So I decided to watch Rushmore, the 1998 comedy starring a young Jason Shwartzman. The film follows 15-year-old Max Fischer (Schwartzman), an over-confident eccentric that has founded and/or is president of every school club. However, Max’s involvement with extracurriculars has made him the worst student academically, and puts him on thin ice for maintaining his scholarship to the private school, Rushmore Academy.

While at Rushmore, Max befriends Herman Blume (Bill Murray), an industrialist who is the father of ill-behaved boys that attend the school. Herman admires Max’s confidence, and they begin spending time together working on projects.

As for Max’s love life, he begins an infatuation with first-grade teacher Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams). Ms. Cross is widowed and remains deeply in love with her late husband, but Max’s obsession grows and there’s no convincing him to leave her be. Love has struck Max Fischer and he is mighty determined for her to feel the same way.

I thoroughly enjoyed Rushmore and highly recommend Wes Anderson fans check it out.

Three memorable Max Fischer lines:

1. “My top schools where I want to apply to are Oxford and the Sorbonne. My safety’s Harvard.”

2. “Look, I may not be rich, Mr. Blume. My father may only be a doctor, but we manage.”

3. “I saved Latin. What did you ever do?”

New content is on my new website, The Pop Can!

Director: Lone Scherfig.

Stars: Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Alfred Molina, Cara Seymour.

About:

Set in England in 1961, An Education revolves around schoolgirl Jenny Mellor (Mulligan) and her relationship with David Goldman (Sarsgaard), a sophisticated older man. Despite their significant age difference, David manages to woo Jenny and charm her protective parents, even whisking the young lady off to Paris.

Despite his fancy car and expensive clothes, David is no honest businessman. In order to cheaply purchase expensive apartments, David moves black families into neighbourhoods so that racist elderly women become desperate to move. David and his friend, Danny (Cooper), also steal art from homes. Although Jenny does not agree with David’s business, the life of luxury wins the schoolgirl over and she turns a blind eye to his actions.

Caught up in David’s world, Jenny sports gorgeous new dresses and begins painting on makeup to match Danny’s mature girlfriend. She lets her education fall by the wayside and even contemplates giving up her dream of attending Oxford.

An Education is a lovely film that displays the values and traditions followed by young women in the 1960s. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and it definitely has something for everyone; Fashion lovers can gush over Jenny’s outfits, academics can fight for Jenny to attend Oxford,  Sarsgaard fans can swoon over the leading man and comics are sure to get a chuckle thanks to Alfred Molina.

Rent if you like: Elegy and/or Atonement.
New content is on my new website, The Pop Can!

I love the pastel shades of eyeshadow and the gobs of jewellery women wore. I adore those tiny structured purses and the solid colours they came in.

I love the soft, fluffy hair that was ultra shiny; a look which set the preps apart from the masses, who styled their hair into adventurous shapes and dyed their locks various colours.

Everytime I watch an ’80s flick, my heart pangs for a decade I missed out on. So, in an ode to ’80s fashion, I created a slideshow of stars wearing some great ’80s garbs.
New content is on my new website, The Pop Can!

Alas, I’m stuck in school. The cage, the prison, the fence, the barrier of my life… Like that Miley Cyrus “Can’t Be Tamed” music video, I’m a skanky exotic bird trapped in a cage and want to escape. Minus the narcissism and barely-there clothing, I’m just like Miley Cyrus.

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“I wanna fly,
I wanna drive,
I wanna go.
I wanna be a part of something I don’t know.
And if you try to hold me back I might explode.”

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Okay, maybe not. But I’ve always been drawn to characters in the media who have a restless leg syndrome for life. The ones who move around with no direction, whose home is themselves, and who aimlessly wander- having lots of adventures and making friends along the way. These gypsies have the life I dream of, and it’s no wonder- I’ve grown up on movies romanticizing the life of a wanderer.

Esmeralda

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I got my first taste of gypsy life as a seven-year-old sipping Pepsi at my small-town movie theatre. The movie was “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and I was entranced by Esmeralda, the gypsy dancer with bangle bracelets and a tambourine. I wanted to be just like her. I even had a purple shirt with the cartoon character on it, which was cinched at the waist (just like real gypsy clothes!) Esmeralda was the free-spirit that the hunchback fell in love with- isn’t that every little girl’s dream? Maybe I didn’t explain that right…

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Roux

Then, at 13, there was Roux, Vianne Rocher’s lover in “Chocolat.” Roux was kind, romantic and extremely handsome. Who wouldn’t want to join a camp of river gypsies when Johnny Depp was in the pack? Plus, they lived in France! It really couldn’t get any better; Well, the town did hate them, but you can’t have everything…

If Disney Classics can make little girls everywhere-myself included-dream of finding their Prince Charming and being whisked away to a castle, can films not make us want to travel the world? If they can make girls want to be Cinderella, can they not make you want to be Penny Lane (“Almost Famous“)?

I have dreams of Paris and Monaco, L.A. and Vegas, St. John’s and Halifax, Ireland and Wales. I want to see everything. I envision myself globetrotting with a notebook in hand, chronicling my journey below the Eiffel Tower and atop the Empire State Building. I want to return home at Christmas with amazing stories to tell. And, of course, I want to blog about it all.

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Unfortunately, I have one year left in my education. One whole year of studying journalism before I can pack my bags and see the world. I must resist the temptation of SellOffVacations.com and Swap. It doesn’t help that I have Shakira reminding me everyday of who I’m not. Perhaps one day I will live abroad and visit exiting lands, or maybe I’ll just use my two-week vacation to escape, but, for now, I’m in the cage that is school. And, unlike the rare bird that is Miley Cyrus, I can be tamed.

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What is your dream vacation? Have you lived abroad? Drop me a line @LAMcEachran.
New content is on my new website, The Pop Can!

Director: Kyle Newman.

Stars: Jay Baruchel, Kristen Bell, Sam Huntington, Chris Marquette, Dan Fogler.

About: Linus (Chris Marquette), Hutch (Dan Fogler), Windows (Jay Baruchel) and Zoe (Kristen Bell) have been friends since high school. They spend their days in the comic book shop and still depend on their parents. They sport graphic tees over stiff suits and are okay with that. But there is one member of their high school clique that has moved on- Eric Bottler (Sam Huntington). Eric has shelved his comic sketches to work for his super fake-baked dad at a car dealership and his decision to grow up has caused Eric to grow apart from his buddies. But, at a Halloween party in 1998, Eric reunites with his old friends and they plan an epic adventure- to break into Skywalker Ranch and steal the rough cut of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, the latest installment of the Star Wars franchise. A road-trip to the ranch begins and hilarity ensues when these nerdy friends hop in their van to fulfill a dream, listening to Rush along the way.

Fanboys features a bad run-in with some Trekkers, awkward stripping at a biker bar, an unfortunate online girlfriend reveal, a prison cell with a lunch-meat covered toilet, wacky characters played by Seth Rogen, a William Shatner cameo and a whole lot more. It’s silly, filled with pop culture references circa 1998, and will make fanboys (and girls) giggle at the Star Wars/Star Trek feuds.

I found this part hilarious: the guys crash a Trekker tour to rain on their parade. Seth Rogen plays Admiral Seasholtz, the passionate Trekker. Read on:

Admiral Seasholtz: Okay. Hilarious, everyone. Looks like we got more Lucas hounds here to mock Roddenberry. Congratulations, gentleman, but I would like to see your Darth Vader take on one Borg drone. And we’ll see who’s laughing then. Am I right?
Windows: Darth Vader can put the entire Borg collective in a vice grip with his mind.
Admiral Seasholtz: Uh, Darth Vader has asthma, so name me one Star Trek character with a respiratory disease, ’cause I’m drawing a blank.
Linus: Name me one Star Wars character who’s gay.
Hutch: Besides you.
Admiral Seasholtz: Well, no one’s gay in Star Trek, so why would I even do that?
Linus: Captain Picard.
Admiral Seasholtz: Okay, Captain Picard is not gay- he’s British.
Windows: [in a swishy voice] Come on. “Make it so!”

Rent if you like: Star Wars, comic books, pop culture and/or road trips.

New content is on my new website, The Pop Can!

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Mary, “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.”

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In terms of parenting, you really can’t get any worse than Mary. She physically and verbally abused her daughter Precious. There is nothing more horrifying than watching Mary’s interactions with her daughter. Viewers are on edge with her every movement.

Be grateful Mary’s not your mom.

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Joan Crawford, “Mommie Dearest.”

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Alright, so someone really did endure the psycho stage-mom known as Joan Crawford, but Faye Dunaway’s portrayal made people shiver. Crawford used her acting skills to play the part of perfect mother, but “Mommie Dearest” let audiences know she was anything but.

Be grateful Joan Crawford’s not your mom.

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Midge Pinciotti, “That ’70s Show.”

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Besides being incredibly dumb, Midge Pinciotti was completely selfish. After divorcing her husband, Midge left her teenage daughter behind to pursue a career in California. The career?  Broadway. I did mention she was dumb, right?

Be grateful Midge Pinciotti’s not your mom.

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Colleen Murphy Donaghy, “30 Rock.”

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Colleen Donaghy never approved of her son, not even when he was a child! When Jack was a kid, he played hockey and the flute. Trying to embarrass her son, Colleen made Jack perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” on his flute in front of the hockey team. And, in an attempt to make a man out of him, Colleen tried sending Jack to Vietnam when he was only 12 years old!

Be grateful Colleen Donaghy’s not your mom.

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The truth is, I don’t need to compare my mom to Mary, Joan, Midge or Colleen in order to see how special she is. I have an incredible mother who in no way is like these bad fictional moms. My mom always puts my brother and I first and cares about nothing more than our health and happiness. She will drop everything she is doing for me and- although I don’t always show it- I am very grateful. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! (Does this count as your Mother’s Day present?)

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New content is on my new website, The Pop Can!

“Date Night” will have you giggling throughout the entire movie and- unlike most movies in theatres these days- “Date Night” is a lot of fun to watch! It’s silly, it’s funny, and Carell and Fey are amazing as Phil and Claire Foster. I have a feeling that some of you are still skeptical, so here is a list of reasons why you should spend your date night watching “Date Night.” For the plot, watch the trailer at the end of this post.

- When Claire Foster (Fey) gets all gussied up for a date with her husband. It’s so sweet and endearing.

- At a swanky New York restaurant, Claire spots will.i.am and explains who he is to Phil (Carell): “It’s will.i.am, from Fergie!”

- When the Fosters spot a getaway boat, they hop in and Carell gets the motor running. Turns out the boat is super slow, forcing the couple to duck down.

- Phil’s impersonation of Holbrooke (Mark Wahlberg), an always-shirtless former real estate client of Claire’s. “Is that supposed to be me or Fat Albert?” asks Holbrooke.

- Maybe it’s because I wear glasses, but I thought it was super sweet when Phil remembered to grab Claire’s glasses when they left the restaurant.

- When Phil pretends to be a hot-shot at the swanky New York restaurant, wearing Claire’s glasses and pulling his hair up straight, he says to the hostess, “Look at me, look at me, look at me, uh you’re not looking at me, look at me, you’re not… look.” So funny!

- On their usual date night, the Fosters make up what other couples are saying to each other. There are a lot of hilarious lines that are probably improvisations by Fey and Carell.

- When Phil is angry with the person he impostures, he yells, “Shut the eff up, mother effer.”

- Two words: “Sexy robots.”

- The blooper reel. There are a lot of great bloopers that will have you in stitches!

Did I persuade you to check out “Date Night”? Have you seen the film? Tell me what you think on twitter!  @LAMcEachran.

Director: Ruben Fleischer.

Stars: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin. It also features a hilarious Bill Murray cameo.

About: Yes, this is a zombie movie, but don’t rule out “Zombieland” as a weekly rental if you don’t like zombie flicks- it appeals to a much wider audience than zombie fans. Personally, I’m not a fan of blood and gore, so I usually ignore films featuring the (un)dead, but-as I have an attraction toward Woody Harrelson-I decided to rent “Zombieland.” And while the film does feature Harrelson’s flexing arm muscles (*swoon), it offers a lot more than that to viewers and is guaranteed to get you on the edge of your seat.

“Zombieland” is set in a post-apocalyptic America in a world known to college student “Columbus” (Eisenberg) as “Zombieland.” En route to Columbus, Ohio to see if his family members are still alive, “Columbus” meets “Tallahassee” (Harrelson) on a deserted highway. They decide to travel together, making stops at grocery and convenience stores along the way in search of Twinkies, which are “Tallahassee”’s obsession. On one of their Twinkies stops, the duo encounter two sisters, “Wichita” (Stone) and “Little Rock” (Breslin), who steal their weapons. Throughout the film the men run into the two girls, who-eventually-join their team fighting off zombies.

For those unaccustomed to zombie flicks, the blood gushing from the zombies mouths is a little stomach turning, but stick with it- “Zombieland” is well worth the watch. In the film’s opening, I was taken aback and unsure how I would get through the film, but I got used to the violence and gore, and-soon enough-I found myself rooting for the main characters. “Zombieland” is a fun watch and you’ll find yourself cheering out loud, as I did, yelling, “he’s riding a roller coaster AND killing zombies!”

Rent if you like: Superbad, Adventureland, Shawn of the Dead or have a strange attraction toward Woody Harrelson.

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Actors: Jared Leto (left) and Freddie Highmore.

Cast: Uncle and nephew.

Focus: Both.

Script: A dark feature film about family bonds. Think About a Boy meets The Number 23; freaky, but it would have its sweet moments.

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Actors: Amy Adams (left) and Nicole Kidman.

Cast: Sisters.

Focus: Amy Adams (botox took Nicole Kidman out of the running for lead).

Script: A chick-flick about a single woman sorting her life out. She would visit people from her past, à la Now and Then, and make a pit-stop at her estranged older sister’s house.

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Actors: Zoe Saldana (right) and Thandie Newton.

Cast: Sisters.

Focus: Both.

Script: Indie flick about sisters overcoming hardships (think Sunshine Cleaning).

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Actors: Sam Worthington (left) and Russell Crowe.

Cast: Although Russell Crowe is only twelve years older than Sam Worthington, I would cast them as father and son.

Focus: Although both actors would have big storylines, I would focus on Sam Worthington’s character.

Script: It would be an action movie about a father and son duo as they become con men.

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Actors: Chris Hemsworth (left) and Chace Crawford.

Cast: Brothers.

Focus: Either Hemsworth or Crawford.

Script: With these actors, it could go either way. With Hemsworth on board, it could be a serious action movie with intricate storylines. With Crawford, it could be a direct-to-DVD dud about two brothers having the “time of their lives” on summer vacation at the beach. ……………………………………………………………………..They would play 15 year olds.

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Actors: Rachel Weisz (left) and Marion Cotillard.

Cast: Half-sisters.

Focus: Both.

Script: Future Academy Award-winning film about two long lost sisters. It would feature lots of tears and angry yelling- probably artsy stuff as well. It would be deep.

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Actors: Shannon Elizabeth (left) and Alyssa Milano.

Cast: Sisters.

Focus: Both

Script: Straight-to-DVD comedy about two party girls that get caught up in a cooky adventure. Expect Chris Carmack to play someone’s boyfriend.

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Wow, it’s fun being casting director! Give it a try and tweet me who you’d cast at @LAMcEachran.