Are you ready to go back to high school?





10 Things I Hate About You
Viewed in theaters: 4/17/99

Have you ever noticed that a lot of teen movies came out in 1999? She's All That, Never Been Kissed, American Pie, Drive Me Crazy, Cruel Intentions, The Faculty, and of course, 10 Things I Hate About You. It's almost near perfect that I was 18 when those movies came out; I could relate more to the characters being their age. Of course, nearly nine years later I still love the movie, but boy does it make me nostalgic for late '90s fashion and music. Well, almost.

This was the first Heath movie that I've watched since he died that was light-hearted and funny. All the other movies I've reviewed have had a bit of a darkness to them or end quite depressing, so I wasn't sure how I was going to handle watching one of his movies on a completely different spectrum. Turns out I was fine and could easily laugh at the many scenes and lines that have always make me chuckle. There was just one scene that nearly made me tear up and that scene, as you may have guessed, was the one where Heath sings Can't Take My Eyes Off of You. I think it especially got to me because of the line, "and I thank God I'm alive". :-(

Although that part has always been my favorite scene in the movie (and one of my top five Heath Ledger scenes in a movie), a close second favorite is The Weakness in Me montage, a scene only moments before with Julia Stiles at the music shop, sitting on a stool playing a guitar with her eyes closed and Heath is behind her. And after he leaves, she opens her eyes like she can feel his presence. I've always loved that scene (that's one of my favorite songs on the soundtrack), but now it has a more deeper meaning. I didn't know whether to swoon or sniffle.


He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar

And to finish off my top ten scenes (in no particular order), the rest of my list would look like this:

3. Bianca and Cameron's first study session at the library where she kept calling him the wrong name. So funny, but I felt bad for Cameron.
4. Kat and Patrick on the swing sets when she tells him he has green in his eyes (awww), then pukes on his shoes (ewww). But awww at him stroking her hair.
5. When Patrick enters the classroom, says "What'd I miss?", Kat says blah, blah, blah, and he says, "Great" and leaves. That always makes me laugh. I think the only time he was in that English class was when Kat read her poem.
6. Any scene with Miss Perky. Loooove Alison Janney. "Judith, what's another word for engorged?" "A bratwurst? Aren't we the optimist?" "Heinous bitch is the term used most often." "Kat? Cat!" " I've got deviants to see and a novel to finish. Now scoot!"

After Ms. Perky's novel fails, she moves to Washington D.C. to become the White House Press Secretary. (I jest!)
7. The scene with Joey and Patrick on the bleachers. I love it when Heath calls him "Sparky", but what really makes me laugh is when they're negotiating the price for him to take out Kat and he starts out with $15 for the movie (yeah, right! Actually, back in 1999, a movie ticket cost about $4.25/person. I know this because I save my movie tickets - Gotta love inflation), then ups to $53 with the popcorn, then to $75 with the Raisenettes (my favorite movie candy, I bet I was eating those when I saw this movie). But seriously, WTF? That's $22 for a box of chocolate-covered raisins!

Cruel intentions
8. At the prom when Bianca punches Joey twice in the nose ("Shit, Bianca, I've got a nose-spray ad tomorrow!") and knees him in the balls. Makes me laugh every damn time.
9. Michael and Cameron at the bar - I love it when Michael picks up the eight ball in an ongoing game of pool and warns Cameron not to touch anything. Actually, I loved any scene with Michael and Cameron together.

The kids aren't alright
10. Kat reading her poem and tearing up. Awwwwww. That always make me tear up too.

How could you not tear up?

Have you ever noticed Andrew Keegan always plays douche bags? Remember when he tried to steal Topanga away from Corey in that episode of Boy Meets World? (Don't ask me how I even remember that!) Oh, hell no! His character is so skeevy, I'll never understand how Joey "Eat Me" (hee!) Donner was the "hot babe" of Padua High. Seriously, I would sooner make out with Bogey Lewenstien than with him. (Oh Lord, I just looked that actor up on IMDB.com and he has the same birthday as me. I'm birthday soul mates with Bogey Lewenstien, who knew?) Actually, if I went to PHS, I would have a crush on the following:
1. Patrick Verona (Duh)
2. Cameron (He was so adorably naive and I love me some JGL)

He's got the dreamer's disease
3. The DJ at the party (Hey! He knows his music! Atomic Dog? Just Be Good To Me? Word Up!? Push It? I think I'm in love!)


Worship me, teenage girls.

Even though I've seen this movie more than I care to admit, I still have some burning questions and observations. Such as:
1. I am 97% sure that Club Skunk is a lesbian club. Exhibit A: I counted 3 guys there. Exhibit B: Heath Ledger enters the club in leather pants and none of the girls are drooling over him, much less looking at him? I find THAT hard to believe!
2. Speaking of Club Skunk, why does Patrick tell Cameron and Michael he can't be seen there, but when he does go there, the bartender says, "Verona, what are you doing here?" Unless he's been there before, realized it was a lesbian club and never went back.
3. Joey Donner doesn't know what "pensive" means, yet he knows the definition of "congregate"? Totally not buying it!
4. If Kat was so pissed drunk at the party AND had a concussion, then how did she remember being pissed off at Patrick? He even says "she would've been too drunk to remember anything."
5. Maybe I'm too cynical, but I don't think Kat and Patrick would ever make it as a couple in the real life. He kept doing or saying stupid stuff to her and she kept getting pissed at him! Albeit, they were cute in the film.

What will become of the happy couple when she goes to Sarah Lawrence?
6. How come when Kat was sneaking Patrick out of detention, none of the other kids spoke up? I find it hard to believe one of them didn't say, "HEY! How come he gets to sneak out? What about me?"
7. The theme of their prom is "Blasting into 2000!" LMAO.
8. Does Bogey Lewenstien think his fellow MBA peers are morons and don't know what city they live in? I can understand putting the city if you're inviting people from out of the state to a wedding or big party, but when you're in high school and everyone lives in the same city, is it really necessary to put Seattle after your home address?
9. The scene where Bianca and Cameron are talking by a big statue of a troll? I'VE BEEN THERE!! Well, drove by it anyway. Seattle is awesome. Go visit. Now.
10. Bianca, you're a cute girl. Why are you wearing such a fugly prom dress? And showing your navel at prom is so tacky!


Happy boys and happy girls will be...so happy!

A review of this movie wouldn't be complete without posting my favorite quotes. I have so many favorites, so keeping with the movie's numeric theme, here are my top ten quotes, again in no particular order:
1. "Judith, what's another word for engorged?"
2. "Would you stop being so self-observed for just one minute!"
3. "I delivered babies to a fifteen year old girl and you know what she said to me?"
"I'm a crack whore who should have made my sleazy boyfriend wear a condom?"
"Close...but no."
4. "There's a difference between like and love. I mean, I like my Sketchers, but I LOVE my Prada backpack."
"But I love my Sketchers."
"That's because you don't own a Prada backpack."
"Oohhhh!"
5. "I hear you're a fan of Mr. Shakespeare."
"I'm more than just a fan - we're involved!"
6. "You're asking me out! That's so cute! What's your name again?"
7. "Excuse me, should you be drinking alcohol when you don't have a liver?"
8. "Are you telling me I'm not a pretty guy?"
9. "That must be Nigel with the brie!"
10. "You're not as mean as you think you are!"
"You're not as bad-ass as you think you are!"

I love the soundtrack and I even made a sequel soundtrack featuring songs that aren't on the CD. If you don't own the soundtrack and don't want to buy it, here are some of my favorite songs you should download:
I Want You To Need Me - Letters to Cleo
The Weakness in Me - Joan Armatrading
Atomic Dog - George Clinton
Just Be Good to Me - SOS Band (my favorite non-soundtrack song)
Word Up! - Cameo
New World - Leroy