eighties – NZ Film Freak

Director: Will Gluck
Writer: Bert V. Royal
Released: September 2010
Starring: Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Lisa Kudrow, Stanley Tucci
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This is quite a different version to the typical high school chick flick that drowns the market. Easy A is about how rumours can make or break your reputation. But also how you can take insults and use them to your advantage.

It has a funny script with some catchy insults from the witty and very sarcastic Olive (Emma Stone) – similar dialogue to Juno.

Her best come backs are usually toward the “Jesus Freak”, Marianne (Amanda Bynes), who was responsible for spreading the false rumour of Olive losing her virginity.

Marianne: There’s a higher power that will judge you for your indecency.
Olive: Tom Cruise?

This movie covers everything that one would come across in high school; self expression, religious beliefs, hypocritical people, assumptions and rumour-spreaders. Of course, Olive uses all of this to her advantage.

She sassed up her wardrobe “just like they asked” and becomes her alter ego of the ‘whore’, despite being a very respectable 17-year-old. Just goes to show that what you may see on the outside is not always what is on the inside. And vice versa.

Emma StoneEASY A.

Nina: Perhaps you should embroider a red A on your wardrobe, you abominable tramp.
Olive: Perhaps you should get a wardrobe, you abominable twat.

I really enjoyed this movie because it is a huge, gigantic middle finger to society. You can’t change what people think of you, but you can choose not to be a victim to it.

People rumoured that Olive was a bit of a “skank”, so she began to dress like one! They didn’t whisper about it behind her back after she started wearing corsets and high heels to school, making the scandal-filled rumour less shocking.

It is a fun movie with references to eighties high school movies such as The Breakfast Club which I thought was really smart and made it a story that seemed more human because everybody wants to be in an eighties high school film.

The music is pretty awesome, too. Jessie J’s Sexy Silk is a fun song, with a modernised version of We Go Together (from Grease) by I Heart Homework. But with my personal favourite being from The Breakfast Club called Don’t You (Forget About Me) originally by Simple Minds, but covered by AM.

Oh, and since watching Easy A, Natasha Bedingfield’s Pocket Full of Sunshine has not left my mind for the past few days. You should expect the same thing after watching the film.

Mr. Griffith: I don’t know what your generation’s fascination is with documenting your every thought… “Roman is having an OK day, and bought a Coke Zero at the gas station. Raise the roof.”
Olive: He got a Coke Zero AGAIN. Ah, that Roman. Incorrigible.

Easy A is a fun and easy watch. The script enables viewers to look into it as far as they wish with layered themes and slightly more complex characters than usual. Obviously not a film for everyone, but it’s definitely my favourite movie at the moment – up there with The Breakfast Club! A 2010 version of a 1985 chick flick. tumblr_mhbirb1bNm1s1wtnqo1_500

Actually, I would say that it is on par with Pitch Perfect.

Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10

Director: John Hughes
Writer: John Hughes
Released: February 1985
Featuring:Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Paul Gleason
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Probably the best high school based film. Openly addressing and mocking their stereotypes and the pressures each one of them are under by their associated peers.

It is a very well made film because it is entirely based in one place during one day, with a tiny cast. We are sitting in on a Saturday detention with five completely contrasting students who soon find out what they hate and what they love about each other and themselves. Very human, very emotionally rooted.

The Characters:
The cheerleader type referred to as ‘the princess’ named Claire (Molly Ringwald).

The jock referred to as ‘sporto’ named Andrew (Emilio Estevez).

‘The brain’ named Brian (Anthony Michael Hall).

The kook or ‘the basket case’ named Allison (Ally Sheedy).

The messed up ‘criminal’ called John (Judd Nelson).

The Kook and the Princess — The Kook and The Princess

What is great about these characters, is that we can see qualities in ourselves in all of them. They are a mirror image of the teenage audience. We all know somebody with qualities like them, we all find some of them in ourselves and we all find characteristics in them that we want to possess.
Despite being about five typical stereotypes, by the end of the movie, you realise that they are a group of misfits who don’t want to belong to a group who tells them who to be.

I think if there was an extended version of this movie, it would be how each one of them over came the pressure of their groups and openly hung out with other cliques, because they’re all strong characters who would become role models. Well, that’s what I would like to think would happen anyway.

Made in the eighties and it certainly looks like the eighties! I swear I am transported to that era every time I watch it. Great eighties music too, including one of my favourite songs Don’t You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds. If you want to listen to some eighties music on the go, this site has some great eighties music.

It’s true, high school really does suck. But this movie will make you feel better about it.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10
I would just like to say that they have excluded all of the funny bits in this trailer, so if you like the look of this, you’re going to love the film.