SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

weingartena-819-142661 I am not reading any of the reviews (yet) until I compose this one. This is a teen movie, for sure, but I have been waiting to catch this one for a while, and finally caught it on TV here in Sydney. As far as teen flicks go - I liked it (otherwise I would not mention it): almost no inter-teen cruelty, no gratuitous nudity (almost), just - a kind treatment of the characters involved.

Amy Adler Stacy (Jennifer Jason Leigh) has a typical teen life in California. At fifteen, she works in a pizza parlor after school and longs to have her first true romantic encounter. That's right, she's never gone "all the way". Her older brother Brad (Judge Reinhold) also works hard at his job at Burger World and has been dating a fellow student for two years. Meanwhile, surfer-student Jeff Spicolli (Sean Penn) would far rather be smoking weed or riding the waves but his parents say he must attend school his senior year. What a shock when he gets put in a history class run by the no-nonsense Mr. Hand (Ray Walston). From his first late arrival, Spicolli rubs Mr. Hand the wrong way. A year long battle ensues. Unhappily, Stacy DOES become sexually active with the wrong guys. The first, a twenty-something, doesn't have any guilt about being with a gal so young and the second partner is also an out-for- himself dirtbag. Will she ever find someone who loves her? This classic coming of age film has its funny moments. Penn is a total laugh generator and many of the teens have such awkward moments they are comedic. Forest Whitaker likewise delivers many smiles for his annihilation of the opposing football team after his car is wrecked by others. But, there are also many serious scenes and situations which make the movie a good bet for teens who need reassurance that they are not alone with problems. Leigh is terrific and all of the other young actors are, too. The sets, costumes, script, and lively direction enhance the flick as does the wonderful soundtrack. If you somehow missed this movie, as I did, make a fast track to get your hands on it soon.

Davis P Fast times at Ridgemont High (1982) is considered by many to be an 80s classic. Is it worth such a prestigious title? In some ways yes I can see why it's loved by many, but I do have some objections to the film. First of all, I don't care for the use of the derogatory term f*g, which is used by Sean Penn's character Spicoli. Maybe that was consisted alright back then but it's not okay with me. And I could've done without the photos of naked girls EVERYWHERE in Spicoli's bedroom lol. The casting is good for the most part. I really loved Jennifer Jason Leigh in this movie, she was my favorite part actually. She goes through a growing up phase and a learning experience if you will. She has to learn throughout time in the movie that men should look for more in her than simply the potential to have sex. Not that that's wrong or that you shouldn't have some fun with it when you're young, but she has a couple of pretty bad flings and one ends up causing her some pretty bad pain. And that pain is only made worse when the guy she screwed with did something even worse to her, for which he's never really held accountable, would've liked more resolution there. Sean Penn plays a surfer dude who is literally high all the time and his vocabulary is limited to dude and man, didn't really think his character was funny or amusing, a little annoying actually. The rest of the cast does an alright job. The comedy is kind of sketchy, I didn't really laugh much. The thing I liked was Leigh's journey in the movie and seeing her storyline unfold. In my opinion there are much better 80s movies to be seen other than this one. 6/10.

JohnHowardReid The 2009 re-issue version contains a number of scenes that were not present in the original release. You would think there would be nothing new to say about high school high-jinks, American style, but Cameron Crowe did come up with a few fresh ideas in his novel which he has now skillfully transferred to the big screen. The movie is also indebted to a very, very capable cast, including Jennifer Jason Leigh, a talented young lady who is utterly convincing in a very difficult role. True, some of the other players are equally charismatic, particularly Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Brian Becker, Robert Romanos and of course, Ray Walston as the sarcastic history teacher. Oddly, Sean Penn, who receives first billing, is not part of the main group but has a subsidiary role as a stoned surfie. All the fast-food scenes are very, very funny. I wasn't overfond of director Amy Heckerling's choice of camera angles. She seemed to be aiming for a quick sell-off to TV. True, she makes effective use of actual locations, but is inclined to use far, far too many close-ups. Oddly, the processing of the re- issue prints is far superior to the originals which were rather grainy and rough- and-ready looking.