M is for Mean Girls and Mr. Mom

Again, a few Ms to choose from and they’re all really good: Misery, Mystic Pizza, The Muppet Movie, Muppets take Manhattan, Mommie Dearest, Mannequin, Mermaids and MST3K: The Movie. There is also two of my very favourite TV shows: My So-Called Life and The Mighty Boosh. Seriously, I should do a TV theme next year just so I can write about how much I love both of these shows. But I chose two movies, per this year’s theme, that I would watch over the rest if given the option.

Mean Girls: I’ve mentioned this movie a couple of times already so it’s a given that I would put this up on the Culture Month Hall of Fame. If girls haven’t seen this movie yet, they just so, totally need to. It’s not for boys, no. But for us gals, it’s hilarious. Cady, the new girls from Africa, starts public high school only to meet two very odd “art freak” students who hate “The Plastics.” After the Queen Bee, Regina George, asks Cady to sit at their lunch table one day, Cady’s friends Janis and Damian decide that Cady should spy on the three popular girls for a laugh. Of course, in the process of trying to spy, Regina ends up betraying Cady (as she has done with Janis is the past) so Cady and Janis plot to destroy Regina’s queen bee status. In the meantime Cady gets so caught up in girl world that she hangs out with Janis and Damian. It’s just one of the funniest teenage movies about frenemies I’ve seen and, as previously I’ve mentioned, most students who have seen it say that it reflects how horrible high school girls can be with one another. The cast is brilliant (like all star, SNL cast member, cast plus Amanda Seyfried in her first movie, and one of the best performances by Lindsay Lohan). The best part is the dialogue though - I just love it.

Damian: My nanna takes her wig off when she is drunk.
Ms. Norbury: Your nanna and I have that in common.

Mr. Mom: I don’t think this movie gets the credit it deserves because I hardly ever hear anyone talk about the movie – they just make a reference to the title is a man is taking care of a child. I use to watch this a lot when it was on cable because Michael Keaton and Teri Garr are so good together. Caroline was a stay-at-home mother, until she had to go back to work once her husband, Jack, lost his job at the car factory. Jack had no idea what to do with the three kids at home, going to the store (Video clip here), doing housework, and dealing with the nosey (and lonely) female neighbours. But after a little while he really got the hang of being a terrific “mom” and taking over for Caroline. What he doesn’t get use to is Caroline’s new boss Ron (Martin Mull who played Leon on Roseanne – another one of my very favourite shows.) Ron ends up trying to hit on Caroline who, in turn, quits and returns home from the business trip so she can get back to her family. I like this movie because it’s funny to see Batman (before he was Batman, of course) as a soap opera watching, coupon clipping father. The day-to-day life with the funny twist is what makes this movie so cute. I always liked the scene with Kenny and the Wooby (Video clip here). It was just little parenthood incidences that made me like the movie so much even as a teenager because there was just about a typical 80s family who are “hit so hard by these trying economic times” (sound familiar?) And, yes, I have the video clip for the following quote too. Good stuff.

Jack Butler: Wanna beer?
Ron Richardson: It's 7 o'clock in the morning.
Jack Butler: Scotch?
Ron Richardson: Not during working hours. Ooooh, sorry pal.
Jack Butler: No problem. Come on over here Ron. Let me show you what I'm doing, taking advantage of some of the time off. To, uh, add a whole new wing on here. Gonna rip these walls out and, uh, of course re-wire it.
Ron Richardson: Yeah, you gonna make it all 220?
Jack Butler: Yeah, 220, 221. Whatever it takes.

Technorati Tags: Michael Keaton,Martin Mull,Teri Garr,80s,00s,Lindsey Lohan,SNL,Racheal McAdams,Lacey Chabert,Amanda Seyfried,Roseanne Barr,atozchallenge,a-z

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