THE WEDDING SINGER (1998)

Adam Sandler is a wedding singer and as far as wedding singers go he's pretty good at it.  A romantic at heart, he's always dreamed of getting married himself.  Unfortunately his girlfriend stands him up at the alter.  Almost too heartbroken to go on, he's coaxed out of his gloom to help a co-worker (Drew Barrymore) plan her wedding.  As the days pass, he realizes that this girl is actually the girl of his dreams, not his ex!  Also, her soon to be husband is a total douchelord.

That might sound like the story of a thousand different romantic comedies (and it is), but it's all THE WEDDING SINGER needs because it's honestly a great movie.  The main attractions are the delightful chemistry between Barrymore and Sandler, Steve Buscemi's hair, the awesome 80's soundtrack and the hilarious comedy.  Even after (easily) 30+ viewings I still enjoy every scene and can pretty much quote the entire thing.  "They were cones!"  I also really appreciated the fact that the "bad guy" (Drew's boyfriend), while he is a douche, isn't totally dislikable.  He's just an ass, but still very funny.

THE WEDDING SINGER is a truly fun movie and by far my most watched Adam Sandler film.  Highly recommended.  I am curious though as to why with so many 80's references and Drew Barrymore being the main star didn't they somehow work in an E.T. joke/reference?

SCREAM (1996)

There's a mysterious killer gettin' crunk up in here, slashing up the students of Woodsboro High School. After the first few victims are killed, it appears that the main target is Neve Campbell, who's mother was herself raped and murdered just a year earlier. The students take the killings light-heartedly enough and when school is cancelled they decide to throw a bitchin' party. Everybody shows up: a ton of students, the police, a news crew and even the murderer!  Eek!

Watching SCREAM again for the first time in nearly a decade, I enjoyed the nostalgia of it (I saw it opening weekend in a crowded theater), but it's honestly not the greatest Slasher ever. The script is fun, the characters likeable and the pace quick, but the violence is lightweight, zero tits, very little blood and why outside help (state police, FBI) isn't called in is a complete mystery. What you have to remember though is in 1996 mainstream horror was an absolute wasteland. The biggest horror releases in the months leading up to SCREAM were FROM DUSK TILL DAWN (yawn), THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU (double yawn), THE FRIGHTENERS (awesome movie, but not really horror), THINNER (mmmmm...Kari Wuhrer), HELLRAISER: BLOODLINE (well, I liked it) and THE CRAFT (I've popped multiple boners to Fairuza Balk as a Goth, but it's not really horror either). The only Slasher I can even think of from 1996 is THE DENTIST! So add to that Slasher vacuum some popular teenage actors and a smart, cliche conscious script written in a "whodoneit" style and you've got yourself a hit.

SCREAM is dated, but a good intro film into the Slasher genre. Recommended for a good time.

Part 2 - Scream 2 (1997)
Part 3 - Scream 3 (2000)
Part 4 - Scream 4 (2011)
Part 5 - Scream (2022)
Part 6 - Scream VI (2023)