You might not realize this, but you won't find many film critics at a Grease Sing-A-Long screening. Which is fine, since most critics abhor having the slightest bit of fun anyway. (“If it ain’t French or 50 years old it's no good!”) My disdain for the pompous critic attitude is likely why I found myself at this gimmick of a showing, singing along with a classic film re-released with newly added zest. Who doesn't want to sing Hopelessly Devoted with 200 strangers, especially when those 200 people are not drunk at a Tampa dive bar?

It was decided early in the evening by my crew (girlfriend and bff) that I was Danny Zuko. We were playing a vapid little game where you re-cast a film with people from your own life filling the most obvious of roles. Sadly my prettier half was not a “Sandy,” and thus the game may have decided our fate prematurely.

You don't question the movie casting game. Ever.

This article appears in Jul 29 – Aug 4, 2010.