July 2000:

Every month a new video pick is reviewed.

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This month's review by YMS Staffer: Brad

American Pie (1999) reviewed by Brad

I liked this film when I saw it in theaters, and liked it a lot too on video. But if you're offended by sexual situations and potty humor then you better not rent this film.

I guess you could call it the 90's version of Porky's, which seems really dumb by comparison. The story is about 4 high school seniors who want to lose their virginity before prom night.

It's pretty funny and shows in a pretty overblown way the desperate measures desperately horny teens will take in pursuit of sex. Yeah, it's probably every parents' nightmare, but I think adults find the fun in it too. Because it's all done in a pretty lighthearted way, and you can laugh at the guys instead of being grossed out by them and the lengths they go through to get laid.

It pokes fun at all kinds of things in a very un-PC way. This is also not a feminist perspective. And it paints those seemingly secure jocks as first class idiots. I like being able to laugh at how outrageous the whole thing is, at how nothing is sacred and everything is open to being made fun of. Call it Something About Mary for teens.

Standouts in the film are Jason Biggs, who, I'm sure by now everyone has heard, is the guy with the pie thing; hunky Chris Klein plays Oz who joins the singing group because he's heard "jazz girls are hot; Sean William Scott plays Stifler, who's been there and done that; and Thomas Ian Nicholas plays Kevin, the guy with the sex manual he inheirited from his brother. The guys come off better than the girls, but Alyson Hannigan, Shannon Elizabeth and Mena Suvari are standouts. The whole cast is pretty and likable and the film moves along.

It's more mature and modern than Porkys and that's good. I guess the world has grown up a little since then.

Four stars. See it!