Fever Pitch

"Where do the Sox rank in terms of importance in your life?"
"I say the Red Sox... sex... and breathing."

Ben (Fallon) has a problem: he loves the Red Sox. His apartment is filled with Red Sox paraphernalia (sheets, wallpaper, bobble head players, Yankees toilet paper, etc) and he gets season tickets to their games. He follows the team to preseason training in Florida, and talks the Sox with his buddies. His alter ego is a high school math teacher, and during a field trip (on the off-season) he meets Lindsey (Barrymore). Lindsey is dedicated to her career and very successful. There is an instant attraction, and they begin dating.

Things seem to be going well, their respective friends are impressed, but Lindsey's friends warn her that there has to be something wrong. Prior to the season beginning Ben reveals his relationship with the Sox, but Lindsey thinks they can juggle their respective relationships: Ben and the Sox and Lindsey and her career (a big promotion is on the horizon). But can Ben ever love anyone as much he loves the Sox.

I like some baseball films despite not knowing much about the actual sport. I don't have a favorite baseball team (but I can name players on the Phillies) and have never really been interested in this sport. I can quote extensively from "The Sandlot" (BEST! BASEBALL! MOVIE! EVER!), but that is the extent of my baseball knowledge. With that in mind, I like this film. I don't know much about the Sox (although one of my college roommates was a major Yankees fan), but I found myself cheering for them through this film (even though I did know the outcome of the big game).

Jimmy Fallon, fresh off his first film and first flop "Taxi," and Drew Barrymore hit it out of the park (apparently I'm using baseball analogies now ::sigh::). It is a traditional chick flick, but with sports...or as a friend describes it "a chick flick for guys." The ending is predictable, but the leads have chemistry and are interesting characters. It is cool that the Sox won the year they were filming this...it adds to the story, although I do wonder what the writers planned to do without the victory over Yankees.

Fever Pitch (2005) 103 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, and some sensuality
Director: Bobby and Peter Farrelly
Starring: Drew Barrymore as Lindsey
Jimmy Fallon as Ben
Willie Garson as Kevin
Evan Helmuth as Troy
Armando Riesco as Gerard
Ione Skye as Molly
KaDee Strickland as Robin
Marissa Jaret Winokur as Sarah

Animal House

"But Delta's already on probation."
"They are? Well, as of this moment, they're on DOUBLE SECRET PROBATION!"

It's a new school year at Faber College, and freshmen Larry (Hulce) and Kent (Furst)are scoping out the campus fraternities. Their first spot is the Omega house, the most exclusive frat on campus...but they are considered "undesirables" so they decide to try the next house, Delta. Delta has a reputation as the "worst house on campus," but they decide to try it anyway since Kent's brother was a Delta. They are greeted / urinated on by Bluto (Belushi) who invites them into the party. Once inside, they meet the rest of the delinquent members: Hoover (Widdoes) chapter president, Otter (Matheson) the ladies man and unofficial leader, Boon (Riegert) Otter's sarcastic best friend, and D-Day (McGill) who is mysterious and dangerous. Larry and Kent decide to pledge Delta, and are given new names: Larry is Pinto and Kent is Flounder.

Meanwhile, the college dean, Dean Wormer (Vernon), enlists the snobby Omegas help. He has no patience for the Delta fraternity,

"who dropped a whole truckload of fizzies into the swim meet? Who delivered the medical school cadavers to the alumni dinner? Every Halloween, the trees are filled with underwear. Every spring, the toilets explode"

and puts them on "double secret probation" to ensure they will be gone. Omega leader, Greg (Daughton) and ROTC commander Neidermeyer (Metcalf) are more than happy to rid the campus of the Delta's.

This is the movie so many modern "comedies" try to be. This is THE college film...perhaps it gives college bound teens the wrong idea about college / frats, but it still essential viewing for college kids! What makes this film work? It isn't just the crude / sexual references that make this comedy work... a stellar cast playing their characters and a timeless quality to it. Filmmakers are still being influenced by this film (see any college film and you'll see remnants of this). It was revolutionary when it was made, and it is still edgy today. John Belushi steals every scene, although the other Delta's keep the movie lively. The only downside: Donald Sutherland as the stoner English professor. He doesn't interact much with the cast (he's only in 3 scenes), and it takes away from the Delta's. Love the toga party and the Delta's singing "Louie Louie." I may not be the demographic this film was made for...but I know good comedy.

National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) 109 minutes
Rating: R
Director: John Landis
Starring: John Belushi as Bluto
Tim Matheson as Otter
Tom Hulce as Larry "Pinto" Kroger
Peter Riegert as Boon
Karen Allen as Katy
John Vernon as Dean Wormer
Verna Bloom as Marion Wormer
Mary Louise Weller as Mandy Pepperidge
Stephen Furst as Kent "Flounder" Dorfman
James Daughton as Greg Marmalard
Bruce McGill as D-Day
Mark Metcalf as Doug Neidermeyer
James Widdoes as Hoover
Martha Smith as Babs
Kevin Bacon as Chip Diller
Donald Sutherland as Professor Dave Jennings

Match Point

"Has anyone told you you play an aggressive game?"

Chris (Meyers) is the tennis pro at a London country club, who has played with the best but never reached their level. He begins playing tennis with uber wealthy Tom Hewett (Goode). They quickly become friends, and soon Chris is invited to meet the family. He goes to the opera and parties with the Hewetts and attracts the attention of Tom's sister Chloe (Mortimer). Soon he is trading his tennis job for a job at one of her father's, Alec (Cox), companies, and in a relationship with Chloe. However his interest is held by Tom's fiance, Nola (Johansson). She is a struggling American actress, and not the type of girl the Hewett's want their son to marry. But Chris and Nola are drawn to each other, despite their ties to other people...


Scarlett Johansson and Woody Allen are overrated... Yes, they are talented, but they have made crap as well. Allen films I've seen in the past have been overblown, ego trips and I wasn't impressed, and typically avoid his work. Johansson doesn't irritate me as much, but I don't think she is exceptionally pretty or talented (which tend to be what people discuss about her). I didn't rush out to see this film when it came out, and wasn't particularly interested now...but a friend raved about it, so I was curious enough to give it a try.

It was pretty good. The beginning is formulaic and lulls you into a sense of predictability...but as the story progresses there are twists and turns that you don't see coming. As the story progresses the suspense/tension builds and drives you to the edge of seat in expectation. The characters aren't particularly likable, there are levels of disgust associated with each...and morality is eschew. I wouldn't say I'm a fan of Allen...but I might consider watching another of his films.

Match Point (2005) 124 minutes
Rating: Rated R for some sexuality
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Chris Wilton
Scarlett Johansson as Nola Rice
Emily Mortimer as Chloe Hewett Wilton
Matthew Goode as Tom Hewett
Brian Cox as Alec Hewett
Penelope Wilton as Eleanor Hewett

Twilight

"About three things I was absolutely positive: First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him-and I didn't know how dominant that part might be-that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."

Introverted Bella (Stewart) is starting over; leaving her life with her mother in Phoenix, Arizona, she is moving to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, Charlie (Burke). Despite her desire to blend in, as the newcomer (and daughter of the town sheriff) she is the center of attention on her first day of school. However, she seems to repulse the gorgeous and mysterious Edward Cullen (Pattinson), her lab partner. Edward and his adopted siblings: Alice (Green) and Emmett Cullen (Lutz), and twins Rosalie (Reed) and Jasper (Rathbone), are an elusive clique at school: eating lunch together and avoiding interaction with the other students.

Bella finds herself drawn to moody Edward. Her curiosity is piqued the more time they spend together. After he rescues her, Bella learns the family secret: they are vampires. They drink animal blood, try to live normal lives (until people notice they don't age) and refer to themselves as "vegetarians." In addition, Edward can hear people's thoughts and Alice can see the future. They fall in love, despite the complications (Edward wants to drink her blood). Life is complicated further by the arrival of three other vampires, led by James (Gigandet). They have been attacking locals, and choose Bella as their new target.


The book was better....prior to seeing this film, I began reading the Twilight novels (at this point I still need to read the fourth book). I wasn't particularly interested in either when the film was in theaters, but it seemed like everyone was talking about the series.

The film was entertaining, but lacked in many ways. I was disappointed in some of the casting choices: Emmett (Kellan Lutz isn't even close to what I pictured, and he was one of my favorite characters), Rosalie (she is supposed to be breathtaking, but I wasn't wowed), Jacob (he works here, but I worry about future films). I wasn't impressed with the director (or her resume) or the writer. I understand the stakes (the book has a huge fan base), but they tried to pack too much into too little: characters were downgraded and useless scenes remained. Some places were too long...

Teen girls love it, but film critics don't seem to understand the appeal and choose to bash it and the people who enjoy it (Rogert Ebert, Film Critic.com, among others). It is a mainstream film marketed for teen girls, and it reached that audience. It might not have the cool cinematic tricks reserved for high brow/indie films, but that isn't the goal.  It is a teen romance, not a cinematic masterpiece.

Twilight (2008) 122 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality.
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Starring: Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan
Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen
Billy Burke as Charlie Swan
Ashley Green as Alice Cullen
Nikki Reed as Rosalie Hale
Jackson Rathbone as Jasper Hale
Kellan Lutz as Emmett Cullen
Peter Facinelli as Dr. Carlisle Cullen
Elizabeth Reaser as Esme Cullen
Cam Gigandet as James
Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black

Rachel Getting Married

"I am Shiva the destroyer, your harbinger of doom this evening."

What do you do when everyone (including people you have yet to meet) know your problems / disgraces and keeps you under constant surveillance? Kym (Hathaway) has a sordid past as an addict and is currently living in a rehabilitation facility (clean for 9 months). She is sent home for a few days for her sister Rachel's (DeWitt) wedding.

The girls are staying with their father, Paul (Irwin), which also happens to be the location of the wedding. Rachel's fiance, Sidney (Adebimpe) is a musician, and his friends perform throughout the weekend (and DJ the wedding). Kym finds an ally in Sidney's best man, Kieran (Zickel) who is also a recovering addict. Family and friends converge on the house. The arrival of their mother, Abby (Winger) adds to the tension in the air, escalating at/after the rehearsal dinner.


I love Anne Hathaway (who doesn't?). It was interesting to see her play a character that isn't the sweet, innocent girl...and I think she pulled it off well. Kym may not be the easiest person to like, but she wins you over as the film progresses. I did not know the rest of the cast prior to this film, but they all delivered. Some scenes were shot with a hand held camera, which works...treating the audience as another member of the family/wedding guest. The family has a deep wound, which is revealed slowly (Kym tells the story in her group therapy)... and each character shows how they are react to the pain. Well made, excellent performances...not the happiest film ever made, but the wedding is pretty uplifting.

Rachel Getting Married (2008) 113 minutes
Rating: R for language and brief sexuality.
Director: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Anne Hathaway as Kym
Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel
Bill Irwin as Paul
Debra Winger as Abby
Mather Zickel as Kieran
Tunde Adebimpe as Sidney
Anna Deavere Smith as Carol
Anisa George as Emma
Jerome Le Page as Andrew