Lavish Rebellion [DOT COM]

Below are photos I took at the movie theater in which I saw the Mean Girls musical film adaptation on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2024!

To be specific, I went to a Showcase SuperLux cinema and it was my second time seeing a movie there. The first was the underappreciated The Color Purple musical which, apparently unbeknownst to the public, was a film adaptation of the Broadway show. (A stunning, moving film in my opinion. I hate that it was overshadowed by allegations and rumors of unprofessional conditions and how the press run became a platform for film industry unrest).

A friend had planned to join me to watch (it was her idea to see it on MLK Day. We both had the day off), but she was running late and only one ticket was left when I arrived before her.

Even when she eventually showed up, the one-ticket problem remained. She said it’d be fine if I went anyway, and she would go run errands. I was disappointed by the whole scenario (funny, I don’t care for that word, but it’s suitable here!) But then I decided why not since I saw the original Mean Girls by myself twenty years ago in 2004.

I also debated not going because the one ticket was in the second row. But the ticket guy reassured me that it was a fine seat. He sounded pretty sincere about it too. So I bought the $12 ticket (cheap, right?!), took a free poster from the stack for the movie, and went ahead to watch the next generation of Mean Girls.

In short, I enjoyed it. A handful of laughs were still there for me, and I really appreciated how parts of the original script were updated not only for a 2024 release, but just on a societal, do better level.

Like for example, in the 2004 film, Cady (famously played by Lindsay Lohan) states that Kalteen bars were given to kids in Africa to help them gain weight. This irked me back then, but I just let it be as a viewer. In 2024, Cady (played by Angourie Rice) states that Kalteen bars were given to the elderly to help them gain weight. A thoughtful change that was heartily noted by me.

I thought that cast was great, Renee Rapp’s vocals were especially noticeable (that girl can sing. She is a star!) and it was fun watching on a big screen again, a familiar story and catching what was the same and what had changed. Because the original Mean Girls is so beloved, such a fabric of 2000s pop culture, some of the jokes that remained didn’t land as hard. It’s original 2004 impact just remains so present.

And a lot of the mean parts were still mean. At times, I actually felt Regina George (played by Rapp) was harsher in 2024 than 2004, as far as how she treated her friends, the Plastics.

I also wondered how many other fellow millennials were there as I sat in the second row (which I confirm was not bad at all! I still wouldn’t prefer it over a higher row, but thankfully, the viewing was pleasant. I was somewhere right in the middle). It was unexpectedly comforting viewing the Mean Girls landscape again. The 2000s were an absolute mess looking back, but there was also so much promise to. I wouldn’t mind going back, even if just for a week. Would I be allowed to have the wisdom I have today? Or just go back and somehow, some way try again?

It was also cute seeing the space where there’s a bar, concessions stand, seating area, and a record player with vinyl records to select from(!) within the SuperLux decked out in Mean Girls decorations.

I do wish I had gotten a Fetch Fizz or Grool cocktail.