My love for Freddie Prinze Jr. started way back in 1999’s mega hit, She’s All That

Thanks to YouTuber playplay90sVHS for hosting the video.

There is something about how intense FPJ is as Zack, as he tries to balance the hacky sack and how it is a complete metaphor for the pressures that he is under.  Such a fantastic scene.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Prinze,_Jr.

I may have seen I Know What You Did Last Summer and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer but he wasn’t the star of those films.  Though those films are awesome if you are a Sarah Gellar or a Jennifer Love Hewitt fan.

She’s All That, gave us Rachel Leigh Cook – who only really remember from when she played the Joey character in Dawson’s first real movie and from her excellent turn in Anti-Trust.  Which is still the only film I really like Ryan Phillipe in.

She’s All That also gave us the first of many times when Matthew Lillard and Freddie Prinze Jr acted together.  Such a fun duo these two actors are when they get to play off of each other as teammates or rivals.

She’s All That has an outstanding cast – Paul Walker, Kevin Pollack, a very young Anna Paquin, Jodi O’Keefe of Prison Break Fame (the lousy third season), Dule Hill and Tim Matheson (West Wing Represent, yo!) and it even has Lil’ Kim AND Usher!  Gabrielle Union is also great in it as is Chris Owen.  Even Elden Henson of Mighty Ducks fame and soon to be Netflix’s Daredevil’s Foggy Nelson, is in this as the best friend to Rachel Leigh Cook.

Before he was a named actor, he was in a movie titled, Hostage High, wherein Ricky Shroder takes his old high school hostage, at gun point, and the sheriff played by Henry Wrinkler.

I wasn’t a big fan of Wing Commander, I blame not really knowing the game that it was based off of and not being the biggest space movie fan.

Down To You, I simply adore, as I’m also a huge Julia Stiles fan.  There is just something about her that is super intoxicating and I seek out any new film of hers.  FPJ needs to do more romantic comedies, and I believe his career was hurt when he tried to get away from that.  He could be the next Tom Hanks!

Boys and Girls is still a personal favorite of mine.  This may be a favorite movie of mine for all the cast members – Claire Forlani (though I may still give Mallrats the edge) and Jason Biggs.  This was one of the only films that Heather Donahue of Blair Witch Project, ever made after the big film.  I used this film to prove to my father that Blair Witch Project wasn’t real, as he wasn’t believing any of the evidence.  Alison Hannigan also has a small role in it.  I simply love the soundtrack and the main song from it – Ronan Keating’s If I Don’t Tell You Now.

Thanks to YouTuber Leo Life for hosting this video.

I could watch, Boys & Girls, all day.  All Day!  It use to be one of those films that I would play while doing papers in college.

Head over Heels is fun, he’s the romantic lead but he doesn’t have the burden to carry the film.  I like Monica Potter (of Parenthood fame) and whenever that show made her cry (her go-to character trait) I thought about this film and how she just had a good time in it.  There is a running joke with one of the models in the film, that I still think about.

Summer Catch, is FPJ back in a comedy.  Jessica Biel is the love interest and Matthew Lillard is back as a teammate.  One of my favorite baseball films.  If you want a movie about No Hitters, this is the one for you.  Brittany Murphy is in it as is Bruce Davison (playing Biel’s father) and Wilmer Valderrama of That 70’s Show fame.

The film is mostly remembered, fondly for this moment with Jessica Biel –

But it really is a good film!

Then we get to 2002 & 2004’s Scooby Doo films.  The first one is my favorite and the cast commentary is a real delight!  FPJ is Fred, his wife Sarah Michelle Geller is Daphne, Matthew Lillard is Shaggy, Scooby is Scooby and Velma is played by the always amazing and should work more, Linda Cardellini.  I wonder if Linda is still friends with FPJ and the gang as I remember thinking that she was the sole person who wasn’t connected to FPJ prior to filming.  I do like Seth Green being added to the cast for the second film.

I do love me some Velma!

I haven’t seen any of the animated films that he has lent his voice – Shark Bait, Happily N’Ever After and Deigo.  His voice is unique enough for animation but I sort of need the man himself to be seen.

I’m not sure if after Scooby Doo, he decided to purposely take time away from the screen but he starts taking time off and after three years, came back with Brooklyn Rules.  Probably best known as his return to dramatic work since his first two films – To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday (with the incredible Michelle Pfeiffer) and The House of Yes – which is more of a comedy but with serious issues going on around it.  House of Yes is what got FPJ in the Miramax house and gave him a career.  I’ve always been a fan of early Miramax and Lionsgate.

Brooklyn Rules stars Alec Bladwin, Scott Caan and Mena Suvari.  FPJ will eventually work with most of the cast of American Pie.

New York City Serenade, is a very interesting film that has scenes that I still think about.  Like Chris Klein losing it on a costumer at the photo development center and FPJ has to cool the situation.  FPJ (people refer to him as that, right?) is a budding film maker.  Wallace Shawn (of Princess Pride fame, Inconceivable!) plays himself.  It isn’t an easy watch, with characters making baffeling decisions throughout it.  FPJ’s character, Owen, should have ditched Chris Klein’s character so much earlier in the film.  I don’t quite get the characters’ friendship.

His last film, believe it or not, is Jack and Jill vs. the World WAY BACK IN 2008!  I’m not sure why he isn’t bankable anymore.  Well, I guess looking at his last films but good for him for trying to branch out and get some range.  Probably my favorite Taryn Manning film, as she gets to play a different sort of character, one that is still a tad zany but grounded.

After this, he has two children (Gellar doing the hard work) in 2009 (a daughter) and 2012 (a son).

He has dabbled in television.

He was the Male Nanny for Ross and Rachel in Season 9 Episode 6, my favorite episode.

Thanks to YouTuber Rhetoric of Gender & Sexuality for hosting the video.

Though the ones where they are throwing the ball and Joey has to keep covering for Chandler and Monica and refers to himself as a horrible human being, are pretty fun.  5×21 and 5×9, respectfully.

He had his own show, Freddie, on ABC that lasted 22 episodes in 2005 / 2006.

Freddie Prinze Jr has worked with WWE off and on, I believe that is his most current gig, actually.

In 2010, for 24’s eight season, he played Cole Ortiz, which also featured another favorite actress of mine, Jennifer Westfeldt.  Season three is by far my favorite season of the show, with the moment with Jack in front of the hotel with the dude’s daughter, but eight is up there.  3×23 is the episode that made me a hardcore fan of Jack Bauer!

That’s my retrospective on Freddie Prinze Jr., who really needs to act more!

At one point, I owned all of these films but traded them in for cash, which was a very sad day for me.