Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Pump Up the Volume

1990 – Drama/Comedy by director Allan Moyle

Description: As a recent transplant from the east coast to Arizona, Mark Hunter attempts to keep in touch with his friends with a short wave radio.  When he is unable to contact anybody he decides to turn his attention to a pirate radio program using the pseudonym Happy Harry Hard-on.  But then he realizes that people are actually listening to him every night.  His dime store operation becomes a beacon of hope for local teenagers, and things start happening.  Suddenly his alter ego becomes a hero in the eyes of kids at school.  Watch as a corrupt school principle gets the surprise of high school students actually speaking and standing up for their right to an education and the right to be a teenager.

Review: Great movie for teenagers and adults alike!  So much better than most teen movies out there, it’s more realistic.  Actually admits that everybody has issues and everybody is messed up.  At some point everybody is angry, confused, depressed, and misunderstood.  It is the movie for a generation of young people at the end of the 80’s and beginning of the 90’s.   There is lots of adult humor and themes going on.  It’s like blogging before blogging.  Awesome, awesome, awesome soundtrack!!!  Seriously.

My ratings:
Acting – 8
Story & Plot – 9
Drama – 6.5
Comedy – 8

My favorite quotes:
F   “So be it…”
F   “Talk hard!”
F   “Is it bigger than a baby’s arm?”
F   “Eat your cereal with a fork and do your homework in the dark.”

Lead cast: Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Ellen Greene, Annie Ross
Supporting cast: Scott Paulin, Mimi Kennedy, Cheryl Pollak, Seth Green, Billy Morrissette

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