A Midsummer Night's Rave

I am a massive fan of Jeremy London and his fine twin so I bought this film without even having seen it. Jason played a brief but significant part in this rather good film. He - however was not the highlight for me this time.

I'm afraid to say I've never heard of Corey Pearson but I am seeking his films like a lunatic now. What a divine creature. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I have now seen "Summer Catch" and "Going Greek" is on it's way. I think all the actors portrayed the euphoria of a rave quite well. But in a real rave you would see a lot more face-pulling and loss of inhibitions. The scene were Damon spots Elena after the drugs start to kick in is brilliant. I think that depicts the whole movie and the fact that a sweaty Corey Pearson is rather a delight to watch in this amorous state!!!!!! A solid effort for a Shakespearean Classic. I think he'd have been partying among the ravers at large had he been born a few centuries later!

I thought this was a great movie; the other review I see seems quite shallow. You have to realize for starters I loved the way the sound was done. There are times where you can hear the echo of the sound stage and it gives it the feel of a stage production as a midsummer night's dream was but, then it will fade away and it's just like you're at the rave noise loud music and such. I found it to be far more comedic of a movie than the romantic story from which it's based on. If you've ever been to a rave or "experimented" with your club drugs, you will get a kick out of the majority of this movie. As for the other reviewer's problems with the films "homosexuality issue" I really didn't feel it was very much an issue at all in the movie. The only scene that even came close to being "scandalous" was two guys passed out together. Otherwise you have your friendly dealer fairy that everyone knows and loves and that was all. I'd buy the DVD or rent it either one.

Now to people whom are die hard Shakespeare fans then you will most likely not enjoy this film. On the other hand you might because it gives him to a whole new generation that is plagued with TV, radio, internet and have never seen a play; much less read one.

I loved this movie because it takes the bare of the plot of the play and takes it to a new generation, plus I am a raver... so it combines two of my life's loves and mixes them.

This movie does not show the true nature of a rave in some ways because it does not show all the kandi kids. I wanted to see the kids that are all happy go lucky and want everyone to be the same way.

Granted as a film the movie has some lacking points acting being a major issue, but all in all this movie is a good watch.... Hope you enjoy.

If you've seen Human Traffic and GO then this a little of both. It has the Americanism aspect you get in GO and almost the rave feeling and music from Human Traffic. I watched, sometimes I wanted to fast-forward, but something that makes a movie watchable is that I identified with a couple of the characters, even if it was only for something they said or a thought/feeling they were going through.

The problem with this movie was it needed to grow up, it needed to be more written around someones experience rather than experiences being shaped in to Shakespeare's play. Playing with the greats is not easy. Most if not all films based around Shakespeare have failed. If you take the idea and then use that to help you make a movie, using personal experience, maybe something like Point Break (which sort of takes off Romeo and Juliet) that is far more successful.

But then again what do I know I'm only the paying public!

Probably would have gone to the Cinema but tried to blag a student discount. Would not pay full price.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S RAVE, by the estimable Gil Cates, Jr., is an interesting, original, provocative take on Shakespeare's timeless A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM-all the more so because Cates (who is a director to watch for in the future) has the effrontery to keep but the barest skeleton of the original plot--i.e.,two sets of mismatched couples-Oberon and Titania-Bottom and the "players"----all the while deciding to take it in more daring, unexpected directions than the Immortal Bard ever intended. While previous versions---(Brook's, Branagh's, etc.) stressed the pastoral, dark aspects of the play--along with keeping the fates of the characters exactly as Shakespeare wrote it--Cates decides to add homosexuality and a scary-yet-funny drug dealer to the mix! Plus, Elena--("Helena" in the play)--ends up doing something totally different than the play! (No equivalents of Theseus and Hyppolita, for that matter).

Truly, this movie is not for purists. Yet the cinematography is great, the decor and setting are funky-love the van Nick and his friends drive!-the music fits the spirit and setting (a rave) the actors are good-looking and fresh--I especially enjoyed Chad Lindberg as the "Bottom" character-(goofy Nick, who goes comically, spectacularly off-the-wall after ingesting some of Puck's "love potion") and Nichole Hiltz as the "Titania" character, Britt---their "fate" is charmingly quite different than the play and is particularly satisfying to those of us who think they make a great romantic "couple." I also enjoyed Jason Carter as the devious, poetry-spouting O.B. John, and Lauren German as the quirky, pixie-like Elena.

Andrew Keegan and Sunny Mawbrey are also interesting as well, and make a great couple, the rough equivalent of "Lysander and Hermia" in the play. The "Puck" character (a witty Glen Badyna), though, to be honest, is barely there and is not really involved that much in the action like he was in the play. Some of the other actors in the movie are little more than filler, as well.

Not everybody will quite take to the casual drug use---but if one is willing to stick with the movie one will realize that the drug subplot helps make one of the points of the movie---these young people have been trying to drown their concerns and desires in drugs and hedonistic partying--instead of confronting these concerns and desires head on and be themselves. They realize that one does not need to use drugs to feel happiness and love. Ultimately honesty and love are the greatest drugs of all. The dialogue between Andrew Keegan (Xander) and Sunny Mawbrey (Mia) perfectly illustrates this.

Not a lot of plot---and ultimately, not for all tastes---but if one is in "vibe" with the spirit of the movie--and is interested in the phenomenon of raves---this is a must see!