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Kicking and Screaming (1995)
Such a great movie
This came out on DVD finally as my college life was winding down, and I still love it. Having seen it many times, I have a Ferris Club theory about it, so indulge me if you're bored.
The film's main character is ostensibly Grover, but it all revolves around Otis. Portrayed as the most comic and least serious of the characters, he is in fact a graduate in Engineering and is kept in the group's orbit out of a fear of flying. While Grover struggles with Jane's departure and Max devolves to the point of dating a high school girl and going to the prom (while being portrayed as the actual brain of the group) it is Otis who doesn't change or advance, even though he has the best job prospects thanks to his degree.
Grover is infantalized by traits like wearing pajama tops as shirt and (huh?) eyeliner, but it's clear that he's the smartest among them. The only time his braininess is given short shrift is when he partakes in the book club with Chet but neglects to actually read the Cormac McCarthy novel agreed upon. Max mocks the book club, Grover ignores it and Skippy is the classic faux intellectual, but Chet's draw to Max and vice-versa indicates an attraction of the minds, one grounded by Chet's unapologetic love of being a student and Otis's fear of being anything else.
This isn't intended as revisionism, simply a different way to look at the film. If you view it through the eyes of Otis, you see that of the core group - Skippy, Max, Otis, Grover - Max and Grover are meant to be the smart ones, but it's Otis who's clearly the brain of the bunch, conflicted and confused by social interaction, basic fashion and a desire to fit in. When you see it through the eyes of Otis, you see how utterly normal and bland the other three are.
I love this movie.
Box Elder (2008)
Word
Seriously? This movie rocked. Hard. I saw it in Austin and felt like the boys from the cast had some real comedic talent. They portrayed "slacker-esque" to the max and line delivery was very smart. These guys have some real talent, it's hard to believe they are so young! I wish I could say I produced a movie like this as a twenty-something. I predict Box Elder will gain more exposure because I can see this movie being passed around and spread like wildfire between frat houses and college kids around the country. More than a coming of age story, it portrayed a group of dudes who are pretty confident in their lack of motivation and would rather involve themselves in shenanigans and frivolous fun than follow the rules and settle down. I also enjoyed the entire awkward "relationship" between the main female and the main guy. This is the reality of a college romance...that it's a pretty painful thing to experience but hilarity will definitely ensue. Grrrreat work.