Thank God for the Test Screening

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE

I've yet to tell you about my test-screening experience of Hot Tub Time Machine!

It was at the AMC, and of course I wouldn't normally go after the way they fucked me on The Wolfman, but it was free. And a test screening. So I went with a group of friends, including my roommate. Now, my roomie has been psyched for this movie since he heard the title. Me, I didn't care for the trailers, and thought the whole concept was stupid. But I began looking forward to it, since I really like John Cusack. And it was free.

I have to say I was disappointed...with the crowd, that is. For how could they not be laughing at every single hilarious moment of this outrageously funny film??? Ok, that's a wee hyperbolic, but I dug it. Even though I realized it wasn't stunningly original and cheated a lot (we don't have to make sense because we don't have to!), I had a great time. Craig Robinson is all right, although it sucks that they started putting his best scenes in the TV spots. John Cusack is hilarious in this, with a youthful energy that he's been missing of late. Clark Duke is funny, Chevy Chase is funny. But Rob Corddry...oh man, Corddry walks off with the show. Profane, childish, sad, and down-to-party, Corddry is the true star of the film, in terms of story as well as who you remember after.

I wasn't disappointed. It was cheesy and gross, but I loved it. The audience I was with should have loved it. And it was interesting to see an effects-heavy movie that still had green screen kinks. I loved the 1980s costumes and production design...delightfully garish! The soundtrack, of course, was awesome. And the squirrel...oh the squirrel!

LEGION

Have I mentioned yet that Legion has great effects, a bombastic score, and absolutely no business existing? Seriously, how in the world do Paul Bettany, Kevin Durand and Dennis Quaid manage to sell this shit? That is incredible. I will say this: it's a damn good time. Oh, it's a terrible movie, but it is hilarious.

THE CRAZIES

Mediocre. This movie has it all: listless score, jump scares, characters that are introduced and promptly forgotten, a refusal to commit to any deeper meaning, and NICK OF TIME saves...four times over. Also, it can't decide whether the "monsters" are clear-thinking or zombies. And does it really matter how close a house is to the main water supply? The plot hinges on this, yet I always assumed it didn't matter: we all get the water. It's not like the one house hordes the water for a day or two before allowing the rest of the town a taste. What a stupid movie. I hate it so much. It's not even bad enough to be funny, which is one of the most criminal moves of all.