Wayback Machine: commercial

First, read my earlier blog entry about "Adventureland", the great coming-of-age flick from last year. Then take a peek at this video, an actual commercial for Kennywood Park (where a portion of the movie was filmed)from 1988. All I need now are my penny loafers, ribbon tie and striped blouse and I'm all set (yep, I was more of a prep than a New Waver, although I listened mostly to New Wave, so I guess I had it all covered).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Luiex09AEPk

"Adventureland": take a ride!

2009 wasn't the most memorable year in film, if you ask me. But there were some mighty exceptions -- and one of the mightiest happened to be one of the most heartfelt coming of age films in decades.

Written and directed by Greg Mottola, the film traces the story of our hero, James Brennan (played by the likeable and hugely relateable Jesse Eisenberg) as he takes a seemingly nowhere job at his local amusement park for the summer - which turns out to have life-changing turns. Set in 1987, it's got a great retro sensibility, aided in large part by a BOSS soundtrack (you'll be humming "Rock Me, Amadeus" for days -- I'm just warning you)and a talented cast of young actors, including "Twilight"'s Kristen Stewart as Brennan's love interest.

"Adventureland"'s amusement park sequences were shot at Pittsburgh's Kennywood Park, although the real Adventureland Park is in Farmingdale, NY on Long Island (and, yes, I DO plan on visiting it for my book, you better believe it).