School of Rock. I loved Every. Stinking. Second. Could not get enough.
Of COURSE the parents had to be present for the Battle of the Bands at the end ... but even though it was predictable, it was not predictably executed. Huge difference.
All the kids seemed like real kids, not cutesy little Hollywood ideas of kids, precocious, annoying, mini-adults. The kids killed me. All their little problems, worries, dreams.
Jack Black was totally that guy, that rock and roll guy we all know ... who knows every drum solo, every guitar solo, every back-up singer - on every album from 1968 to 1982. And who not only has this information in his head, but has theories about it. My brother is kind of like that.
I had to watch the big finale twice. Realizing, as the credits kept rolling: "Okay. That was so satisfying that I actually need to see that again. Right now."
Posted by sheilaThat's a ringing endorsement. Despite Jack Black's presence (loved him in High Fidelity) I'd been kind of on the fence about this one, but I'll add to the list now.
Posted by: Dan at March 9, 2004 5:03 PMOh God, I love High Fidelity. Love it.
How about him dancing like a maniac in the store to "Walkin' on Sunshine" of all things?
Posted by: red at March 9, 2004 5:05 PMOr when he chases the customer out of the store for his bad taste in music?
It was such a good book; I was delighted with the way it was brought to the screen.
Posted by: Dan at March 9, 2004 5:11 PMI thought the book transplanted to Chicago actually worked very well. I lived in Chicago for years, and spent a lot of time in rock clubs - so it's wonderful to see that movie now and see all those old clubs.
One of them (where they first see Lisa Bonet playing) has since closed down ... which is really sad. It's nice to "visit" the club in the movie.
I love, too, when he comes out at the end and turns out to be this amazing kind of classy singer. Hilarious.
Posted by: red at March 9, 2004 5:16 PMIt got surprisingly good reviews, I'd add it to my list, but my current goal is to drop the list below 100 movies.
Posted by: Bill McCabe at March 9, 2004 5:16 PMNot so surprising that the reviews were good, I don't think. Richard Linklater is great, Jack Black is up and coming ... Maybe it's the subject matter people think is gonna be stupid or something?
What's great about the movie (as a rock chick myself) is how seriously it takes rock and roll. It does not condescend to people who get all googly-eyed and possessive when they talk about their favorite bands.
It's hilarious. Jack Black is great.
Posted by: red at March 9, 2004 5:19 PMOh and Bill - have you taken Unfaithful off your list yet??
Believe Emily and I - except for one scene on the train, the movie is not worth it!
Posted by: red at March 9, 2004 5:20 PMHow can you not take rock n' roll seriously? Doesn't everyone have heated discussions about obscure musical topics?
Posted by: Dan at March 9, 2004 5:23 PMYes, Unfaithful is off the list. I have 120 movies on it at the moment, and one of your suggestions, Insomnia is on the way.
Posted by: Bill McCabe at March 9, 2004 5:28 PMI don't understand how people can't take rock 'n roll seriously. Ever since I heard Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on an old turntable in 5th grade - my life has never been the same.
This is not hyperbole. This is fact.
Posted by: red at March 9, 2004 5:29 PMOkay, I'm probably going to get creamed for saying this, but Jack Black really got on my nerves in High Fidelity. I can't stand those stuck-up record store know-it-alls who think their taste is above everybody just because they are big music fans who suck in every piece of pop trash they can get their hands on, whereas grown-ups with lives don't usually have the time or the inclination to care about who covered The Amazing Obscurities b-side from 1968 on the 1996 Restless Records compilation, Regurgitated Crap For Loser Geeks With Superiority Complexes.
Not that I have a problem with people who are big pop music fans, just people who think it means they're better than people whose interests lie elsewhere.
Posted by: Emily at March 9, 2004 5:35 PMOh, totally agreed Emily ... But that's why I thought he was so great. He captured that type of person perfectly.
Posted by: red at March 9, 2004 5:36 PMA friend of mine in college dated a Jack-Black-in-High-Fidelity type. He was so sanctimonious and so obnoxious and so snobby about music that if it had sold more than 3 copies, he would heap scorn uponit. I used to LOVE to torment him, and say stuff like, (pretending innocence) "Have you seen the new Madonna video?" or "I love the new Huey Lewis song" ... just to chap his ass.
Posted by: red at March 9, 2004 5:39 PMOh Sheila - you have opened up a can of worms mentioning Sgt. Pepper. I believe I can still do the dance that we did to every song during 5th grade recess .... until "Getting Better" came on. And while I know we both like the song now, we would run gagging and screaming...
Posted by: Betsy at March 9, 2004 6:18 PMI don't know you at all, I just stumbled upon this nice little place of yours while searching for a Katheine Hepburn quote [and you had it! :)] but i read some of your site, and think its very interesting and i like the way you think.
Posted by: Beth at March 9, 2004 9:18 PMi'm not ashamed to admit this, but i love jack.
honest.
Posted by: the mighty jimbo at March 9, 2004 10:00 PMI enjoyed School of Rock for the most part, except for the fact that I couldn't fully suspend my disbelief about them getting away with such a huge, LOUD conspiracy over a long period of time at a prep school. But aside from that quibble, it was a lot of fun.
Posted by: MikeR at March 10, 2004 3:06 AMWhat I loved about "School of Rock" was that it has the exact same sensibility about music that "Wayne's World" did- its musical tastes are still, unapologetically, stuck in 1979.
And when I worked in a record store a couple years ago, I WAS Jack Black in "High Fidelity."
Posted by: Stephen Silver at March 10, 2004 7:38 AMI have to admit that I also was Jack Black when I worked in a record store. I've overcome that, now.
About School of Rock - I had no desire to see it, but I bought the DVD for my son and he happened to choose it as our Friday night movie when it was his turn. So we had to watch.
I loved it. Yes, it was predictable and yes, it was totally devoid of reality. But it was all done with great panache, a lot of laughter, the kids were so unlike most child actors and the script treated rock and roll with he reverence it deserves.
We've watched it about five times since, and my son has asked his guitar teacher to show him how to play "The Immigrant Song."
Posted by: michele at March 14, 2004 11:21 AM