VARSITY BLUES

The late ’90s and early 2000s provided a surge in teen movies that were the cornerstone of my high school days. One prime example is Varsity Blues, which is getting a new 4K release from Paramount Home Entertainment in celebration of its 25th anniversary. I just feel incredibly old writing that. The film boasts familiar faces like James Van Der Beek, Paul Walker, Jon Voight, Scott Caan, Ali Larter, Amy Smart, and a young Jesse Plemons.

Varsity Blues stars James Van Der Beek as Johnny “Mox” Moxon who was used to sitting on the sidelines during the big football game. Football is life for the residents of West Canaan, Texas. Nothing is bigger than the Friday night game and all eyes on are the varsity team. Tragedy strikes when star quarterback, Lance (Paul Walker), is sidelined due to a knew injury. Mox finds himself the star of the team despite the mounting pressure from his dad and crazed coach Bud Kilmer (Jon Voight).

The teen movies from this generation ranged from comedies, dramas, and coming of age stories. Varsity Blues certainly covers all of those touch points. It’s perfectly dramatic with some heightened performances. Jon Voight is always chewing the scenery, and yet, reminded me of many coaches I’ve seen at school events. James Van Der Beek shot this during the early years of his run on Dawson’s Creek proving he was more than a teen soap star. Who can forget his pivotal line, “I don’t want your life!” as he reminds his dad he never wanted to be the football star that his dad wanted him to be. Then there’s Ali Larton’s whipped cream bikini, Ron Lester as Billy Bob, and the strip joint scene.

The new physical release comes the following legacy special features:

DISC 1: 4K Ultra HD Feature Film

DISC 2: Blu-Ray FEautre Film + Special Features

• Commentary with director Brian Robbins and producers Tova Laiter and Mike Tollin                             
• “Football is a Way of Life”: The Making of Varsity Blues
• “Two-A-Days”: The Ellis Way
• QB Game Analysis
• Billy Bob with No Bacon
• Theatrical Trailer

Here’s the video I made for TikTok