American Pie's Recent Activity - Spout

Film:American Pie

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:47:20 GMT

Title: American Pie
Year: 2001
Director: Paul Weitz
Plot: It's said that most American men think about sex once every two or three minutes, but this statistic would seriously underestimate the horniness of Jim (Jason Biggs), a high school senior in suburban Michigan. Jim is thoroughly obsessed with sex, a fact of which his parents become aware when they discover him performing the sin of Onan with a gym sock while watching scrambled pay-per-view porn. Jim's buddies Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas), and Oz (Chris Klein) are no less anxious to relieve themselves of their virginity, so they all make a pledge: they will go to bed with a woman in the three weeks before senior prom or die trying. Kevin appears to have the advantage, since he already has a girlfriend, Vicky (Tara Reid), but before he ventures into the Final Frontier, Kevin is urged to consult "The Bible," a hand-written how-to manual possessing erotic wisdom passed down through the ages. Oz is a good-looking jock who is actually a nice guy -- which is part of the problem, since he has his heart set on a nice girl, Heather (Mena Suvari), who does not seem the type to leap into bed within 21 days. Finch has no immediate prospects, though Jessica (Natasha Lyonne) is in a position to know if those rumors about him are true. And Jim is a truly hopeless case -- after his attempted seduction of beautiful Czech exchange student Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth) turns out to be a disaster, he ends up going to the prom with Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), an annoyingly chatty band geek who does, however, have a fascinating story about a flute. American Pie was the directorial debut of Paul Weitz, who, along with his brother Chris Weitz (who served as producer), previously wrote several screenplays, including Antz and Madeline (where they presumably worked all their wholesome ideas out of their system). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 136
Number of Lists: 63
Number of blog posts: 7
Number of discussion threads: 7
SpoutRating: 3

Spout Post: Actually funny and Heartwarming

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 07:11:23 GMT

Post By: edwa8698
Post To: edwa8698 Blog
Post Date: 11/1/2008 3:11:23 AM
Body: American Pie launched the new generation of teen sex comedies. The only differences between American Pie and oh lets say National Lampoon's Animal House is the time they are set in ( oh yeah and that the cast actually look like they could be in high school). The comedy in this film is actually just part of a bigger story and the one reason it works is because the audience likes and can identify with the characters. Jason Biggs plays Jim a goofy but likable high school senior that makes a pact with his three friends (played by Thomas Ian Nicholas, Eddie Kaye Thomas, and Chris Klein) to loose their virginity by graduation. The film then makes it clear that our heroes are only going to sucseed is if their female friends let them. All of the women in this film instead of being portrayed as mere sex objects (like in the film mentioned above) are actually portrayed as being smart and very comfortable with their sexuality. All in all I would recommend that anyone between the ages of 17 to 25 see this film.

Spout Post: Re: The Brat Pack

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:44:30 GMT

Post By: filmgal81
Post To: Forever Young
Post Date: 9/30/2008 1:44:30 PM
Body: I think the reason for this swing can also be tied into the Christmas movies of the 80s discussion. In general, by the time the hard -hitting 90s roll around, people are no longer interested in a certain amount of innocent introspection. People want it in their face, and the 90s was about an edgy, no holds barred, look at life. The people were "prettier" the bodies more sculpted and the stories more unbashedly sexual. Not that 80s teens were asexual, but overall there was a more realistic quality to it all that was lost by the time the 90s began. Instead of the actors behaving like teens, clumsy, self-conscious and Insecure ( to varying degress), they acted more like the 20 -somethings that were playing them. In fact i'll go as far to say that the " new" movie teens act more like the adults that 80s teens they knew that they weren't. You don't see as much of that struggle between adulthood and teendom as you did in earlier teen movies. We no longer see the evolution into adulthood- teens who are starting to form their own ideas, but did not have the world figured out yet and had some idea when they were in over their heads. Although I appluaded the overly verbal dialogue of shows like Dawson' s Creek initially, I believe that it started a potentially dangerous trend. It was a brillant move, treating the teens like the almost -adults they were, but now writers tend to tie that hyper-articulation in with more adult situations- things that, despite their perfect -score-on-their- SAT- vocabulary, would still be over their heads. But instead, their more detailed navel gazing is treated as if it is synonymous with worldiness or wisdom. Even if you can argue that they are more aware of the world than they used to be, perhaps they have to be being a generation that has never known a world without AIDS ( among many other things), but does that make them any less susceptibel to the pitfalls of teen thinking? I doubt it. And with while teens on screens big & small participate in the "I'm an Adult Now" race, children younger and younger are being exposed to situations that they are not ready for (but they don't even know it ). Ex: An 11-year-old should not own a thong. I say, that if kids want to be grown-ups and we are fine with stunting their natural evolution from childhood to adulthood perhaps we should revoke child labor laws as well. Let the 11-year old thong wearers get jobs like the rest of us. ( OF COURSE i am not serious, but my extreme point as been made) [quote user="seely"] I <3 Molly Ringwald. That being said, I'm probably one of the few guys who will shamelessly declare his love for any Brat Pack/John Hughes film. I loved Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and all of those wonderful films. I really don't think there is as realistic a portrayal of teen life today... its gone from genuine struggle, sexual curiosity/frustration and angst to sexual conquest and slapstick comedy (see: 'American Pie'). I

Spout Post: Re: The Brat Pack

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:40:21 GMT

Post By: seely
Post To: Forever Young
Post Date: 9/29/2008 11:40:21 AM
Body: I <3 Molly Ringwald. That being said, I'm probably one of the few guys who will shamelessly declare his love for any Brat Pack/John Hughes film. I loved Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and all of those wonderful films. I really don't think there is as realistic a portrayal of teen life today... its gone from genuine struggle, sexual curiosity/frustration and angst to sexual conquest and slapstick comedy (see: 'American Pie'). I also would argue you don't see as diverse a cast in the majority of teen films today. Though Hughes relied heavily on archetypes/stereotypes in most of his films, he at least had a somewhat diverse cast of characters who represented different segements of the youth population and didn't all fit into that preppy/pretty-boy category. For every character, there was always an antognist. I never found myself relating much to American Pie, though it was entertaining, while I find myself indentifying a lot more with Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club. Maybe it just gave this geek a little hope. [quote user="filmgal81"] I whole heartedly agree. All that girls have to idolize now are lolipop shaped, cookie cutter actresses who are playing the " Light as a Feather" game. It is very sad that 1) this is what we label as perfection these days and 2) no one thinks to question anything regarding this extreme swing of the pendulum out side of "um...perhaps they are too thin? maybe?" I wrote a piece about it on my blog entitled " Honey, Your Puritain Roots Are Showing" http://retrocurves.tumblr.com/ check it out. [quote user="i-heart-art"]If you've got a spare moment, feel free to read my blog about The Breakfast Club. In it, I declare it as my favorite in what I have dubbed "The Holy Trinity of Ringwald" (Sixteeen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink). I'm pretty sure that young girls today don't have any wholesome [yet quirky] idols like Molly Ringwald was for us back then and it's truly sad...[/quote] [/quote]

Spout Post: Superbad (2007)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:31:28 GMT

Post By: aidanbrack
Post To: The Bigger Picture
Post Date: 8/20/2008 12:31:28 PM
Body: Superbad is a movie that has a great trick up its sleeve. In its opening thirty minutes the film appears to be an American Pie-style comedy about three high school boys who want to attend a party in order to get laid, yet by the end it has evolved into an examination of friendship and a moment of change in young people’s lives. Evan and Seth (named after the film’s two writers) are social outcasts. Awkward and geeky, they never receive invitations to high school parties and lust after two girls from their school. When Seth’s crush, Jules, invites him to a party and asks him to pick up liquor he leaps at the opportunity, seeing a chance to get her into bed and make her his girlfriend until college starts. Meanwhile Evan tells Becca that he will be at the party and promises to pick up a bottle of vodka for her on the way. Unfortunately for Seth and Evan, their plan hinges upon another lad who is picking up a fake ID. Fogel is beyond awkward and is a rail-thin geek who the boys are vaguely embarrassed to be friends with. He is also a little dim, as is revealed when he produces his fake ID in one of the film’s funniest scenes. What ought to be a simple task goes badly wrong when Fogel goes into the liquor store and events spiral quickly further and further out of control. At this point the narrative splits in two, separating Evan and Seth from Fogel, who have their own adventure. Superbad’s strength is in its power of observation. I remember my own high school days and college days and instantly recognized each of the characters from my own circle of friends. Of the three I would like to think I was Evan but that is for others to judge. Much of the humor comes out of the way the boys talk to each other. The writers capture perfectly the casual use of obscenity and the obsession with all things sexual that makes up the character of teenaged boys. The dialogue is incredibly blue and laced with teenaged misogyny. I found it amusing for the most part although it does push the boundaries a little hard for my liking on occasion. It is quite possible that some may find the male characters’ attitudes toward women to be tasteless or offensive. For instance, a sequence involving menstruation is puerile and an indulgent low-point of the film. Overlooking that moment however, I found this film funny and perversely charming. Its leads are fun with Michael Cera, who was recently in Juno, proving a particular delight as the shy and awkward Evan, whilst the script rarely lets up on laughs. I began this review by saying that the film’s opening led me to expect American Pie. By its end it has developed into Withnail & I, showing us the end of an era and the breaking apart of a significant friendship. I cannot unconditionally recommend Superbad – its style of dry, blue humor will certainly not appeal to everyone – but the surprise it pulls through this shift of theme was significant for me and left me pondering my own teenaged friendships that disintegrated as I grew older.

Spout Post: 10 Movies Sold on a Sex Scene

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:02:21 GMT

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/14/2008 5:02:21 PM
Body: There apparently are other reasons to see Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona besides the infamous lesbian kiss between Scarlett Johansson and Penélope Cruz or the threesome between these actresses and Javier Bardem. But as the first things most of us heard about the movie, the sex scenes are certainly a big sell (the ménage à trois is even being used in a promotional contest to win a “threesome” with ScarJo). Even if they’re reportedly underwhelming. Promise of tantalizing footage has been an appeal for moviegoers likely since the dawn of cinema, with film pioneer Eadweard Muybridge’s The Human Figure in Motion - Descending Stairs and Turning Around featuring nudity as far back as the 1880s. And if you’ve seen any of the titles included in today’s list, chances are their respective sex scenes were at least part of what made you buy a ticket (or rent the video). The Brown Bunny (2003) - As if this was the first feature film to show an actual blowjob. Yet the promise of seeing starlet Chloë Sevigny with a mouthful of Vincent Gallo was a huge tool in the marketing of this otherwise artfully shot but depressing movie, an ultimately disappointing follow up to Gallo’s highly enjoyable debut, Buffalo ‘66. Though the trailer above is quite tasteful, American ads for the film exploiting the fellatio sequence include a questionable billboard in Los Angeles and a theatrical spot that simply labeled it “the most controversial American film ever made” and spotlighted that it is for adults only. Too bad it was made in the era of internet porn and so wasn’t nearly as profitable as the blowjob blockbuster Deep Throat. 9 ½ Weeks (1986) - Here is the first of many films on this list that I haven’t actually seen. I guess sex just doesn’t sell me on a film like it does other people. Having such a detachment, though, makes it clearer for me to see how effective most of these sex scenes were, since I have no idea what this movie is about, yet I am sufficiently familiar with the scene involving ice cubes — though I think I’ve really only seen as much as is shown in the trailer above (the fuller, better quality version can be see here), as well as the parody in Hot Shots! I was only 8½ when 9 ½ Weeks came out, and I remember then hearing about the allure of the sex scenes. 22 years later, I still haven’t heard of any other reason to see it. Wild Things (1998) - A decade before ScarJo and PenCruz locked lips for Vicky Cristina Barcelona, this movie was sold on the prospect of seeing lesbian action between Denise Richards and Neve Campbell, who also participate in a threesome with Matt Dillon. Again, the trailer above doesn’t do a good job of exploiting the sex scenes, but fortunately word got out about them and the movie became fairly successful. Similar movies that likely attracted some audiences due solely to the inclusion of lesbian scenes include Bound, Mulholland Dr. and, forty years ago, The Killing of Sister George. Traffic in Souls (1913) - Going back almost a century, this film was one of the first features to be sold for its “sex scenes”, according to the comprehensive (53 page) “Sex in Cinema” guide at FilmSite.org. Historically, it was the first American feature-length sex film, the most expensive production of its time, the greatest moneymaker of its time and, well, there might never have been a Universal Pictures without its being a success for Carl Laemmle and his Independent Motion Picture Company. For those of you disappointed that the film lacks actual nudity, check out this clip from Lois Weber’s 1915 feature Hypocrites, which does contain a completely naked woman prancing around a forest and therefore had a very controversial release. Monika: Story of a Bad Girl (1953)- Kroger Babb, which also had one of the highest grossing films of the ’40s (Mom and Dad) thanks to promises like “EVERYTHING SHOWN!”, distributed this American version of Ingmar Bergman’s Summer with Monika, which was cut down, dubbed and re-scored and marketed solely on the appeal of its nudity and single love scene. American Pie - It may not be a sexy sex scene, but there’s no denying that the love act shared by Jason Biggs and a pie was a draw for audiences hungry for gross out humor. Never mind the scene’s inclusion in the trailer or the poster with the poked-in pie featured prominently, the title alone alludes to the act. Emmanuelle (1974) - I grew up always thinking that the Emmanuelle series of films were simply famous pornos, like Deep Throat or the Debbie Does …. franchise. But that’s probably because it has spawned so many ripoffs and has become synonymous with erotic films. Plus, in my lifetime, softcore movies have been more associated with late night Cinemax (or Skinamax) and straight-to-video titles. I would have never guessed that this was one of France’s highest grossing films of all time nor that film critics such as Roger Ebert paid it attention let alone gave it a good review. But at its time, it must have been very appealing to have so much nudity and so many sex scenes without displaying hardcore penetration. Or, as Ebert wrote: “It’s a relief to see a movie that drops the gynecology and returns to a certain amount of sexy sophistication.” Caligula - Of course, there was also this big-budget, mainstream Hollywood production, to which Ebert gave zero stars and admitted walking out of. He even included a quote from a fellow moviegoer: “‘This movie,’ said the lady in front of me at the drinking fountain, ‘is the worst piece of shit I have ever seen.’” Produced by Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione and starring highly respectable British actors such as John Gielgud, Peter O’Toole and Helen Mirren, the epic period piece was certainly expected to cash in on the popularity of erotic films in the ’70s. Ebert, one more time: “I assume that the crowds lining up for admission to the Davis Theater were hoping for some sort of erotic experience; I doubt that they were spending $15 a couple for a lesson on the ancient history of Rome.” The Crying Game - Possibly the only movie marketed for a sex scene that wasn’t marketed for being a sex scene. Instead, the shocking moment when a seemingly heterosexual love scene is revealed to in fact be a homosexual love scene was famously employed in marketing the secret plot twist that comes with it. Lust, Caution - It’s possible that selling the explicit (and allegedly real) sex scenes in this Ang Lee film hurt it, because the well-publicized embrace of its NC-17 rating made the film seem like these scenes were the main reason to go see it. Never mind the awards the film received or the fair amount of positive reviews. Looking at its dismal $4.6 million U.S. gross, it’s apparent that sex is not as big a sell as it once was. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog

Spout Post: Week 30.

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:08:45 GMT

Post By: CaptainRyannn
Post To: CaptainRyannn Blog
Post Date: 8/11/2008 9:08:45 PM
Body: Titles in bold represent a first time viewing. 346. Magnolia (Anderson, 1999)----------I thought that this was a pretty great collage-type film with the likeness of a more familiar title, Crash. Aside from Julianne Moore's performance, one of the few things I didn't like was the fact that the characters didn't connect with each other other than the bizarre finale at the end of the film. (7.5 / 10) 347. Stuck (Gordon, 2007)----------Based on a true story, stuck follows a wannabe-ghetto woman (Mena Suvari) after she hits a homeless man and drives him into her garage. The acting was terrible, the premise was good though. Towards the end, it began to pick up in terms of entertainment. (6 / 10) 348. Equilibrium (Wimmer, 2002)----------Christian Bale? Sweet. Reviews relating it to The Matrix? Awesome. This is why I initially checked out Equilibrium. The action was pretty sweet but every few minutes, I couldn't help but see a blatant plot-hole. Also, can someone answer me why do the people have dust fly out of them when they get shot? (7 / 10) 349. The New World (Malick, 2005)----------It seems that whenever Malick puts out a new movie, I become less and less interested. To me, Badlands was his best and his vast collection of movies since then have just seemed to have gone downhill. I appreciated the beautiful cinematography and music along with the great acting. But the pacing was just a little too slow for me. (7 / 10) 350. The Terminator (Cameron, 1984)----------It's funny to think that The Terminator, one of the most masculine movies of all time, came from the same guy who made Titanic, one of the most popular love stories of all time. I basically watched this for mere entertainment and it satisfied that. (7 / 10) 351. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Cameron, 1991)----------Again, I just watched this purely for entertainment. I think it did a better job at doing that than the first one. The best thing about watching these movies is just pausing it at certain testosterone-filled moments and thinking, This is the governor of California. (7.5 / 10) 352. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (Mostow, 2003)----------This got quite a bit of negative reviews. I wouldn't say that it was especially bad, but rather on par with the first one. The best part was how they ended it. It got me excited for Terminator Salvation. (7 / 10) 353. A Home at the End of the World (Mayer, 2004)----------Although the subject matter may not be something many of us can relate to, the themes definitely are. The overall mood and and portrayals of friendship and love make this worth watching alone. (7 / 10) 354. Undertow (Green, 2004)----------When I first watched this, it was decent. Once I delved into some reviews and analysis' I watched it again and fell in love with it. The story follows two brothers who live with their dad out in the southern forests. Their mysterious uncle comes around and suddenly a game of cat-and-mouse begins. The tone of the film stays consistent and I think that that is it's strongest point along with great performances by Jamie Bell and Josh Lucas. (8 / 10) 355. Antikörper / Antibodies (Alvart, 2005)----------Antibodies is a film that follows closely in the footsteps of The Silence of the Lambs. Our protagonist is a village cop and the antagonist is a serial killer whose finally been caught. The cinematography was good and the acting was average. The basic story-line is something that's been done plenty of times before but the sheer intensity that this takes it to puts Antibodies a little bit above the rest. (7.5 / 10) 356. Cidade de Deus / City of God (Meirelles, 2002)----------I've seen City of God countless times as it is my favorite film along with Once Upon a Time in America. It takes us through two decades in the lives of a handful of children / teenagers in the slums of Rio de Janerio. Most grow up to be hoods and murder and robbery isn't something uncommon in their lives. Our protagonist, Rocket, is an aspiring photographer and just so happens to be there as all of the violence breaks out. If you're okay with subtitles, be sure to check this one out. (10 / 10) 357. Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (Hurwitz, 2008)----------The whole 'Escape' part only really lasts about five minutes. The rest of the film is basically slapstick comedy executed in an non-comedic way. (5 / 10) 358. Shotgun Stories (Nichols, 2007)----------I have been looking forward to seeing this one for quite some time. After falling in love with the trailer, I had to see it. There are two sets of step-brothers. Their father just died. One set knew him as a loving man and the other knew him as a violent, neglecting one. A feud erupts between them and their egos don't allow themselves to stop until irreversible damage has been caused. This movie had some of the most real characters I've ever seen portrayed and it was as if I were watching this unfold in real life. (8.5 / 10) 359. My Bodyguard (Bill, 1980)-----------I rented this based off of Roger Ebert's shining review but found it to be just average in comparison to other tough-time-in-high-school films. The main kid is a rich boy who starts going to a public school. The bullys don't like this and pick on him. After getting pushed around he gets the tough-guy bodyguard and they become friends, but not after finding out a few secrets about each other. (6 / 10) 360. Kicking and Screaming (Baumbach, 1995)----------Unlike the 2005 comedy, this one is actually good. But it's not about a children's soccer team, but rather a group of friend who have just graduated from college and don't know what to do next. This has some of the most subtly humorous dialogue I've ever experienced and I couldn't help but laugh virtually the entire way through. The plot really isn't there, there's no character development or twists. This movie basically stands up on the dialogue and it's characters. The friendship that exists reminds me slightly of that of the American Pie trilogy. Great movie. Worthy of its Criterion stamp. (8 / 10) 361. Schizopolis (Soderbergh, 1996)----------What did I just watch? (?? / 10) 362. Children of Men (Cuarón, 2006)----------Featuring probably some of the best camera work and choreography in film in recent years, Children of Men was superb. To be able to shoot such busy scenes all in one shot takes a certain amount of skill. Watching the special features and commentary definitely gave me an idea of how much work went into this. Children of Men takes place about twenty years in the future where women are infertile and no one knows why. Immigrants are killed and the world is in chaos. An immigrant is found bearing a child and Theo (Clive Own) is in charge of getting her to safety. (8 / 10) 363. The Chumscrubber (Posin, 2005)----------Set in a 'Desperate Housewives' kind of neighborhood, shy-boy Dean, through a series of events, is in charge of getting drugs for the popular kids. With an all-star cast, The Chumscrubber is entertaining, dark, and comedic all at the same time. (7.5 / 10)

Spout Post: Re:Weekly Theme for August 4: Let's Talk About Sex!

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:10:38 GMT

Post By: Smooth_J
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 8/5/2008 9:10:38 PM
Body: If you're looking for more sadomasochistic sex, I really dug Videodrome and it's whip cracking protagonist Max Renn, who pierces his woman's ear to get her and him off and is completely turned on by whipping a television set with the image of said woman on it. There's some pretty sick sexual stuff in there. Blue Velvet also explores these realms, but it's not so central to the story and more of an asset to it. My favorite line that demonstrates this is probably "Baby wants to (bleep)! Baby wants to (bleep) Blue Velvet!" I mean, American Pie is pretty much a given, as is every other turn of the millenium high-school to college sex comedy spinoff that came after it. 40 Year Old Virgin could pretty much be classified as mostly about sex, considering the general plot line. There's so many others that are slipping my mind right now--I thorougly enjoyed Cronenberg's scenes in A History of Violence, how the one is so innocent and childish and the later one is so abusive and dominating. Cronenberg seems like the kinda' guy that really does highlight all of the f*ck scenes. (Trademark Slap Shot)

Spout Post: Weekly Theme for August 4: Let's Talk About Sex!

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:02:41 GMT

Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 8/5/2008 6:02:41 PM
Body: Without going into the pornographic, let's get down and dirty and discuss all those films that explore what goes on behind closed doors. I will admit that I do like American Pie and it's gross out portrayal of a group of high schoolers making a pact to lose their virginity before they graduate high school. Equally, I'm willing to also admit that I found myself liking The Sweetest Thing and it's portrayal of sexually liberated (without any negative connotations) woman being stupid and having fun with their sexual experiences. Venturing to the more dismal views of sex, The Rules of Attraction will make any incoming college freshman fear leaving the comfort of their parents homes and begin seeing nothing but rapists, STD's and psychopaths around every turn. Y Tu Mamá También is incredible with it's twisted threesome road trip sexual free-for-all. Catherine Breillat has made countless interesting films about women and sex: Fat Girl being a pubescent girl becoming curious about her body and sex; Anatomy of Hell about an older woman tired of the typical and her journey into some pretty insane depths of sexual experience. Lastly, my favorite two films with S-E-X as the primary theme are Shortbus and A Dirty Shame. Warning for those that might be tempted to see Shortbus: it is extremely graphic. EXTREMELY. From John Cameron Mitchell, Shortbus is one of the few movies about sex that keeps nothing hidden (literally) and attempts to deconstruct various aspects of the act and what compels us in our various ways. A Dirty Shame is just stupid fun from that master of stupid fun John Waters and centers around a group of sexual liberated fetishists trying to uncover a new unheard of sex act. So without further ado and double entendres, let's talk about sex!

Spout Post: 10 Best Masturbation Scenes

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:01:40 GMT

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/1/2008 2:01:40 PM
Body: Andrew Sarris may be one of the most influential American film critics, but here’s a claim, located within his recent review of In Search of a Midnight Kiss, that may not hold up to some of his better-remembered theories: “Even when we confront 40-year-old virgins of either gender, movies refuse to show them compensating for the lack of a sexual partner. There is lasting shame involved in this spectacle.” Not to ever, ever profess superiority over Sarris, but I’ve nonetheless compiled today’s list as a way of proving the man wrong. There are actually tons and tons of masturbation scenes found in non-porn movies, from the low brow to the high brow, from as indirect as the boy wizard playing with his wand under the covers in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to as direct as the non-simulated masturbation in Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs and John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus (which would probably feature my #1 pick, from the sound of it, if I ever bothered to see it). The following 10 films are some of the most memorable masturbation scenes, excluding any movies that might be considered examples of, in Sarris’ words, “the fringe exploitation genres” (I’ve even gone so far as to leave out mainstream horror like The Exorcist, considering it’s crucifix masturbation is far from the self-pleasuring moments Sarris is clearly interested in). Oh, and I’ve attempted to chart these films artistically from lowbrow to high. 10. Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Everybody remembers this scene because of the fantasy: Phoebe Cates emerges from a swimming pool in slow motion and removes her bikini top. And then Cates’ character walks in on the fantasizer, Judge Reinhold, for one of the most awkward moments in the history of awkward comedy. There’s been plenty of uncomfortable scenes of guys being caught in the act, including those moments in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Little Children and the most obvious masturbation movie, American Pie. 9. Léolo - Speaking of masturbating with food, not even pie-fucking beats the scene in this French-Canadian gem in which our young titular hero decides that his real father is a man who jerked off with a tomato, which later impregnated Léolo’s mother when she fell onto it. There are other less memorable masturbation scenes involving liver and chicken, too. Yum! 8. Spanking the Monkey - I always found the masturbation scenes in this movie so interesting because of how clean a “job” Ray Aibelli (Jeremy Davies) does with his personal business. I guess when you’re probably fantasizing about your mother, your mind is dirty enough, and so (seemingly) uncomfortably jacking off while sitting on a toilet is the best way to go. But couldn’t he just do it in the shower, like Kevin Spacey in American Beauty? I’m surprised that Sarris forgot about this one, since the title alone refers to the act. 7. The Squid and the Whale - If I have to select one movie involving a little kid masturbating (and writing this sentence has already got me feeling immensely ashamed), I pick this one over Todd Solondz’ Happiness (”I came!”), because while both scenes in question are quite disturbing, the one featuring the real-life son of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates jerking off in a library and then wiping his hands off on some books is at least a little amusing. A lot amusing if you take into account his mother’s appearance in movie #10 above. And if you need another little kid masturbating movie to choose from (I’m not judging), Babel has one too. 6. But I’m a Cheerleader - That Natasha Lyonne sure loves to masturbate! is a quick response to the realization that she pleasures herself in both this film and the earlier Slums of Beverly Hills. The reason that this movie is the more significant of the two is because the masturbation scene is very tastefully done, and yet in its original form, it controversially garnered the film an NC-17 rating, only because, as argued in the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated, it deals with both homosexual desire and female sexuality. The main evidence: American Pie was released in the same year with an R rating. 5. Mulholland Drive - A less beautiful yet no less exploitive depiction of female masturbation occurs in David Lynch’s enigmatic film. Despite the fact that guys tend to enjoy watching a girl pleasure herself, only the most sadistic of men could be turned on by Naomi Watts crying and painfully attempting to get off. 4. Bad Lieutenant - When I first heard about the scene in which Harvey Keitel’s corrupt cop masturbates in front of two teens in a car he pulls over, I thought it had to be the most debauched scene in film history. Of course, I was only 15 when it came out and wasn’t yet familiar with a lot of cinema. By the time I actually bothered to watch the scene many years later, it was less shocking than I expected. Still, as far as depraved things a character can do in a movie — at least in theory — it’s up there, and it’s certainly one of the first scenes that comes to mind when I think of movie masturbation. 3. Amarcord - Oh, right, here’s another movie with little kids masturbating. But it’s a Fellini movie, so obviously it’s incomparable to the three referenced earlier. Although an amusing scene, featuring a bunch of kids masturbating in unison in a car, it’s much less disturbing, as it simply displays the act as a part of growing up. 2. Being There - “I like to watch.” Hopefully you’ve seen this wonderful film, and that’s all I need to say. But just in case you’re not familiar, here’s the scene: Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine) attempts to seduce the rather simple Chauncey Gardner (Peter Sellers), who responds by saying, “I like to watch.” Of course, he means the television, but Eve takes the statement to mean he wants to watch her pleasure herself. And so she proceeds to humiliate herself on the floor while Chauncey hilariously takes enjoys an exercise show on the TV. 1. Adaptation - Really, the whole movie is one big masturbation scene. There is a literal masturbation scene, though, in which Charlie (Nicolas Cage) fantasizes about Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), and it’s pretty good on its own. But it takes the top spot for affirming that screenwriter Charlie Kauffman created the literary equivalent of beating off. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog

Spout Post: Election (1999) & The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:56:41 GMT

Post By: aidanbrack
Post To: The Bigger Picture
Post Date: 7/24/2008 2:56:41 PM
Body: This week has been hectic and so I have only had time so far to enjoy two movies. No matter, the week is still young. Election (1999) is an old favourite. Alexander Payne is one of my favourite film makers and whilst he is still honing his craft here, I adore his screenplay's use of tone and narrative voice. For those who haven't seen it - Election is told through a number of different narrators, all of whom have views of the events that unfold throughout the course of the picture. Characters conflict one another's accounts and are unreliable, yet that is part of the joy and we always come to see through their self-deceptions. It is the story of a girl who is the class priss. Who clearly thinks that she is streets ahead of her classmates and wants all of the attention. She is misguided, believing that success will beget friendship. It is her smarmy attitude that causes the vividly negative reaction that her history teacher, Jim McAllister (Broderick) develops to her. He wants her to fail. What I find fascinating about this movie is that the characters understand each other more than they understand themselves. Well, except the jock who is played to dim-witted but affable perfection by Chris Klein who is now better known for American Pie. The movie holds up to repeated viewing and as we are in election year seems particularly relevant. It is fast becoming a back catalogue favourite. The Darjeeling Limited is another story by a film-maker I adore. Wes Anderson directed another movie that I have watched many times over, The Royal Tenenbaums, so I was always going to be looking forward to a new movie from him. It was the cast that sealed it for me though - Jason Schwartzman always guarantees I will find something of interest in a movie. I love his awkward, thoughtful performances and even when I am not thrilled with the material he is given, stand up Marie Antoinette, I always find that I have enjoyed his performance and wished more screen time for him. Couple the Schwartz with Adrien Brody, another great actor, and it made for a winning formula. I love Anderson's directoral style. His meandering approach to showing a journey. His symbolism is sometimes obvious, such as at the ending of this movie, but he handles character so brilliantly that I can forgive him that. Here he creates a universe filled with oddballs and quirky characters. It was less funny than I expected but far more poignant. Particularly the scenes when they encounter the family trying to cross a river in the second half of the film. Although I suspect I will rewatch this movie less often than Tenenbaums I found it a superior work. The terrain is stunning (I wish I had seen it on the big screen), the sets intricate and the acting first rate. All in all I am glad that I finally managed to see it.

Spout Tag:funny

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:10:58 GMT

funny
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Spout Tag:comedy

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:38:30 GMT

comedy
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Spout Tag:romance

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:16:35 GMT

romance
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Spout Tag:sex

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:42:22 GMT

sex
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Spout Tag:teenagers

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:42:10 GMT

teenagers
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Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:00:50 GMT

adventure
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Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:28:46 GMT

sweet
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Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:23:33 GMT

highschool
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Spout Tag:comingofage

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:51:56 GMT

comingofage
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Spout Tag:Stupid

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:12:14 GMT

Stupid
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Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:00:49 GMT

obsession
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Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:22:58 GMT

favorite
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Spout Tag:Guilty-Pleasure

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:55:42 GMT

Guilty-Pleasure
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Spout Tag:life

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:43 GMT

life
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Spout Tag:party

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:17:56 GMT

party
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