Pep Squad

Rating:
Summary: A no-budget blast
Review: "Pep Squad" is your typical First Rites affair: Ham acting, amateurish direction, and a script that rates 11 on the Cringe-O-Meter (tm). This is what one expects going into any First Rites movie, however. And this is a worthy venture for any fan.

The layout is very similar to Jawbreaker (Though "Pep Squad" was released before Jawbreaker, or something like that, according to the cast/crew commentary). In some anonymous high-school there's a clique of super-prep girls... one of them doesn't get nominated for Prom Queen and starts killing people. Her relatively lawful friends eventually commit a heinous (though justified) crime, and then people start getting killed left and right.

What did you expect? Hamlet?

As DVD extra features go, there's a few First Rites trailers (bleh), and the aforementioned cast/crew commentary that is truly superb. They talk constantly throughout the feature, and always have some insightful comment on where they got some of the smaller actors (they found one girl in a supermarket), or what everyone involved in the movie is doing since it was made (which is pretty touching, actually), and a variety of other interesting topics (there's a nice thong shot you'll miss the first time around).

As with movies like Rocky Horror, Demonicus, Strangeland, et al., you just can't watch "Pep Squad" alone... you've gotta let your buddies in on the fun.

Rating:
Summary: A no-budget blast
Review: "Pep Squad" is your typical First Rites affair: Ham acting, amateurish direction, and a script that rates 11 on the Cringe-O-Meter (tm). This is what one expects going into any First Rites movie, however. And this is a worthy venture for any fan.

The layout is very similar to Jawbreaker (Though "Pep Squad" was released before Jawbreaker, or something like that, according to the cast/crew commentary). In some anonymous high-school there's a clique of super-prep girls... one of them doesn't get nominated for Prom Queen and starts killing people. Her relatively lawful friends eventually commit a heinous (though justified) crime, and then people start getting killed left and right.

What did you expect? Hamlet?

As DVD extra features go, there's a few First Rites trailers (bleh), and the aforementioned cast/crew commentary that is truly superb. They talk constantly throughout the feature, and always have some insightful comment on where they got some of the smaller actors (they found one girl in a supermarket), or what everyone involved in the movie is doing since it was made (which is pretty touching, actually), and a variety of other interesting topics (there's a nice thong shot you'll miss the first time around).

As with movies like Rocky Horror, Demonicus, Strangeland, et al., you just can't watch "Pep Squad" alone... you've gotta let your buddies in on the fun.

Rating:
Summary: "Three Cheers for Death"...
Review: ...reads the tagline for "Pep Sqaud," an amiably campy film, in the tradition of John Waters or Roger Corman. The film--surprisngly rich in color and sound--follows three high school kids who hide their principal in their basement after he tries to rape one of the three. Despite a plot-line that sounds terribly familiar and a cast of unbelievably awful actors, "Pep Squad" thrives in other departments. For one, the music and score of the film, performed by Concrete Blonde frontwoman Johnette Napolitano, is excellent. Secondly, the actresses playing the roles of Cherry, a psychotic sociopath determined to become prom queen, and Terra, the retro-snob on top of Cherry's hit list, blow the other actors away. The conflicts between the two girls is reason enough to forget about the crummy acting coming from some of the other stars of the film. As far as wannabe-cult-classics, "Pep Squad" squashes the competition.

Rating:
Summary: "Three Cheers for Death"...
Review: ...reads the tagline for "Pep Sqaud," an amiably campy film, in the tradition of John Waters or Roger Corman. The film--surprisngly rich in color and sound--follows three high school kids who hide their principal in their basement after he tries to rape one of the three. Despite a plot-line that sounds terribly familiar and a cast of unbelievably awful actors, "Pep Squad" thrives in other departments. For one, the music and score of the film, performed by Concrete Blonde frontwoman Johnette Napolitano, is excellent. Secondly, the actresses playing the roles of Cherry, a psychotic sociopath determined to become prom queen, and Terra, the retro-snob on top of Cherry's hit list, blow the other actors away. The conflicts between the two girls is reason enough to forget about the crummy acting coming from some of the other stars of the film. As far as wannabe-cult-classics, "Pep Squad" squashes the competition.

Rating:
Summary: Best thing to come out of Kansas Since Wizard of Oz!
Review: Amazingly clever and cutting edge cinematography, captivating storyline and an adorably cute cast make this one a B-film Must Have!
I loved this movie! And I loved Cherry, the evil goddess of prom night even more (Played by Brooke Balderson). A very talented actress that has alot of potential.
If you watch this film without taking everything too seriously then you will have more than a laugh or two and at least you will see all the sights of Wamego, a beautiful little town in the heartlands.

Rating:
Summary: Best thing to come out of Kansas Since Wizard of Oz!
Review: Amazingly clever and cutting edge cinematography, captivating storyline and an adorably cute cast make this one a B-film Must Have!
I loved this movie! And I loved Cherry, the evil goddess of prom night even more (Played by Brooke Balderson). A very talented actress that has alot of potential.
If you watch this film without taking everything too seriously then you will have more than a laugh or two and at least you will see all the sights of Wamego, a beautiful little town in the heartlands.

Rating:
Summary: This is why we have independent film.
Review: I wanted to see this movie because it was a horror film and it looked different. What I discovered was one of those worlds like "But I'm a Cheerleader," where everything is symbolic and stereotyped. I was intrigued by every part of this movie. If you like the counterculture and a movie that spits in the face of conformity, this is a great movie for you. The R rating is for violence, nudity, language and sexual content.

Rating:
Summary: Cherry Vs Terra
Review: The redhead, chainsmoking, sociopath Cherry saw her life dream in becoming homecoming prom queen come to an end when her name was failed to be mentioned during the nomination process. To add insult to injury, Cherry's nemesis Terra was nominated along with the typical highschool bimbos and alcoholics. Cherry's anti-social skills come in handy as she begins taking out prom queen candidates through vehicular manslaughter and other interesting techniques. Terra, a tribute to the voluptous 60's housewife, is a true survivalist. Terra has to be respected for being determined and at times underhanded by resorting to blackmail or sticking a banana peel in a peer's muffler so as to inflict carbon dioxide poisoning. There are other plots in Pep Squad, but this is by far the most interesting of the lot. Of course this is a B movie and is full of bad acting, stereotypes, and silicone breasts, but the great soundtrack alone is worth watching the movie. Enjoy!