The AMC movie theater nearest to my house has an interesting new pricing policy. Prior to this summer, on weekdays during the afternoon tickets were just $5.00. (Other AMC theaters charge $5.00 or $6.00, but only for showings held before noon. From noon on, they're $7.50 or $8.00, and higher at night.) Now, at the theater near me, if a movie has just opened, from the day it opens until the following Sunday, the weekday afternoon price is $7.50, but for older films it's still $5.00. So it's now possible for a family or a group of friends to hit this multiplex, split up if they're seeing different movies, and pay different ticket prices.
Since I didn't get up too early this morning, I couldn't get to the theater before noon to see the latest Harry Potter movie for five bucks. I still wanted to see a movie, though, so I chose "I Love You, Beth Cooper." At a high school graduation, the valedictorian passes on his prepared speech to declare his love for, yes, Beth Cooper, a cheerleader played by "Heroes" actress Hayden (Save the cheerleader, save the world) Panettiere, so she's not exactly stretching. The geeky valedictorian calls out a number of fellow graduates on various issues -- the bully who was abused as a child, his best friend who won't admit to being gay, etc. -- and angers Beth's boyfriend, which sets the predictable plot into motion. I loved the first season of "Heroes" even though Panettiere didn't display much acting range. In this movie she shows even less, though her character has some issues of her own to deal with. Her young co-stars aren't much better. While the movie isn't exactly dreadful, there's not much positive to say for it. Now and then there was a glimmer or two of an idea that, had it been fleshed out competently, might have made the movie better. Or they could have at least made it raunchy. At one point, in order to buy beer, the underage Beth offers to kiss the convenience store clerk "so hard you'll mess your underwear" or something like that. The movie doesn't even show the kiss. My grade: C-minus.
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