What I Watched -- 10 Things I Hate About You

10 Things I Hate About You is inspired by William Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew, and that's why I watched it.  The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis is performing Shrew this summer, so I thought it would be fun to see some other versions as well.

10 Things is far more high school romantic comedy than Shakespeare, but there are a few bright spots.  It's nice to see the old Heath Ledger, alternately dark-and-brooding and fun-and-playful, as Patrick Verona working hard to seduce Julia Stiles' fiesty Kat Stratford, likeable despite her status as Padua High School's "heinous bitch."  They've got chemistry, even through all the movie's clichés.  And what's more, they're supported by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception and lots of other stuff) as Cameron, who's pining after Kat's little sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), and I like him.

Bottom line: cheese, all the way.  But fun.