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PCR # 177  (Vol. 4, No. 33)  This edition is for the week of August 11--17, 2003.

This Week's PCR
Movie Review
"American Wedding"

Movie review by:
Michael A. Smith

Three stars

Movies are rated 0 to 4 stars

theater seats


LA FLORIDIANA
"The Ghostly Sea Captain and His Cat", also "Clyde Butcher Update", and "For the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird Enthusiast"
by Will Moriaty
THIS WEEK'S MOVIE REVIEW
"American Wedding"
by Mike Smith
ASHLEY'S HOLLYWOOD
"Forbidden Tango"
 by Ashley Lauren
THE ENLIGHTENMENT
'60s Music, Current Movies, Books, and Comics
 by Terence Nuzum
CREATURE'S CORNER
"Hollywood, Horrorwood".....Comics
 by John Lewis
SPLASH PAGE
Bronko Brings 80 Grand...It's all Fun Till Someone Loses An Eye....Attention Drunks....One Shots
 by Brandon Jones
MATT'S RAIL
"Baby Superman"
 by Matt Drinnenberg
MIKE'S RANT
You Say It's Your Birthday....Jesus Christ and King Kong....When Teddy Said He Didn't Like His Heady....You Should Be Dancing
 by Mike Smith
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Universal Pictures     
Starring: Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Alyson Hannigan, Eddie Kaye Thomas, and Eugene Levy
Directed by: Jesse Dylan
Rated: R
Running Time: 1 hour 40 mins


This third slice of American Pie is a little heavy on crust and light on the filling. Picking up three years after American Pie 2, the story is centered on the upcoming marriage of Jim (Biggs) and Michelle (Hannigan). A funny scene in the restaurant where Jim wants to propose leads to a gift filled engagement party. Enter Steve Stifler (Scott). If Leave It To Beaver had been an "R"-rated television show, Stifler would be Eddie Haskell. He's obnoxious, but he doesn't realize it. In his own way, Stifler endears himself to Michelle's parents (Fred Willard and Deborah Rush). It's obvious why when he meets Michelle's younger sister, Cadence (January Jones).

As the big day approaches, Jim begins to question his upcoming nuptials. He also finds himself caught in the middle as both Stifler and Finch (Thomas) keep trying to one up each other for Cadence's attention. Of course, in the Pie tradition, when things go wrong, they go wrong in an unappetizing way. From Jim's self inflicted "special haircut" to Stifler and his "truffle," the gross out scale is once again pushed to the limit.

The returning cast show they are quite comfortable with their roles. Watching Jim and Michelle go from, respectively, virgin dork and horny band geek, to a young couple in love, is a great feeling. You have seen these two build a relationship, not on sex, but on love, and it's nice to see them start on the road to together forever. Thomas Ian Nichols, who returns as Kevin is also a nice addition to the group of friends. The only original cast member I really missed was Chris Klein's Oz. Like Jim, Oz chose love over sex, and it would have been nice to see him take part in his friends big day. As he did earlier this year in Bringing Down the House, Eugene Levy steals each scene he's in as Jim's dad. Much cooler then Jim gives him credit for, he seems to have the right answer for everything. Director Dylan, son of Bob, does a good job of pacing and rightfully trusts his actors with their characters.

American Wedding is a suitable final chapter in this generation's coming-of-age trilogy. On a scale of zero to four stars, I give American Wedding  Three stars


This week's movie review of "American Wedding" is ©2003 by Michael A. Smith.  All graphics this page are creations of Nolan B. Canova, ©2003, all rights reserved. All contents of "Nolan's Pop Culture Review" are ©2003 by Nolan B. Canova.