Throwback Thursday: American Wedding (2003)

First come high school. Second comes college. Then comes wedding bells.

The final film in the original American Pie trilogy is American Wedding (2003). Jim (Jason Biggs) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) are engaged. Anyone who has planned a wedding knows that it is not a simple process. There are too many things that have the potential to go wrong. That potential grows tenfold as Jim’s buddies step in to ensure that the day itself goes smoothly and Stiffler (Seann Williams Scott) puts together a bachelor party as only he can.

It felt like a natural end to the series and the emotional growth of the characters. You can only go so far with this stage in life before it gets old. The best writers know when it is time to tell new stories, it was time to close this book and start a new one, so to speak.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

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Flashback Friday: American Pie 2 (2001)

The difference between high school and college is night and day. Though we may not feel it right away, it is a transformation that will soon become obvious.

The 2001 film, American Pie 2, is the sequel to the 1999 film, American Pie. Jim (Jason Biggs) and crew have just finished their first year of college. Renting a beach house for the summer, they plan a end of summer party that will last forever in their memories. Along the way, shenanigans will ensue and a few lessons will be learned.

First of all, the fact that this film is twenty years old is mind-blowing. I feels like yesterday when I saw in the theater. This is The Empire Strikes Back of the franchise. It is raunchiest and funniest of the three original movies. It is also a love letter to that time in our lives when we are growing, but it is not felt until we can see it in hindsight.

My favorite scene, though it wouldn’t fly today if it was released, is the scene with the “lesbians“.

Warning: this clip has language and imagery that might be be a turnoff to some people.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Flashback Friday- Loser (2000)

Who one has as a college roommate is often a toss-up. On one hand, this roommate can become your lifelong friend. On the other hand, this person can also be your worst nightmare.

In the 2000 movie, Loser, Paul (Jason Biggs) has just started college in New York City. Originally from upstate New York, Paul is on scholarship and must keep his grades up. But his roommates brand him as a loser because he is not there to party all the time. Then he meets Dora (Mena Suvari). Dora is having both financial and romantic troubles. She needs to pay for school and is also having an affair with their arrogant literature professor, Edward Alcott (Greg Kinnear). After Dora passes out after being slipped drugs at a party, Paul helps her to recover. They become friends and Paul’s feelings for Dora quickly develop. Will Dora return his feelings and will Paul be able to ditch his destructive roommates?

Written and directed by Amy Heckerling, the critics were not kind to the film. However, from my perspective, I have to disagree with the critics. Yes, the film has its idiotic moments, but the message of the film is that nice people who work hard succeed while those who party all the time and take advantage of others are doomed to fail. While the message overall is a little too preachy, it works for the film.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Throwback Thursday-Saving Silverman (2001)

Friends don’t let friends settle down with the wrong person. At least that is the hope.

In the 2001 film Saving Silverman, Darren (Jason Biggs) is engaged to Judith (Amanda Peet). Judith is controlling, mean-spirited and spiteful. Darren’s friends Wayne (Steve Zahn) and J.D. (Jack Black) have a plan to convince Darren to break up the engagement. This plan includes kidnapping Judith and reuniting Darren with Sandy (Amanda Detmer), his high school ex-girlfriend who is soon to become a nun. The question is, will the plan work?

Back in the early 2000’s, some in Hollywood though that the dumb buddy comedy genre would lead to success. Saving Silverman is one of those films. It tries to be funny, but it’s not. It also relies too heavily on stereotypes, especially the major female characters.

Do I recommend it? Not really.

Throwback Thursday- American Pie (1999)

Being a teenager is not easy. Looking back, my teenage years were the most confusing, yet defining era of my life.  No matter how old we get or what else we experience, the former teenager that we were will always be a part of our lives.

American Pie, the funny, sometimes gross, but poignant film is about four young men who are looking to loose their virginity before their senior prom.

Jim (Jason Biggs), Oz (Chris Klein), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) make a pact to all loose their virginity by the time prom night rolls around. Kevin tries to persuade his girlfriend Vicky (Tara Reid) to go all the way with him, Oz joins the school choir and is matched with Heather (Mena Suvari), Finch spreads rumors about his sexual prowess and Jim fails miserably with Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth) before going to the prom with Michelle (Alyson Hannigan).

American Pie, for my generation is part of our DNA. It’s not just a movie about boys looking for sex, the female characters are just as real and unsure as any teenager is about life and sex. It’s one of those movies that had stayed with me and it still quotable and watchable after 15 years.

To borrow a line from the movie, its like “warm apple pie”.