Cinecultist realized today that we never got around to blogging about Wedding Crashers, a movie we saw over a week ago and which those fickle box office goddesses seemed to favor much more than Mikey Bay's product this weekend. We enjoyed WC well enough, though our enthusiasm for it pales in comparison to various "guy guys" with whom we've discussed it. "Hilarious." "Instant classic." "Vince Vaughn's best role since Swingers." -- all examples of the wild, guffawing, smirking* praise we've heard.
VV and our boy Owen Wilson certainly do have a lot of on-screen comedic chemistry. They seem to be having a blast, as does their uncredited guru whose riffs on pick-ups in mourning really puts the "fun" back into funeral. However, we're not so sure about the status of movie classic. Better than a sharp stick in the eye? Certainly. More enjoyable than feeling your skin bead up with dirty, humid city gunk outside of a fiercely a/c environment? Bien sur. So by all means, if it's a decision between melting into your flip flops or attending WC at the cinematheque, you know what our advice would be.
However, two movies on television tonight reminded us what we think a classic movie really looks like.
1) Empire Records (1995). Gin Blossoms. Better Than Ezra. Toad the Wet FREAKIN' Sprocket, people. Can't you feel the mid-90s love? These kids have so much energy. They're so silly in their problems of commerce and social standing. They wear brief clothing (hello, young Renee Zellweger!). The reveal their souls. They love with the intensity wrought with the fire of a thousand suns, or at least with the cheese at Liv Tyler's disposal while boogying in front of a neon sign. Ultimate moment? When the band Gwar talks back to the stoner kid high on pot brownies and then eats him.
2) Dangerous Liaisons (1988). This movie doesn't have an alterna soundtrack, but it does have corset. Gawd, corsets are so hot. As are the sparring wits of John Malkovich and Glenn Close. This movie also has brief clothing (hello, young Uma Thurman!), soul revealing, too intense love and more good stuff like sword fights in the snow. It does not have Gwar in it but it does have leeches and blood letting. Ewww. Ultimate moment? Seeing Malkovich and Close dressed separately by their army of attendants as they prepare for their drawing room wars.
Awesome and awesome!
* Perhaps the smirking is a result of the gratuitous bare breast montage in the first fifteen minutes? Just a shot in the dark.
Posted by karen at July 25, 2005 11:03 PM