Rating: 
Summary: Funny look at life anywhere
Review: I always enjoyed Colin Hanks on the TV series Roswell and looked forward to seeing his first lead role in a movie. Of course, it helped that the movie also features a strong supporting cast and cameos from some of the most loved comedy actors in Hollywood. Orange County offers a funny look at life in a particular part of California, but it finds constant humor in the frustrations of school, relationships, and ambitions anywhere. Hanks carries his Everyman role with charm.
Rating:
Summary: Yet another teen movie
Review: This recent release features Colin Hanks, Tom Hank's son, in a fun, but somewhat insipid character study of Orange County residents, and one teen's efforts to break away to attend Stanford. It's not Shakespeare, but my family seemed to tolerate it well enough. Colin Hanks has quite a career ahead of him, with his looks and connections, although he does seem to resemble at this point his dad just a tad too much. Kids and some light-hearted adults might enjoy this movie, but it's definitely not for everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Orange County good, but could have been better
Review: This movie was good, but could have been so much better. Jack Black is great when he is onscreen. The frustrating thing is that he is not onscreen enough! The best performaces are given by the parents, played by John Lithgow and Catherine O'Hara. Orange County is a funny movie, and if you see the movie with friends, it will be a good time.
Rating: 
Summary: Looks wacky and cool- -a great teen comedy!
Review: ORANGE COUNTY will be a crowd pleaser. It stars Colin Hanks (for those who do not know who Colin Hanks is, he is Tom Hanks's son; he also starred in the first two seasons of the hit TV series, "Roswell", and starred in the hit teen film, GET OVER IT) and also Jack Black. But besides the two of them, there are cameo roles made by some famous big stars playing wacky characters in the movie. Just to name a few, Cathrine O'Hera and John Lithgrow play the parents of Colin Hanks's character and Chevy Chase and Kevin Kline make appearances. I am wondering why Tom Hanks didn't make an appearance in his son's film...but oh well. Anyway, ORANGE COUNTY is basically a teen movie for the college-aged movie audience, since it is a college movie. It is about a teen living in California where nobody cares about their futures. Sean (Colin Hanks) becomes interested in writing, and wants to be an author. He desparately tries to get into Stanford University, but when the counselor sends him the wrong transcript saying that he's not accepted into the school, he takes his loser brother (Jack Black) and his girlfriend on a road trip to Stanford University where he will try to prove to Stanford that he is smart enough to get accepted into their school. Along the road, they come across some hilarious and wacky kicks and make all kinds of strange side trips. ORANGE COUNTY will be a great film! I have not seen it yet but I've seen the trailer. From the trailer, it's definitely a movie I will want to see. The acting looks great, and the script looks pretty clever and funny. It's bound for success in the box office! I can't wait for ORANGE COUNTY to hit theaters. Go see it!
Rating:
Summary: The perfect, fun comedy introducing an excellent Colin Hanks
Review: Following a program in screenwriting at USC, I got an internship at Marvel Studios and stayed another three weeks in L.A. During my stay, I had the good fortune to be invited to another private test screening of a movie that I was told starred Jack Black. That was enough for me. I've been a fan of the D (for those of you not familiar with the brilliantly obscene rock duo of Jack Black and Kyle Gas, they are Tenacious D) for long enough, and was there (three times in theaters) for his fantastic performance in High Fidelity, so I was at this screening in a second. I had no idea that Tom Hanks had a son, that he was an actor, or that he was in this movie, until months later when I saw the hype around it through trailers, etc. Nothing like his father, but equally magnetic onscreen, I look forward to more of his movies in the future. Hollywood or no Hollywood, this movie rocked! It was extremely humorous, and the audience response was so great that no one seemed to need a follow-up form of our feelings towards the movie. They saw our reaction as their success. Make sure you see this film when it comes out, and look out for a good cameo by another of my favorite comedy actors, Ben Stiller.
Rating: 
Summary: A fun teen comedy
Review: Don't go into this movie expecting art, but it's definatley a lot of fun, I caught an advaced screening, with the film not in it's final version. But from what I saw, it's a very funny movie with a lot of great cameos from folks like Ben Stiller, Chevy Chase, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Kline, and more.
Rating:
Summary: Orange County
Review: Anything with Jack Black in it has to be good in my view. I loved shallow hal and his band Tenacious D. I think he will give another great performance like he always does.
Rating:
Summary: Finally! A teen movie worth watching.
Review: Here's the upfront skinny (If you know the premise already, skip to "What I think"):
Orange County, an MTV Film, is a flic about a high school senior, Shawn (Colin Hanks,
Tom's son), who finds a book written by a Stanford University professor, becomes
obsessed with writing, and prays to study writing with that professor (Kevin Kline). As he
pursues his dream, with no help from his extremely dysfunctional family, he begins his
pursuit to be accepted at Stanford. When his high school counselor (Lilly Tomlin) sends
the wrong transcript desperate mad-capped antics frequently pop-up as the team of
Shawn, his nature loving girl friend and his loser brother go to the Stanford campus to try to
convince the dean of admissions (Harold Ramis - Egon from Ghostbusters) to let him in,
regardless of the error. Here's what I think: This movie had an Indie feel, with a big studio budget. The star power
alone was amazing. Overall, I thought Orange County was a really good, but not the best, motion picture
in the teen genre. Story background was desperately missing, as well as character development which would
have made this film easier to swallow instead of having to guess at the reasoning behind character
behavior. However, once the movie progresses the viewer can't help but be sucked into the plot, the
urgency, and the insanity of the cast. It may seem a little exaggerated at first but to realize that each character represents a unique
aspect of our American culture is quite mind bending. It had the smart-assed, immature
essence of an American Pie but the moral value of a fairy tale. The character portrayal was strong.
The dialogue was intelligent and fresh. The examination of current pop culture was evident. The soundtrack
was scrumtrelescent. The typical teen movie cheese was minimal. The main character's odd ball surfer friends were great. His divorced, self-centered parents
(Catherine O'Hara and John Lithgow) were great. And all of the cameo appearances by big stars
were great - Chevy Chase as the high school principal, Ben Stiller as a firefighter, Kevin Kline,
etc. etc. etc.
If you are a fan of Tenacious D, or in fact, any other movie Jack Black has been in, you will bust a gut at
his hilarious contribution to this film. However, if you have heard this was Jack Black's
new film, that's only a half truth. Yes, JB is in it but only as the drugged out loser brother, which is
a role that JB probably didn't have to practice much for. Even though he was the comic relief, he
only had a supporting role. This film is intended for the teen-young adult. Those who closely remember the college
acceptance process will get the most out of this movie and have the most empathy for
Shawn. It was funny, it was touching, and best of all, it wasn't annoying. And my wife liked it too.
(We both recently graduated from college). If anything it is a warning against ditzy high
school, college counselors.
Rating:
Summary: We will enjoy Orange County . . .
Review: . . . Just like we always have. It's impossible not to enjoy a movie called "Orange County." No matter how good or bad this film is, the sheer poor taste of this title will fill us with toddler-esque whimsy. I'm not convinced that Orange County actually exists, but this movie will give us a chance to contemplate the issue collectively. Perhaps some answer will eventually be found. (...)
Rating:
Summary: Finally! A teen movie worth watching.
Review: Here's the upfront skinny (If you know the premise already, skip to "What I think"):
Orange County, an MTV Film, is a flic about a high school senior, Shawn (Colin Hanks,
Tom's son), who finds a book written by a Stanford University professor, becomes
obsessed with writing, and prays to study writing with that professor (Kevin Kline). As he
pursues his dream, with no help from his extremely dysfunctional family, he begins his
pursuit to be accepted at Stanford. When his high school counselor (Lilly Tomlin) sends
the wrong transcript desperate mad-capped antics frequently pop-up as the team of
Shawn, his nature loving girl friend and his loser brother go to the Stanford campus to try to
convince the dean of admissions (Harold Ramis - Egon from Ghostbusters) to let him in,
regardless of the error. Here's what I think: This movie had an Indie feel, with a big studio budget. The star power
alone was amazing. Overall, I thought Orange County was a really good, but not the best, motion picture
in the teen genre. Story background was desperately missing, as well as character development which would
have made this film easier to swallow instead of having to guess at the reasoning behind character
behavior. However, once the movie progresses the viewer can't help but be sucked into the plot, the
urgency, and the insanity of the cast. It may seem a little exaggerated at first but to realize that each character represents a unique
aspect of our American culture is quite mind bending. It had the smart-assed, immature
essence of an American Pie but the moral value of a fairy tale. The character portrayal was strong.
The dialogue was intelligent and fresh. The examination of current pop culture was evident. The soundtrack
was scrumtrelescent. The typical teen movie cheese was minimal. The main character's odd ball surfer friends were great. His divorced, self-centered parents
(Catherine O'Hara and John Lithgow) were great. And all of the cameo appearances by big stars
were great - Chevy Chase as the high school principal, Ben Stiller as a firefighter, Kevin Kline,
etc. etc. etc.
If you are a fan of Tenacious D, or in fact, any other movie Jack Black has been in, you will bust a gut at
his hilarious contribution to this film. However, if you have heard this was Jack Black's
new film, that's only a half truth. Yes, JB is in it but only as the drugged out loser brother, which is
a role that JB probably didn't have to practice much for. Even though he was the comic relief, he
only had a supporting role. This film is intended for the teen-young adult. Those who closely remember the college
acceptance process will get the most out of this movie and have the most empathy for
Shawn. It was funny, it was touching, and best of all, it wasn't annoying. And my wife liked it too.
(We both recently graduated from college). If anything it is a warning against ditzy high
school, college counselors.
|
