This time out, I thought we'd take a look at some teen movies, seeing as how it's summer vacation. Wanna guess which one will be the next Sixteen Candles and which one will be the next Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead? Let's fire up the projector!!
Let's start with The Spectacular Now:
Okay, that actually looks spectacular. It's got what looks like two solidly authentic and nuanced performances from two actors that look like they may be in hooting distance of actually being teens. It's got one heck of a great supporting cast (Bubbles! Coach Taylor! Saul Goodman!) and it's written by the team who brought us (500) Days of Summer, which some people found insufferable but I found really great.
Next up, we've got Short Term 12:
When I first saw this trailer I thought it looked a little cliched; a little like an indie version of Dangerous Minds or other "adult inspires the troubled teens" film. But there have been a lot of great films like that (Stand and Deliver springs to mind) and it mostly has to do with the depth of characterization and how fricking hard they make it look to deal with kids in trouble. And this film makes it look hard. And the characters look interesting already. So, I'm in.
Wow, two films that really look good. Maybe the state of teen movies are improving? Where's the teen trash I grew up on? Where's the Porky's? Where's the Teen Wolf Too?
Okay. Horribly cynical and mindless sex jokes? Check. Broad and insipid stereotypes? Check. Teens being played by people in their early to mid thirties? Check. Well played To Do List, well played.
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