Are we allowed to have nostalgic feelings for the ‘American Pie’ films yet?

After all, the original is only 12 years old, and not only did we get two theatrical sequels but a gaggle of straight-to-DVD ones we’re better off forgetting.

But here comes ‘American Reunion’ all the same.

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The new trailer for the April 2012 release hits on the expected plot points – Stifler’s mom, Jim’s Dad and, well, that’s mostly it. What’s shocking is how tame it all feels. Yes, you might get a little buzz from seeing the original cast members again – how did they land Tara Reid? – but for an envelope-shredding franchise the new films appears … safe.

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Don Mclean’s American Pie.

As you listen to and watch this rather miraculous musical achievement by the entire town of Grand Rapids, Michigan, ask yourself, “Is America dead yet?”

Well, this 2012 video assures History that this 1971 requiem for the meaning of Sixties America won’t be lost on future generations.

“Helter-skelter!”

Yup, the dark and the fading light of it.

“Satan laughing with delight the day the music died!”

“The Church bells all were broken!”

And the Holy Trinity?

They’ve left too.

Yet … just maybe … Grand Rapids will live … due to the glory of having made this video!

Please watch it full screen, if you can. The soul of Grand Rapids deserves to take our stages entirely for the length of this song.

Why?

Aside from Grand Rapids’ singular achievement, all of Michigan, Detroit particularly, seems to have been marked for some form of grave. (more…)

In his 1999 review of “American Pie,” film critic Roger Ebert wrote:

As I swim through the summer tide of vulgarity, I find that’s what I’m looking for: Movies that at least feel affection for their characters. Raunchy is OK. Cruel is not.

Unfortunately, the creators of the new teen comedy “The Virginity Hit” didn’t understand that concept when they created their own story about a nerd trying to lose his virginity. ”Hit” is an often cruel and humorless comedy that makes “American Pie” look like a classic.

Both “Pie” and “Hit” follow similar paths. Like “Pie,” “Hit” begins with a group of male teens eager to lose their virginity. After one of them succeeds, the friends all take a hit on a bong to celebrate (hence the title). Eventually the others lose their virginity and Matt is the only virgin left. But he has a plan with his long-term girlfriend. They’ve scheduled a special night together. Unfortunately, before that night arrives, Matt discovers she cheated on him and then has to choose whether or not he wants to sleep with her or break up.  (more…)

The History Channel is “making history” by airing “The People Speak,” a film based on the book by historian – and Marxist – Howard Zinn. More on Zinn in a minute.

A number of actors who wish to be more than just pretty faces are behind this effort, including Wallace Shawn (“Inconceivable!“), Colin Firth and Marisa Tomei, all who serve on “The People Speak’s” board of advisers. Those enlightened thespians who are more active in bringing this project to life are:

Howard Zinn, Josh Brolin, Chris Moore and Matt Damon

Matt Damon: Serving  as producer, Damon is no stranger to political theatrics. An extremely vocal critic of former President George W. Bush and the Iraq war, he said that it’s “not fair that we have a fighting class in our country that’s comprised of people who have to go for…financial reasons” and suggested that the Bush twins should be shipped off to war because their daddy started it. Should we bring back the draft? Then actors like Damon, with cushy jobs and big salaries, could help out the poor suckers who have no choice. He also “let out a cheer” when Kanye West claimed that George Bush hates black people.

He proudly declared his support for John Kerry in 2004, and his stature as an actor means he knows more about running the country than some chick who “was the mayor of a really, really small town” and was “governor of Alaska for less than two years.” Surely Damon knows more than Sarah Palin. After all, he dropped out of Harvard, but then played a closet genius in his first big film (co-written by Ben Affleck) “Good Will Hunting.” Surprise, his “Good Will Hunting” character was a fan of Zinn’s book. (more…)

Over the past few years, Judd Apatow has unfairly forced me into sounding like something of a prude. But Todd Phillips’ “The Hangover,” an absolutely fantastic R-rated raunch-fest, has just arrived just in time with the promise of redemption.

Raunchy comedies aren’t anything new; it’s just that Apatow (and his too-many imitators) are all about the raunch. You can feel the story gears turn to get to the raunch – to get to the “big” set-piece — you can feel the strain to fashion an iconic moment. Content has little to do with whether or not something’s funny. It’s all in the set up, and with the Apatow crowd you can see the wizard pull the strings. There’s practically a sign that reads, “Cool People Laugh Here.”

No matter how dirty or over-the-top the gag, if it evolves from believable characters and situations true to the world created by the filmmaker, you’re going to laugh. No matter how many times Eugene Levy catches Jason Biggs humping that pie, it’s a thing of comedic beauty because the set-up and the character reactions show full fidelity to what we know and what came before.

For this reason, “The Hangover” is easily the best and funniest comedy to spring from this genre in years. The three main characters are well defined, the story structure is seamless and the belly laughs just keep coming. Most important, unlike an Apatow-type film, you’re laughing too hard and enjoying yourself too much to be taken out of the story with a wince and an “Oh, gross…” (more…)

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Lou Lumenick says this might be THE comedy hit of the summer.

Nothing would be more welcome than an R-rated comedy in this genre that doesn’t resort to forgettable gross-out gags, scenes that never end and a mind-numbing runtime. And if it sounds like that’s picking on Judd Apatow … it is.  (more…)

Is there anything more abnormal than being a mid-teen virgin in the year 2009? Not if you’d hear Hollywood tell it.  After watching a slew of teen-movies this weekend, I feel quite pathetic. It seems that all this time, I’ve been trying to follow my convictions and make a difference in this world, when I really should have been spending my time scoring with chicks. Has anybody else out there come to this realization as of late?

In the same breath, ladies; You simply haven’t been empowering yourselves as young women unless you’ve been riding the old bone rollercoaster. Purity is for losers, don’t you know…

From TV shows aimed squarely at young dames such as “Gossip Girl” or “90210,” to hit teen films like “American Pie” or the recent “Adventureland,” the message in regards to sexuality is quite clear; If you’re still a virgin at 16, there must be something wrong with you. Sure, it would be bad enough that all of these programs are laden with super-model-turned actors having sex like banshees (the parents are never around, mind you), but Hollywood doesn’t stop there.  No, the good old folks in Tinseltown feel the need to twist the knife and go out of its way to point out the abnormality of abstinence. (more…)