Real Life 101
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What That High School Party Movie Got Right
Movies like Dazed and Confused and Superbad are based upon a single often compelling premise, high school is defined by one (or two if your lucky) incredible parties. Parties that are game changers, once in a lifetime experiences that allow even the lowliest, most awkward teen (looking at you Michael Cera) can turn it all around and land the head cheerleader. Hell, an entire industry ahs evolved around this ideal with given rise to the abortion of a film titled Project X.
Why do we keep watching these movies? Well some of them are excellent like Dazed and Confused and Superbad. We keep coming back because all of us have been in high school trying to get laid, searching for beer, and the point of it all. The funny part is these movies do a shitty job of getting the parties right. In reality high schoolers get sick, A LOT where are all the people vomiting? Why is everyone but the nerdy and loveable protagonists beautiful? High schoolers are awkward, dress poorly, and have acne, A LOT of acne. How does the head cheerleader end up with Michael Cera? I don’t care how good that guy’s personality is if he wasn’t in movies he would be a prime customer for nerdysingles.com.
Despite these issues Dazed and Confused and Superbad do get one thing right, the incredible morning after a great party. It’s the sense of complete contentment that comes with knowing you had an awesome night, kissing someone new, kissing someone you actually like, or bringing someone how. It’s the look on the young kid’s face from Dazed and Confused (Wiley Wiggins for the IMDB purists out there) as he slips on his headphones at the end of the movie. It’s driving through Taco Bell at 3:30am with your friends bull shitting about the crap you won’t remember tomorrow. And it’s certainly those nights you end up with those same friends laughing at the things that stopped your night from living up to the expectations set by the same movies you’ll watch the next day hungover on the couch.
These movies aren’t going anywhere soon because they pull at the awkward high school freshman desperate for one night to change it all, the even more awkward college student trying to “define themselves,” and the still awkward twenty-something I am today realizing that the important part of these nights are the people you still want to get Chipotle with and detox the next morning.
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Yesterday I knocked off one of my big New Years Resolutions and finish the Nashville Country Music Half Marathon. It took me 3 hours and 10 minutes but I did it. That’s an average pace of 14:30 a mile, certainly not lightening fast but I was so proud to have finished. Proud and very sore today.
Big shout out to my running partner Lauren Adams and to Girl Talk for sound tracking the run. I would like to do another few races over the next couple of months and get ready for the half marathon here in Memphis in December.
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So last weekend I finally went to the movies to see Cabin in the Woods. For me I was initially interested because of Josh Whedon’s involvement (director of the forthcoming Avengers movie) and because the trailers looked fantastic. The positive buzz generated by this movies also blew me away and I realized I had to see this for myself.
I was not disappointed this movie (no spoilers so fear not) was incredibly well done. Manipulating genre staples Cabin in the Woods transforms a stale concept into an over-arching commentary on the horror industry, us the audience, and pretty much every other aspect of society. Although I won’t explain here this movie is anchored in dark humor and I caught myself laughing as much as jumping.
Simply put this movie delivers.
4/5 Stars
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In 2012, Greendale Community College was the site of the largest and longest pillow fight in community college history. It shaped and scarred the landscape of their campus and forever changed the lives of those involved.
A healt care administration student, who turned the storage room into a sanctuary for soldiers with broken glasses and lightly grazed testicles. A high school dropout and amateur photographer, whose borrowed camera would capture some of the war’s blurriest, most poorly framed moments. A disgraced former lawyer, whose words would inspire tens of students to take up pillows and fight - most likely to avoid an upcoming test. A loving wife and mother, who would prove to be as skilled at kicking asses as she was at wiping them. The dried-up heir to a moist towelette empire, who would prove to be the dried-up heir to a moist towelette empire. The sensitive high school quarterback, who became commander in chief of his own army. He would later say of the war: “It was awesome, but also, it wasn’t?” And his socially dysfunctional best friend turned bitter rival. An uncompromising tactical mastermind feared by all, yet unable to pay parking tickets, or know left from right without mouthing The Pledge of Allegiance.
(Source: previouslyvinterfell)
