everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Don't Believe the Hype

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

This is another childhood gem of mine, it's probably number 9 in the vacation comedy subgenre since it kind of falls into that category, it takes place at a summer camp, so it counts. This is one of those film I like to watch as summer is starting up or sometimes around the other seasons, so I can remember summer time and the good times at that time or remind myself it's not that far off. What made it unique at the time was that it was a comedy that was focused on summer camp which we never really had at the time. This film defiantly got the camp comedy genre going as afterward there have been numerous others that have followed and might have been a partial inspiration to the TV show "Salute your Shorts".This film in a way is kind of like "Animal House" but in summer camp as Camp NorthStar seems to consist of the rag tag bunch which I like because that kind of group is health as it consists of people that are all unique and real community. What I really like about most of the cast in this film are they all look like ordinary everyday people so you're not going to spot anyone from the CW around. This I feel gives the film feel grounded in reality and really helps the relatability factor. This film also in a way is sort of like a journal as we watch it we can easily recall some of our past times when we gone to camp, from seeing some of these characters engage in a wild antic or two or even the games that camps engage in, just a lot of things that really bring you back.The only bad thing about the film is lack of a solid memorable ensemble which I felt the film could have benefited from even more. Not many characters really stand out, they're not bad there are a few that are memorable like Spaz and Fink both are a good comic duo, there is a good back and forth. Kate Lynch she was alright as Roxanne whom is Tripp's significant other and was someone that was trying to keep things running right. Harvey Atkin as Morty whom sort of looks like Groucho Marx is always getting his authority undermined and Tripp and the rest of the colorful councilors they play some pranks on him to give him grief.To me the character that really stands out and I also feel really drives this film is Bill Murray as Tripp. This film was practically his debut in the lead role and it was a good start as it really shows his comedic chops, which he does so flawlessly well. I really like that his character is one that doesn't like or want to follow the rules except his own. He really does care about the people in the camp and want them along with himself to simply have a good time which is what summer camps were built for anyway. However, one other thing I like about him is he never wants anyone to feel down.There is this little plotline on the rivalry with Camp Mohawk which are supposedly the camp that is better and higher up, which also means it's jerk central. There is a scene where camp is playing Basketball against Mohawk, I wouldn't really call it a game it was more like a massacre as most of the personal in camp lets just say make novices in the game look like champs, it's sad but true; however despite their losing dilemma Tripp doesn't let this get them down as they all let's just say made Basketball history.There are lots of great memorable scenes like Tripp telling an urban legend on the campfire which I'll admit got me going for a while, it was just a good scene on build up and pay off. The dance social seeing him do some dance moves which he improvised. And of course, there is the inspirational speech scene which you have to see for yourself Bill is just at his best in that one. Like any good summer camp this is a film worth visiting.Rating: 3 and a half stars

It's a new summer at Camp North Star for kids from six to fourteen. Morty "Mickey" Melnick runs the camp and Tripper Harrison (Bill Murray) is the irreverent senior counselor. He keeps flirting with fellow lead counselor Roxanne. Spaz is one of the CITs (counselor in training). Rudy Gerner (Chris Makepeace) is a lonely kid who doesn't fit in. He and Tripper form a close connection. They have been beaten by neighboring Camp Mohawk for the last 12 years. In the annual competition, they are getting crashed by the cheating Camp Mohawk on the first day. They rally with Tripper's sarcastic chant "It just doesn't matter."This movie suffers from a lack of solid secondary actors. Murray is doing his utmost. He and Makepeace provide the heart. Spaz and his chubby friend have a few moments. Most of the rest are simply amateurs unable to deliver the jokes. For example, Roxanne needs to be either hot or funny. The actress is neither. Matt Craven is probably the only one out of that group who would go on to do more stuff. Director Ivan Reitman does his best with who he had. It's a small Canadian production that is most important for bringing together Reitman and Murray early in their careers. It's cute innocent fun.

Man, I was watching Meatballs, its not even a half hour in there's this scene with Bill Murray and some lady councilor, he makes a move on her and she rebuffs his advances so Bill Murray laughs it off and keeps coming on to her, she keeps saying "no" and he keeps smiling and laughing it off, this lady just wants to leave and he won't let her leave, Bill Murray's character wants to have sex and she just wants to leave- thats as far as I have got in Meatballs, no further. Hey man, I know, its Meatballs its a raunchy teen-sex comedy set at camp, I get it, and I had seen all the other Meatballs movies previous to this one so I knew beforehand what I was getting, but none of the other Meatballs movies has a sexual assault played for laughs. I don't give a god damn if I ever see this movie again it will be too soon.

This might be for those who have been to summer camps, but it sure isn't an entertaining camp. I went to one before, but it didn't make me scream up and down for joy. Instead, it made my head hurt.The first thing you notice is that Bill Murray actually had some hair in the 70s. Yeah, and he also didn't mind running some. But to get him to run a lot, you would need to give him a woman to chase after.Its not that some of the stunts can't be funny. For example the running joke with one of the councilors who is always waking up somewhere else due to the movement of his bed. Instead, its that the jokes and stunts were poorly setup and executed. It just failed to be funny.To somebody who loves comedy, this is a pain. Others are glued to it for life. I wish it was more like Leonard Part 6, but it doesn't come close. "F"