The Monkees & More of the Monkees

Written by Hombre Divertido

In 1966, the legendary Don Kirshner, who was the Head of Music for Columbia Pictures’ Screen Gems, which produced television shows such as Gidget, I Dream of Jeannie, and Bewitched, was called upon to craft a soundtrack for a show about an out-of-work rock band and their madcap adventures. Kirshner said that he would outsell The Beatles, and people laughed. They laughed until The Monkees sold four million copies.



Rhino has re-released The Monkees on CD, as well as the follow-up album More of the Monkees. These CDs along with the insert booklet penned by Andrew Sandoval who authored The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story Of The 60’s TV Pop Sensation, tell an extremely interesting story, and offer insight into not only the creation of each song, but the selection process for each album.

Whether your opinion of The Monkees is “Who?”, “Stupid television show”, “Milli Vanilli of the Sixties”, “Some guys with a television show who made good music”, or something in between, you can’t help but be intrigued by this piece of both music and television history.

The numerous hands in this cookie jar, or monkee cage if you will, are evident in these two albums as the style of music ranges from bubble gum pop to country, and from rock to pure novelty. Even the style differences of The Monkees themselves were extreme, and though it would appear that their input was minimal when this adventure began, you still get insight into them as individual artists.

With the first album containing “(Theme from) The Monkees”, “Take a Giant Step”, and “Last Train to Clarksville”, and the second outing holding “Mary, Mary”, “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone”, and “I’m a Believer”, you can see not only that both contain what would be called Monkees classics, but you can also see the evolution of the music.

By releasing the two albums separately, Rhino stays true to the original vision, and the inclusion of some of the cuts that did not make the cut, as well as different versions of songs, really paints a complete picture. Unfortunately, providing us with both the stereo and mono versions of all the tracks looks like they were trying to fill space. Some may say that here is too much filler here, but reading the inserts while listening to the songs create an atmosphere that pulls you into the studio, and includes you in the process.

Recommendation: This is a must for the true fan of The Monkees or television and music history. The diverse style of music contained in these collections would fit well into anyone’s music library.

LOOKING FOR COMEDY IN THE MUSLIM WORLD

Written by Hombre Divertido

This film is intriguing, but will leave you looking for comedy.

Albert Brooks is a funny man, and his deadpan and sarcastic delivery are ever present here, but there are just not enough quality lines to deliver.

Like a good joke, this film opens with a set-up that is encouraging and certainly creates anticipation. Like a bad joke, this film ends up going nowhere and the ending leaves the audience unsatisfied and disappointed.

In somewhat of a mockumentary, the U.S. government called upon Brooks to travel to India and Pakistan in order to discover what makes a 300-million strong Muslim community laugh. Though the premise is controversial, and the fish-out-of-water concept should be ripe with laughter, the humor never really materializes, other than that which is sorely forced.

There are a few genuine funny concepts here that have Brooks written all over them. An office on the same floor as his in India is full of people taking calls. Each time Brooks passes said office on the way to his, we hear the people answering the phones in different ways from Target Customer Service to Onstar Roadside Assistance to Dell Technical Support and many more. The concept of all such services originating in one office in India is terrific; unfortunately the execution is so subtle, that it does not quite come off.

There are many such poorly executed bits in this film. Brooks does a stand-up act for hundreds of Muslims that, for lack of a better term, bombs. Brooks asks if they understand English, and raises his own hand to indicate how he wants them to answer. The entire crowd raises their hands. This leaves the audience of the film to speculate whether they do understand English, or are just following the proverbial leader. Again, the concept of a comedian looking for an out to a failed routine by hoping that the audience does not speak English, only to find out that they do is classic Brooks, but the poor execution, causes the bit to bomb as well.

Probably the most unsatisfying aspect of this film is how rapidly it winds up, while the audience is still waiting for it to get started. The ongoing bit about the size of the report that Brooks is expected to write generates a few laughs, but the fact that the trip is cut short due to some conceptually funny irony, and the report never really gets finished, is ironically indicative of the film itself. At 98 minutes, there was a lot more work to be done here.

The extras on the DVD are nothing to speak of. An added commentary by Brooks probably would have made this film worth having, as it hopefully would have answered some of the questions.

Recommendation: As you sit waiting for the Brooks humor boat to pull into port, you will smile at a few dinghies floating by, but in the end, you will be left feeling like you missed the boat.

There are far superior Brooks efforts out there to rent, so go look for comedy there.

INVINCIBLE

Written by Hombre Divertido

Invincible: A Recipe for Success.

Success in school used to be based on what our grandparents called the three R’s: Readin’, ‘Ritin’, and ‘Rithmatic. In the case of the new film Invincible(2006) starring Mark Wahlberg and Greg Kinnear, and directed by Ericson Core, it’s three different R’s that lead to success.

Take some Rocky, sprinkle in some Rudy, add a pinch of The Rookie and give it to Disney to prepare it with class, and you get Invincible.

Yes, we’ve tasted this story many times, but let’s face it; pizza is simple, and it often tastes better reheated. Well, this story is simple, but when prepared with the right ingredients, it tastes oh so good and satisfying.

Sure, perhaps we’ve never heard of Vince Papale, the real-life, part-time bartender, part-time teacher, and full-time Philadelphia Eagles fan, who attends an open tryout, and ends up making the team, but we have heard the story of the “smaller than the rest of the guys” underdog who beats the odds, and becomes successful.

Disney has proven that they can tell inspirational sports stories well with Remember the Titans and not so well with Glory Road. Why the story is told well in Invincible is easy: this is more than a one-dimensional story about an underdog with heart trying to make it in the NFL. This is the story of everyman fulfilling a dream, the story of a city struggling through tough times, the story of a first-time head coach in the NFL, and most importantly, a story of relationships.

At the center of our story, is Papale, played with masterful subtleness by Wahlberg, who is growing into a fine actor. Papale is a down-on-his-luck guy, with a down-on-his-luck dad and down-on-their-luck friends, who gets an opportunity not only to help himself, but to inspire others as well. The key here is that writer Brad Gann and director Core give us just enough of the other stories to allow us to care, without allowing the story to sag like a fallen cake.

The only aspect of this film that does not work is the sound mixing. Though the score is excellent, too often the audience was turning and asking each other what the actor just said.

I have never been one for applauding at movies unless someone involved in the film is there, otherwise, whom are we doing it for: The projectionist? In this case, I could not help but join in with the rest of the theatre as they put their hands together for what is sure to be a new classic on TBS quite soon.

Recommendation: Yes, we think we know how this is going to taste before we put it in our mouths, but it will taste much better than you think.

See it at the theater, and then give the DVD to your family for Christmas instead of the fruitcake.

SAVING SHILOH

Written by Fumo Verde

Here's one for the kiddies. Saving Shiloh is the third film based on the trilogy of novels by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor about a boy and his beagle. The first two were Shiloh and Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season. The series has been adapted into films by writer/producer Dale Rosenbloom. This is definitely a "family values" movie. It stars Jason Dolley as Marty, a kindhearted 13-year-old (that's hard to find) with an extreme fondness for animals, especially dogs. I haven’t seen the other films nor read the books, so I can’t make any comparisons.

In Saving Shiloh, Marty has previously rescued Shiloh from his mean old neighbor Jed Travers (Scott Wilson), who everybody in town hates for one reason or another. It seems that Marty and his father, Ray Preston (Gerald McRaney), helped Jed in some way, so he feels indebted to repay the family. Unfortunately, he brings over some dead squirrels. "They make good stew. I eat 'em all the time."

Although Jed likes to beat his hunting dogs for fun, Marty sees the goodness in him and is on the path to find it. Shiloh, on the other hand, still remembers the way his previous owner treated him. Marty's trust gets shaken when he and his girlfriend, Samantha, who never gets closer than three feet to him, find a car that has been abandoned in the woods near the kids’ school.

It is discovered that the car belonged to a man who has been missing for a while, and is assumed dead. Controversy and speculation along with the regular gossip fly through the town and Jed becomes a suspect because they had a fight in a bar before the man’s disappearance. So much so, that the authorities bring Jed in for questioning. Meanwhile, the town is experiencing a rash of thefts. Tools from barns and sheds and emergency supplies for a terrorist attack have been taken and that blame is placed on Jed as well.

It isn't until Marty and Shiloh find the hideout and capture two escaped federal prisoners that Jed’s name is cleared. Still, folks all believe that he's the meanest son of a bitch around, except for Marty, although he has his doubts when he sees Jed throw one of his dogs across the yard. Jed tries to apologize but Marty isn't sure, until Marty's sister, Daryl Ann, falls into the river.

Of course Marty, being the good brother we all wish we had growing up, dives in to save her. Shiloh also dives in, and why not? He found the hideout and caught the inmates, so why not save the bratty sister? But Shiloh over-estimates his own powers and finds himself traveling downstream to what looks like will be a watery death for the little brown and white beagle. As Marty tries to save his four-legged friend from going over the falls by swimming to the rescue, his foot gets caught in the branches of an underwater tree. Never to fear, mean old Jed is here to save the day, and he does. Not only does he save Marty, but he also saves Shiloh. In the end, everybody lives happily ever after, including Jed.

This is one of those movies you sit through and wonder if anybody in the real world acts like these characters do, and if so, what are they taking that the rest of us are not. The story touches on certain ideals that certain American parents would like their children to have. It also touches on the subject (and I'm talking it barely touches) of the old American value of being innocent until proven guilty (see Articles V & VI of the U.S. Constitution-- The Bill of Rights), but yet plays it off, kind of like our justice system does in real life.

McRaney has now taken over the part of Ward Clever and Ozzie Nelson as the new "American Father Figure", and he does a damn good job at it. Wilson also does a good job as the mean old redneck that was beaten as a boy by his father. "Sometime he would beat me when he was sad, sometime he would beat me when he was happy, and sometime he was just happy to beat me."

For young impressionable kids, and adults who have lived a semi-sheltered life, this movie pulls on the heartstrings. For a guy like me, I couldn't wait for it to be over. It was a decent movie, if you were viewing it with your young kids, but as for something to really engross your mind, Saving Shiloh doesn't catch the intellectual fastball that hardcore movie watchers would go to see.

The extras on here include the usual interviews with the cast and director, and the music video for the end theme "Open Your Heat", plus an interview with Shiloh himself, or herself...I didn't really follow up on the extras, I was just happy to see the credits roll. I can't say that this was a bad movie. It's great for kids, but for the adults, well gang-- just don't look too deep into this, you're not going to find anything out you didn't already know.

HOW TO EAT FRIED WORMS

Written by Hombre Divertido

Question: How to make an audience prefer the eating of fried worms to watching a movie?

Answer: Make the movie How to Eat Fried Worms.

A friend of mine's ten-year-old daughter wanted to see the movie How to Eat Fried Worms for her birthday. Apparently it is one of her favorite books. Seemed reasonable to me, and as I had seen good movies based on children’s books before, I agreed to attend.

We are introduced to eleven-year-old Billy, and spend a painful amount of time establishing that he has a weak stomach. Little did I know that the reason the audience is subjected to so much screen time expended on Billy’s touchy tummy, is because there is not enough story here to warrant a motion picture.

Based on the novel by Thomas Rockwell, whose father could draw, How to Eat Fried Worms tells the story of Billy whose family moves to a new town. We get the standard "new kid" storyline that starts with his first day at school. Billy meets a bully and makes him mad a la My Bodyguard. Said conflict results in Billy having to eat ten worms in a single day or face the consequences.

Well, of course Billy manages to do it, depending on your ability to count. Either way, the audience is left wondering what happened to the weak stomach we saw so much of. This is the least of the problems with this film.

Yes, Billy meets and aggravates the school bully, as we have seen many times. What he does not do is find the unusual sidekick. Oh, one is introduced eventually, but it is unclear whose side he is on, and he lacks the personality that normally endears a character to an audience as, for example, the characters in Sandlot did. Like everything else in this film, the relationships between the characters are unexplored.

This is a one-dimensional mess. The story is trite, the acting is uninspired, and the characters are poorly developed.

This film starts slow and slows down to the speed of a worm.

It is so sad that the most inspired aspect of this film, is how the worms are prepared. Unfortunately, this too makes little sense. The preparation reasoning is never made clear, nor is the acquisition of the culinary skill.

For what it is worth, the 10-year-old loved it, which could easily make some say that it is a film made for kids that age. Many films are made for kids that age, and they are excellent. This film is not. The fact that my 10-year-old friend loved it simply makes me weep for the future.

Recommendation: Get a pan, and some worms, and fix yourself a meal. You will enjoy it far more than How to Eat Fried Worms.

THE ODD COUPLE: Season One

Written by Fumo Verde

Time/Life and CBS Paramount present The Odd Couple: Season One starring Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. This was a funny show for its time and the writing still holds true for life today, and why not, Neil Simon is one of the best playwrights of our time. Simon's The Odd Couple premiered at the Plymouth Theatre in New York City in 1965. It starred Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison and Art Carney as Felix Unger. In 1968, Matthau reprised his role in the film version and Jack Lemon played the role of Felix.

Klugman and Randall have the same chemistry that Matthau and Lemon do. That's due in part to the writing of Simon, but also the creative talents of Executive Producer Gary Marshall and Director Jerry Belson, who developed it for television. Klugman and Randall starred in the show, but Marshall and Belson were the creative souls that made it into a hit.

I grew up watching TV in the ‘70s and ‘80s and I remember watching this show. It started out with, "On October 16th 1965, Felix Unger was asked to remove himself from his place of residence. This request came from his wife." Then the theme music would start. Simon's idea of bringing a neat freak into the home of the super slob of the century was bound to create laughter.

The review disc only came with the first episode, "The Laundry Orgy". Marshall and Belson brought lots of elements from the play into this first show and added some of their own flavors to it. As the show opens, Oscar scores dates with the Pigeon sisters, two English women that live upstairs from Oscar and Felix, who were characters in the play. Unfortunately, Oscar makes the date for Friday, the night of the guy’s poker game. Felix, still suffering from his divorce doesn't really feel right about going on a date and doesn't want to cancel the poker game.

Instead of telling their friends, all who are married, that they have to cancel the poker game because they have dates, they try to scheme their way into ending the game early. First, Oscar says he feels sick, but that doesn't work. Then he hides a card, "We can't play with only 51 cards...I guess the game is done for tonight." To his dismay, the boys have Felix draw the missing card on a napkin. Finally, they try and sweat the guys out by turning up the heat, due to Felix's allegories.

When the women finally show up, Felix and Oscar take their dates out, kind of. Instead of spending the evening at home with the two ladies, they take them to the only place a professional photographer and a sportswriter can afford to take dates: the laundry room in the apartment complex. Smooth. As I remember them doing in every episode, Oscar gets mad at Felix, who in turn gets mad at Oscar. Oscar throws Felix out, but then they both say they are sorry and will try to understand how the other sees things. They live happy until next week’s episode.

I found myself laughing at jokes I had heard over two odd decades ago, yet the funniest material was the commentary by Belson and Marshall. Gary Marshall, to put it in the most basic language as possible, is just one funny freakin' guy. I found myself wiping the tears out of my eyes from what he was saying. Belson was funny too, but Marshall had me rolling, especially when he was telling the story of how the network wanted the show to have lyrics to the theme music, stating somewhere in the lyrics that "we’re not homosexuals...." as he chants the The Odd Couple theme music. Back then, if older men were living together they weren't considered roommates, and at the time, the network didn't want to imply anything. Wow, have times have changed.

The four-DVD set contains all 24 episodes from the first season. The set has a great collection of Special Features, including audio intros for every episode by Marshall, two other commentaries featuring Marshall and Klugman separately, appearances by Klugman and Randall on The Mike Douglas Show, and Klugman accepting his 1971 Emmy Award.

So if you’re into ‘70s sitcoms, this is one for the collection. The writing holds up and so does the acting, unlike some programs we see today. If you want to watch a show that had some substance, along with some good laughs, The Odd Couple is the answer.

SNAKES ON A PLANE

Written by Hombre Divertido

Snakes on a Plane is sssssenssssssational!

If the thought of people trapped on a plane with rampaging reptiles intriguesss you, and you enjoy the mindlesss bloodshed that comesss with ssslasher moviesss, or the brain candy disssaster moviesss of the ssseventiesss, than Snakes on a Plane will be the most fun you have in the theater thisss sssummer.

The ssstory is sssimple, and that is what makesss thisss film work. Sssamuel L. Jackssson plays FBI agent Neville Flynn who is tasssked with transssporting a witnesss from Hawaii to Losss Angelesss where he is ssscheduled to tessstify againssst a mobssster in a murder trial. In order to keep sssaid tessstimony from taking place, the plane is packed with ssslithering sssilencersss ssset on sssubduing the sssnitch.

Yesssss, it issss sssslow to get ssstarted, but once it doesss, it deliversss. We are treated to totally gratuitousss violence as the sssnakes attack in the most outrageousss ssscenariosss imaginable.

Add to that the classsic excitement and camp of the Airport moviesss of the ssseventiesss, including the vulnerable but resssourceful sstewardess played here by Julianna Marguliesss in a performance that would make Jacqueline Bissset (Airport) and Karen Black (Airport 1975) proud.

If all that is not enough to get your proverbial plane off the ground, than how about the comedy of David Koechner and Kenan Thompssson? Thessse two, playing the co-pilot and a passsenger ressspectively, add some classsic one-linersss that will keep you laughing when you’re not cringing and squirming.

Virtually the only assspect of this venomousss visssion that does not work is when the camera takesss the persssspective of the snake, as it is about to attack. It is clear how sssomeone thought thisss would be a good idea at the time, but the execution failsss, as the visssual effect is sssimply dissstracting.

Recommendation: There are no Academy Awardsss headed thisss way, but the wonderfulnesss of thisss film, is that it is clear that was not the intent. Thisss film is desssigned to make you sssquirm and laugh, and cringe and ssscream, and it doesss jussst that. There is no pretenssse here. Thisss is exactly what it sssaysss it is: Snakes on a Plane, and it is dessstined to be a classsic. So, pay your ten dollarsss, fasssten your ssseatbeltsss, and plant your feet firmly on the ssseat in front of you, cuz you ain’t gonna want them on the floor.

SORRY, HATERS

Written by Fantasma el Rey

I took this assignment from El Bicho, because he’s a friend and most importantly my boss here at the Masked Movie Snobs. So I accepted with the confidence of a child going swimming for the first time alone; shaking but thinking that it could be fun. Armed with the teachings of the master himself and encouragement from my ever-loving Kitten, I pressed play on the DVD player.

Political thriller? Maybe. A twisted view on relationships? Sure. Well done? Yes.

Sorry, Haters is an involving story that combines all these elements into an 87-minute roller coaster of deception and trickery, which may leave you feeling nauseous. The story is about an honest man being pulled, better still, allowing himself to be pulled into and destroyed by a web of lies. Anyone who has trusted someone even after that trust has been broken can relate to this; hopefully, nowhere near this level. This is one film that has to be seen to fully understand and to do it justice, so I’m not going to give away much about the plot at all here. Sorry, Haters!

As a political thriller, the films tackles issues involving a post-9/11 New York, with fine performances by Abdellatif Kechiche and Robin Wright-Penn. A twisted, lonely and angered woman, Phoebe (Wright-Penn) pushes her way into the cab and life of Ashade (Kechiche). She discovers an opportunity to use his problems in an effort to reaffirm her self-worth. The political view here, being the way that some Americans still let racism prevail in their look upon Muslims, particularly those in America.

As far as relationships we see an interaction of two people who are harboring feelings of self-hate. Since the events of 9/11, Phoebe no longer feels important and is trying to find meaning to her life. Ashade is struggling to the do the right thing due to his attraction to a woman he can’t have. As their worlds collide, we view their vulnerability. Phoebe is willing to go to dangerous lengths to create purpose in her life. Ashade is a good man willing to believe that this woman is really trying to help him, even after she damages his life.

I thought that this film was going to be a handful for me to watch, it seems that I’m not so bad at this film-watching thing. While listening to the audio commentary with director Jeff Stanzler and Wright-Penn and watching the bonus roundtable discussion moderated by Tim Robbins, I found that I picked up on most of the importance issues of this film. They discussed certain scenes and things that people might have missed, such as the placement of photos in certain shots or the importance of the actions in a particular scene; even the fact that this film was a study in people and relationships in society in general.

This is the kind of stuff that I learned to pick up on not only by learning from El Bicho, but by paying attention and actually “watching” different films. I think that too many people no longer know how to “watch” movies. It’s seems that to most folks movies are just images that flash on a screen and that’s it, something explodes or we laugh and maybe feel enough for a character to have something get in our eye. I’m not saying I know all that I should about film but knowing that I can enjoy a film like Sorry, Haters on a few different levels makes me proud of myself and those that I have studied with.

As an added note in the film there is a fictional television channel that has an important part in the film, Q-Dog. It’s an MTV-type station that’s most popular show is called Sorry, Haters, a Cribs-type show that allows the viewer to see how the new rich and famous spend their money. There are two scenes in which an opinion is expressed as to what affect channels such as that one have on the culture and our youth.

Any who ghoulies, I’m starting to rant and my kitten says “the music’s over so turn out the lights”. So… does Fantasma recommend this film? Yes I do. It’s no Citizen Kane but go out and see it for yourself. And for those that haven’t seen Kane, you should stop watching movies altogether until you see that one first. Rave on, cats!!!

The Old Grey Whistle Test Vol. 3

Written by Tio Esqueleto

Spanning from 1971 – 1987, The Old Grey Whistle Test was the perfect platform for the album rock period when commercial pop was overshadowed by good ol’ fashioned musicianship, innovation, and albums you could listen to and enjoy from the first groove on Side A to the last groove on Side B. It premiered on BBC2, and up to that point, the standard for weekly musical performance television was Top of the Pops in the UK, and American Bandstand here in the states. What The Old Grey Whistle Test offered was something new, something different.

Top of the Pops and American Bandstand, for the most part, promoted both big and small acts performing their current hit via canned music, smiles, and lip sync. The Old Grey Whistle Test gave these same artists (focusing more on the up-and-comer rather than the tried-and-true) the opportunity to play their songs completely live (with the occasional live vocal over a pre-recorded audio track) and, in many cases, were encouraged to play deep album cuts in place of their current hit. This paved the way for such 1970s American staples as The Midnight Special and Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert, both of which prided themselves on their all the way “live” performances.

On August 29th, BBC Video, in conjunction with Warner Home Video, will release The Old Grey Whistle Test Vol. 3 on DVD, both separately, and as part of a limited edition box set, compiling this new offering with two previously released editions of this legendary live performance show. In contrast to the first two volumes, which featured familiar hits and artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird” and Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer”, Vol. 3 focuses more on the lesser-known songs and acts in a catalogue that spans 16 innovative years, offering an even more eclectic, and almost overtly British group of performances. All of which have since gone on to become record shop darlings on either side of the pond. Had Yo La Tango, !!! (chk-chk-chk), or Le Tigre been around circa ’71-’87, they more than likely would have made it on this installment.

Some performances certainly stick with you over others, and with a collection like this, beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder. Memorable performances include Stealers Wheel shedding their signature, Dylan-esque vocals, for a grittier, more Paul Rogers and Bad Co., rendition of “I Get By” from 1972. Freddy King’s “Boogie Funk” is a stellar offering from 1973 of traditional blues with just a touch of ‘70s funk, dripping with all things Chicago. In the same vein, B.B. King also delivers a strait shot of Chicago blues with his rendition of “When It All Comes Down/Hold On”.

A 1976 performance from Janis Ian reminds us what a perfect song can be with her signature, and sweetly haunting, song “At Seventeen”, including an introduction dedication to the real life cheerleaders who inspired it. The Jam’s “A Bomb in Wardour Street” captures a seminal Brit band as they embark on their prime, while “Chelsea Girl” gives us a rare look at an alt rocking, pre-Breakfast Club, Simple Minds in 1979. Finally, King Crimson’s “Frame By Frame”, from 1982, is a rare look at Fripp, Bruford, Levin, and Belew, at their best. Also of note are stand out performances by Jackson Brown, P.I.L., and a rare look at Japan that would make any Radiohead fan proud to know their hero’s heroes.

The Old Grey Whistle Test Vol. 3 runs the gamut from traditional blues and rock, to singer songwriter pop, to punk and new wave, to traditional and contemporary folk. Many of which, are debuting their sound for the very first time. Sadly, for some the first would also be their last. On its own, it may prove a little to schizophrenic or “out there” for the random music DVD purchase, but to those in the know, and certainly as part of a three-disc set, it is more than acceptable; it is essential.

ACCEPTED

Written by Hombre Divertido

Accepted is unacceptable:

Never has a film been so confused about what it wanted to be. College frat movie a la Animal House? Sneaky kid gets away with everything a la Ferris Bueller? Weak kids overcome odds a la Revenge of the Nerds? Adolescent message movie a la Pretty in Pink?

This film has several qualities of previously successful ventures, yet achieves nothing.

It is certainly not the performances that cause this film to fail; it is the script and the direction. The cast is clearly talented, and does the most with what they have, but the audience is left with a collection of scenes that don’t belong in the same film.

In the script: high school senior Bartleby Gaines (Justin Long), who has received numerous college rejection letters, devises a plan to fool everyone into thinking he is college-bound. Bartleby and his similarly rejected friends take over an abandoned building, create a fake web site, hire a friend's uncle (Lewis Black) to pose as a dean, and open their own University.

Seems like a good idea, Yet the execution leaves not only a lot to be desired, but too many questions. The plot is riddled with holes as developments go unexplained and characters unexplored. The latter is quite sad as the character actors seem to be pulling desperately at the reins, and clearly the audience wants to see more of them and who they are.

Instead the audience scratches their respective heads trying to figure out: where the quirky best friend fits in as he jumps from helping out with the plan to attending the college next door which just so happens to be populated with the films antagonists; or trying to understand how and why all the new students showed up at the fictional institute; or why the newly appointed dean is the way he is. Unfortunately, scratching is all there is to do as little is explained or explored and the audience is left unsatisfied, if not irritated.

The writers attempt to throw a message in at the end, but it is far too little far too late, and the only message received is that the movie going dollar should have been spent on something else.

Recommendation: This film is a mess. Wait for it to come out on DVD, and then, don’t rent it.