There Really Is a Mystic Pizza, and the Film Mystic Pizza Sneaks Its Way into Your Heart

Mystic Pizza – 3 Stars (Good)

What do the movies A Christmas Story, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Mystic Pizza have in common?

They sneak their way into your heart.

All three movies were not supposed to be any big deal, and many would-be investors agreed, however, moviegoers will not let these films slide into obscurity, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding became the highest grossing independent film ever.

So why do they work when others do not?

They simply tug at your heartstrings, playing an irresistible tune of making dreams come true. Most of us dream big dreams. When we become part of another person's big dream we wish that their dream will come true even if ours does not.

We enjoy life vicariously by living the dreams of others.

Mystic Pizza is about three recent high school graduates who are waitresses in a pizza parlor that experience some personal growth during a short period of time. They learn valuable life lessons in how to overcome disappointment and adversity, and in some cases discover romance.

One wants to marry her way into money, another dreams of going to Yale but needs more money to go with her partial academic scholarship, and the dippiest of the three has a problem making a commitment to marry a guy crazy in love with her.

This is a drama of relationships which is well done, and with some comedy becomes a fun movie to watch.

Sisters Daisy (Julia Roberts) who is chasing money, and Kat (Annabeth Gish) who is headed to Yale, join their friend Jojo (Lili Taylor) who likes sex but not commitment. Two of the three recent high school graduates are a little ahead of their time (I think) as Daisy is promiscuous.

The pizza parlor is not doing well until a food critic stops by and gives it a rave review, then Mystic Pizza becomes very popular, and the story lines of the three girls become more complicated and funny.

Mystic Pizza is a real pizza parlor in Mystic, Connecticut. Writer Amy Jones was vacationing in Mystic, saw the pizza parlor, was inspired to write the story and later co-wrote the screenplay with Perry and Randy Howze and Alfred Uhry.

The film, released in 1988, benefited from the rise of Julia Roberts with her successes in Pretty Woman (a Golden Globe Best Actress Award), Steel Magnolias (a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress Award) and Erin Brockovich (an Oscar and a Golden Globe Best Actress Awards).

Her films have generated more than $2 billion in revenue, and she has become the highest-paid actress in the world. Roberts' net worth has been estimated at $140 million, and she still has the same great look and smile.

Mystic Pizza also marked the film debut for Matt Damon. Ben Affleck also auditioned for Damon's role.

Mystic Pizza won virtually no recognition upon release, but viewers will simply not let certain films die, and Mystic Pizza is one of those films.

Mystic Pizza is fun to watch and becomes an affair of the heart in spite of its high jinks.

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley

Income Taxes, The Greedy Government

Dreadful federal income taxes

The greedy government

Is after our money again

Uncle Sam is not my friend

Misuse and misappropriate

The needy taxpayers funds

Soak, sponge, and spend

Tax assessments without end

Local, state, and federal funds

Anyone way to put you under

Their domineering grip and gun

Another Boston Tea Party

Would serve we the people well

Fire all the scoundrels on the Hill

Remove the criminals pensions

Pentagon excessive spending

Arms deals and lucrative contracts

Wining and dining for big dollars

Pull your hair out and holler

Work hard and give it all away

How they spend it, you have no say

Politicians drive me far beyond crazy

Legislators and leaders most lazy

Fat cats having fun in Washington DC

Evading and avoiding taxes annually

Sheltering their savings off shore

In interest free and no fee accounts

Congressmen in DC beat the system

I wish we could happily join them

At least gain some equality and breaks

As they milk the government and fake

To serve the good people of America

Of course there are a few sincere souls

But what about all of those who stole?

Perhaps I should stop diligently working too

Lay around the house and get the dole

That we the working class reluctantly pay

While others get food stamps and freebies

Such injustice gives me the heebiejeebies

It is time we hold Big Brother to account

Homeland security and peace is paramount

Fiascos and international meddling abroad

This is neither moral, necessary, nor of God

We've got blood stained hands in this land

For ill-conceived and immoral operations

Financing the CIA to buy Colombian crack

Illegally profiting from peddling drugs is wack

Hundreds of billions to pay for war in Iraq

It's time the IRS repented and gave it back

To we who sweat, toil, and break our backs

Help the people here first who live in lack.