It's been one week since you thought about yet another critic out there to write about movies. Well have we a treat for you -- two for the price of one! Alicia and I are going to give you a break down of all the movies on our shelf from top to bottom - that is if she can keep up on the Westerns - 3:10 to Yuma has already been declared a casualty of war (no way alicia makes it through that movie either). Maybe we'll swing back around for that one. That said, Jason and Alicia's partnership in blogsville will begin with 3:10 -- er wait - 10 Thing I Hate About You (1999). Shakespeare has never appealled to the masses as much and another teen comedy has never appealled to the self-appointed artistic community more than this - if ever.
I was at the movie theatre with a friend and the choice was between 10 Things I Hate About You and Pushing Tin. Sadly, Pushing Tin, for whatever reason, was chosen. So, I left the theatre disappointed in choosing Pushing Tin and, now, for missing out watching 10 Things I Hate About You in the theatre. The movie was a DVD purchase and it has become one of my favorite comedies we own.
To begin, I'll start with opposition (already, I know, so soon) I think 10 Things I Hate About You appeals less to what might be labeled as an artistic community and more to an audience that could possibly care less about Shakespeare. I believe that, perhaps, part of the reason Pushing Tin was chosen over '10 Things' was, due to the fact, I thought it would likely be another brainless comedy about high school kids exchanging ridiculous dialouge with a prom finale. Now, this is a comedy, it is about high school kids, the high school kids exchange dialouge, and there is a prom scene. The difference is that is isn't brainless or ridculous and, even if I had no idea this was a modern version of Taming of the Shrew, I would be impressed. Still, this stated, '10 Things' certainly does make Shakespeare accessible to any audience.
Opposition aside, some of you are probably thinking that a review of a movie that's ten years old is a bit odd, but to watch it again reminds me of how timeless a movie like this - not to mention The Bard - really is. As we watched it today, I was genuinely thoughtful, funny and full of heart - even if the occasional sex joke about black underwear is dropped in there - then again - didn't Shakespeare even dabble in that type of humor? Maybe we should talk plot a little.
Cameron is new to town and immediately burns, pines and perishes for Bianca Stratford (nevermind that Tommy wanted to get with Alissa in 3rd Rock). However, everyone knows that Bianca's father won't let her date. Joey should know - he's been trying to get with the younger Stratford girl the entire year. The rules change overnight though when Kat and Bianca's father gives Bianca permission to date when Kat dates - which is very unlikely. Enter Heath Ledger wearing a Patrick Verona costume, and hijinks ensue.
Admittedly, I was thinking the same thing - Who wants to read about a movie that is ten years old? Also, for this reason, we can skip around and write about various aspects of the film rather than write about it in any sort of sequence as many others have already seen this. Also, it gives me an opportunity to gush about it, even a little, I'll take it.
I admire the story unfolding at Padua High, as it does, with introductions to each main character and a few of the high school staff (a highlight being Allison Janney as Principal Perky who could really care less about disciplining students and cares more about the awkwardly inappropriate erotic novel she works on in between student visits to her office.) Something that draws me to this movie, is certainly, the cast and the quirky characters each actor is able to pull off with ease. Julia Stiles, as Katerina Stratford who I identify with the most. Somewhat sadly, because I was somewhat like Kat in high school (minus being ultra-rude to anyone and everyone that crossed my path.) Another favorite is Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona. His character's image is one which is meant to provoke fear as, one would think, he was used to rejection. Maybe, for this reason, he is the best candidate to attempt to break through Kat's hardened shell.
The thing about 10 Things I Hate About You is that it's like trying to define the difference between "like" and "love." I mean I like modern takes on the teen movie - such as Superbad, Juno and various others - but I love 10 Things I Hate About You. Beyond the fact that this English degree holding critic can proudly cite this to be a remake of a Shakespearian work - it's just fun as hell. I kept thinking throughout the course of the movie about Heath Ledger and how he's no longer with us. It saddened me - once again - as even early in his career we saw that he had that thing. Call it "It!" Call it what you want, but one thing is certain. Ledger had talent and knew how to elevate a work which he was involved. With the wrong Patrick Verona, this movie could have been a wreck. To play the guy perceived as a badass hood but who really has a heart of gold is a difficult line to walk. Most of the time, when I see someone like Ledger in a movie like this - I'll refer to him as "The 10 Things I Hate About You guy" - not with Ledger though. Right away, his name stuck. So, you must be asking what it is that I thought this movie? He said, "It's a buyer." I bought this one for a reason - it's fun, thoughtful and worth multiple watches. Heath Ledger looks so young in this, but if you watch closely, you'll see the budding talent of an actor who's been working on his craft for decades. It's too bad that we only had him for one.
Now this, I agree with, in that, Heath Ledger is the right Patrick Verona. I also agree that he makes this work. It is also very fun. This is one of the reasons I could watch '10 Things' over and over again to the point of line memorization. I just like it. It is fun, lightweight, somewhat dreamy, and transporting to an overprivledged world that I can't compare with anything I've experienced but, at the same time, would have liked to all the same. I am able to suspend my imagination enough to allow the lead singer from Letters to Cleo show up at the prom and walk off-stage to sing directly to Kat and Patrick because the tone is so fun and the context makes everything that happens, make sense. This is one of my favorite comedies because I continue to laugh upon multiple viewings and continue to recommend it to others...as I am doing now.
I was at the movie theatre with a friend and the choice was between 10 Things I Hate About You and Pushing Tin. Sadly, Pushing Tin, for whatever reason, was chosen. So, I left the theatre disappointed in choosing Pushing Tin and, now, for missing out watching 10 Things I Hate About You in the theatre. The movie was a DVD purchase and it has become one of my favorite comedies we own.
To begin, I'll start with opposition (already, I know, so soon) I think 10 Things I Hate About You appeals less to what might be labeled as an artistic community and more to an audience that could possibly care less about Shakespeare. I believe that, perhaps, part of the reason Pushing Tin was chosen over '10 Things' was, due to the fact, I thought it would likely be another brainless comedy about high school kids exchanging ridiculous dialouge with a prom finale. Now, this is a comedy, it is about high school kids, the high school kids exchange dialouge, and there is a prom scene. The difference is that is isn't brainless or ridculous and, even if I had no idea this was a modern version of Taming of the Shrew, I would be impressed. Still, this stated, '10 Things' certainly does make Shakespeare accessible to any audience.
Opposition aside, some of you are probably thinking that a review of a movie that's ten years old is a bit odd, but to watch it again reminds me of how timeless a movie like this - not to mention The Bard - really is. As we watched it today, I was genuinely thoughtful, funny and full of heart - even if the occasional sex joke about black underwear is dropped in there - then again - didn't Shakespeare even dabble in that type of humor? Maybe we should talk plot a little.
Cameron is new to town and immediately burns, pines and perishes for Bianca Stratford (nevermind that Tommy wanted to get with Alissa in 3rd Rock). However, everyone knows that Bianca's father won't let her date. Joey should know - he's been trying to get with the younger Stratford girl the entire year. The rules change overnight though when Kat and Bianca's father gives Bianca permission to date when Kat dates - which is very unlikely. Enter Heath Ledger wearing a Patrick Verona costume, and hijinks ensue.
Admittedly, I was thinking the same thing - Who wants to read about a movie that is ten years old? Also, for this reason, we can skip around and write about various aspects of the film rather than write about it in any sort of sequence as many others have already seen this. Also, it gives me an opportunity to gush about it, even a little, I'll take it.
I admire the story unfolding at Padua High, as it does, with introductions to each main character and a few of the high school staff (a highlight being Allison Janney as Principal Perky who could really care less about disciplining students and cares more about the awkwardly inappropriate erotic novel she works on in between student visits to her office.) Something that draws me to this movie, is certainly, the cast and the quirky characters each actor is able to pull off with ease. Julia Stiles, as Katerina Stratford who I identify with the most. Somewhat sadly, because I was somewhat like Kat in high school (minus being ultra-rude to anyone and everyone that crossed my path.) Another favorite is Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona. His character's image is one which is meant to provoke fear as, one would think, he was used to rejection. Maybe, for this reason, he is the best candidate to attempt to break through Kat's hardened shell.
The thing about 10 Things I Hate About You is that it's like trying to define the difference between "like" and "love." I mean I like modern takes on the teen movie - such as Superbad, Juno and various others - but I love 10 Things I Hate About You. Beyond the fact that this English degree holding critic can proudly cite this to be a remake of a Shakespearian work - it's just fun as hell. I kept thinking throughout the course of the movie about Heath Ledger and how he's no longer with us. It saddened me - once again - as even early in his career we saw that he had that thing. Call it "It!" Call it what you want, but one thing is certain. Ledger had talent and knew how to elevate a work which he was involved. With the wrong Patrick Verona, this movie could have been a wreck. To play the guy perceived as a badass hood but who really has a heart of gold is a difficult line to walk. Most of the time, when I see someone like Ledger in a movie like this - I'll refer to him as "The 10 Things I Hate About You guy" - not with Ledger though. Right away, his name stuck. So, you must be asking what it is that I thought this movie? He said, "It's a buyer." I bought this one for a reason - it's fun, thoughtful and worth multiple watches. Heath Ledger looks so young in this, but if you watch closely, you'll see the budding talent of an actor who's been working on his craft for decades. It's too bad that we only had him for one.
Now this, I agree with, in that, Heath Ledger is the right Patrick Verona. I also agree that he makes this work. It is also very fun. This is one of the reasons I could watch '10 Things' over and over again to the point of line memorization. I just like it. It is fun, lightweight, somewhat dreamy, and transporting to an overprivledged world that I can't compare with anything I've experienced but, at the same time, would have liked to all the same. I am able to suspend my imagination enough to allow the lead singer from Letters to Cleo show up at the prom and walk off-stage to sing directly to Kat and Patrick because the tone is so fun and the context makes everything that happens, make sense. This is one of my favorite comedies because I continue to laugh upon multiple viewings and continue to recommend it to others...as I am doing now.
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