Karen Ponzio Photos.
The June screening series lineup at Best Video.
“School’s out for summer” is not just an Alice Cooper lyric; it is also the theme for Best Video’s June screening series. Four films are set to take fans back to high school each Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. to experience the awkwardness and the uncertainty of that time with a heavy dose of laughter and relatability. According to Best’s own Teo Hernandez, it was a fitting choice for the lazy, hazy, and hot days to come.
“Theres’ nothing too heady about this month,” said Hernandez about the selection of films, which he said were all of his favorites, especially the first film shown Tuesday night, 1999’s horror sci-fi comedy The Faculty. Coming up in the next three weeks are the films Bring It On on June 11, Ghost World on June 18, and Superbad on June 25. Bring It On was one the films that had been mentioned in the suggestion box that sits on the front desk at the video store, and according to Hernandez, the Best Video member who suggested it, Marquon Albright, will be introducing that film next week.
The final film in the series, Superbad, was a “staff pick,” and Hernandez noted that when they were all talking about it, they realized that most of them had not seen it in a long time. “I think watching it with a group will be an experience,” he added with a smile.
Hernandez was hoping for the same with last night’s film, which he called “fantastic” as he introduced it to the crowd.
“To quote my friend who I showed this to a month ago: Movies aren’t made like this anymore,” he added.
He may be right, because I would be hard pressed to think of a recent film that melds so many genres together so well, with a stacked cast and a storyline that gets mined for as many heartfelt tangible moments as it does for laughs and jump scares.
The screenplay, by Kevin Williamson — who also wrote Scream and Scream 2 — is one of the factors responsible, as is the direction by Robert Rodriguez, whose long list of action-packed and auspicious films include Desperado, Sin City, and From Dusk till Dawn. Both are known for diving right into the action from scene one, and they do not disappoint with this film, which follows a high school faculty’s transformation due to squid-like aliens taking over their bodies, though it is not that simple. You see, the aliens are a sort of parasite that want to find more and more bodies to take over, so soon student bodies are recruited as well.
The casting director hit gold with the first two teachers to get taken over: Robert Patrick and Piper Laurie, two actors who made indelible marks in film history as memorably creepy characters in Terminator 2 and Carrie, respectively. Both add a level of sinister to their scenes, as well as a snark that garners just as much laughter as chills.
The core group of teens who fight back is led by Elijah Wood, here playing the sad but sweet nerd of the crowd Casey, who is not only the first to find a wee squid-like creature that he shares with his science class, but is also the first to suspect that something is not right with the school staff who, one by one, are taken over and grow increasingly angry, cocky, and thirsty as they gather up more and more bodies to bring over to their side.
While some might consider the teen characters stereotypical — Jordana Brewster as the judgy head cheerleader, Clea DuVall as the moody loner, Laura Harris as the saccharine sweet new girl in town, Shawn Hatosy as the popular star quarterback, and Josh Hartnett as the too cool for it all heartthrob — each one conveys their own form of alienation. Hartnett’s Zeke may be selling drugs and smoking in class, but he is also well read and a font of scientific knowledge. “I’m a contradiction,” he says at one point, which garnered laughs from everyone.
And when the paranoia sets in and the group of six starts to wonder if they can even trust each other, Hatosy’s Stan — who has quit the football team in the hopes of being “more” than an athlete — says “I’m not an alien. I’m discontent.” That comment speaks volumes to the entire storyline. Who hasn’t felt that way in high school, even those who had their “successes” there, such as being on the honor roll or editor of the school paper or a sports star? Even in those cliques, there are levels of discontent, and it is not unusual to feel like you don’t belong even when you are with a group that shares your likes and interests.
Before I sink too deep into the philosophical end of the swimming pool, let me paddle back to the practical part: the special effects and scares are way more fun than fear inducing. I of course won’t ruin the movie for you, but things get a little gross at times, with even a hat tip (and head tip?) to two very memorable scenes from John Carpenter’s The Thing.
This is what many might call a popcorn movie: yes, you can find a message in it (as I did above), but you can also leave your cares at the door and sit back with a bunch of friends and have a hell of a time, as many did last night. What better way is there to spend a summer evening?
Please see the Best Video website for more information about the June screening series. Movies begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and are $10 admission for nonmembers and free admission for Best Video members.