AMERICAN REUNION (Rated R)

For today’s youth market, the delectably humorous “American Pie,” though familiar in pop culture, will not be as fresh as, let’s say, baked goods straight from the oven.

The sexual frustrations of high school seniors in 1999 was the foundation for plenty of raunchy humor, and by contemporary standards, “American Pie” is now almost dated.

In the intervening years, we’ve been subjected to the crude humor generated by Judd Apatow’s school of comedy, from “Superbad” to “Knocked Up” to “Bridesmaids,” just to name a prominent few.

Now, for no apparent reason other than to cash in on the good name of the “Pie” franchise, along comes “American Reunion,” which wants to recapture some of the original film’s underlying sweetness. And in spite of the misfires of previous sequels, it actually does.

Yet, the modern climate almost requires descending to the elemental nature of crude humor, whether brilliantly realized in “The Hangover” or uncouthly hewing to “American Pie’s” unfortunate straight-to-video disasters.

“American Reunion” is a gamble by any measure, as its focus on a high school reunion that takes place, oddly enough, 13 years later is a sign of something off-kilter.

To enjoy a sequel happening so many years later, “American Reunion” demands familiarity with all the lovable characters, from the Stifmeister and Finch to Jim’s dad and Stifler’s mom.

The nominal protagonist is the awkward good guy Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs), who married his high school sweetheart Michelle (Alyson Hannigan). Now, they have a toddler son, but a sex life gone stale.

Jim, of course, remains famous for a viral YouTube posting of his sexual antics in his school days. A return to East Great Falls for the reunion will rekindle a lot of memories, many of them embarrassing.

The reunion brings together the other familiar old school pals.  Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) travels the world on his motorcycle, and we wonder if we will reunite with Stifler’s mom (Jennifer Coolidge), who remains as lustful as ever.

Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), now also married, is an architect. The flamboyant Oz (Chris Klein) has found his place as a sportscaster and competitor on “Celebrity Dance-Off.”

Both Kevin and Oz, one married and the other in a committed relationship, find some old passions rekindled when their former loves, Vicky (Tara Reid) and Heather (Mena Suvari) respectively, also show up.

Only Stifler (Seann William Scott), eternally crash and rude, with his wicked smile expressing unrestrained mischief, lingers in a state of perpetual adolescence.

Whether it is doing something unspeakable to someone’s beer cooler or hitting on high school girls by faking interest in “Twilight,” Stifler continues to be game for adventure and temptation.

Come to think of it, Jim’s dad (Eugene Levy), always ready to give his son unwanted advice on sexual matters, is a comforting constant presence, because he’s so damn funny.

Some of the best humor involves the discomfiting and embarrassing situations that usually ensnare the often inept and clueless Jim, even now that he’s all grown up.

A classic case is when Jim ends up in a compromising position with the drunken, naked body of the hot 18-year old neighbor Kara (Ali Corbin) that he used to babysit.

As Jim tries to get Kara back up into her bedroom undetected, Oz, Stifler and Finch fumble through clumsy efforts to preoccupy Kara’s parents from discovering an unpleasant truth.

The agreeable reality of “American Reunion” is that, even if it is an irrepressibly ribald comedy with plenty of coarse gags, it is just outright funny.  

To fully appreciate the bawdy humor one must be familiar with the “American Pie” franchise, but only the films that made it to a theatrical release.   

 TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL

One of the few good reasons to come to Los Angeles, other than for nice weather and great beaches, is the third annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, from April 12 to April 15.

Many of the classic films will feature prominent celebrities or film directors leading discussions.  For instance, Mel Brooks will be on the program for a screening of “Young Frankenstein.”

As noted in this space a few weeks ago, legendary filmmaker Stanley Donen will appear to talk about his films “Charade,” “Funny Face” and “Two for the Road.”

To honor the 50th anniversary of James Bond, there will be a special screening of “Dr. No.”  Eunice Gayson, memorable as Sylvia Trench, will be the host, along with later Bond girl Maud Adams.

Notable stars will appear in discussions at many screenings. Kim Novak will do the honors for “Vertigo,” Kirk Douglas for “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” Angie Dickinson for “Rio Bravo,” and Robert Wagner for “The Pink Panther.”

The appearance of producer Robert Evans and screen writer Robert Towne for the classic noir film “Chinatown” is certain to be one of the many TCM highlights.

Opening night features the World Premiere Restoration of “Cabaret” with Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey participating in the discussion.

The TCM Classic Film Festival just keeps getting better and more impressive. Film buffs should not miss out on this grand adventure.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

The winning entry in California’s 2012 Upland Game Bird Stamp art competition will be selected at a judging event on April 16 in Davis.

The public is invited to attend the judging, which will take place in the conference room of the Yolo Wildlife Area Headquarters beginning at 10 a.m.

Eight artists from around the country have entered the competition, which is sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG).

Each artist submitted their own original depiction of a Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata).

The setting and details were determined by the individual artists, but entries had to include at least one adult band-tailed pigeon and if background detail was included in the design it needed to be accurate and representative of the species’ natural habitat in California.

The entries will be judged by a panel of citizens selected for their expertise in the fields of ornithology, conservation, art and printing.

Designs will be judged on originality, artistic composition, anatomical accuracy, and suitability for reproduction as a stamp and a print.

The winning entry will be reproduced on the 2012 California Upland Game Bird Stamp.

An upland game bird stamp is required for hunting migratory and resident upland game birds in California.

Money generated from stamp sales can only be spent on upland game bird-related conservation projects, the creation of hunting opportunities, and outreach and education.

DFG sells about 200,000 upland game bird stamps annually, including sales to stamp art collectors.

For more information about the California Upland Game Bird Stamp program, please visit the DFG Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/upstamp .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – An acting camp is starting in Lake County to give young people an experience with theater and drama.

The acting camp is open to students who will be entering first through fifth grades in the fall.

Camp runs 9 a.m. to noon, Mondays through Fridays, June 18-22 and June 25-29, in Middletown.

Healthy snacks are provided.

Campers will rehearse a play, “Alice in Woodland,” and perform on the last day of camp.

Join Alice and her friends including the Cheshire Cat, March Hare, Mad Hatter and the Queens as she learns a big lesson in the forest.

All campers will have their own parts in this spirited and funny tale.

There will be a performance for invited friends and family on June 29 at 11 a.m., followed by a cast party.

The cost is $200.

To enroll and for more information, call 415-328-6363 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The “We Love Tules” Four Minutes Film Festival gala premier has been postponed.

The event previously was scheduled for Wednesday, April 18.

Organizer Cheri Holden said new dates are to be announced.

I’ve lived on the Great Plains all my life, and if I ever left this region for too long, I would dearly miss it. This lovely poem by Carol Light, who lives in Washington state, reminds me of that.

Prairie Sure

Would I miss the way a breeze dimples
the butter-colored curtains on Sunday mornings,
or nights gnashed by cicadas and thunderstorms?
The leaning gossip, the half-alive ripple
of sunflowers, sagging eternities of corn
and sorghum, September preaching yellow, yellow
in all directions, the windowsills swelling
with Mason jars, the blue sky bluest borne
through tinted glass above the milled grains?
The dust, the heat, distrusted, the screen door
slapping as the slat-backed porch swing sighs,
the hatch of houseflies, the furlongs of freight trains,
and how they sing this routine, so sure, so sure—
the rote grace of every tempered life?

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2011 by Carol Light, whose poems have been published in Prairie Schooner, Poetry Northwest and elsewhere. Poem reprinted from The Literary Bohemian, Issue 12, June 2011, by permission of Carol Light and the publisher. Introduction copyright © 2012 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

MIRROR MIRROR (Rated PG)

Tarsem Singh, a director known for stunning art direction and highly developed visual storytelling ability, puts a new twist on the Grimm Brothers’ age-old fairy tale.

A haunting snowbound forest, a richly detailed hideout in a hollow tree, a magical castle, ornate palace rooms and sumptuous costumes all combine to deliver an extraordinary visual feast.

With a slightly revisionist glimpse at the Snow White legend, “Mirror Mirror” still looks very much like a Walt Disney production, except that it is not.

Fairy tales are no longer the exclusive domain of the Mouse Kingdom. That’s a good thing, because competition is bound to produce a better product, even though Lily Collins as Snow White looks perfectly turned out from Disney central casting.

A princess should always be enchanting and beautiful, and Lily Collins, a raven-haired beauty with porcelain-like skin, has the grace and spunk required of a Snow White cruelly mistreated by her evil stepmother Queen.

Even better is Julia Roberts, America’s Sweetheart, going very much against stereotype in the role of the wicked monarch, her usual pleasant smile now used in a sinister, creepy way to convey true menace.

After the beloved King (Sean Bean) vanishes, his ruthless wife, the evil Queen, seizes control of the kingdom and keeps her beautiful 18-year-old stepdaughter, Snow White, confined to her quarters in the palace.

The Queen’s kingdom is a sad, desolate place, where the once happy subjects are taxed into poverty to support the monarch’s lavish lifestyle, including grand soirées to attract an appropriate suitor.

With the royal finances in a shambles, the Queen is anxious to marry for money. Her target is young, handsome Prince Alcott (Armie Hammer), who is not easily fooled by the apparent age difference.

Instead, Prince Alcott stumbles upon Snow White at the royal party and is instantly smitten. How can you blame him for being attracted to real beauty and charm?

Of course, the jealous Queen banishes Snow White to a nearby forest, where she is to be eliminated by the Queen’s bumbling servant Brigton (Nathan Lane).

Snow survives and is taken in by a band of rebellious but kindhearted dwarfs, and in turn, the brave young woman blossoms into a warrior determined to save her country.

Meanwhile, back at the palace, Prince Alcott is put under a spell so that he will, against his wishes, marry the Queen and so deliver the riches of his native land to her evil purposes.

At this point, even the youngest, most naïve member of the audience will be fully aware of where things are going. It’s just a matter of time until the Prince and Snow White exchange the proverbial kiss.

Yet, there’s even a twist to that magical moment when the lips of the charming prince and the lovely princess meet for the first time; the spell cast on Alcott is the one to be broken.

The most fun to be had is when the merry band of dwarfs, who enjoy acting like highwaymen as they rob wayward travelers, creates grand mischief.

With names like Half-Pint, Napoleon, Grub, Butcher, Chuckles, Grimm and Wolf, the seven dwarfs are pranksters and renegades who are tamed by the arrival of Snow White into their hideaway.

For the general audience, even though it lacks grand ambition, “Mirror Mirror” has enough clever visuals and witty one-liners to entertain even the most hardened cynics. Or, at least one would hope.

In the end, this retelling of the classic fairy tale will be most appealing to the younger crowd, particularly girls attracted to a message of empowerment.

The winner in this film is Lily Collins, a promising actress possessing the style, beauty and elegance of a young Audrey Hepburn.

TELEVISION UPDATE

The nostalgia craze is still going full blast, first with “Mad Men” and now Starz delivers an original new series highlighting the decadent world of Miami Beach in the late Fifties.

Set in the glamorous world of the luxurious beachfront Miramar Playa Hotel, “Magic City” opens on New Year’s Eve, 1958, a tumultuous time in Miami and abroad. Only 90 miles away in Cuba, Castro’s rebels are closing in on Havana.

Running the hotel is Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Ike Evans, who’s confronted with a picket line organized by the local union that wants to shut down his hotel just as Frank Sinatra is scheduled for the blowout New Year’s Eve show.

Conjuring up ways to finance his dream, Ike has sold his soul to the devil, mob boss Ben “The Butcher” Diamond (Danny Huston), hence a lot of tension runs through the storyline.

Now married to a much younger former showgirl (Olga Kurylenko), Ike juggles conflicts and difficulties with his children by his former wife, two older boys and a young girl skeptical about her stepmother.

“Magic City” looks like a dramatic series with promise, and since it’s on the Starz cable network, the show is suitable for mature audiences only.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.