Law Revue Video Contest 2014: The Finalists!

Who are the finalists for this year's Law Revue Video Contest? Check them out -- and cast your vote!

You’ve seen the worst of the worst, and now it’s time to feast your eyes upon the best of the best. This year, the competition was pretty stiff, in that we all needed stiff drinks to bring ourselves to watch some of the submissions. On the other hand, those who brought it really brought it.

And by “it,” we mean they were able to carry a tune, had excellent comedic timing, and provided us with some pretty drool-worthy student bodies. Our finalists’ videos were a joy to watch when compared to many of the other submissions, some of which were absolutely cringe-worthy. This was a year of throwback — there was no Miley Cyrus and no Katy Perry. Instead, the competition served up some smooth rap from the early 2000s and… Disney favorites.

This year, your reviewers will be David Lat, Elie Mystal, Staci Zaretsky, and Joe Patrice. We issue only advisory opinions; you hold all the power. Do the right thing: vote early, and vote for the best.

Who will follow the winners of years past into the annals of Law Revue history? It’s up to you…

Videos are listed in alphabetical order by school. Voting will close on SUNDAY, APRIL 27, at 11:59 PM (Eastern time).

1. George Washington University Law School — Intellectual Property

Sponsored

LAT: GW is often a strong contender — their 2012 entry was sheer genius — and this year’s submission, if not quite as inspired, is solid. Good premise. Nice use of marshmallows and Legos.
ELIE: I wish people would stop trying to do Eminem, specifically this song. But, as these things go, this was decent. The girls were much better than the guys. But the concept was strong throughout. Great writing, despite an uneven performance.
STACI: But seriously, I can’t say enough about how much better the girls did than the guys when it came to their rap game. Additional points granted from me for the twerking!
JOE: Anyone willing to enter the space of “rapping about intellectual property” already dominated by the notorious EPM deserves kudos.

2. NYU Law School — 3L

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LAT: One of the best entries (and not just because the guy in the grey sweater is very attractive). Great singing, especially the “3L” lead; great dancing, especially in the library near the end; and great acting (“she’s the worst”).
ELIE: This wasn’t the only Ghetto Beauty parody we got, but it was the best. It got the temperament right. Law school isn’t a place for nice people. (Edit: I meant to give special props to the girl eating the paper. COMMITMENT TO THE PREMISE FTW!)
STACI: This is hands-down the best entry we received. I absolutely loved it. Despite the fact that NYU blatantly cheated and tried to game the voting last year, I have a feeling that no cheating will be necessary for this entry to win.
JOE: I honestly thought the “Disney Standard” entry this year would be “Let It Go,” and yet there wasn’t a single entry from Frozen. And it didn’t matter because this entry had us partying like it was 1991.

3. UVA Law School — Gunners Without Arms

LAT: I don’t think I enjoyed this one quite as much as my colleagues enjoyed it — I had a hard time getting past the politically incorrect premise — but it’s good to have a few finalists that are comedy sketches rather than music videos.
ELIE: Whenever our dog would beg at the table, my grandmother used to say, “Aww, if he had thumbs he would get it himself.” My grandmother liked dogs better than people. I like people better than gunners. By dehumanizing them, it was very easy to laugh at their handicaps.
STACI: I didn’t feel inspired to donate to GWA like I do when the sad little animal commercials come on TV with the Sarah McLachlan song — but that’s probably because the world would be a better place if gunners had no arms. I laughed anyway.
JOE: The premise of this video is so good it hurts. Seriously, I showed this video to a lawyer friend who had to pause it because she was laughing so hard it hurt. I personally thought UVA had the best entry last year and they continue to acquit themselves admirably with this entry.

Click on the next page to see the rest of the entries and to vote for your favorite…