brillowhead- john
I watch a lot of movies. More than is normal and/or healthy. Between cable, video stores and the plethora of venues in Austin I find myself not only striking up conversations about Crank vs. Shoot Em Up as well as ranting about the upcoming Dismember the Alamo screening of Zomplotation classic Sugar Hill on 35mm. I have been lucky enough to participate in some of the Austin Film Festival goings ons and am very appreciative that there is such cinematic culture right here in my zip code... That being said I have never hated and been so upset by a crappy movie in all of my life as I was by the AFF selection Palo Alto. This was the worst movie I have ever seen. The only reason I am even dignifying its existence on this page is that I hope “star” Kevin Arnold’s little brother’s agent has his Google Alerts set and runs across this and realizes what he has done and feels horrible about himself. Very very horrible.
The movie was a coming of age story of rich frat boys in California talking about sex with girls, beer, being hazed and riding in a school bus in the middle of the night with Tom Arnold. Really. The film was poorly shot, acted and especially written. I would venture to say that the young men behind it have never read a book. Brett Ratner would be proud. The filmmakers were clearly handed a very large sum of money- or at least enough to warrant a few days of Sir Tom Arnold’s time from their parents much like if Cher and Dionne from Clueless were to suddenly start a clothing line. Palo Alto was the worst American Pie rip off I have ever seen. Give an HD camera to any Dawson Leery and you have this horrible unrealistic high school movie.
Everything else at AFF has been great and interesting. Expect more positive reviews to follow.