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American Wedding (Widescreen Edition)

American Wedding (Widescreen Edition)

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $17.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: just as good as the first, much better than the second movie
Review: A Film by Jesse Dylan

I thought American Pie was funny. I really didn't like American Pie 2 and thought it was mostly a waste of time. For some reason I decided that I wanted to see the third (and presumably final) movie in this franchise: American Wedding. Even more surprising is the fact that I enjoyed the movie and found it funny.

Jim Levinstein (Jason Biggs) and Michelle Flaherty (Alyson Hannigan) are getting married. Jim and Michelle first met in the first American Pie movie where Jim, unable to get a date for prom, asked band geek Michelle. Michelle turned out to be a nympho-maniac and ended up being Jim's first sexual experience (and a one night stand). In the second movie Jim turned to Michelle to help him gain confidence and experience with women so he could impress Nadia. By the end of American Pie 2 Jim realized he really loved Michelle and they ended up together. American Wedding opens with Jim proposing to Michelle and a disturbingly funny scene with Jim's father (Eugene Levy) bringing Jim the diamond ring which he forgot all the while Michelle is under the restaurant table (you can guess what she is doing).

Jim's friends Kevin Meyers (Thomas Ian Nicholas) and Paul Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) are helping Jim with wedding plans so that Michelle can have the wedding of her dreams (which Jim promised). Early on in the movie they mention that the best thing about this wedding is that Stifler (Sean William Scott) will not be there. Of course this means that Stifler will end up crashing the party. Initially he believes he is crashing a graduation party (Jim and friends are just graduating from college), but instead it is the engagement party. While Jim, Kevin and Finch have matured somewhat since American Pie 2, Stifler is exactly the same foul, crude, loudmouthed guy he has been since the first movie.

Instead of being the same old same old that we got from American Pie 2, American Wedding actually shows growth in the story as well as in the characters (I can't believe I just said that). Yes, Jim is still bumbling, but he means well and truly loves Michelle and it feels like Jim has actually grown as a person. He is more mature and willing to try to overcome his limitations as a person. Kevin is not much more than window dressing and a familiar face. Finch is finch, but it feels like he fits in with the group a lot more. Amazingly enough, Steve Stifler grows the most as a character. Stifler starts out as loud and obnoxious, but throughout the movie he starts to think more of others (in a Stifler sort of way) and tries to do the right thing. He backslides and takes steps forwards, and in the end is a better person than when he started in the movie.

Yes, there is some of the gross out humor that was such a big part of the first two movies, but there is less of it. There are a couple of scenes that fit perfectly into the other movies as a gross out scene, but as a whole, American Wedding is less crude than American Pie or American Pie 2. The focus truly is on relationships: the friendship of Jim, Kevin, and Finch; the family relationships of the Levinsteins and the Flaherty's; Jim and Michelle; Stifler trying to get with Michelle's younger sister Cadence (January Jones); Stifler trying to be a better friend. The story is told with a lot of humor and some crudeness, but ultimately American Wedding is a gentler movie than either of the American Pie movies.

Oddly enough, there was no mention of the missing characters. While it was appropriate that the women (except for Michelle) were not in the movie (they were pretty much all ex-girlfriends and former lust interests, there was no mention of Oz. Oz was part of Jim's circle of friends and while after three years of college friends do drift apart, you would think that Oz would merit a throwaway line for continuity's sake. After all, the movie did reference Nadia. This isn't something that should bother anyone during the movie, but it was something that I thought of after the movie was over.

Note: There is quite a bit of foul language, sexual humor, gross out humor, and other stuff that would be inappropriate for younger viewers or other viewers. Stifler drops the F-Bomb repeatedly. My advice is to know what you are getting into to.

The bottom line is that American Wedding is a funny movie. It marks an improvement in the series, and it feels like one more trip with old friends (exactly how these guys became my friends is a question I'm going to leave unanswered). I'm surprised to say this, but I liked the movie, and because of the content I will give it a qualified recommendation.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: American Wedding, Very Good, more like 4 and a half.........
Review: The cast of American Pie comes back for the wedding of Jim(Jason Biggs) and Michelle(Allison Hannigan), but the one thing that bothered me most, and the question i constantly ask myself when i tihnk about the movie, WHERE IS OZ(Chris Klien)!!!?? If you are gonna bring back the other guys in the gruop why not him? I was also dissappointed that Vicky(Tara Reid)Heather(Mena Suvari) and Jessica(Natasha Lyonne) were also abscent. Despite all of that i still give the movie 4 and a half stars because the movie was a riot. It was one of the funniest movies this year and alot better than i would have expected. Though the movie is based on Jim and Michelle's wedding, yet again Steve Stifler(Sean William Scott) steals the show, along with his new playmate Cadence(Michelle's sister)Also, Paul Fich(Eddie Kaye Thomas) was the best he has ever been, a very funny scene in the movie invloving finch and stifler, is when they switch roles as they are fighting over Cadence, Stifler acts like he is extremely polite and smart, while finch begings to do sex like gestures and curses every other word out of his mouth. Overall it is a very good enjoyable movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Best Slice of Pie Yet
Review: Seems to me like each one was better than the ones before. Some very hilarious moments as well as some of the touching scenes we've come to expect. Jim and his immediate circle of friends has been reduced by time once again, which happens to all of us as we keep moving on. Perhaps somewhere down the road there will be American Pie Family Reunion Picnic ;-)

I really enjoyed seeing Stiffler finally get to shine!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Now that's what a sequel should be like!
Review: (...) In my opinion, American Wedding is absolutely hilarious (in parts) and the storyline moves along pretty quickly ..... contrary to what other reviewers might have said, I think that the parts with Stifler in them where so funny!

This should have been the movie to follow American Pie - I was a little disappointed in the storyline to American Pie II, whilst Tara Reid is a great actress I thought the storyline around her was somewhat flat and not at all funny .... which meant that American Pie II had some real downer moments ...... this is definitely not the case with American Pie the Wedding!

This movie has it all .... Jim, Jim's dad (he is really good in this one), Stifler, Finch and Stfler's mum, and a really, really funny bachelor party (and for you guys out there, lots and lots of breasts! or "boobs"), and even has a "granny" scene (not to be missed - I won't say anymore other than a granny and Stifler - what do you think happened?).

This movie made me laugh out loud ..... and I think that's what a good comedy can do! So, I say, rent it, borrow it, buy it - hey just watch it ...... I don't think you'll be disappointed! I give this one an A+.

PS if you don't have a sense of humour don't bother to get it out ..... you will be disappointed!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A disappointing finale
Review: There's always a good way to end a great trilogy, and that's by a wedding. Most people say that American Pie the Wedding isn't great as the previous two, and nothing can beat the first one. But the finale to this movie is really sweet and romantic, and will definitely get the girls all a bit teary - well, me anyway!

You've got all the great characters from the first two - Jim, Michelle (they're kinda needed for this movie), Stifler, Finch, Kevin, and Jim's Dad, who's part seems to get extended with each movie, as he's so fantastic. But you're also missing quite a few of the cast members - Chris Klein, Mena Suvari, Shannon Elizabeth and Tara Reid. And Stifler's Mom only appears for the last couple of scenes, which see her reunited with Finch, in a bath full of bubbles. Who knows why those four didn't want to take part in this (hopefully) final part of American Pie? They were all much needed and very funny characters, and it would have been nice to see how the characters had developed over the three years that Jim and Michelle had apparently been dating.

Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan are back to their best in this movie, whether it's trying to write their vows, or having special haircuts. Alyson's hair is now longer, and looks a lot better than when it was in that awful bob, when she was definitely still a band geek.

You're introduced to quite a few new characters in this movie - Michelle's sister, who Finch and Stifler both fancy, and both try to outdo each other to win her affections, which provides some comic moments, when they seem to switch characters! There is also Jim's Gran, who gets offended at the fact Michelle isn't Jewish (never been an issue in the previous movies, so there's obviously been something cut out somewhere). You also get some cringe-worthy (for girls) or sexy (for the guys) scenes featuring two strippers - one a dominatrix cop (whatever), and the other a prissy maid? There's a lot of breast action in this sequence, and of course, any nice eye candy for the girls is left out. There's also Stifler in a gay bar, which is hilarious for the dancing alone, and him not even realising he's in a gay bar!

The uncut and unrated DVD is probably better to get. If you've seen it previously in the cinema, then you'll see lots of missing scenes, in-jokes etc. If this is your first viewing, then it won't really matter to you, that it's 8 minutes longer than in the cinemas and contains 17 minutes of 'spiced up' footage - and all those 17 minutes seem to be included in the bachelor party sequence with the strippers. Whoopee.

The outtakes and deleted scenes in the extras aren't really up to much. One of the strippers "Nikki" shows you behind the scenes of the bachelor party, and a cameraman gets to follow her around while she prepares for the big premier. You've also got Seann William Scott introducing a few of the deleted scenes and also a feature on "Stifler Speak", in which you get to see his original audition for the role of Stifler.

A great finale to a trilogy, but only see if you've seen the previous two - and you'll probably end up being disappointed.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Long Live the Stifman!
Review: There's one thing you have to say for "American Wedding": like the two "American Pie" films that came before it, it is unapologetically unashamed of its shamelessness. Here's a film that doesn't try to hide its gleeful perverseness under a bushel of coy double entendres; instead the film revels in its frank and openhearted treatment of sexuality and lust. "American Wedding" is clearly a comedy about sex and it doesn't pretend to be anything but. Whether this is a good thing or a bad will, I suppose, depend on your own affinity and tolerance for jokes and images that routinely push the boundaries of common decency and good taste. In fact, the film wears its tastelessness almost as a badge of honor. And just in case you're unfamiliar with this series and its brand of humor, subtlety and wit are not considered virtues in an "American Pie" world.

In "American Wedding," Jim and Michelle - he a self-described pervert and she a self-described nympho - have finally agreed to tie the knot. The film centers around Jim's attempts to convince Michelle's square, uptight, sexually repressed parents that he is indeed husband material for their less-than-innocent daughter. The problem is that his efforts are consistently being undermined by the inane, out-of-control antics of Steve Stifler, the foulest-mouthed, dirtiest-minded professional adolescent this side of Bluto Blutarsky. Seann William Scott, in fact, steals the show as Stifler, providing an over-the-top manic energy that is both endearing and infectious.

Indeed, without Stifler, there would be precious little to recommend this particular "American" outing. The jokes and setups, for the most part, are crude and graphic without being very imaginative, and writer Adam Herz and director Jesse Dylan, even when they hit on an inspired piece of silliness (as when Stiffler winds up dancing mano a mano with a guy in a gay bar), end up diluting the humor by letting the scenes drag on well past the point where they're truly funny anymore. This is not to say that there aren't a few good laughs in "American Wedding," just that they don't come often enough to really lift the film much above the ordinary. Luckily, the funny moments increase a bit in the final stretches of the movie. In the film's defense, I would also add that, like its two predecessors and unlike many sexually charged teen comedies, "American Wedding" conveys a certain affection for its characters. In addition to Stifler, Jason Biggs as Jim and Eugene Levy as Jim's befuddled but strangely tolerant and supportive father come across as decent, well-meaning and likable individuals.

The film itself may be uneven, but as a character actor who makes an indelible impression on the material at hand, Scott is the genuine article. He transforms what is essentially cinematic rotgut into sweet-tasting vintage wine. All hail the Stifman!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Perfect ending to awesome trilogy
Review: This movie was awesome. after seeing the first two films the cast almost grows on you. you start to care about them and what happens to them in the movie. i personally thought american pie 2 was the best of the series but this is not far from it and maybe as good as the first film. it's different than the others seeing that they're all out of school and are set to start their lives. it was ok that some of the original cast was missing because there are a few new faces that were great in the movie. and anyways, why would vicky, and heather and them be at the wedding. did u ever see jim or michelle talk to any of them. and i dont think itd be a good idea to have nadia there. and oz not being there shows how true to life the movie is. people move on and grow apart. but enough about them, jim and michelle's whole family are there, kevin and finch are back and the milf guys are back and funny as always and even stiffler's mom is in it. stiffler is back and better than ever as he steals the whole show. stiffler was great in the movie. there's alot of side plots in the film that will have you laughing and of course stifler eats something he shouldn't have like the other two films. jyms dad catches jym at a bad time again and all the other jokes are new.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Lacking Heart and Adding Cringe
Review: The amount of times I laughed (or even smiled) during this movie was more than offset by the number of times I cringed. With Pie 1 and 2, I never seriously thought: "Maybe I should just turn it off." With this movie, I wanted to quit watching many times. In hindsight, I wish I would've. The problems:

HEART
All it takes is one movie without Christ Klein's character (who balanced out some of the stupidity in the earlier films) and something becomes obvious. This movie doesn't stand up well at all. It comes off more like some bad Saturday Night Live skit crafted by a kid who just learned his expletives. The lack of a character like Klein's is a big reason why. Not having his or his girlfriend's character (or Tara Reid's) hurts big time. In the first two movies, there was crassness but still some heart. Taking out the characters who balanced things and all your left with is stupidity with some minor platitudes thrown in (mostly from Jim's dad in this movie). They have all the effectiveness of listening to headphones during a car crash. Which leads me to...

STIFLER
Specifically, there's too much of him. Actually, I think he's worse--especially in the movie's early stages--in this one than the other two combined. Admittedly, his overall shtick has a level of entertainment value. But in this movie, they didn't hit it. You wish he would just drop dead.

THE CONTRIVED SCENARIOS
How many flippin' gross outs does one movie need? They aren't even funny any more. The scene with Stifler, the cake, Jim, and the dogs is so contrived, you're almost embarrassed for all involved. The scene in the gay bar--besides being unconvincingly set up--goes on forever: You chuckle at the initial silly dance moves he does, but then it just goes on and one and on and on. And Finch and Stifler's mom again to cap the movie? In the second movie this seemed a little tacked on. The third time...yeesh. And that's not even the worst part...

THE STRIPPER SCENE
This too goes on forever. And it comes off about as convincing as the silicone breasts that grace the screen. Everyone involved with this scene should be ashamed (it's a sad day when this is the best they could come up with). I was particularly appalled at the involvement of the actors who play Jim's future in-laws--Does everyone have to have their faces shoved in breasts? Please...I'm sufficating. I like the female form and all, but this was something beyond cringe-worthy. Watching this scene I felt reminded of one of the reviewer comments for Madonna's Swept Away movie, "New ways to express bad need to be invented to accurately describe this."

THE WRITING
Okay, here's the painfully obvious truth: Adam Herz (the writer of the Pie series) is out of ideas. This script is the cinematic equivalent of standing up to give a toast at your best friend's wedding, uttering nothing but obscenities, then throwing in a "But love can be good," comment with a belch.

Overall, this is a sad conclusion to the American Pie series. If you haven't seen it, spare yourself. Go count weeds in your backyard or something. The people involved with this movie have created something not worthy of your time or money.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Only for diehard American Pie fans
Review: The interesting thing I noticed about the reviews for this movie is that every review literally has a completely different opinion of it, regardless of how they rated it. Basically, I liked the original American Pie, and I thought American Pie 2 was even better. THIS movie was okay, but I think only people that are really, REALLY into the first two movies can appreciate it.

Jim has been dating Michelle for years, and he finally asks her for her hand in marriage, which she accepts. Eventually, Stifler decides to throw Jim a bachelor party, along with Jim's usual friends Kevin, Finch, and Oz -- wait, Oz isn't there. He wasn't even mentioned in the whole movie! What's up with that?

I read somewhere that someone said this movie should have been called The Steve Stifler Show. I totally see where that reviewer is coming from (especially since Seann William Scott got higher billing than Alyson Hannigan). Yeah, Stifler WAS the funniest character in the first two movies, but in comparing those movies to THIS one, it seems like the antics and situations he was in have gone from funny and dumb to just dumb -- well, during the first half of the movie, anyway. And you have to admit that the scene in the gay bar wasn't 100% necessary.

To me, the only character that was completely funny throughout the whole movie was Jim's dad (I have yet to see Eugene Levy on screen when he isn't extremely funny). The DVD extras weren't all that, either (but are they ever?) The "Enter the Dominatrix" thing was really kind of pointless, and the "Stifler Speak" segment (starring...who else?) really makes you start to wonder just whose movie this is. All in all, though, while not a total waste of time, I'm glad I only rented this movie. But if you already own the other two movies, you might as well add this one to your collection. American Wedding really helped make 2002 the year of Sequels That Nobody Went to See along with Legally Blonde 2 and Analyze That.

Anthony Rupert

P.S. One thing that's been bothering me for a while...people complain about how vulgar and distasteful these American Pie movies are, yet nobody had a problem with Porky's?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hilarious
Review: I have all three American Pie movies on dvd and this one always makes me laugh the hardest. The first time I saw it, in theaters, I was really cracking up and so was the whole audience. If you don't like sex jokes, naughty scenes, stuff like that, then this isn't for you. This is raunchy comedy at it's finest. This is actually my fave of all 3 movies, and Stifler is so funny in this one. The gay bar scene is probably my favorite scene from all 3 movies. The soundtrack is really great, lots of catchy tunes. If you loved the first two I think it's a safe bet to get this one too, plus you'll complete your collection.


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