Austin High

Austin High was well-made, well-written, and hilarious to watch. The casting was great. The choices in what and how to best represent Austin and Austin culture were solid, too. There wasn't anything non-feel-good about this movie and it makes for the perfect opportunity to watch something with a light heart that still accurately represents a relevant issue. Matters over marijuana are in the news exponentially more so these days and although Austin High's characters are intentional caricatures of potheads, the roles earnestly represent the laid-back nature of the subculture. I definitely recommend this movie! I watched it screened in Austin--there couldn't have been a better place.

Hilarious movie, true to Austin and all the "Keep Austin Weird" motto! Saw it at Austin Film Festival and laughed so hard I literally teared up. Acting was great and natural and you actually wondered if these folks knew each other well in real life. This is *not* like a "Dazed and Confused" wanna-be type movie and more in step with today's Austinite antics ;). The writing and dialog is naturally portrayed. I found the story plot-line quite eccentric (like Austin's characters aren't??). Also, the subject matter is hilariously politically incorrect (come'on, you know you laugh at non-pc comedy!), and will leave you laughing at every take. A lot of the humor is over the top, crazy and squirm-in-your-chair-uncomfortable-funny - but if you like Tosh.0 then this is right up your alley.

I saw an opening of this movie in Austin Texas. The first 15 min. take you into the story as it begins to get you ready for severe laughing (which I don't think any of us can complain about) and the movie has some great undertones of sarcasm mixed with top of the line funny line after funny scene..towards the middle I was able to catch my breathe but as the 4th quarter began I couldn't help myself from laughing hard! So hard that my boyfriend was saying "SHH SHH in between his laughing" I am looking forward to seeing this flick again with friends who couldn't see it when I did! Okay, so from the wardrobe selection to the scenes themselves and then of course the acting (and WOW, I hadn't heard of some of these folks but I am sure all of us will in the future). The movie went fast, I even had to go to the ladies room 1/2 way through and couldn't get up 'cause I didn't want to miss a beat and if you miss one line you will be sure to miss something FUNNY. A great comedy !

This is more than just a pro-pot movie. It delves into the issues that both define and divide our culture: gentrification, economic disparity, sexual repression, and our individual ability to affect change. All this, plus it features one of the coolest cities anywhere on Earth as a central character. Great performances by Melinda Cohen, Brently Heilbron, Adriene Mishler, Bill Wise, and Mike Wilson lead the way for a wonderful ensemble of gifted actors, and the cameo by Duane "Dog: The Bounty Hunter" Chapman is not to be missed. Kirk Johnson and Will Elliot offer up a hilarious script, and somehow hang a moral on it without weighing it down. This film really puts the "Tea" back in Texas! Grab a friend, catch a buzz and check it out!

I really enjoyed the first feature length comedy by the writers at BeefandSage. The main story revolves around a forced culture change at high school, but touches on issues of gentrification and corrupt politicians, while also containing elements of coming-of-age comedy. From the soundtrack to laugh-out-loud moments, it's certainly well done for the budget. Brently Heilbron alone was worth the price of admission, but it was certainly a team effort with talented (and hilarious) short- film actor, Mike Wilson, the smoking-hot Melinda Cohen, and gifted director, Alan Deutsch. Can't wait to own a copy!