This past weekend I took the opportunity to waste 7 hours of my life sitting in darkened rooms with complete strangers staring at a giant glowing screen. It was friggin' sweet!
The movie marathon (which I guess is training for the Butt-Numb-A-Thon that AICN does every year) was a good time and filled with quality movies.
Movie 1: Talladega Nights
This was actually the second time I'd seen this movie. The first time I was a little disappointed. I think I was expecting something as good as Anchorman and that certainly isn't what this movie is. It plays it a little too straight some places. Still, coming in with different expectations the second time made me watch the movie completely differently and I think I actually enjoyed it more.There are scenes that are great to see in a group with people who haven't seen it before. Something that I think would be lost on repeat solo viewings. There are a number of jokes a parts that don't get old.
Still, if you've seen the previews (and how could you not have ... even if you don't watch TV they were kind of all over) you'll know what the movie's about and could probably predict most of what happens. If you don't think it's going to be a good movie knowing that, you'd probably be better off staying away.
Movie 2: Beerfest
I have to admit that I'm a Broken Lizard fan. I enjoyed Super Troopers a lot and me and Ful were 2 out of 73 people who saw that movie in theaters. We then proceeded to recommend it to all of our friends--Single-handedly increasing the total number people who saw the movie by at least 5.When Club Dread came out the next year I was unfortunately not able to see it. I was out of the country when it came out. I saw how quickly it bombed though and the Magic 8-Ball pointed towards Broken Lizard going down in flames.
With Beerfest though, there's a good return to form. While not the amazingly great premise of Super Troopers, it's still a nice concept: underground beerlympics that consist of beer games and drinking contests + gratuitous nudity (and yes ... it is quite gratuitous and not male).
The laughs come pretty frequently and anyone who's played drinking games will appreciate the comedy. What's also nice is that it's not just the Broken Lizard guys who are funny. The German team that they challenge in the film is quite funny as well. Although to be honest, I think you'll need to watch Das Boot before you see it to catch some of the jokes (Jurgen Prochnow is in the movie as a German baron thus the Das Boot references).
It's a light but satisfying comedy that is slightly more manic than the other comedies that have come out recently. The ultimate day may be when you're playing Beerfest drinking games ... at home ... by yourself ... and losing. Go see it in the theaters so that the next Broken Lizard movie gets made!
Movie 3: Little Miss Sunshine
Like all VW buses, it has mechanical trouble on its way and all sorts of situational hijinks ensue. The movie feels indie all the way. The quirky people and life lessons learned. At times it can be a little too much.
The whole time though, there's something about the characters that feels real and helps bring what could be a cookie cutter indie comedy into something that is much more compelling.
It's definitely worth seeing if you want a movie that you can tell your friends you went to see without having them doubt your movie watching cred.
I'd also like to thank my GF for willingly sitting through all these movies with me. Who else would think that spending an entire afternoon/evening going from theater to theater would be a good time (well besides Chuckles).
posted by dontEATnachos @ 1:17 PM
