Country Strong (2010)

3-Star Movies, Drama No Responses »
Jan 312012

Plot summary (from the studio): Soon after a rising young singer-songwriter (Garrett Hedlund) gets involved with a fallen, emotionally unstable country star (Gwyneth Paltrow), the pair embark on a career resurrection tour helmed by her husband/manager (Tim McGraw) and featuring a beauty queen-turned-singer (Leighton Meester). Between concerts, romantic entanglements and old demons threaten to derail them all.

Warning: Spoilers below!

Liked:

  • Garret Hedlund was by far the best thing about this movie. He was sexy, his character was a bit more complex than the others, and I just plain bought him as a country singer wannabe. He was mesmerizing in this role and I was riveted pretty much whenever he was on screen.
  • I also liked the Chiles character. I don’t think Leighton Meester is a great actress or anything, but her wholesome, naive character reminded me of Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood (not that I know anything about those two; I’m just going by pictures). Although the wide-eyed newcomer is kind of a cliche in movies like this, I still enjoyed the character and am glad she didn’t sleep with James (unless I missed something) or constantly scheme for Kelly’s downfall.
  • I thought the scene where Kelly told Chiles how to succeed in the industry was a good one. Both of them seemed really sincere in it. Kelly wasn’t being bitchy or condescending; she was offering genuine advice. Chiles wasn’t listening just to humor Kelly; she was truly interested in what the woman — the legend — had to say. At that point, the viewer knew something was going to happen to Kelly, and this scene took on even greater significance after the suicide reveal.
  • I’m glad Chiles came back for Beau. I don’t know if that meant she was going to stay with him in that little small-town fantasy of his and work a ls2208 barcode scanner for the rest of her life, but at least there was hope for their relationship. I thought they made a good couple.

Disliked:

  • There was too much damn singing! Yeah, yeah — it was a movie about country singers, so what did I expect, right? But still… there seemed to be an awful lot of full-length song performances in this one, and since I’m not a country music fan per se, it made the movie drag for me. There’s something to be said about mainstream appeal, ya know!
  • The bird storyline needed/deserved some kind of resolution. I mean, I get that the bird was symbolic of James and Kelly’s lost child, and that’s why James took such meticulous care of it while being reluctant to let Kelly have it. But then at the end the bird was just dropped, completely forgotten. I doubt the screenwriter did that, so I’m just going to assume that some scenes were left on the cutting room floor.
  • I found it odd that Tim McGraw, the only bona fide country singer out of the main cast, didn’t sing a single tune in the film (the soundtrack notwithstanding). It would have been cool if he had done something — like pick up a guitar and give Beau or Chiles pointers or whatever.
  • That ending was such a downer! I know country music has a reputation for all these worst-case scenarios, but good lord that was rough. Couldn’t they have found a way for Kelly to work through her issues? After all, that would have been more befitting the title, right?

Rating:

I know Country Strong has received mostly terrible reviews, and while the plot was predictable and not particularly original, I found that I actually didn’t mind watching the film. It wasn’t wholly enjoyable, but it wasn’t pure drudgery either. Hedlund was fun to watch, the Meester character was likable, and there was just enough tension and drama to keep things moving along. I give it 3 stars out of 5.

Posted by Editor at 3:07 am

Cars 2 (2011)

3-Star Movies, Children/Family No Responses »
Jan 262012

Summary (from the studio): Star racecar Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship on the road from Radiator Springs to exciting new places when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.

Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colorful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.

Warning: Spoilers below!

Liked:

  • As with all Pixar films, Cars 2 was a treat to look at. The brilliant colors and attention to background detail in every scene won’t go unnoticed — even if you’re not specifically looking for stuff like that.
  • I usually don’t like Owen Wilson, but I think he’s a good Lightning McQueen. The movie just felt different whenever that car was front and center.
  • There were some funny parts scattered throughout. This was definitely enjoyable in places.

Disliked:

  • The storyline felt incredibly disjointed to me. Why would anyone think it was a good idea to introduce an espionage angle into a movie like this??? This should have been about racing, not an international spy ring!
  • Mater is a good secondary character, but it doesn’t work when he becomes the focus of the film. I wish he had just remained the sidekick here.
  • I didn’t really care who the spies were and didn’t fully understand what they were trying to do. Did I miss something or was the only explanation of the nefarious plan given at the very end of the film after the traitorous Sir Miles Axelrod had been unmasked? In order to become invested in the plot, shouldn’t the audience be given a better understanding of what was going on?
  • This was a bit too long for a kids’ movie. My 9-year-old had trouble sitting through the whole thing (and no, he doesn’t have ADD or anything like that!).

Rating:

I’ve never watched a truly bad Pixar film, and I don’t think Cars 2 changes that. It certainly wasn’t as good as other titles in the studio’s history, but it was watchable. If the filmmakers had stuck with Lightning McQueen as the main character instead of switching to Mater, I think the story would have been much better. As it is, it’s still fairly enjoyable for adults and children alike, so I give it 3 stars out of 5.

Posted by Editor at 2:38 pm

Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)

3-Star Movies, Children/Family No Responses »
Nov 292011

Plot summary (from the studio): Mr. Popper is a driven businessman who is clueless when it comes to the important things in life. Mr. Popper finally understands what he’s been missing, thanks to a new inheritance: six penguins who turn his swanky New York apartment into a snowy winter wonderland and the rest of his life upside down.

Warning: Spoilers below!

Liked:

  • The kids were actually okay in this one. Usually I’m annoyed by the children in live-action family movies because they act like such spoiled brats or are just way to precocious to be believable. The kids in this one, however, pretty much acted their age and weren’t that bad.
  • I enjoyed Popper’s transformation in this one. He went from wearing Italian suits and buying leather backpacks at GotBriefcases.com to a scruffy lumberjack to a normal person in the course of the film. Kids need character arcs that are easy to see and understand.
  • My son liked the penguins and laughed at their antics. Fortunately, penguins aren’t available at the corner pet shop, otherwise he’d probably be begging for one nonstop! Anyway, as a parent, the most I can ask out of a family film is that my child be entertained with some harmless fun.
  • I thought it was a nice touch how Pippi (Mr. Popper’s assistant) primarily used words that began with the letter “p”. That was awesome and made me smile every time!

Disliked:

  • There really isn’t any point in seeing this film if you’re not watching it with youngsters. There’s very little in here that adults would enjoy on their own, so don’t even bother.
  • I realize that a lot of kids wish their divorced parents would get back together, but I’d rather not see that fantasy played out in movies like this. I think it’s highly unlikely to happen in real life, and seeing it in a film might give particularly young and impressionable children some false hope. Yes, I’m nitpicking here, and many children might not even pick up on or care what happens to Mr. Popper and his ex-wife. But still…

Rating:

Overall, Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a decent enough family film that will be entertaining for most children 10 and under. Adults probably won’t enjoy it nearly as much, but it’s short enough that getting through the whole thing in one session won’t be a problem. I give the movie 3 stars out of 5.

Posted by Editor at 2:44 pm

The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)

3-Star Movies, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Comments Off
Nov 152011

Plot synopsis (from the studio): Magic is everywhere in Disney’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice — the family fun adventure from the creators of National Treasure. Balthazar Blake (played by Nicolas cage) is a modern-day sorcerer with his hands full defending Manhattan against dark forces. When a seemingly average kid shows hidden potential, Balthazar takes his reluctant recruit on a crash course in the art and science of magic to become the ultimate sorcerer’s apprentice. Experience more extraordinary thrills, heart-stopping action, and spectacular special effects than you can imagine as these unlikely partners show us that the real world is far more magical than we ever knew!

Warning: Spoilers below!

Liked:

  • I primarily decided to rent this DVD to have something to watch with my 8-year-old son. He really enjoyed it, particularly the magic scenes, of course, so I guess the film did live up to its promise of being a good source of family fun.
  • There were actually some very funny lines throughout the film. I can’t remember all of them here, but the scene where Drake (the “bad” apprentice) mocks Horvath’s mind control powers by saying, “These are not the droids you’re looking for” in an obvious homage to Star Wars was fantastic!
  • Extra points for similarly recognizable tributes to Raiders of the Lost Ark and Fantasia as well.
  • Although I generally did not care for the special effects in this film, the Tesla coils were pretty darn cool!

Disliked:

  • OMG, Jay Baruchel, the actor who played Dave, has the most annoying voice ever! Having to listen to him for an hour and 40 minutes made me want to shove sharpened pencils through my eardrums. He wasn’t even that good as the lead, so I’m wondering what the casting director was thinking in tabbing this guy for the role. Ugh.
  • The love story between Dave and Becky was completely unnecessary. I found it highly unbelievable that a girl as good-looking as that would want anything at all to do with the totally nerdy Dave.
  • The storyline was fairly predictable the whole way through, but I guess that’s the nature of Disney films. Heck, even my 8-year-old knew Balthazar would be resurrected at the end, so I can’t say there was much suspense or tension in this one!

Rating:

Despite its flaws, I still think The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is good enough to rent for family movie night. It doesn’t maintain the quality we’ve come to expect from Disney films, but it’s at least fun and mostly watchable. With a different actor as Dave, this might have been a whole lot better! I give it 3 stars out of 5.

Posted by Editor at 3:03 pm

Bridesmaids (2011)

3-Star Movies, Comedy/Dark Comedy Comments Off
Oct 312011

Plot summary (from the studio): Thirty-something Annie (Kristen Wiig) has hit a rough patch but finds her life turned completely upside down when she takes on the Maid of Honor role in her best friend Lillian’s (Maya Rudolph) wedding. In way over her head but determined to succeed, Annie leads a hilarious hodgepodge of bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper) on a wild ride down the road to the big event.

Warning: Spoilers below!

Liked:

  • Megan was by far my favorite character. She just said and did the funniest things throughout the movie, and presented viewers with the most laugh-out-loud moments. For example, when she suggested a Fight Club theme for Lillian’s shower and said, “We’ll all just jump on her and start beating the shit out of her!” or whatever? OMG, I practically died! Also, when she went to Annie’s place, jumped on her, and said, “I’m life and I’m biting you in the ass” — that was another winner! Same thing with her story about the dolphin looking into her soul and talking to her telepathically. Hahaha!
  • Annie’s freakout at the shower was funny, too, especially when she attacked the cookie and tried to push the fondue fountain over.
  • Nathan Rhoads seemed like a truly nice guy. At first, I thought there would be a love triangle direct from other rom-com screenplays involving Nathan, Annie, and the Jon Hamm character, but I’m glad they didn’t go that route. He and Annie seem like a good fit.
  • The bridesmaid who constantly complained about her kids was both funny and a bit disturbing.
  • Some of the stuff on the plane was good, like when the guy finally admitted he was an air marshall.

Disliked:

  • A four-minute sex scene to begin the movie? Ugh, so boring and unnecessary, even if Jon Hamm was featured.
  • I did not enjoy the dress shop scene one bit. Watching other people vomit and/or battle diarrhea is disgusting to me, so I never find this type of “humor” funny.
  • I thought the film was far too long (more than 2 hours) and definitely dragged in places. Are you telling me the director couldn’t have told the same story if 20 minutes of excess was trimmed out?
  • The competing speeches bit at the engagement party went on forever. It wasn’t funny; just tiresome.
  • I’m sorry, but Maya Rudolph has a distractingly weird face. I usually don’t comment on looks, but this is something I truly disliked about the movie.

Rating:

I was led by the funny trailers, rave reviews, and $100+ million box office to believe that Bridesmaids would be the best female comedy ever. Maybe they got a great company to do their marketing for them because I really was persuaded by the advertising campaign that this would be an awesome film. But even though there were some truly funny lines and scenes scattered throughout, the positives were almost equally balanced out by the negatives, yielding just a pretty average film overall. I give this one 3 stars out of 5.

Posted by Editor at 6:40 pm

The Hangover Part II (2011)

3-Star Movies, Comedy/Dark Comedy Comments Off
Oct 292011

Plot summary (from the studio): In “The Hangover Part II,” Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand for Stu’s wedding. With the memory of Doug’s nearly disastrous bachelor party in Las Vegas still fresh—or at least well-documented—Stu is taking no chances. He has opted for a safe, subdued, pre-wedding trip brunch, with pancakes, coffee…and no alcohol. However, things don’t always go as planned.

Two nights before the big day, at a fabulous resort in Thailand, Stu relents. One beer each. In sealed bottles. What could go wrong?

What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can’t even be imagined.

Warning: Spoilers below!

Liked:

  • The characters were mostly still likable, even if their adventures weren’t half as funny as the first time around. The only one who seemed off was Alan, which was disappointing since he was so great last time.
  • There were some funny moments in this movie. I laughed out loud a few times and Mr. Chow’s antics, as well as some of the stuff Stu got himself into. And despite knowing that the tattoo would be there (how could you miss it in every promo poster and trailer), it was still funny as hell when it appeared.

Disliked:

  • Alan. In the first film, he came off as a socially inept person trying too hard to get the other guys to like him. In this film, he just comes off as a sociopath. Couldn’t stand him!
  • I know this issue has been brought up by practically everyone who has seen the movie, but it resonated with me too: Why didn’t Teddy care more about losing his finger (even though it turned out he did it to himself)? Here was a kid who was not only an accomplished cellist, but also a premed student (with aspirations to be a SURGEON) at Stanford. And yet there was zero remorse about losing the finger? Guess he’ll just have to start looking for Food Service Jobs instead.
  • The storyline was repetitive. Yeah, I get that it’s a sequel and there are only so many ways to handle the bachelor party hangover plot, but it still felt stale as hell.
  • Not enough Justin Bartha. Why couldn’t he have gone out on the town with those guys? Maybe they thought having 4 main characters in every scene would be a bit too crowded. Oh, well.

Rating:

Granted, The Hangover Part II was nowhere near as funny or entertaining as Part I, but that’s because the original was so, well, original. Nevertheless, this one was still watchable, largely thanks to Stu and Phil. I give it 3 stars out of 5.

Posted by Editor at 11:58 pm

TRON: Legacy

3-Star Movies, Action Comments Off
Aug 032011

Warning: Spoilers ahead! I don’t have time to write this up in my standard review format, so I’m just going to quickly share some thoughts here. I saw the original TRON movie when I was a child, but didn’t understand it then and didn’t remember a single thing about it. The only thing I really remember from the original TRON were the light cycles, because they were featured so heavily in the arcade version of the game. Other than that, I was coming into this movie fresh.

So I can’t really tell you how much this plot depends on or plays off the original. What I can tell you is that I didn’t understand it very well. So the Jeff Bridges character created a virtual world and got stuck in there? And then his son goes looking for him and gets similarly trapped, so now they have to race against time to escape through the portal or be stuck forever? Is that the gist. Well, meh, whatever. The plot was terrible and confusing, but I guess for this kind of movie the particulars don’t really matter much. This is all supposed to be about the special effects, right?

Well, at least the effects were somewhat decent. They didn’t completely saturate the film, like in Avatar, but they did add to the overall atmosphere. I thought the suits everyone wore in the TRON world were particularly cool, and usually I don’t even notice things like that. The only effect I didn’t like was the young version of Jeff Bridges. His face moved in a weird way when he talked and he sounded like a robot. It was highly distracting.

Of course Sam survives and gets the girl in the end, and of course she makes it to the real world to see the sun. Those things were expected. What wasn’t expected was Flynn’s fate. I guess that’s something in favor of the movie.

Anyway, overall, I give this one 3 stars out of 5.

Posted by Editor at 4:55 pm

Kick-Ass (2010)

3-Star Movies, Action Comments Off
Jun 152011

Plot summary (from the studio): When Dave Lizewski, ordinary New York teenager and rabid comic-book geek, dons a green-and-yellow internet-bought wetsuit to become the no-nonsense vigilante Kick-Ass, he soon finds an answer to his own question: because it hurts. But, overcoming all the odds, the eager yet inexperienced Dave quickly becomes a phenomenon, capturing the imagination of the public. However, he’s not the only superhero out there—the fearless and highly-trained father-daughter crime-fighting duo, Big Daddy and Hit Girl, have been slowly but surely taking down the criminal empire of local Mafioso, Frank DAmico. And, as Kick-Ass gets drawn into their no-holds-barred world of bullets and bloodletting with Frank’s son, Chris, now reborn as Kick-Ass’s arch-nemesis, Red Mist, the stage is set for a final showdown between the forces of good and evil in which the DIY hero will have to live up to his name. Or die trying…

Warning: Spoilers below!

Liked:

  • Dave was a likable guy, which was very important for this kind of movie. I thought he pretty much sucked as Kick-Ass because he was just not superhero material. This is the kind of guy who would be more at home selling you a usb barcode scanner or something, not taking on organized crime. But he was a genuinely nice person and his heart was in the right place, so I was rooting for him from the beginning.
  • Hit Girl was pretty cool. Seeing her getting shot by Nicolas Cage at the beginning was kind of a shocking moment, but once their relationship unfolded, things began to make more sense. Honestly, she was one of the most original characters I’ve ever seen in a mainstream film. A 10-year-old weapon-wielding ass-kicker?? Wow!
  • The movie was actually pretty funny in some places. I know I laughed several times along the way, which I wasn’t really expecting. Humor is definitely a bonus in my book.

Disliked:

  • I usually don’t like it when main characters miraculously escape from dire situations relatively unscathed, but I didn’t like the fact that Nicolas Cage’s character was killed right in front of his daughter. I know that sort of thing provides the basic canon for many a superhero, but still… it just didn’t feel right in this movie.
  • It seemed as though Kick-Ass suffered from an identity crisis. Did it want to be an action movie? Did it want to be a comedy? At times, the film felt so lighthearted that the subsequent violence was doubly shocking. Obviously, the fight scene between Hit Girl and Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong) has caused controversy — and for good reason, IMO. On the screen, it was portrayed as a serious fight, nothing funny, exaggerated, or lighthearted about it. And that took me right out of the film because I was cringing at how this grown man was pummeling a little girl.
  • The love interest. Why must there always be a dumb love interest???
  • The jet pack was incredibly cheesy to me. I know this movie was based off a comic book (oh, sorry — graphic novel), so I’m assuming the jet pack was in the original. It probably played a lot better on the page than on the screen, though.

Rating:

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much out of Kick-Ass. I’m not a big fan of these films based on comic books, so this wasn’t initially very appealing. But my husband convinced me to watch it with him, and I’m glad I did. I didn’t love it, and there were lots of things that made me roll my eyes. Yet it was still fairly entertaining and worth the price of the rental, which is why I give it 3 stars out of 5.

Posted by Editor at 7:23 pm

Black Swan (2010)

3-Star Movies, Drama Comments Off
May 242011

Plot summary (from the studio): BLACK SWAN follows the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter’s professional ambition.

When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

Warning: Spoilers below!

Liked:

  • Natalie Portman’s performance was terrific. It’s a bit hard for me to watch Oscar winners after the fact because my expectations tend to be much higher than usual, but Portman lived up to the buzz in this one. She brought a likability and vulnerability to the character that made her ultimate descent into madness painful to watch.
  • I thought Vincent Cassel did an excellent job as well. Obviously any director who makes his leads perform sexual favors is a scumbag, but let’s face it, it happens a lot. What I liked about Cassel was the fact that he didn’t come off as merely another smarmy old perv. He also seemed genuinely interested in making Nina the best dancer she could be, which gave his character a bit of added depth.
  • The relationship between Nina and her mother was one of the more compelling subplots in the entire film. I wish Aronofsky had spent more time developing it. I’ve read that some viewers are convinced that there was sexual abuse going on, particularly with the, “Are you ready for me?” comment before Nina went to bed one night. But while the mother was definitely overbearing and creepy, I don’t think there was anything sexual to it. To me it seemed like she was more concerned about keeping Nina innocent and childlike than anything else. Thus she helped Nina with things like cutting her nails, getting dressed, tucking her into bed, etc. That’s also why Nina’s room was filled with stuffed animals and why the mother set up that ballerina music box every night. Those are things you do for a child, not a grown woman. The mother was definitely disturbed and emotionally abusive, but I don’t think there was anything sexual to it.

Disliked:

  • I’m not into artsy-fartsy cinematic techniques, so I found director Darren Aronofsky’s choices to be more annoying than anything else. All the initial close-ups on Portman practically gave me claustrophobia, and the shaky hand-held camera made me close my eyes or look away numerous times. If that’s your thing, then great, you’ll love this film. If not, just be forewarned!
  • All the, uh, self-gratification scenes were weird. I get that Nina was trying to learn to “let herself go,” but come on, really? Was it necessary to have two separate scenes there? The other much-talked about scene with Mila Kunis I could at least understand, if not exactly appreciate. But the two masturbation scenes felt rather gratuitous.
  • I didn’t like the more obvious hallucinations, such as when Nina’s mother’s drawings started moving and talking. I preferred the understated stuff that left me wondering if the event really happened or not.
  • I could have done without the quite literal transformation into the black swan. Feathers, webbed feet, and birdlike skin? Um, no. I guess Aronofsky is not one for subtlety.
  • What was the ultimate message here? That in order to achieve artistic perfection you have to go completely crazy and sacrifice everything (even your life) to “become” your work? Eye roll.

Rating:

I wanted to like Black Swan because of all the critical acclaim and accolades it has received. I went in with an open mind and tried to understand what the filmmakers were trying to achieve, but I simply did not share their vision. I know there are tons of people out there who think this is a work of genius, and I can respect that opinion. It’s just not one that I share. I give this film 3 stars out of 5.

Posted by Editor at 3:05 am

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

3-Star Movies, Comedy/Dark Comedy Comments Off
May 202011

Plot summary (from the studio): Hot Tub Time Machine follows a group of best friends who’ve become bored with their adult lives: Adam (John Cusack) has been dumped by his girlfriend; Lou (Rob Corddry) is a party guy who can’t find the party; Nick’s (Craig Robinson) wife controls his every move; and video game obsessed Jacob (Clark Duke) won’t leave his basement.

After a crazy night of drinking in a ski resort hot tub, the men wake up, heads pounding, in the year 1986. This is their chance to kick some past and change their futures – one will find a new love life, one will learn to stand up for himself with the ladies, one will find his mojo and one will make sure he still exists!

Warning: Spoilers below!

Liked:

  • There were some genuinely funny moments in this film. I found myself laughing or smiling more often than not, and the plot, despite not passing the logic test, kept me engrossed all the way through.
  • I liked all the fakeouts about how Phil the doorman lost his arm. I seriously thought it was going to be ripped off in the elevator, which would have been pretty nasty. But there were still several near-misses to get through before we got to see the real accident (getting severed by a passing snowplow). Ouch!
  • I thought the ski patrol douches were funny. Usually the “bullies” in these kinds of movies are so transparently hateful that they end up being too boring and predictable. But Blaine actually had some decent motivation in this film. He thought Adam’s crew were Russians with advanced spy gadgets — fairly believable given the political climate of the ’80s.
  • I was pleasantly surprised by how likable all the main cast members were. I went into this thinking that it was John Cusack’s movie, but Rob Corddry played just as big a role and was tolerable in it. I liked all the characters, who were funny for different reasons.
  • It was totally predictable, of course, but I loved how Lou used his knowledge of the future to make himself fabulously wealthy. I mean, who wouldn’t do that? There’s not one person out there who would rather be flat broke and in constant need of cash advances than cheat a little and become set for life.

Disliked:

  • There were way too many sight gags involving bodily fluids. That’s just nasty, even when I know it’s totally fake.
  • I didn’t understand how the squirrel managed to mess up The Drive (when it ran onto the field and caused the football player to drop the ball). Wouldn’t that single discrepancy have changed millions of subsequent events (because of the “butterfly effect”)? Why wasn’t that part explained?
  • I didn’t like that Adam and Nick returned home to brand new lives that they knew nothing about and had done nothing to build. So Adam was married to that mystery woman… does he know the first thing about her??? No. Does Nick have any idea what it was like to win an award as producer of the year? Absolutely not. Just having the result without the experience is pretty lame.

Rating:
I know some people will automatically hate this movie because of anachronisms, inconsistencies, and illogical happenings, but I was willing to overlook that stuff for the most part. As a result, I ended up enjoying Hot Tub Time Machine more than I thought I would. No, it’s not a great movie, but it does earn 3 stars out of 5.

Posted by Editor at 6:52 pm
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