Hamlet 2

If Shakespeare ever hoped that someday, somewhere, someone would write a follow-up to his great existential tragedy, this is surely not what he had in mind. The Sundance hit is a twisted comedy about a failed actor-turned-high school drama teacher who puts on a musical sequel in which Mr. To Be Or Not To Be, accompanied by the Tucson Gay Men’s Chorus, sings such ditties as ”Rock Me, Sexy Jesus.” ”The canon of teacher movies, like Mr. Holland’s Opus and Dead Poets Society, is very earnest,” says director Andrew Fleming (Nancy Drew). ”We liked this idea of a guy who thought he was that kind of a teacher, but he’s really just an idiot.” British comic Steve Coogan stars as the pitiful prof, while Elisabeth Shue plays herself. Or, rather, ”a version of myself,” she says. ”I’ve quit the business and become a nurse.” Coogan’s character, it turns out, is something of a Shue fetishist. ”I’m obsessed with Elisabeth Shue,” Coogan says. ”I metaphorically and literally kiss her ass. I invite her to my school to give a talk. She says some very explicit things. And they’re shocking for fans of Elisabeth Shue.” Like we said: twisted. (August 22)