Parker Posey

Spring Breakdown
$3.99
Just when I begin thinking that our society starts increasing its value on women, I'm proved wrong when I think more on it. The example that made me think of such things? Spring Breakdown. It's absolutely hilarious. But it has a 5.0 rating on imdb, and apparently is not well-received or liked. It's essentially the 7.0-rated Old School with a female cast instead of a male cast. I found it funnier than Old School, yet which one was a hit? Why was Spring Breakdown a flop? It already aired on Lifetime and it was released straight-to-DVD just a few months ago.

Spring Breakdown is a star-studded cast with some of the funniest ladies in comedy: the somewhat insane Amy Poehler, the goofy Rachel Dratch, the amazing Jane Lynch, and the queen of dry comedy Parker Posey. It's expected to be good. Add the astoundingly absurd Missy Pyle to the mix, and it's even better. Even though I find the cast attractive, they're not drop-dead gorgeous like other ladies of the film and television world (like Battlestar alum Tricia Helfer or Chuck sexy secret agent Yvonne Strahovski). If a college or high school experience movie has an all-male cast with bombshell women to attain as sexualized objects or flat characters, then it's a hit. Even with women. Come on, ladies. Start respecting yourselves! Support your fellow sex. Like Tina Fey says in Mean Girls: "You all have got to stop calling each other sluts and whores. It just makes it okay for guys to call you sluts and whores." (One of the very select few with a nearly all-female cast that was a success but still underrated.) If you respect yourselves, then men will respect you, and then better parts for women in movies and television. As of right now, the only strong women are in sci-fi and nerdy shows where the cast splits awesomeness. Sci-fi has always been ahead in social criticism, especially in feminism. Start picking up the pace, rest of artistic world!

Maybe in twenty years, the movie might be a hit. It's definitely for nerds too! It's all about being comfortable with yourself and/or your nerdity and how that can be cool too. It's not just for the lady viewers if you can open your mind. I'm a man, and I love it. The jokes are hilarious, and the talent is amazing. Sure it's corny, but it's a good time. The majority of comedies aren't going to win awards, and this one sure isn't. It may have flaws, but comedies are about making people laugh, not about stunning cinematography and beautiful dialogue and setting. Dratch has great facial expressions as always, Poehler has fantastic timing and improved lines, and Posey has great characterization. She can really get into a character in the slightest of ways.

The Music Teacher
$17.98

Tales of the City 1 [VHS]
$19.98
Ok.. one might believe that someone who loves this series must be gay, but that would just be ignorant! Actually, the beauty of these characters are found within all of us, that's why it's so great! I am (was) alot like the Paul Gross character and the cast of characters is so good that I think everyone finds themselves somewhere in here. And everyone gets along!! But ya, I also saw this on PBS when it came out, I remember channel searching one night (one boring night) and stumbled onto this thing and I was hooked! I had to watch it the next two nights and my new wife thought I was nuts! A few years later I again stumbled onto it, this time on Bravo and told my wife she had to check this out. Now she is hooked! Anyway.. straight, gay, reserved or whatever your thing is.. you will find it here and find relaxation that you may not have experienced watching anything else. This is special.

Clockwatchers
$12.95
The Bottom Line:

Clockwatchers is not a perfect film but it manages to do everything just a little bit better than you might expect (e.g. developing its characters, accurately depicting its middle class milieu, engaging the audience in its storyline, etc.) and I walked away reasonably pleased; it's not a classic by any means and it doesn't approach the subtle brilliance of Office Space but if you've ever worked as a temp or like the actresses involved, you shouldn't hesitate to give it a rent.

3/4