Varsity Blues
|
List Price: Our Price: $1.48 You Save: $11.50 (89%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Varsity Blues
Movie Review: Absolutely great sports movie, but what's up with Moxon?
Summary: 5 Stars
The brief synopsis: In West Canaan, Texas, football is life. The entire city revolves around the religion of football. The team is led by big-man-on-campus Lance Harbor (Paul Walker). Along with the typical cast of zany teammates, a maniacal, championship coach named Bud Kilmer (Jon Voigt - awesome in this role), and the backup QB, Jonathan Moxon (Van Der Beek), the team faces and overcomes difficulties. Team pulls out improbable, far-fetched play to triumph in the end. Tons of exciting and believable football action sequences. There has always been something about the movie that troubled me, however - aside from the improbability of finding a football helmet that would fit Dawson's coconut - Jonathan Moxon's character.
Mox never studies, yet he's rumored to be in the running for an academic scholarship to an Ivy League University (Brown). When Harbor goes down early in the season, Mox must step up and be a hero. With scholarship dreams dancing in his head, Mox had put all of his eggs in one basket. The only problem is his complete nonchalance and inattentiveness to his studies also leaks into his football. Despite these deficiencies, he becomes an overnight superstar. He gets free beer after the game, but it's not a big deal. Everything up until this point in the movie is fishy, and THIS is where I figured out what was going on.
No real controversy to get beer. Hmm. Doesn't study school books or play books. Hmm. Mox has failed over ten times; he's in his late twenties, been in high school for years, and his receding hairline finally gave him away.
The reason he didn't need to read the playbook is because he memorized the plays. Kilmer has been using the same plays for each of Dawson's last 8 years as a backup! It appears that Kilmer is frustrated that Mox doesn't read the playbook or pay attention during games, but it's actually because he's sick of seeing Mox on the sidelines. If he is going to stick around that long, he may as well be an assistant coach.
Why doesn't he study in the classroom? He's auditing the courses! He's essentially the white Radio, going to class even when it doesn't matter. He's been applying to Brown for years! That's why it's so important to him. He wants to FINALLY move out of his parents' house.
In the middle of the movie, he turns down Ali Larter (who should be a megastar because of this scene alone) in a whipped cream bikini. No way a teenage boy turns that down. No way. Why does Moxon? Two words: statutory rape. Why is he with Amy Smart? Because he knows she's the goody-two-shoes, and there is no risk (i.e. no breasts). How do the guys get into the strip club, let alone get a free ride? It's on Moxon's credit card; he opened a tab!
It all adds up folks. It doesn't get in the way of making this one of the more imminently rewatchable sports movies of all time, but it definitely adds something to the viewing pleasure. Even on late-night TV, this is always a must watch - a TEN! - if only to prove my theory once again.
Movie Review: School Sports Needs to Be Reexamined
Summary: 5 Stars
I watched this movie in the theatre in 1999 and have to say that it was a good movie. It made me cry a bit because I at that time I was out of work and wondering how I was going to make ends meet. Let's not get personal here.
The movie begins with four boys playing football. They are having fun. Then it goes back to the present. The same boys are now teenagers and playing high school football. It's not all fun and games. It's about winning the championship and glorifying the coach. I can't believe that they even have a statue of him! He is no Abraham Lincoln. Give me a break.
As I was saying, the main character Jonathan "Mox" Moxon, played by James Van Der Beek (with dyed brown hair) plays high school football and reads literature on the side. He is more concerned about his academic abilities than he is about the game. When the QB Lance Harbour, played by Paul Walker (Fast and Furious series)is injured, Moxon has to take his place. The spotlight at first, is engrossing. But he realizes that it will jeopardize the person that he--trustworthy and understanding. The last thing he wants is to steal his best friend's girl.
The movie doesn't only focus on Moxon, but his friends--Lance, Billy Bob, Charlie Tweeder, and Wendell Brown are also affected by the pressures of football and their relationship with the coach.
"Varsity Blues" focuses on the pride of school sports in small-towns that sometimes gets out of control. Parents have high expectations of what their son or daughter should be--an athlete or a cheerleader. And Mox's father wanted his son to live up to his expectations because he was never able to live up to his dream.
This movie is a cathartic. Whenever you feel like life is throwing you a curveball, watch this movie. Jonathan Moxon never allowed anyone or anything to get in his way. He knew what he wanted and was determined to go after it and also help his fellow teammates.
Movie Review: DEFINITELY FOR TEENS
Summary: 5 Stars
This highschool football drama is another teen flick to be added to the list of successful highschool pictures over the last few years - She's All That, Cruel Intentions, Scream. This film is beyond enjoyable, for the guys there's testosterone, the forever remembered whip cream bikini scene, a hot strip club scen where the lead boys meet a familiar face and the looks of leading ladies Amy Smart and Ali Larter. For the girls there's James Van Der Beek (moving away from his Dawson character), Paul Walker (a blonde haired, blue eyed football stud) and Scott Caan (who bares all in another memorable moment). The flick follows Johnathan "Mox" Moxon (Van Der Beek) who has been a second string football player for a vast amount of the season, that is until town favourite Lance Harbour (Walker) is injured and it's Mox's turn to be the star quarterback. Also in the team, is the emmensly obeise Billy Bob (Ron Lester), party animal and sexually active Tweeder (Caan - who livens up the movie) and coloured player Wendell (Eliel Swinton) who believes he doesnt get the playing exposure he deserves because of his race. The only thing stopping the boys from having fun is hard hitting coach Bud Kilmer (Jon Voight). By the end of the film, each character evolves and as usual Kilmer gets what he deserves. The film is funny, touching, sexy and sport-packed for a night's entertainment that'll last long after this film is finishedMovie Review: I'm going home, I'm going home. and you can KISS MY @$$ ! !
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay. It ma y appear that I am overreacting with giving this movie five stars. The critics didn't care for it. Most parents probably won't like it either. What we have here is basically a 90s verion of the 1980s classic "Johnny Be Good". This one was also reemed hard by the critics. They don't seem to realize the significance of a film like this. They aren't teenagers and the movie is not aimed to please them. It is aimed at people around my age "18" who enjoy watching movies that they can relate too. Since I enjoy just about every movie from Sling Blade to The Toxic Avenger, I found Varsity Blues to be very entertaining and heart felt. I did not play football in high school (acting is my trade) ,but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It is deeper than just football and sex. It shows teenage life and the everyday pressures that fall on our shoulders. It also makes for a great date flick. You don't have to keep glued to it to really undestand what is going on. If you ask me, it's worth owning. It has the endless replay value of Back to the Future and you will never get bored. The Texan accents are pretty good too. I would have to say the funniest scene is where Scott Caan Steals the cop car and goes parading around town naked with a bunch of girls.Movie Review: fun and true
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay, this is not a deep thought provoking documentary; it is, however, an uncannily accurate depiction of small town life in general and small town football in particular. Of course there are the riotous moments of teen insanity specifically unique to small towns (have you ever played quarters with a pet pig in your vicinity?) and Tweeder stealing the police car is just classic, no matter where you are from. Underneath the comedy, though, there is a lot of truth to these characters and this story. Football is a small town religion, and every Friday night is a worship service at the altar of the pigskin. The movie captures this feeling well, along with the frustration of feeling trapped in a small town and wondering if you will ever get out -- and if you do get out, where will you go? Nevermind that Van der Beek's accent is not terribly authentic, or that this ***spoiler alert*** has a somewhat sappy ending. If you grew up in a small town, you can probably put a name on each of these characters; if you didn't, get the movie and find out what it's like.