Written as part of the weekly blogathon hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. You can take part, too! Just pick three movies that fit the week's theme and say a little bit about them. It couldn't be easier!
If there is anything worse than high school, it's high school reunions. My ten-year one was four years ago now, and I didn't go. Everyone who I wanted to see, I was either still in contact with through Facebook (thank God for Facebook!) or saw semi-regularly anyway. So I didn't feel the need to spend money to eat catered food in the place we had our Senior Prom and stand around looking at other people I barely remembered making small talk about our lives.
Not that all high school reunions are bad! My mother still fondly remembers the first reunion she went to where she realized all the cheerleaders who made her life hell in high school, and had married their jock boyfriends, had not only peaked in high school, but were basically still living it. And had gotten fat.
Perhaps it's due to my ambivalence towards these types of events that I haven't seen enough movies about them to fill out the full three picks this week. I mean, I know of plenty of others - Peggy Sue Got Married, 10 Years, Romy & Michele's High School Reunion - but I haven't actually seen them. And that's kind of a rule I set for myself with these things: I have to have seen the movie in order to pick it. So I only have two this week. Here goes nothing.
Veronica Mars (Rob Thomas, 2014) Yes, this is the movie that kickstarted (SEE WHAT I DID THERE?!?) the craze of using Kickstarter to fund movie projects. No, it's not great. And no, I don't particularly care. As a huge fan of the canceled-too-soon TV show about a whip-smart teenage outcast/private eye (Kristen Bell) and her former Sheriff/current private investigator father (Enrico Colantoni) living in a deeply divided California town, this movie was like catnip to me, and delivered just about everything I wanted from a Veronica Mars movie. Snappy dialogue, noir-ish murder mystery plot, and smart commentary about the intersection of race/class and privilege. After moving as far away as possible from the town that caused her so much heartbreak, soon-to-be lawyer Veronica comes back to her hometown of Neptune, CA after a call from her ex-boyfriend asking for her help exonerating him from a murder charge. And it just so happens that her high school reunion is taking place at the same time. What's a girl trying to get on the straight and narrow to do? Yes, there's a bit of a bar to clear if you didn't watch the show, but I have to think that most of it would still be enjoyable anyway.
Grosse Pointe Blank (George Armitage, 1997) One of the best films of the '90s, Grosse Pointe Blank tells the story of one Martin Blank, a professional assassin whose most recent job is to kill someone in his hometown. And it just so happens that his ten year high school reunion is taking place at the same time! And it ALSO just so happens that the man he's been hired to kill is the father of the girl he still has a crush on from high school. Ironic detachment has rarely been done better than this movie, and while it's definitely a product of its time, the great performances from John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd, and Joan Cusack (among others) keep it feeling fresh, and the zippy pace makes the film just fly by. This is a really fun one if you haven't seen it.
...and that's it for me this week, folks! I got nothin' else!
I haven't seen any of those "classic" reunion movies as well, nor have I seen the ones you actually picked. lol I can't help but be happy for Veronica Mars fans. That's really cool that they got the studio's attention to make that film. The TV show in hindsight sounded really interesting.
Oh, good! That makes me feel SO much better - I really thought I was the only one LOL.
You should definitely watch the TV show of Veronica Mars. I happened upon the pilot while channel surfing one day and was instantly hooked. And eventually even donated to the Kickstarter for the movie!
I've only seen Grosse Point Blank which I liked but didn't love, good performances though. I never watched the Veronica Mars TV show so obviously the movie wasn't on my radar.
I would recommend Peggy Sue Got Married if only for the absolutely brilliant work of the cast especially Kathleen Turner in the lead.
I had a struggle with this as well, even watching one I thought would work especially well and which turned out to be dreadful. So bad in fact that I included it at the end as a warning. Be that as it may here are the ones I ended up with:
Lifeguard (1976)-Lifeguard Rick Carlson (Sam Elliott) loves his work and his laid back Southern California life. But when he attends his 15 year high school reunion he starts to feel he is stuck in a rut. Restarting a romance with his school sweetheart Cathy (Anne Archer), now a divorced mother of a young son, he becomes even more confused about his future.
Prodigal Sons (2008)-Fascinating documentary by Kimberly Reed who returns home for her high school reunion to an uncertain reception…when she left town years earlier she was a man. Looks equally at her interaction with her former classmates and her estranged family, her adopted brother, who has been permanently disabled in a car accident, has a surprise of his own-his birth mother was the daughter of Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth! At times very sad but always interesting.
Spring Reunion (1957)-Returning to his hometown to sell his house one-time “Most Likely to Succeed” footloose wanderer Fred Davis (Dana Andrews) has no intention of attending his upcoming 15th year reunion until he runs into successful but lonely real estate agent and the “Most Popular Girl” Maggie Brewster (Betty Hutton), his former girlfriend. As they take tentative steps towards each other their different perspectives might ruin their chance for happiness before they are even sure they have one. Subdued meditation on failed dreams was the troubled Hutton’s last feature film as well as one time silent movie queen Laura La Plante’s final bow, she plays Betty’s mother.
Dishonorable Mention- Back in the Day (2014)-Moderately successful actor Jim Owens (Michael Rosenbaum) returns to Indiana for a high-school reunion. During the course of the time he’s home he acts like an idiot and so do most of his friends doing stupid and outlandish things. I watched this specifically because it seemingly fit this week’s theme so well but it was so moronic I had to list it with a caution and look for another actually good movie.
I was at a loss myself, this week for reasons similar to yours. Therefore, I fudged the rules quite a bit. Haven't seen either of your picks, but I have been meaning to see Gross Pointe Blank for quite some time.
You sound like me in regards to that horrible tradition called high school reunions. I don't ever want to go to one and this is one reason these films never were on my list to see. We share Gross Pointe as I chose that also. I haven't seen your first one and it looks interesting. I would love to punch out a few I knew back in the day.
I with you, I haven't seen many either and the only three I recall seeing I have selected. That said actually I have seen Veronica Mars (not on my list) after kinda getting into it whilst a Uni (daytime tv you know).
Dude. Your reason for not going to your 10 year is the reason I wish I hadn't. I quickly realized I kept the ones I kept and never saw the others for a reason. Lol. As for your picks, YES!!! Grosse Pointe Blank is great! It totally makes up for the fact that you struggled with this theme.
I haven't seen any of those "classic" reunion movies as well, nor have I seen the ones you actually picked. lol I can't help but be happy for Veronica Mars fans. That's really cool that they got the studio's attention to make that film. The TV show in hindsight sounded really interesting.
ReplyDeleteOh, good! That makes me feel SO much better - I really thought I was the only one LOL.
DeleteYou should definitely watch the TV show of Veronica Mars. I happened upon the pilot while channel surfing one day and was instantly hooked. And eventually even donated to the Kickstarter for the movie!
I've only seen Grosse Point Blank which I liked but didn't love, good performances though. I never watched the Veronica Mars TV show so obviously the movie wasn't on my radar.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend Peggy Sue Got Married if only for the absolutely brilliant work of the cast especially Kathleen Turner in the lead.
I had a struggle with this as well, even watching one I thought would work especially well and which turned out to be dreadful. So bad in fact that I included it at the end as a warning. Be that as it may here are the ones I ended up with:
Lifeguard (1976)-Lifeguard Rick Carlson (Sam Elliott) loves his work and his laid back Southern California life. But when he attends his 15 year high school reunion he starts to feel he is stuck in a rut. Restarting a romance with his school sweetheart Cathy (Anne Archer), now a divorced mother of a young son, he becomes even more confused about his future.
Prodigal Sons (2008)-Fascinating documentary by Kimberly Reed who returns home for her high school reunion to an uncertain reception…when she left town years earlier she was a man. Looks equally at her interaction with her former classmates and her estranged family, her adopted brother, who has been permanently disabled in a car accident, has a surprise of his own-his birth mother was the daughter of Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth! At times very sad but always interesting.
Spring Reunion (1957)-Returning to his hometown to sell his house one-time “Most Likely to Succeed” footloose wanderer Fred Davis (Dana Andrews) has no intention of attending his upcoming 15th year reunion until he runs into successful but lonely real estate agent and the “Most Popular Girl” Maggie Brewster (Betty Hutton), his former girlfriend. As they take tentative steps towards each other their different perspectives might ruin their chance for happiness before they are even sure they have one. Subdued meditation on failed dreams was the troubled Hutton’s last feature film as well as one time silent movie queen Laura La Plante’s final bow, she plays Betty’s mother.
Dishonorable Mention- Back in the Day (2014)-Moderately successful actor Jim Owens (Michael Rosenbaum) returns to Indiana for a high-school reunion. During the course of the time he’s home he acts like an idiot and so do most of his friends doing stupid and outlandish things. I watched this specifically because it seemingly fit this week’s theme so well but it was so moronic I had to list it with a caution and look for another actually good movie.
I absolutely must watch Peggy Sue Got Married SOON. Kathleen Turner is just.... I LOVE HER.
DeleteI've seen none of yours but Prodigal Sons sounds VERY interesting.
I haven't seen any of these, but Grosse Pointe Blank is very popular today. And everyone's saying how fun it is. I guess I'll have to watch it.
ReplyDeleteYes, do! It's very fun.
DeleteI was at a loss myself, this week for reasons similar to yours. Therefore, I fudged the rules quite a bit. Haven't seen either of your picks, but I have been meaning to see Gross Pointe Blank for quite some time.
ReplyDeleteLOL so I saw! Definitely make some time for Grosse Pointe Blank. You won't regret it!
DeleteYou sound like me in regards to that horrible tradition called high school reunions. I don't ever want to go to one and this is one reason these films never were on my list to see. We share Gross Pointe as I chose that also. I haven't seen your first one and it looks interesting. I would love to punch out a few I knew back in the day.
ReplyDeletehehehe Veronica Mars is very fun, but if you didn't watch the TV show then your mileage may vary.
DeleteThankfully there's no one from my high school class I want to punch in the face, but there are definitely a few I'd like to tell off LOL.
I with you, I haven't seen many either and the only three I recall seeing I have selected. That said actually I have seen Veronica Mars (not on my list) after kinda getting into it whilst a Uni (daytime tv you know).
ReplyDeleteDude. Your reason for not going to your 10 year is the reason I wish I hadn't. I quickly realized I kept the ones I kept and never saw the others for a reason. Lol. As for your picks, YES!!! Grosse Pointe Blank is great! It totally makes up for the fact that you struggled with this theme.
ReplyDelete