GREG MOTTOLA’S ADVENTURELAND IS THE MOST METAL MOVIE OF 2009 SO FAR
Thursday, April 9th, 2009 at 4:00pm by Axl RosenbergGreg Mottola’s one of those filmmakers you know even if you don’t know you know him: he’s directed episodes of Freaks and Geeks and Arrested Development, and his feature film credits include Superbad and, now, the coming of age dramedy Adventureland.
In all seriousness: I think Adventureland is the only movie I’ve seen this year that hasn’t made me wanna tear my eyes out and carpet bomb Hollywood. Maybe it just hit that right sentimental spot for me, but it feels like such an honest, hilarious, and heartbreaking portrayal of that age when you think you have it all figured out, and you quickly realize you don’t know jack shit about jack shit.
It also has a fantastic soundtrack. In addition to some awesome non-metal acts (The Replacements, The New York Dolls, Lou Reed, etc.), it has a chase scene set to Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law” which is pretty much the best possible cinematic use of that song I could ever imagine. Couple with Mottola’s superb exploitation of “Panama” in Superbad, I have reached the conclusion that he would be a really, really awesome dude to hang with.
Here’s Priest doing “Breaking the Law” in 1982:
-AR
That depends… did you see The Wrestler? The movie doesn’t just have an 80s metal soundtrack — it’s practically scored with it. Never in your life will you see “Balls to the Wall” and the Scorps’ “Animal Magnetism” put to such dramatic use. Very intelligent and sincere use of the music.
Not trying to argue, tho. I haven’t seen this flick yet, so it’s good to know.
They posted about “The Wrestler” a few months ago.
Judas Priest is fucking rad though.
Here’s an interesting factoid: Bill Hader used his experience working at Bell’s Amusement Park of Tulsa, OK, where I live. (It has since been closed and torn down because of a lease disagreement with the city.) He said Zingo, the antiquated wooden rollercoaster, made him scared to ride other rollercoasters. What he didn’t say is the other wooden coaster (can’t remember the name) used to kill like two people a year, usually by the cart flying off the track.
The term “dramedy” is not metal at all.
@ ferris:
The Wrestler – 2008
Adventureland – 2009
Read the title of the post, again…
I have another word for you: ANVIL.
Judas Grease is about as metal as KISS. Boring rock.