by SpiderBraids
More commercials mean more snackfoods and video games to plug. All contributing to an unhealthy America, folks.
In case you've forgotten about the whole "Mercury's in reverse, and crap happens" plotline, we get a callback to it upon returning: At the bus stop, Betty drops by to hand the twins their lunches and comments: "Angelica being nice? If that ain't proof that things are out of whack, nothing is." This is about Angelica making a straight comment on Susie's hair. What this has anything to do with Angelica not getting an invite to Savannah's party is beyond me (though kissing up to Savannah herself probably wouldn't really help Angelica either [All Grown Up!, "Lucky 13"]).
Back to the main plot. Chuckie is the only kid who's standing with Tommy at the bus stop. As for the rest, "there's plenty of ice to go around."
Cafeteria. Lil to Phil, on doing the right thing (whatever the heck it is, most likely retaining his bad grade): "Mom's still going to kill you." Meanwhile, Tommy's not welcome at the group table, and he's alone with his brother. We have a callback to the Van Gogh sermon: "The emotional pain of my friends hating my guts must be as bad as the physical pain of cutting an ear off." No kidding, Pickles.
There must be a sale on callbacks at KC, since we head over to Pangborn's to see him have that stern talk with Dil's parents. Mostly, Didi Pickles. "What you're saying is, with you help Dil can be like every other generic, homogeneous kid without an original thought in his head." Hey, maybe Pangborn has been working at Nick, since their shows have stopped being edgy. I mean, look at the dumbing down of [[Hey Arnold!]]. Anyhow, she continues her cliched speech: "His individuality should be encouraged. In fact if everyone was more like Dil, the world would be a better more interesting place to live in!" Uh, I dunno much about individuality (other than it's not just a rockin' song from Rocket Power), but if everyone was like Dil, psychiatrists in this town would be up in arms.
And speaking of psychiatric help, Tommy might be needing some after this scene here. He's talking to his poster of Costomiris (and that's another callback), and he's not so sure whether he should "sell out and soften everything in my movie, or surrender to honesty and lose all [his] friends". Quite frankly, Tommy, if you care more for all your friends, I think you already know what you should do. But in case you got a thick skull, Costomiris sez: "just remember there's more to truth than one moment captured on film. It's all the truths, past and present that have brought you to that moment." Wow, how touchy. So Tommy's just had a conversation with a poster. Psychiatric help, anyone? And I wonder if whoever created Wonderfalls was watching this for inspiration? But first, time for Tommy to cut his film.
The Wombat Hall. Scene of Grandpa and Lulu's wedding party [Rugrats, ''Rugrats in Paris''], Susie's big conning, and now the Student Film Contest. But first, a raffle. Betty is cheering over the result... but not because it's her number: "I never win anything. This means Mercury is officially out of reverse. WOO-HOO!" Whatever floats your boat, Betty DeVille... you wouldn't happen to be one of those bowling mom types, would you?
After a brief insert of Tommy getting himself photographed with Costomiris, we head straight over to the films. Well, sort of. We don't get to actually see any of the competition, but Tommy's film is last to go, right after Ed Woo's "Swan Bites Dog". The title doesn't exactly roll off anyone's tongue: "'The Days Before a Day in the Life of My Friends". Like sand in an hourglass, these are the days of our lives... oh sorry, wrong show, wrong network.
We open with the Finsters' Dummi Bears argument. And we cut to... the two as babies curled up on the couch looking at a book together. How cute. Next, Angelica's insistence on playing a nice alien. Followed by... baby Angelica telling Tommy to turn off his camera. Wait, I thought Didi said that he started filming at 37 months, so wouldn't that make Angelica about 5? Susie: "It's hard to believe, you're much nicer than you used to be." Though sometimes, I wonder if things have even changed at all with Angelica...
Chuckie on drums is followed by more highlights from his "missing years" (and those of the other Rugrats): a younger Chuckie riding a bike, then playing basketball, plus Susie trying to help Kimi get gum out of her hair. Hey, wouldn't this be a great time to revisit moments from Rugrats as well?
Next, Phil's "we dropped Dil on his head" comment, and in light of that, Dil wonders if he's nuts, but in Didi's mind, Dil's "the brightest candelabra in the store". Well, Didi, bright lights need their bulbs changed often, if you catch my drift (and you probably don't). I guess someone must have heard me about revisiting Rugrats moments, as the film closes with baby Dil chasing Spike around the backyard and losing his pants, er, diapers.
Conversation ensues after the film. Didi saying that Dil's behavior comes from dad (then why does he have mom's hair?), Pangborn telling Dil "maybe being different isn't necessarily a bad thing", and here's a great gem: Lil saying "There goes nine years of guilt up the aisle, backwards."
Now, time to converse amongst friends. Tommy's being congratulated for catching Chuckie's only basket on tape, and for making a touching film ("if you like that sort of thing" -- Angelica)... but somehow, not for winning the contest. How do I know this, you ask? Well, Kimi sez, "You should have won, that 'Mad Cow from Planet Moo' was a snore fest." And I'm thinking: Hang on, should have? Should have?! You mean, after all that effort into making this crowd-pleaser of a film for the contest, Tommy still apparently frickin' lost? Sigh, sounds like Olympic figure skating has fairer judges than this film contest. Tommy: "The way I see it, I already won." Me: The way I see it, you got screwed worse than Roy Jones Jr. I mean, do you see a trophy, a medal, a ribbon, anything? As Angelica is mirroring this thought, time to head into the closing credits.
Okay, I can live with that ending, but wouldn't it be even better if he, I dunno, won the darn thing? Then again, Dil might not like the consequences of that [All Grown Up!, "Brother, Can You Spare The Time?"]... no pun intended.