Orange County
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Movie Reviews of Orange County
Movie Review: A comedy with charm!
Summary: 5 Stars
There have been mixed reviews on the latest MTV film "Orange County". Some hated it simply because it was free from gross out gags, others loved it for the same reason. Love it or hate it, like 1999's "Election", "Orange County" doesn't go down the typical teen comedy path. Instead, it gives us smart jokes, refreshing characters with heart and a terrific storyline. Some of the angles taken in this movie may seem cartoonish, however "Orange County" does have realism in the mix. What teenager doesn't want to get out of their hometown and be free from their parents? It's a movie that every teenager can relate to. As for the cartoonish angles, those are simply played for laughs. (And they're funny without being gross. Something I appreciated)
The acting was excellent, especially from Jack Black as Shaun's older brother and Schuyler Fisk as Shaun's tenderhearted girlfriend. Black has what it takes to be a real comedian, and Fisk holds her own in the film with her girl next door vibe and sweetness. The supporting cast was also amazing, with cameos from Garry Marshall, Chevy Chase, Harold Ramis and others.
"Orange County" is a movie I strongly recommend. It may not have laugh out loud slapstick or award winning dialogue, but if you're looking for a funny movie with well-developed characters, then this is the perfect film for you.
Movie Review: HYSTERICAL....
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie made me laugh so hard at times that I had to pause it.Jack Black is AWESOME as the looney brother Lance, and he makes the movie. Catharine O'Hara is fantastic as the neurotic Mom, and Schuyler Fisk is great as that tree-hugging girlfriend. Shaun's surfer friends are a riot.
The only bland character is that of Colin Hanks. But that makes total sense, because he plays the role of "normal." He is supposed to be the voice of reason amidst a background of chaos. He is supposed to be vapid, in sharp contrast to his deranged Orange County counterparts.
I completely understand Shaun Brumder's struggle: he hates home and he aspires to academic greatness, with wishes to attend Stanford. His character, albeit comparatively "bland," is totally believable, as any overachiever will attest. No one around him seems to understand how important going to Stanford is to him. It's not a big deal to them. But to Shaun, it means more than anything.
In that sense, this is a very real movie, even if many other aspects of the movie are exaggerated and far from reality. That balance is what makes this movie great--you can relate to the characters, but it's not so boring as real life.
5 stars.
Movie Review: The perfect, fun comedy introducing an excellent Colin Hanks
Summary: 5 Stars
Following a program in screenwriting at USC, I got an internship at Marvel Studios and stayed another three weeks in L.A. During my stay, I had the good fortune to be invited to another private test screening of a movie that I was told starred Jack Black. That was enough for me. I've been a fan of the D (for those of you not familiar with the brilliantly obscene rock duo of Jack Black and Kyle Gas, they are Tenacious D) for long enough, and was there (three times in theaters) for his fantastic performance in High Fidelity, so I was at this screening in a second. I had no idea that Tom Hanks had a son, that he was an actor, or that he was in this movie, until months later when I saw the hype around it through trailers, etc. Nothing like his father, but equally magnetic onscreen, I look forward to more of his movies in the future. Hollywood or no Hollywood, this movie rocked! It was extremely humorous, and the audience response was so great that no one seemed to need a follow-up form of our feelings towards the movie. They saw our reaction as their success. Make sure you see this film when it comes out, and look out for a good cameo by another of my favorite comedy actors, Ben Stiller.Movie Review: It is a State of Mind!
Summary: 5 Stars
"Orange County" isn't a place, it's a state of mind. A perfect tagline for this non-typical teen movie. Shaun Brumder (Colin Hanks) has committed himself to writing after he found a novel by a Stanford professor at the beach. His friend died trying to surf the 'big one' and he decided to go to Stanford to study with the famous Professor Skinner. Shaun's dreams are put on a halt when his high school counselor sent in the wrong transcript (typical school counselor). He tries everything to get into the college with the help of his girlfriend (Schuyler Fisk) and his smelly brother (Jack Black). The commercial for this movie is deceiving and I thought I was going to see Jack Black more often in his dirty underwear. Ha! Too bad, you get a real movie with a good message and touching characters. Watch out for the old man in the wheelchair and John Lithgow almost saying the F word! Whoa. Chevy Chase is in the movie for about a minute and doesn't say much. Yes. Even Kevin Kline and Ben Stiller make cameos. How outrageous is that? "Shaun, have you seen my pants?" The commercial ruined that line. Good movie.Movie Review: Wow....
Summary: 5 Stars
I avoided seeing this movie like the plague. In fact, I only watched it for the first time because I was extremely, extremely bored and had lots of time to kill. Why did I avoid seeing this film? Because it had all the marks of a teen comedy, and let's face it, the teen comedy is the most shameful of movie genres. It manages to inspire the laziest and lamest contributions to the film industry possible.
But enough of that.
You should see Orange County. Immediately. Why? Because it's not like most teen comedies in that is smart, insightful, and witty. It even makes slap-stick comedy feel more cerebral (okay, perhaps I'm exaggerating, but you get the gist). Sure it has some of the ubiquitous potty humor, but overall, it's just well-crafted and plain hilarious, even for a more refined taste. The end, I guess, is an appeal to the sappy and sentimental, but generally the film has so many moments of genius I feel passing up on it is just too great a mistake.
So watch it!