There is a film enthusiast in Los Angeles who is becoming the go-to-guy for wrangling and hosting 1990s film cast reunions: 24-year-old Kory Davis.
The grinning, self-declared “Movie Dude” has spent the past year commiserating with his favorite late-twentieth-century film actors and producers to the delight of almost a dozen sold-out screenings at classic movie theaters around Los Angeles.
In just the past year, Davis has hosted screenings and interviewed members of the casts of the American Pie series, the Harold & Kumar series, Mortal Kombat, The Power Rangers Movie, Bride of Chucky, Jawbreaker, The Wizard, Empire Records, The Girl Next Door, and 10 Things I Hate About You.
But unlike most interviewers who ask open-ended questions to bored Hollywood stars, Davis is apt to insert his own commentary during his Q & A sessions. The actors sitting with him on wooden stools at the front of the packed theaters are always visibly amused by Davis’ verbose, unfiltered comments and curious questions.
“Alot of moderators ask very generic questions,” Davis explains. “I want to know how many times did Jason Biggs f–k the pie. How does the director even direct that?”
Growing Up in the Projection Room
One of Davis’ advantages is that he was as young as five years-old when he first saw some of the movies he screens. That’s a benefit of having an older brother and sister cool enough to show you PG-13 and R-rated movies. In fact, Davis spent his formative years watching teen comedies and horror films in the projection room of movie theaters in Louisiana.
By 2000, after seeing I Know What You Did Last Summer, She’s All That, Boys and Girls, and Down to You, the then-ten-year-old Davis was thoroughly inspired by the poise of the various characters played by Freddie Prinze, Jr.
Davis was so moved that he penned a three-page hand-written letter to the actor detailing how Prinze’s roles make him feel better about his struggles in middle school. Davis admits, “it was a sad, tragic letter,” and even more-so that Prinze never responded.
Still, much like the endings in his favorite 1990s films, Davis’ solitude in the projection room with just a 35MM roll by his side, his struggles eventually turned into a something great: a career.
During college, Davis interned at William Morris Endeavor doing story development. And sixteen years after first seeing Last Summer, Davis not only received a film degree from Columbia College, but was handed the degree at graduation by none other than the film’s star, Jennifer Love-Hewitt.
American Pie and Beyond
Only a year out of college, Davis crossed paths with Jon Hurwitz, the co-writer-director of the fourth installation of the American Pie series, as well as the co-creator of the Harold & Kumar series. Davis presented himself as the number-one fan of the American Pie series, and Hurwitz took him up on the idea to reunite the cast for the film’s 15th anniversary in the summer of 2014.
Clad in a shirt featuring a pie with a hole in it, Davis hosted an immaculate question and crude commentary session at the New Beverly Cinema. He was easily the youngest person in front of the crowd, with Jason Biggs, Tara Reid, John Cho, and Eddie Kaye Thomas all at least ten years his senior.
“It was great, many of these actors know they have had successful careers because of these movies, so let’s celebrate it,” Davis describes the evening.
And celebrate they did. At one point, Davis voiced into the microphone his preferences, ranking the second American Pie film as “the funniest”. Then, Davis chastised the plot and love interest of the third film. The reunited cast members shot themselves a “did he just say that” look. But they knew, this was coming from a fan who still loves the film as much as he did when he first saw it at age 9.
Davis’ success at reuniting and interviewing 1990s film casts has earned him much acclaim from his subjects. Hurwitz recently posted his praise of the Movie Dude on Facebook: “Davis is the awesome young man who put together the amazing Harold & Kumar and American Pie anniversary screenings at the New Beverly last year. Since then, he’s gone on a tear, hosting events for his favorite movies all across LA. His Q & A’s are hilarious and unique, because you’re watching a genuinely obsessed movie fan mixing it up with his heroes unfiltered.”
The success is not stopping there. Davis is about to become a touring interviewer for an upcoming Power Rangers reboot, featuring trips to Texas and even to London.
But before then, Davis has even more 1990s cinematic glory to celebrate in the coming weeks:
On Friday, March 20, Davis will be hosting a screening of I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Faculty. Cast attendees are yet to be announced, but the event will also be Davis’ 25th birthday.
On Friday, March 27, Davis will be hosting 15th anniversary screening of Coyote Ugly.
And on April 17, Davis will be hosting a reunion for the 1998 high school party bash film, Can’t Hardly Wait—and the films’ fans are eager to find out if the starring actress who handed Davis his college diploma will be in attendance. Either way, it is sure to be another fantastic night of 1990s teen comedy nostalgia.
To stay in the loop, follow Davis on Twitter: @Moviedude18