002

I finished out middle school and headed to high school. My taste started to grow up a little, and I think it shows in the movies that come in the rest of the decade.

A Walk To Remember

My friends and I went into this movie with every intention of mocking it. After all, Mandy Moore could dye her hair brown but that didn't make her an actress! We left weeping, and stayed that way for hours. I'm not a huge fan of the way Nicholas Sparks's stories tug on the heartstrings, but Walk is the exception. It's just so lovely.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

My father is one of six. My mother is one of five. I have many cousins who are all up in each other's bussiness. We're Irish, not Greek. But still. I relate to this movie. Anyone with a big family does.

Divine Secrets of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood

Another movie that I took to, purely out of relatability. I grew up with three best friends. Get it? Also Ashley Judd and Maggie Smith rock hard!

Austin Powers in Goldmember

Mike Meyers remains one of the most influential people when it comes to my taste in comedy. The first two Austin Powers movies were brilliant. This one was fun. I saw it like 3 times in the theaters. For volume alone it warrants a place on this list.

The Importance of Being Earnest

The summer before high school I went to theater camp. We did a scene from The Importance of Being Earnest. I fell in love comedy of manners. I continue that love today. Also, Oscar Wilde was amazing.

Sweet Home Alabama

This was the first social outing of my high school life. The first Friday of high school, the girls I had been eating lunch with and I went to go see this. I really liked it because I love anytime people get to use their real accents.

8 Mile

I love Eminem. I know! This comes as a shock to many people. 8 Mile is a big part of the reason why I love him. I admire hip hop in general for the way they lay everything out on the table, but Marshall really did it in this movie, which is inspired by his life as a poor kid in Detroit. Rabbit, Em's character is tortured and sad, he fights the only way he can, with his words. The movie's theme "Lose Yourself" was the first hip hop song to win an Oscar. Though two years later "It's Hard out Here for a pimp" would get more recognition, I still maintain that Em gets boxed out by the hip hop community because of his whiteness, and his refusal to play the game.

Gangs Of New York

Scorcese's epic tale of the birth of New York street gangs during the Civil War is violent, dirty and unbelievable. 30 years in the making, every detail is exquisite. Plus it revealed Leonardo DiCaprio as a man, and started a partnership between him and Scorcese that would define both artists for the decade.

Chicago

Moulin Rouge! was the birth pains and the baby cries for the new era of musical films but Chicago was it's first steps. A high profile cast of incredible talent, a large budget and an incredible new voice in director Rob Marshall gave this movie everything it needed. The idea of having the musical take place inside of Roxie's head as a real movie happened on the outside was beautiful and made the whole thing more accessible to modern audiences. A well deserved Best Picture.

Drumline

Another movie that makes the list because of the sheer number of times I saw it. My middle school friends, who went to our public high school, while as I went to a neighboring town's Catholic, were all in marching band. So they loved this movie. I like it a lot. I like Nick Cannon.

2003's list includes: Pirates of The Caribbean, School of Rock and Finding Nemo!

Best of a Decade: 2001

In 2001 I was thirteen. It was a year of slumber parties, bar and bat mitzvahs, lounging by the pool without any care in the world. It was also a year that we rented a lot of movies.

Save The Last Dance

White girls can dance hip hop too! No really they can! Julia Styles had already worked her way into our hearts with 10 Things but this just made us all love her more. The story of a ballet dancer who moves to the south side of Chicago, and achieves her dream of attending Juliard, and meets a hot black future doctor! Actually it's a really sweet little across the tracks love story with some nice characters inside of their ghetto stereotypes.

Sugar and Spice

I was very into cheerleading in middle school. This movie was about a cheerleading squad who's captain gets pregnant and so they rob a bank. It's really funny. Diane, the pregnant one, and her boyfriend Jack (get it?) are clueless and perky about their situation. Also Jack is played by a young James Marsden. So there's that.

Get Over It

Before HSM there was Get Over It. It could be filed into the strange world that was late 90s early 00s teen comedies, but this movie, which was actually a full blown musical is much better than that. It's transcended by Martin Short as a crazy kept down drama teacher. Not to mention the fact that the production they're working on is A Midsummer Night's Rocking Eve, an adaptation of Shakespeare that feature such great numbers as "It's fun to be a fairy," and "Hermia, why don't you love me?" Also, Sisquo of Thong Song fame is the token black guy. And Shane West does a really bad English accent.

Josie and The Pussycats

I was Val for Halloween this year with two of my friends being Josie and Melody. Obviously, I look the most like Rosario Dawson (that's a joke, by the way!) But this is one of those movies that you love when you're a tweener, and then watch again once you understand that it's actually a satire of the music industry and laugh even harder. Plus the soundtrack is pretty rocking.

Moulin Rouge!

It brought musicals back to life. Or it was at least the first jolt. Plus who knew that Obi-Wan and Nicole Kidman could sing? Another one where the music is unbelievable. "Tango Del Roxanne" is incredibly powerful and the original song "Come What May" is as touching a love duet as Broadway has come up with in the past twenty years.

Shrek

Remember when Shrek was like really cool and slick and new and funny? Before they ran it into the ground. My sister and I saw it in the theater and we could not stop laughing. Eddie Murphy's performance as Donkey just made everything better.

Pearl Harbor

This movie always gets the short end of the stick. Sure it's a little overblown, but aren't epics always that way? I still get choked up just thinking about the end when Rafe and Evelyn are standing on their farm and the little boy runs out and he says, "Danny, do you want to go up?" Weeping!

Legally Blonde

Another movie that was brilliant and then ruined by lesser sequels and a Broadway musical that we don't talk about. (I don't CARE how good it was! Was Reese Witherspoon Elle? Don't care!) Everyone fell in love with Elle Woods and the fact that she solved the big case and got the guy (not the guy she came for, but LUKE WILSON!) and then graduated from law school, all while being herself was great. Plus you know, "The other day I saw Cameron Diaz at Fred Segel and I talked her out of buying this really heinous orange sweater. Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously deranged!"

Ocean's Eleven

Coolest movie ever. George Clooney in a tux 80% of the time. Brad Pitt and George Clooney call Matt Damon "The Kid" most of the time. This is the movie that got Matt promoted to the cool kids table. (I have this theory that Hollywood is just like middle school. See, Ben and Matt used to sit at the nerdy table, with Kevin Smith and Jason Lee and the other Askiewers. Ben's back there...except for when he's with his cool girlfriend. Matt doesn't talk to them in the halls anymore, because then George and Brad wouldn't invite him to the cool parties.)

Coming in 2002: The Divine Secrets of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood, 8 Mile and Chicago.

Best of A Decade: 2000

There's a lot of talk about the "Best Films of The Decade" going on right now. Me, I'm focusing on my favorites from each year, each in their own . These may not be the greatest movies, many of them didn't make money, or win any awards. These are just the ones that mean something to me. Sometimes, these are bad movies. I was twelve when this decade started, and my taste reflects it. These are the movies that mean something to me, they have some special significance.

Or they're just awesome

High Fidelity

John Cusack, Jack Black and an amazing soundtrack. Plus a cameo from Bruce Springsteen. This is a movie that calls up lazy Saturday mornings sitting in my PJs with my sister and my dad, creating our own Top 5s.

All I Wanna Do

This is a movie about an all girls boarding school where Kirsten Dunst, Rachel Leigh Cook and the girl that played Abby on Dawson's have great haircuts and awesome sixties clothes. Also they call penises "the hairy bird." This is a slumber party movie, especially when you go to all girl's school and consider yourselves to be social outcasts, like me and my friends did.

Keeping The Faith

A priest and a rabbi both fall in love with their childhood friend...guess how that ends? Really this movie is just the perfect example of why Edward Norton should do more comedy. I love this movie, because it talks about that idea that me and my youth group friends dealt with that so many people don't acknowledge exists, the young attractive priest. They are out there, and we are very sad every time we see them.

Almost Famous

"Listen to Tommy with a candle burning, it'll change your world." Cameron Crowe's opus to life on the road gives us something to think about. Can rock and roll save the world? Crowe seems to think so, but only in it's purest form. The "industry of cool" that is shown as developing in the movie cannot. But the movie that introduced us to Kate Hudson, and made "Tiny Dancer" a bus trip staple deserves it's place in movie greatness.

Meet The Parents

My friends and I saw this movie the weekend it opened. We laughed harder than we had in a long time. Robert DiNiro turns his icon status into comic gold and Ben Stiller's angry neurotic is better than ever here. Blythe Danner is fabulous too, as Pam's blissfully adorable mother.

Pay It Forward

One of those movies that I loved the first time I saw. Haley Joel Osment is adorably unflappable, Kevin Spacey is smart and interesting and Helen Hunt manages to feel both real and unreal at the same time. The "pay it forward" concept is important, the idea of doing three favors, and saying that all the person need do is do three favors for someone else could change the world. A real pay it forward movement would do this world good.

Miss Congeniality

Sandra Bullock has this amazing ability to be tough and feminine at the same time. Miss Congeniality is prime example of this. Even deeply undercover as a beauty pageant contestant Grace Hart is tough, but she's beautiful. Not to mention this has one of the best supporting casts in the world. Michael Caine, Candace Bergen and William Shatner are spectacular.

Coming for 2001: Save The Last Dance, Legally Blonde, Pearl Harbor and more.

Almost Paradise

Director Kenny Ortega has walked away from the new Footloose film. Check out the full story here.

I'm really bummed. I think Ortega is a good director (HSM and Newsies have their flaws, but they're well directed films) and an unbelievable choreographer. Honestly, he was the redeeming factor for me when it came to this film.

I also think it's interesting that this was conceived as a project for Ortega and Zack Efron and now they've both walked away. Not promising, I can tell you that much.

Although I love Chace Crawford and Julianne Hough, I'm just not convinced that they're going to be able to pull off Footloose. Ren and Ariel are pretty complicated and difficult characters. Ren has to both brood and make the best of things at the same time. While we all love watching Chace brood, something Josh Scwartz hasn't let him do lately, I'm not sure he'll be able to pull off the making the best of it aspect. Although maybe he has hidden depths. To be fair, I wasn't sure Efron could pull off the acting necessary either, but we knew he had the singing and dancing aspect.

Ariel has to flirt with the line of being extremely unlikable. She's petulant, spoiled, impulsive (in the bad way) and demanding. I love Julianne. Adore her. I even voted for Adam Corrolla on DWTS just to keep Julianne around, I'm just not sure if she can surrender the cuteness and the million watt dancer smile for long enough to see the pain that Ariel's going through without taking it so far as to make us hate her.

I was really looking forward to seeing what Ortega did with it. He handles emotion very well in his movies, and one just has to watch Newsies to see how good he can be at "One kid against the world" story.

But then again, that kid was Christian Bale...something tells me Bruce Wayne can do a bit more than Nate Archibald.

What do you think of Ortega's exit?

New Moon: Looks good...but I can't wait for more.

I-tunes released this clip from The Twilight Saga: New Moon today. I have to say the clip is amazing. But far too short. I know they don't want to spoil anything...but well, I'm so psyched for the action in this movie.

First of all Kristen actually does something different for once, which gives me greater hope for Breaking Dawn, but I digress. Secondly, the FX for the wolves is unbelievably amazing and thirdly, I'm really into the guys playing Sam and Embry, they're kind of perfect.

Let's talk about Kristen. I get the Kristen Stewart screen appeal OK. I'm always charmed by her when she's in a movie. But I get so frustrated by her personal appearances that I tend to forget how good she is. And she is very good, especially as Bella, and here where she channels Bella's temper (something we don't really see in Twilight since Jake is the one who gets her all riled up!) she does extremely well.

Secondly. The special effects! Oh my God! This was my biggest worry about this film. Especially after the disaster that was the sparkling in Twilight. (He's supposed to look like a diamond catching the light, not like he's covered in body glitter!) But I put my trust in Chris Weitz because of The Golden Compass, and it seems he has delivered. So glad for the warm colors too, the blue lighting in Twilight was effective, but it got old quick.

The wolf pack! Can I get a big old fangirl SQUEE! Anway, despite the fact that we hear Sam say "Paul, cool it!" and that's about it, and I still got a sense of how perfect this guy is, says a lot. Sam, at least in New Moon, he has to present calm and authority and yet be totally scary at the same time. As for Embry, the key components of Quil and Embry's character (they're really just one guy, let us be honest) is sarcasm. We get that.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. Any further?

This is Halloween

I don't do scary. I'm a big fat coward, and I've just always avoided things that are outright scary, mostly because of terrible nightmares I had when I was a kid.

Because of that, during this time of year, right before Halloween when we're supposed to embrace the scary, but it was never good. But there are some very clear alternatives to scary for Halloween time:

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas....or Corpse Bride...or Batman...or anything.

I have some issues with Tim Burton, although mostly just, Tim Burton in the past five years, but there's something about his work in the late 80s and most of the nineties that embodies the spirit of Halloween. The silly creepiness, the out of this world visuals. Of course, The Nightmare Before Christmas will always own the day. Probably because it's about Halloween. Also Danny Elfman's music is some of the most beautiful and inventive ever heard. So, if you really want something to get you in the mood for Halloween, go with Jack Skellington and the gang.

Hocus Pocus

"On all Hallow's Eve when the moon is round a virgin will summon us from under the ground."

Hocus Pocus is the best of Halloween alternative entertainment. It's about witches and history, kind of. It's about Salem and three sisters, who are witches, who are killed and then vow to return...they do, in the early nineties. Hijinks ensue. Really, this movie is about the fact that the sisters are played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker. That and there's a character named "Thachary Binks" who turns into a cat! A CAT I tell you!

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

I've made no secret of my love for Buff and the gang, but this time of year especially. Only have an hour or two? Try the original movie. Kristi Swanson can't match Sarah Michelle as Buffy, but Donald Southerland is awesome as her first watcher and Luke Perry is hilarious as her love interest. Or make a night of it and rent the DVDs of Season 2 or 3 (I'm partial to pre Angel stuff, since I like David Boreonaz) and watch the banter fly and the vamps turn to dust.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Shout at the screen, throw things, do the time warp, just don't tell anyone if it's your first time! Either stay in and watch it with your friends, or hit a midnight showing with people ready to have a crazy good time. That's what this one's all about. Also Tim Curry has better legs than most of the women I know. I'm just saying.

Shawn of The Dead

I like real Zombie movies too (especially really old cheesy ones, that aren't particularly scary), but that's part of why I love Shawn so much. Simon Pegg does genre satire better than anyone in the business, and his send up of zombie movies is perfect. I personally love the idea of heading to the pub to wait out the Zombie scourge, might as well have a pint while you're stuck. Shawn's ex girlfriend Liz sums up what his slacker hero perfection perfectly. "Does it strike you as disturbing that your idea of a place for a romantic evening and a impenetrable fortress are the same?" It's a laugh a gory minute.

Young Frankenstein

Did I say that Pegg did genre satire best? I'm sorry, I lied, he's up there, but he can't compete with Mel Brooks. Young Frankenstein remains a seminal Halloweentime classic. Gene Wilder and Brooks wrote the screen play together, and Wilder's performance is pitch perfect. The supporting cast doesn't suck either. Terry Garr, Madeline Kahn, Peter Boyle and Cloris Leachman. Right, and of course this little number:

What about you all? Any non scary All Hallow's favorites for you that I missed?

Movie News I've been thinking on

The Host has been optioned for a movie according to MTV's Movie Blog. I happen to think that The Host is a much better crafted story than Twilight, but it's also a hell of a lot more cerebral and claustrophobic than its predecessor. Check out my full review of the book here. It's a grown up story with deep psychological parallels that I'm not sure will translate to the big screen. Not to mention who ever is playing Mel/Wanda has to be able to play two completely different characters at the same time. Not like green screen playing opposite herself, but has to be two people at once in one body. Not an easy task. To that end, I'm interested in seeing where it goes.

Johnny Douche...I mean Depp, has been making the rounds in the press saying that now that Disney Studio chief Dick Cook is gone he's leaving the new Pirates of Caribbean the movie behind. If Disney is smart they will SCRAP THE PROJECT if Johnny makes good on the promise. And they will start working on Jungle Cruise. (Not a real prospective project, just my dream!) The only thing that was at all good about the new Pirates was that we were going to get all of that great Jack Sparrow/Captain Barbosa banter without all of the Will/Elizabeth drama dragging it down. Without Depp, as much as I can't stand listening to him in real life, that might as well not exist.

Fame opens on Friday. I can't wait for it. Also, I still haven't seen 9 which is apparently not very good, but anyone that put Coheed and Cambria in their trailer deserves the benefit of the doubt in my book.

All Time Favorite Comedy: Blazing Saddles

I love Mel Brooks. He's one of those filmmakers who creates a world you can't escape. And then tears that world to pieces with devastating wit and ridiculous slapstick comedy.

My favorite of Brooks's comedies is Blazing Saddles. I love it. It's silly and smart at the same time, the kind of comedy that rarely shows up anymore.

It's a triple satire, of classic westerns, Hollywood sleeze and modern racial attitudes. And yet it has an entire scene dedicated to a bunch of fat guys farting. In the hands of a lesser filmmaker Blazing Saddles would have been completely unfocused and probably totally unfunny. But Brooks plays perfectly. Making super hip Sheriff Bart laid back and likable, an unlikely racial hero, and his sidekick, the Waco Kid remains my favorite Gene Wilder role (sorry Dr. Frankenstein, that's FRAHNKenSTEEN, and Willy Wonka).

I'm not sure it's a movie that could be made today, it's excessive use of the N-word, even in it's satirical setting was controversial then and would probably drown it now.

The rumor is that Blazing Saddles is the next one that Brooks is giving the Broadway treatment. I can only pray.

All Time Favorite Drama: Good Will Hunting

Once upon there were two friends, they grew up in Boston together. They went to Boston Latin together, one of them went to Yale Drama, while the other went to LA to find his fortune. They both had some small film roles, even a few together. One was clearly making a bigger splash than the other, mostly in the Indie cult film world, due to this comedy where he played a guy who turned a lesbian. They had decided a while ago to write their own movie. They did, and they showed it to the guy who made the lesbian comedy. He showed it to the guys who gave him the money for the lesbian comedy and then they made the movie. It won a few Oscars...and the rest is history.

You know who I'm talking about right?

Good Will Hunting is the kind of movie that you love when you see it the first time. See the problems with the second and then if you ever watch it again (watch it again!) you realize why you loved it the first time. It's pure.

Also you can totally tell which parts Ben wrote. Mostly any time they bust on Casey. Also "How do you like them apples?"

And yeah, what I said at the beginning is true, there was a time when Ben was the star, not Matt. Crazy right? In the end we learned that Matt was in fact the one with more acting talent, although Ben's funnier, and Matt was the one with the staying power, and that's why he got asked to sit at the cool kids table with Clooney and Pitt. (Shut up, don't tell me Hollywood isn't just like Middle School. You know that Matt totally ignores Scott Mosier in the halls now.) But back to the point. I love this movie. I think it's funny, I think it's touching, and I think that the two guys, and Robin Williams give amazing performances.

So how do you like them apples?