Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
8.3
One of the all time great coming of age college movies. Reminiscent of “American Pie” and “Animal House.” A tale of brotherhood. An adorable love story. Sports. Every stereotypical college bar and party. Endless debauchery. Laughs for days. Amazing soundtrack. This movie has it all! A hidden cinematic gem with a high rewatchability factor. Perfectly captures the spirit of welcome weekend, and ends up being a damn fun 2 hours.
8.9
One of my favorite all-time indie movies. Just in time for the new Netflix show, I decided to re-visit for nostalgia’s sake. This film really stands the test of time! Still, the same magic shared by the cast I remember that first time viewing in the theater. Such a unique story of redemption and coming of age mixed together with delicious food and one of the most vibrant color palettes this side of “Thor: Ragnarok.” If you’re looking for the “small restaurant no one’s ever heard of that only locals know about” of movies, this one’s for you! Dig in, and enjoy!
6.8
A classic b-roll heist film. Funny, oddball, and perfect for the cast. Totally forgot they filmed the heist scenes in Ludington! Turn your brain off and watch Eisenberg and Ansari kill it in the comedy department. Lowest denominator comedy at its finest.
7.1
There’s a dick joke in there somewhere… because his banana is split between two girls… get it? Boom goes the dynamite. In the meantime, back to the review!
Relationships are messy. So is this movie. Basically a love triangle, similar to “the other woman,” but instead of seeking revenge, one of the women is trying to get rid of the other and win back her ex? All the while Zack or Cody (not sure which one) is living a pretty suite life, as 2 gorgeous ladies fight over him while trying to be friends and get revenge on him… I think. And the redheaded best friend gets the short end of every stick. And a black eye to cap off a string of bad luck. The little sister steals the show by throwing some stupendous shade at the dinner table.
Your fairly typical “summer after senior year coming of age story.” Some solid laughs and some strong heart. Also, made me really want a banana split.
7.8
Definitely rated R. Not for family streaming during quarantine. However, if you’re looking for a pleasant twist on the modern rom-com, with 2 people learning from each other, friendship, struggle, addiction, intimacy, and hooking up… then have I got the movie for you! Plus, Brittany Snow… *heart eyes*
This road trip between complete strangers really goes the distance, and explores the depths of intimacy and the deeper meanings behind our relationships with one another, be it platonic or romantic. The two leads play off each other extremely well and have the perfect chemistry as polar opposites that of course attract in the end. Strap-in, get ready for an interesting ride. Again, probably without kids around.
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 