Movie Review: 'Project X' can be fun – but don't try it at home

"Project X" is the movie equivalent of that good- looking, well-off teenage boy your gut tells you to keep away from your teenage daughter.

He may turn on the charm and come from what we assume is a "good family." But something sets off the warning bells – that he has lost his mind to his hormones, that he objectifies women in the worst way, that he's too-casual with the homophobic slurs.

That doesn't really describe Thomas (Thomas Mann), the gawky, upper-middle-class teen in this "Hangover" for high schoolers. But it nails his pal Costa (Oliver Cooper, in the Jonah Hill role). Costa is a blustering, transplanted New Yorker who eggs on Thomas as they plan a parents-out-of-town birthday party, mocks their mutual "fat little 'Rain Man' " pal J.B. (Jonathan Daniel Brown) for being in the school "Gay-V. Club" and is hell-bent on turning this North Pasadena fete into an epic party that will be the "game changer" for their social status, lift them into their high school's elite and give them access to sex with the school hotties.

And no list of warnings – "Do not go into my office. The pool heater? Don't touch it." – from Thomas' colorless dad (Peter Mackenzie) can steer the boys from their course with destiny.

Things only start to go wrong when they rip off Costa's well-armed, disturbed drug dealer. Costahas blasted the invitations all over social media, so the socially anonymous Thomas will be hosting hordes of "randoms," peers who don't know he exists. Not to worry, though. Costa has hired a team of middle schoolers led by Tyler (Nick Nervies, hilarious). They have nunchucks and tasers and jackets with "Security" on them.

What could go wrong? Naturally, Thomas must pursue the hottest girl in school, who is utterly compliant. Naturally, his gorgeous pal Kirby (Kirby Bliss Blanton), the only woman given even a hint of personality, is hurt by this.

This Todd ("Hangover") Phillips production produces its share of explosive laughs, mostly of the "Oh my God" variety. Excess – the tree house turned into a beer dispensary, hoses run to ground level where gravity and volume produces a lung full of suds for every underage imbiber – to the simple size and scope of the blowout, is what passes for humor here.

Yeah, the cops show up. And the TV news helicopters. And an ill-tempered dwarf (Martin Klebba,stealing the movie).

But it's a wearying "romp," from its tired "lose our virginity" formula (worn out even when "Superbad" used it) to the conceit of making this a "birthday" mockumentary, ostensibly filmed by the goth-video nerd Dax (Dax Flame). Director Nima Nourizadeh loses track of that for long stretches of impossible-for-Dax-to-get angles and edits.

Even with all the scores of random shots of pert female bottoms, topless teens and ogled short skirts and shorter shorts, it's hard to say if screenwriters Michael Bacall and Matt Drake or Nourizadeh are unrepentant pigs. Maybe Phillips ("Old School") is their Costa, the bottom feeder egging them on.

"Project X" is more politically incorrect than hateful. Clueless boys in its target audience may mistake it for a date movie. Now. But just you wait, kids. "X" is that beau who sets off warning bells when he's there to date your little girl. You won't want to let her out the door with this creep.

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Florida Strawberry Festival

In eastern Hillsborough County, where strawberry fields go forever, the annual festival paying tribute to the area's sweet cash crop is under way.

This year's Florida Strawberry Festival entertainment lineup that always offers ample servings of country music is, this year, topping it off with concerts that appeal to lovers of other music.

Demi Lovato takes to the stage at 7:30 tonight. The 19-year-old pop singer, who began her career as a Disney sitcom star, will wrap-up today's Wish Farms Soundstage entertainment, which includes 3:30 concerts by headliner country artists The Gatlin Brothers and Crystal Gayle. There are twice-daily concerts through March 11, ranging from oldie acts like Brenda Lee, The Platters and rock duo Air Supply, to Hank Williams Jr.

"We feel like we hit a gold star this year; we really brought in a lot of topnotch entertainment," said festival general manager Paul Davis.

As the festival title makes clear, however, it's about much more than music.

Strawberry shortcake is king, served at three booths operated by local nonprofits, including one where customers build their own.

The sweet berries do double duty at the festival, and can also be consumed in cobbler, cheesecake, cookies, bread, even pizza. "Anything you can imagine with a strawberry, we've got it," Davis said.

Beyond berries, food vendors will be offering a vast variety. New unique treats at this 77th annual festival include coconut-flavored sorbet served in coconut shells, deep-fried mashed potatoes on a stick, a burger smothered in a grilled cheese sandwich, sausages encased in waffles that can be dipped in syrup, and deep-fried pizza topped with candy.

After such gastronomic delights, step over to the huge midway where Belle City Amusements will be operating 85 rides day and night, including "some for thrill seekers and some for the kids," Davis said.

Unique additions this year include a sea lion splash show and a female lumberjack show. Also free with admission, starting Thursday, there will be multiple daily appearances and autograph sessions by the cast of truTV's reality show, "Lizard Lick Towing."

Said Davis, "We tried to go out and get new things that people haven't seen before."

And at 1 p.m. Monday, the annual Grand Parade begins in downtown Plant City and makes its way to the festival grounds.

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Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck welcome son

LOS ANGELES  – Star couple Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have welcomed their third child, a baby boy, People magazine said on Tuesday, without giving further details.

Garner, who made her name in the television drama “Alias,” wed actor and producer Affleck in June 2005 at a private ceremony in Turks and Caicos, in the Caribbean. They welcomed their first daughter, Violet, in December 2005, and second daughter Seraphina in 2009.
The couple, both 39, announced they were expecting their third child in August last year and while they did not reveal the baby’s sex, Garner told chat show host Jay Leno in January this year that they knew.
“It would be so weird to have a boy,” Garner was quoted as having told Ellen DeGeneres. She also said it would be “cool and different.”
Garner will next appear in the comedy “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” later this year. Affleck, who won a Best Screenplay Oscar for “Good Will Hunting,” which he co-wrote with Matt Damon, next stars in and directs the thriller “Argo.” He will also appear in an untitled Terrence Malick project with Jessica Chastain, Rachel McAdams and Rachel Weisz.

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