Bad Girls from Valley High

It's good to know that Jonathan Brandis and Janet Leigh's finals films are available for their many fans. Both actors had such talent. Janet's long career strewn with gem's of her stellar talent. And Jonathan's shining efforts, tragically cut short, a loss to the film making community. Final films of many artist are not always what we'd call the finest examples of their craft. But the fact that two years after their deaths, that the public still want's to see their work must mean a lot to their family. I had the pleasure of knowing Jonathan for a brief period in the 90's and he was the most charming and friendly of persons.

~Jonathan thank you for all your gifts you've left us.~ ~Janet--- you sure could scream!

I wanted to watch this movie because it was Jonathan Brandis' "last movie" so to speak. Well it has very little to do with him or his acting. They don't even test his acting. Here are my main observations on this movie.

1) This is a movie just reeking of mid to late 90's culture and it was released in 2005?! That had me rolling. I'm sure this was only released to the public based on the death of Brandis and Leigh which is sad. But dude, is this valley girl type movie dated or what? even for 2005 the people who saw it were shocked to see how much fashion had changed. Nobody cared about Valley Girl crap anymore. It was 10 years since Clueless! I think one girl had a cell phone, it was 2005. This is what happens when you release movies years later. The world goes and changes on you.

2) Julie Benz as a high schooler? She was 28 playing a 17 year old and when you first see her on film there is no getting around the fact she does not belong in high school. Neither does Brandis for that sake. It's so sad. **It's funny to note a year after this came out on DVD she plays Dexter's girlfriend in the hit Showtime show of the same name. That's how dated this movie was, even then.

3) Christopher Lloyd. His pratfalls were relentless and pathetically hilarious. If he died right after this movie we would have felt so bad for him when we saw this. Maybe he was really in the red that year and had to do what it took. Why cast him in the first place? Way too qualified.

4) Chris D'Elia and Aaron Paul are actually very funny in a sub moronic way. Aaron's character is insanely hyperactive to say the least.

5) The end is just cruel and goes against the grain of this thing. Give it a try, it has be seen to be believed.

However, I do like that this movie doesn't take itself seriously and the director clearly used a light hand with this one.

I rate this movie a 5 out of 10. It's just too pitiful and funny to hate this popsickle stick movie. Watch it for Aaron's performance alone.

I give it a 4 for effort. This is not a great or meaningful l movie by no means, but one for a girls night in and a bottle of wine. I actually watched it with my very mature 8 year old son,

we thought it was funny stupid. He actually asked to change it, but when the girl *tooted* in the gym he got interested, LOL! I love how they threw in a great actor, Christopher Lloyd.

So I would NEVER suggest this movie to anyone, but if you are bored or have nothing to watch or you are just adventurous and curious and just want to watch another movie, then go for it!!!

I gave it a 4 out of ten for effort.

Although released to video in 2005, "Bad Girls From Valley High" was actually shot in 1999 and shelved for legal (or financial) reasons. The plot revolves around three selfish uppity girls (Julie Benz, Nicole Bilderback & Monica Keena) who are responsible for the death of a girl (Tanja Reichert) of whom the leader (Benz) is jealous. A year later a mysterious exchange student appears (Suzanna Urszuly) and the girls start to wonder if she may be a ghost of vengeance, particularly as they start prematurely aging. Jonathan Brandis, Chris D'Elia, Christopher Lloyd and Janet Leigh have important peripheral roles.

It's too bad this movie fell into obscurity because it works well for what it is. It's got the pizazz and quirkiness this type of film requires and a number of laugh-out-loud scenes, plus there's no unnecessary raunch or general obnoxiousness, except of course for the main "Hun" girl (Benz). Tanja Reichert is a highlight, but she appears so briefly she's almost not worth mentioning; and Keena is a cutie but they don't do enough with her. But Lloyd is his usual entertaining self. Brandis would commit suicide four years later and Leigh would pass away in five.

The film was shot in Vancouver (but the story takes place in Washington) and runs a short-but-sweet 84 minutes.

GRADE: B

Put this in the same category as "Death to Smoochy" a movie about characters that are incapable of eliciting audience sympathy both the good guys and the bad guys alike. Everyone is wasted in this, and the prat falls of Chris Lloyd are below Disney Channel standards. The actress who plays Katarina, though nice to look at, is just a confusing and ugly mess of traits that seem arbitrary and wholly unrealistic. This smacks of a cheap Mean Girls cash in, but where Mean Girls had a heart this has a gaping black hole.

Not a likable or intriguing character among the bunch. Just absolutely terrible. The twist is obvious from the outset, and the ending is beyond cruel given the tone of the film prior to it.

Just an embarrassing mess.