ENTERTAINMENT

TOP-NOTCH RE-WATCH

April 11 2013
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By Union Staff
MOVIES WITH REPLAY VALUE

21 Jump Street
By Alia Sabino

Seriously, this movie is ridiculously awesome. Even though I saw it three times in theatres (mainly because my different groups of friends wanted to go to the movies on three different occasions) I still found the jokes funny, if not funnier, the second and third time around. It’s clever, it’s witty, and it not only showcases a newly skinny Jonah Hill, but it also introduced me to the existence of a younger, and frankly quite hotter, Franco brother.

The movie (which is a remake of an '80s TV series with the same name) is about two cops, Schmidt and Jenko (played by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum), who are told to “teenage the fuck up” and go undercover as high school students to locate the distributor of a synthetic drug that’s making its way around schools. Tatum thinks he’s got this down due to his street cred and popularity in high school. But instead, they are thrust into the alternate universe of a post-Glee high school, filled with hipsters and cool nerds, where environmental awareness and sensitivity are considered the “in” thing. Interestingly enough, Hill is considered the cool one.

Speaking of this synthetic drug aptly named HFS (Holy Fucking Shit), the movie shows you the five difierent stages you undergo when on it. During the second stage (“Tripping Major Ballsack”), the two freak the fuck out because their coaches eyebrows melt into his face and his whole head turns into an ice cream cone. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Also, thanks to this film, I have another addition to my list of favorite movie quotes. “Do you know what happens to handsome guys like me in prison? It rhymes with grape!! It rhymes with grape…” Oh I’m sure, Dave Franco. I’m sure.

Brazil
By Roque Renteria

There has never been a single great movie that didn’t have great characters. Part of what makes these characters great is how relatable they are to the audience. When a character is fully realized, you can’t help but sympathize and invest time connecting with the qualities that tie you to them. At least that’s what I do. I don’t know, maybe I just love movies too much. But, good reader, I can honestly say that this is how I feel every time I watch Brazil.

Trying to summarize this movie in a few sentences would be an injustice but reluctantly I must do so. This film is Monty Python’s take on George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel 1984. Terry Gilliam (the only American born Python member) directed the movie and orchestrated an aesthetic masterpiece. The architecture is sleek and Gilliam has a weird obsession with venting ducts. But the best element aside from the design is the musical score. Every song used in this movie is a variation of Brazilian composer Ary Barroso’s “Aquarela do Brasil”. The constant repetition of this song hypnotizes the audience and is strangely soothing. The film is surrealistic and at times the camera work creates a hallucinatory atmosphere. !at being said, Brazil is one of the most underrated movies of all time.

Conservatively, I can say that I’ve seen Brazil about 10 times. The reason being that I identify with the film’s protagonist, Sam Lowry. Sam is the lovable loser. He doesn’t have great people skills and he doesn’t have any significant goals. He’s also too lame to talk to the girl he daydreams about, and he’s pretty weird looking. The last two sentences are an interchangeable description of Sam and I. All deprecation aside, what makes Sam lovable is the fact that he is the underdog. All the odds are against him but somehow he manages to step up and become the unlikely hero. Protagonists like these give me a sense of optimism because it is refreshing to see someone besides Ryan Gosling try to save the day.

For those who haven’t seen Brazil I have only one caveat: Brazil is an acquired taste. The first time I watched Brazil I didn’t like it. Not because it wasn’t good; I didn’t understand what I was watching. This film had dark humor, literary allusions, intertextuality, and a bunch of other stuff that went over my head. After a few hours on the Internet and a couple of viewings, I finally understood the sublimity of Brazil. Now I want to believe that I think I understand Brazil.

Brazil is a stunning adventure that I think everyone should experience at least once in his or her lifetime, kind of like getting laid. Brazil is the equivalent of losing your virginity. Both leave you confused, sweaty, but most importantly satisfied. The only difference is that Brazil (with a running time of 143 minutes) lasts much, much longer.

School of Rock
By Molly Shannon

I distinctly remember the first time I ever watched School of Rock. I was 10 years old, at a friend’s birthday party, and we had to decide whether we wanted to watch either School of Rock or Kangaroo Jack. Eventually we decided on the former, obviously, and everyone felt like a badass because it was PG-13. Crammed shoulderto- shoulder on the couch, we started to eat Del Taco as the movie began (that’s what all the 10-year-olds do at parties), but slowly the other girls began to lose interest and started painting their nails or something. But not me. Something about Jack Black, the way he was able to coax those kids into starting a kickass rock band. It ignited something in me.

I firmly believe that School of Rock is one of the best comedies of all time. Since that historic day I have probably watched it approximately 106 times. I have the DVD at home and still watch it religiously. I’ve written about this film for a paper in my Media Aesthetics class for which I received an A. And when the teacher for my Media Writing class had us analyze its plot (shoutout to Adam Moore!), I was indifferent on the outside, but ecstatic on the inside.

If you have not yet had the extreme pleasure of viewing this masterpiece, the story centers on a thirty-something rockaholic named Dewey Finn who gets kicked out of his band for his embarrassing, over-the-top stage performances. Because of his geeky roommate’s naggy girlfriend, Dewey is forced to get his act together and start paying rent, ie. get a “real” job. So how does he do this? When the uptight principal of a strict private school calls looking for Ned (Dewey’s roommate) to fill in as a substitute teacher, Dewey sees dollar signs and decides to pose as Ned, and in return has to teach a class of 4th grade students. Can you say wacky?!

You would have to be a sad, heartless human being to not even laugh once at this film. It will encourage you to pursue your passion no matter what your parents or “the man” or anybody else thinks. I know that it definitely has inspired to me to start about three di#erent bands and stay interested in music, as well as study subjects that I never thought I would be able to succeed in. The kids in this film are able to start one of the coolest rock bands EVER within a matter of days, and are able say things to “Mr. Schneebly” such as “stupid ass” and “shut the hell up” and “you are a fat loser and you have body odor.” What more does one need in a comedy? Seriously. Get off your “ath” and enroll in the School of Rock.
 

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