Get Over It (2001)

Directed by: Tommy O’Haver

Starring: Ben Foster, Kirsten Dunst, Sisqo, Colin Hanks, Martin Short, Ed Begley Jr., Shane West, Mila Kunis, and Swoozie Kurtz

Genre: Comedy, Teen Comedy

Rated: R

Burke Landers (Foster) has just been dumped by Allison, the girl he believes is perfect for him, and he is determined to get her back. This determination only increases when she begins dating the new guy at school, Striker (West), who is a member of a boy band and uses a terrible British accent to impress women. When his ex and Striker decide to try out for the school play, a horribly butchered musical version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Burke decides to try out as well. Kelly (Dunst) offers to help him – in hopes that he will notice her. What follows is a play on the original Shakespearean story, set in a modern high school.

I’ve heard this film compared to 10 Things I Hate About You, as both films are updated adaptations of Shakespeare’s works. However, this film isn’t nearly as good. I found it fairly lacking in the comedic area. It felt like it was going for cheap laughs at times. Martin Short’s performance as the overly dramatic and narcissistic theater director felt very over the top (which was probably the idea), and though he was funny at times, he became annoying quite easily. The plot itself felt very watered down. What was once a beautiful play becomes a fairly clichéd storyline when all the magic and fairies are removed. The ending is predictable.

Kelly and Burke are the only likable characters in the entire film. The others are either annoying or not memorable. The acting was okay, but I really didn’t feel like a lot of the actors were invested in their characters. Kirsten Dunst did a good job and she actually has a really nice singing voice. I love Ben Foster’s work, and he is great with comedy, but only when the dialogue is well-written. 

Overall, this isn’t a bad film, but it’s not a great one either. I simply didn’t find it funny. It’s a lack-luster effort that feels like it’s trying to cash in on the trend of updated film adaptations of Shakespeare for the teen audience.

5/10

May (2002)

Directed by Lucky McKee

Starring: Angela Bettis, Jeremy Sisto, and Anna Faris

Genre: Horror, Psychological Thriller

Rated: R

May (Bettis) never had many friends growing up. As a child she had a lazy eye and was forced to wear an eye patch, leading the other children to ridicule her. On her birthday, her mother gives her a doll named Suzy that must be kept in her glass case at all times. She tells May, “If you can’t find a friend, make one.” Years later, May is a very pretty, but shy and lonely young woman working at a veterinary office and living alone. She longs to be seen as who she is and loved for it, but as the people she befriends reject her, she descends slowly into madness.

I will forewarn you now, if you are looking for an action-packed gore-fest, you will be disappointed. Nothing violent happens until the final third of the film. For the majority of the movie, we actually get to know May and her acquaintances. We see how socially awkward she is, and how her new friends accept that, but start to pull away as more of her weirdness reveals itself. The audience really gets a feel for May, Adam and Polly as the movie progresses – which is a rarity in a lot of recent horror. 

Adam (Sisto) is a handsome film student who works as a laborer during the day. He’s a horror movie fanatic and has even created a few of his own. After conversing in a Laundromat, he and May begin dating. Polly (Faris) is the secretary at the veterinary clinic where May works. The two also have a blossoming relationship.

All three characters are played very well. Jeremy Sisto made Adam a man I’d love to be with (handsome, sweet, and a horror fanatic? Yes, please!) and Anna Faris definitely brought out the seductive free spirit in Polly. Angela Bettis’s performance seals the film together, though. She does little things (like smiling while telling a disturbing story) that show her character is just a little out-there. I also loved how her voice is meek and quiet in the beginning of the film, and then becomes much stronger and more confident as she becomes more unhinged.

I also liked how the film was littered with metaphor. For instance, after every negative experience May has, the glass on Suzy’s case begins to crack. Also, the motif of sight is used heavily throughout the film (her lazy eye, the blind children, etc.) It showed that a modern horror movie can be both violent and intelligent.

I did wonder, however, what made May the way she was. That is never really explained. Though, I guess, in a way, it’s better to use the imagination, than to be force-fed the clichéd back-story of abuse that they put in most recent horror films.

I enjoyed this film. It was nice to sit down and watch a slow-paced, intelligent film from my favorite genre. I thought the director and the cast did a great job and I liked how it focused more on the character development than the blood and guts (though there definitely is some of that!).  I recommend this for those who enjoy a good story with their horror.

7/10

Bridesmaids (2011)

Directed by: Paul Feig

Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Chris O’Dowd, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, and Rebel Wilson

Genre: Comedy

Rated: R

Annie (Wiig) has hit a rough spot in her life. She’s sleeping with a man that doesn’t care about her, sharing an apartment with people who expect too much from her and don’t respect her privacy, and working in a jewelry store, trying to recover from her own business tanking. Her only comfort is her best friend, Lillian (Rudolph). Then, Lillian reveals she is getting married, and Annie is introduced to Lillian’s other life that didn’t include her. This life does, however, include Helen, a beautiful, manipulative woman who makes all of her gatherings over the top and sees Annie as a threat to her friendship with Lillian. As the film rolls on, the two battle for Lillian’s affections, hilarity ensues, and at the same time, Annie has to become reacquainted with herself.

I loved the characters in this film – not one of the three main ladies were perfect. They all had something to learn and a journey to make throughout the film. I identified a lot with Annie and a lot of what she was going through. I sympathized with her and understood why she did some of the things she did because she had so little self-worth and didn’t know what it was like to be treated right. I also know the feeling of having that one friend you lean on and feeling like they’re being ripped away from you. She reaches her breaking point at the climax of the film, hitting the peak of her underlying, dramatic character arc. Megan (McCarthy) was my second favorite character, because as hilarious as she was, she was also the voice of reason among the six members of the bridal party.

The performances were top-notch. Kristen Wiig did an excellent job switching from comedic to dramatic when the scene called for it. She brought Annie to life and carried the film with ease. Maya Rudolph was lovely as Lillian, though I was a little disappointed that her character had so little comedic moments (aside from the bridal gown scene) because she is so funny on Saturday Night Live. Rose Byrne was perfectly bitchy as Helen, and Melissa McCarthy almost had me in tears from laughing so hard.

The scenes that stand out from the film are both comedic and dramatic. Some are flat-out comedic (The bridal shop, the airplane), others strictly dramatic (the scene where she bakes the one cupcake with Fiona Apple playing over it) and some a combination (the breakdown at the film’s climax). The fact that the film can go from raunchy bathroom humor to internal self-examination with ease is commendable.

This film is a great mix of a friendship triangle, raunchy comedy, and insightful drama. That is something I enjoy seeing and would like to see more often. A lot of comedies focus more on getting laughs with raunchy humor and forget to develop the characters at all. This film is very well-done and I recommend it.

8/10

Bad Teacher (2011)

Directed by: Jake Kasdan

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Jason Segal, Lucy Punch

Genre: Comedy

Rated: R

Elizabeth Halsey (Diaz), recently dumped by her sugar daddy fiancée, reluctantly returns to teaching at John Adams Middle School (lovingly called JAMS throughout the film). She has no real interest in teaching the students, showing up to class hung over and showing films all day. Then she spies the new substitute teacher, Scott Delacorte (Timberlake), who is attractive and, conveniently, an heir to a million dollar watch-making franchise. She sets out to win him over, taking on anyone in her path and completely disregarding the efforts of gym teacher, Russell (Segal), to win her affections.

Despite Diaz’s best efforts, the character of Elizabeth is simply not likable. She may have some witty moments, but for the most part, she is simply a ruthless bitch. Her goals are ridiculous and she’s mean to almost everyone. She is only slightly redeemed in the end. Scott at first comes off as sweet, nerdy and adorable, but later has a scene with Diaz that seems entirely out of character. Amy Squirrel (Punch), Elizabeth’s fellow teacher and competitor for Scott’s affections, appears caring and fun – but later shows an ugly side that makes the audience wonder which woman is the character to root for. The only character I found truly likable is Russell, the gym teacher. He was determined to have Elizabeth (though God only knows why – her looks seemed to be the only thing going for her) and he respects her.  He seems to see something in her that the audience doesn't.

The performances were all on par and done fairly well. Diaz was believable as the gold-digging, overtly sexual Elizabeth. Lucy Punch personified Ms. Squirrel, and Segal seemed to naturally fit in as the gym teacher. The only one that was out of place was Justin Timberlake as Scott – but that may just be because the character was kind of poorly written anyway. I know Timberlake can do comedy – he’s hilarious on Saturday Night Live – so this portrayal was a bit of a disappointment.  

I also felt the story was a bit scattered, and a little pointless. Not only could I not get behind the motivations of the lead character, I felt she was going nowhere. In truth, I really didn’t care what happened to her, whether she got the man she wanted or got the boob job she was saving up for.

The film did have a few laughs, which pushes it up to a higher rating. There are some great one-liners and a couple scenes where I did laugh out loud. Worth a viewing for some funny parts, but this is nothing special.

5.5/10