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Massawyrm gets hot and wet for the HOT TUB TIME MACHINE!!

Hola all. Massawyrm here.

Here’s a thought that will fester for all of you folks out there slowly aging as you read this: recently a friend noted that if Universal greenlit and released a remake of BACK TO THE FUTURE today and Marty McFly traveled back the same amount of time as in the original, he would land smack dab in the middle of 1980. Let that sink in for a moment. That’s how BACK TO THE FUTURE looked to our parents. Well, instead of 1980, the HOT TUB TIME MACHINE only manages its way back to 1986, but it is close enough. It still will look entirely alien to the younger set, if not still somewhat to those of us who lived through that era.

First things first, HOT TUB TIME MACHINE is fucking fall out of your chair hilarious. It’s a gut-laugh comedy, loaded with a number of uproarious sequences and gags that always hit their mark and never wear out their welcome. But more importantly, while it is dressed up in the trappings of a mainstream come-as-dumb-as-you-are comedy, it is in fact a geek movie. That’s right. A geek movie. Everything you love about time travel movies comes into play here in HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, and none of it is in your face, overly explained bullshit either. Instead the film is smart, sharp and unrepentantly irreverent.

When one of three lifelong friends almost gets himself killed and is mistaken for a suicide attempt, his buddies try to cheer him up with a weekend at the ski resort that was the site of one of the best weekends of their lives. But when they arrive, the resort is a ghost town – boarded up and as shitty as they come. With nothing to do, they chill in their hot tub, getting mindlessly drunk and wake up in 1986, none other than the very same great weekend they were trying to relive. Enter every major time travel plot, loophole and discussion you’ve ever seen, wonderfully woven together with some ridiculously over the top bits that very subtly riff on the time travel classics.

What makes this movie rock so fucking hard is that director Steve Pink has assembled a killer group of brilliant comedians, most of whom are always relegated to supporting player status. Using John Cusack as the lovable anchor, Pink brings the background guys into the foreground and lets them do what they do best. Rob Corddry plays the asshole buddy who never left the 80’s – the guy that grew up dreaming about being AWESOME every day, but never knowing what that meant exactly. For the first time, someone has found a pitch perfect use for Corddry’s comedy, allowing him to be hilariously repulsive while still likable enough to keep rooting for him. Craig Robinson does what he does best, just this time he gets to do it as one of the film’s stars – and he kills doing it, so much so that all is forgiven for that whole MISS MARCH thing last year. Yes, even the ball/straw gag he was involved with. Forgiven.

Rounding out the cast is a guy named Clark Duke, who you might not know yet, but are about to in a BIG way. Up until now he’s been a supporting character on the ABC Family show GREEK and played the geeky love machine in the tragically overlooked teen sex comedy SEX DRIVE. Here he plays Cusack’s young nephew caught up in the whole Time Machine debacle, mysteriously placing him 9 months before his actual birth. Without missing a step, he keeps up with everyone he’s surrounded by, once again getting a lot of big laughs on his own. (You’ll be seeing him again a few short weeks later as the comic relief in a little film named KICK ASS, where he also hits all the right notes.)

Backing them up are small bit parts filled with some pretty funny people. The role of the “magical janitor” is played by Chevy Chase who gives a performance that turns the whole cliche on its ear as he tries desperately to seem all mystical and shit only to be completely unintelligible and baffling. It’s the type of brilliant turn you’d expect out of a pro like Chase. But the guy with the best gag in the whole movie is Crispin Glover, whose running joke is so fucking good I will punch in the face anyone who spoils it for another human being, before I kick them square in the nuts and ask what the fuck is wrong with them. THAT’S how good this gag fucking is. I will beat a person.

The film is an incredibly good time and a powerful second effort by long time screenwriter turned director Steve Pink. After writing such gems as GROSSE POINT BLANK and HIGH FIDELITY, he got his shot at directing a very funny, but sadly (also) overlooked teen comedy by the name of ACCEPTED. This made my Best/Worst of 2006 list in the category of “Favorite movie that won’t appear on anyone else’s top 10 list”. A great “comfort movie”, this brought together a group of relative unknowns like Justin Long (who was still struggling at the time to break away from the whole Mac Kid thing), Jonah Hill and Blake Lively – but also turned loose a rabid Lewis Black to chew up the scenery and rant and rave in all the ways we love watching Lewis Black rant and rave. Pink showed he had an eye for talent and knew how to let comedians BE comedians.

Here he perfects that art and takes this to the next level. While I love ACCEPTED, it is a smaller gem for those that love that particular brand of vodka. HOT TUB TIME MACHINE has all the makings of a comedy classic. Yes the premise is ridiculous; but it *knows* that it is ridiculous. The moment Craig Robinson says “It must be some kind of Hot Tub Time Machine” then looks directly into the camera, breaking the fourth wall, you know *exactly* what is going on. You know it is silly, they know it is silly, and fuck it, let’s go for it, right? Well they go for it, and every moment works.

There is nothing about this film I didn’t like, not one moment where a joke failed or they felt like they were reaching. Everything just worked. This isn’t ACCEPTED or SEX DRIVE funny. This is OLD SCHOOL funny; this is TROPIC THUNDER and THE HANGOVER funny. You knew by looking at this that it could go one way or the other. Guess what? It went the way you were hoping. Run, don’t walk, to the nearest theater showing this when it sees release next month. And take friends. Lots of them.



Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em.

Massawyrm

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Reader Talkback

So the trailers are not just showing the best parts then?
by Judge_Dredd
Feb 16th, 2010
07:23:22 AM
Shia as Marty, Walken as Doc Brown, Seth Rogan as the Dad, and J
by Sequitur
Feb 16th, 2010
07:24:06 AM
Nah
by gooseud
Feb 16th, 2010
07:25:29 AM
Sold!
by Jubal_Early
Feb 16th, 2010
07:28:37 AM
I want my two (adjusted for inflation) dollars!...
by FlickaPoo
Feb 16th, 2010
07:29:35 AM
I trust the wyrm.
by KonkBob
Feb 16th, 2010
07:38:12 AM
I, too, trust the Wyrm.
by the new transported man
Feb 16th, 2010
07:45:16 AM
And I thought Father Geek smelled...on the *outside*...
by _V_
Feb 16th, 2010
07:48:14 AM
Hangover was bad.
by the new transported man
Feb 16th, 2010
07:49:18 AM
Tom Jankiewicz
by enderandrew
Feb 16th, 2010
07:56:44 AM
The Hangover
by enderandrew
Feb 16th, 2010
07:58:51 AM
If it's "The Goods" funny, then I'll be happy!
by lotharius3rd1118
Feb 16th, 2010
08:00:20 AM
TehCreepyThinMan
by hst666
Feb 16th, 2010
08:01:21 AM
enderandrew
by lotharius3rd1118
Feb 16th, 2010
08:08:20 AM
the new transported man
by Massawyrm 1
Feb 16th, 2010
08:08:27 AM
Old School Funny
by Crow3711
Feb 16th, 2010
08:09:13 AM
I want this to be as good as he says...
by FriendlyWaitress
Feb 16th, 2010
08:11:15 AM
ThinMan
by the new transported man
Feb 16th, 2010
08:13:48 AM
Wyrm
by the new transported man
Feb 16th, 2010
08:16:10 AM
Hell, I'm just thrilled to see people other than
by FriendlyWaitress
Feb 16th, 2010
08:16:22 AM
FriendlyWaitress
by lotharius3rd1118
Feb 16th, 2010
08:23:32 AM
Tropic Thunder funny???
by Mr Soze
Feb 16th, 2010
08:23:55 AM
Saying its Tropic Thunder good has put me off
by Drsambeckett1984
Feb 16th, 2010
08:24:15 AM
i had no idea...
by Gatsbys West Egg Omlet
Feb 16th, 2010
08:26:15 AM
One and the same, boys.
by FriendlyWaitress
Feb 16th, 2010
08:29:30 AM
OK, Tropic Thunder was awesome!
by lotharius3rd1118
Feb 16th, 2010
08:30:59 AM
Maniac.
by lotharius3rd1118
Feb 16th, 2010
08:32:38 AM
Wasn't
by NippleEffect
Feb 16th, 2010
08:36:08 AM
OK, here's my problem...
by FriendlyWaitress
Feb 16th, 2010
08:38:50 AM
I think Craig Robinson has incredible comic talent
by DoctorZoidberg
Feb 16th, 2010
08:39:21 AM
Oh and I agree, Hangover and Superbad were overrated
by DoctorZoidberg
Feb 16th, 2010
08:40:30 AM
...TROPIC THUNDER was extraordinarily underwhelming...
by FlickaPoo
Feb 16th, 2010
08:41:45 AM
The real question here is...
by lotharius3rd1118
Feb 16th, 2010
08:42:53 AM
overrated and underwhelming...
by Gatsbys West Egg Omlet
Feb 16th, 2010
08:45:22 AM
nm, I was thinking of
by NippleEffect
Feb 16th, 2010
08:47:47 AM
You built a time machine ... out of a Prius?
by durhay
Feb 16th, 2010
08:48:23 AM
...sorry Gatsby. Sometimes "underwhelming"...
by FlickaPoo
Feb 16th, 2010
08:50:01 AM
Hot Shots!
by the new transported man
Feb 16th, 2010
08:50:11 AM
Disclaimers*
by FriendlyWaitress
Feb 16th, 2010
08:52:18 AM
Yeah right
by TheMandrakeRoot
Feb 16th, 2010
08:53:24 AM
Did anyone even see "The Goods?"
by lotharius3rd1118
Feb 16th, 2010
08:55:46 AM
This confirms it for me, I won't be seeing it.
by jimmay
Feb 16th, 2010
08:57:02 AM
Can we get a thread about . . .
by Nice Marmot
Feb 16th, 2010
08:58:32 AM
Most Comedies in Recent Years...
by Autodidact
Feb 16th, 2010
08:58:48 AM
Jaded, cynical, "Meh" assholes
by Rhinosaur
Feb 16th, 2010
09:01:15 AM
Autodidact
by the new transported man
Feb 16th, 2010
09:05:16 AM
Zombieland a Great Big Nothing For Me
by Autodidact
Feb 16th, 2010
09:06:17 AM
TehCreepyThinMan
by Nice Marmot
Feb 16th, 2010
09:06:19 AM
I'm jumping in!
by Thot
Feb 16th, 2010
09:07:27 AM
The red band trailer convinced me
by V'Shael
Feb 16th, 2010
09:10:49 AM
@lotharius3rd1118 : I saw the Goods.
by V'Shael
Feb 16th, 2010
09:12:11 AM
Comedy does not exist in this dojo
by Cobra--Kai
Feb 16th, 2010
09:12:53 AM

by Cobra--Kai
Feb 16th, 2010
09:14:09 AM
...I've probably seen HIGH FIDELITY more times than...
by FlickaPoo
Feb 16th, 2010
09:17:09 AM
2004-shed
by Dude_gimme_tabs
Feb 16th, 2010
09:17:40 AM
Grosse Point Blank
by enderandrew
Feb 16th, 2010
09:29:44 AM
Does this movie have actual nudity, or is it just a big tease?
by Royston Lodge
Feb 16th, 2010
09:35:55 AM
Shoveller
by shoveller
Feb 16th, 2010
09:38:12 AM
loved Hangover, but Tropic Thunder
by prbt
Feb 16th, 2010
09:58:03 AM
Royston Lodge: The *trailer* had killer nudity in it...
by Chewtoy
Feb 16th, 2010
09:58:17 AM
just watched the red band trailer
by prbt
Feb 16th, 2010
10:03:20 AM
Who remembers Secret Admirer??
by TheGhostOfNodarKumaritashvili
Feb 16th, 2010
10:04:44 AM

by Cobra--Kai
Feb 16th, 2010
10:29:54 AM
Lotharius
by Aquatarkusman
Feb 16th, 2010
10:35:05 AM
Another classic case
by RexBanner
Feb 16th, 2010
10:37:10 AM
Loved Craig in Pineapple Express
by Watch_The_Birdie
Feb 16th, 2010
10:43:06 AM
i dont wanna hear about Massas vagina
by MacReady452
Feb 16th, 2010
11:06:47 AM
Autodidact
by frozen01
Feb 16th, 2010
11:11:33 AM
There's a ridiculous amount of movies I want to see this year
by SoylentMean
Feb 16th, 2010
11:14:14 AM
"I could be off here, but I think it's in reference to blowing a
by RectalBlowout
Feb 16th, 2010
11:16:00 AM
"OLD SCHOOL" funny
by Squashua
Feb 16th, 2010
11:18:27 AM
the bear
by Unbirthday
Feb 16th, 2010
11:28:48 AM
From someone who has seen it...
by filmsavior
Feb 16th, 2010
11:32:02 AM
Autodidact
by frozen01
Feb 16th, 2010
11:33:54 AM
Comedies
by frozen01
Feb 16th, 2010
11:36:13 AM
comedies never as good as "everyone" says
by Bouncy X
Feb 16th, 2010
11:46:39 AM
(500) DAYS OF TEHCREEPYTHINMAN
by BringingSexyBack
Feb 16th, 2010
11:53:08 AM
You had me then you lost me.
by bluebottle
Feb 16th, 2010
11:54:01 AM
FUNNIEST THING AROUND THESE DAYS: MODERN FAMILY
by BringingSexyBack
Feb 16th, 2010
12:01:57 PM
BTW CTM - THAT WAS MEANT IN JEST
by BringingSexyBack
Feb 16th, 2010
12:03:04 PM
We all know who Clark Duke is...
by Ditch Brodie
Feb 16th, 2010
12:21:35 PM
This is from the same guy who thought Capolla's Dracula was a fa
by Stalkeye
Feb 16th, 2010
12:29:23 PM
The Hangover Lost Me
by Autodidact
Feb 16th, 2010
12:44:52 PM
Lynch and Lucas Animated!
by slummingangel
Feb 16th, 2010
12:45:16 PM
"Where have all the smart comedies gone!?"
by bullet3
Feb 16th, 2010
12:47:38 PM
Looks almost as vile as a Kevin Smith film
by hatespeech
Feb 16th, 2010
12:50:10 PM
First of the Hangover ripoffs
by Stabby
Feb 16th, 2010
01:02:53 PM
"but it *knows* that it is ridiculous."- Massawyrm
by Stabby
Feb 16th, 2010
01:13:37 PM
Sex Drive was way funnier than I expected it to be
by orange84
Feb 16th, 2010
01:15:46 PM
I love how it's become the norm to be...
by Jaka
Feb 16th, 2010
01:43:18 PM
CANNOT WAIT!!!
by MapMan
Feb 16th, 2010
01:43:35 PM
slumming
by Stabby
Feb 16th, 2010
02:06:19 PM
Sex Drive was funny as shit
by yourSTEPDADDY
Feb 16th, 2010
02:09:54 PM
Re: gooseud
by mpiehler
Feb 16th, 2010
02:10:38 PM
Re: Stabby
by mpiehler
Feb 16th, 2010
02:14:07 PM
and lets support this when it comes out...
by yourSTEPDADDY
Feb 16th, 2010
02:31:22 PM
"or at least a new Sinbad"
by Jaka
Feb 16th, 2010
02:46:40 PM
re: Jaka
by yourSTEPDADDY
Feb 16th, 2010
02:52:05 PM
No sense of humor?
by gooseud
Feb 16th, 2010
03:09:34 PM
Autodidact: Tyson
by gooseud
Feb 16th, 2010
03:11:55 PM
mpiehler
by Stabby
Feb 16th, 2010
03:32:56 PM
THE NEW METROPCS COMMERCIALS ARE HILARIOUS
by BringingSexyBack
Feb 16th, 2010
03:40:15 PM
HOT TUB HANGOVER TIME MACHINE
by Stabby
Feb 16th, 2010
03:44:39 PM
"This is THE HANGOVER funny"
by Nasty In The Pasty
Feb 16th, 2010
03:48:34 PM
Nice Marmot, you effectively summed up...
by DoctorWho?
Feb 16th, 2010
03:49:23 PM
JAMES BROWN'S TIME-TRAVELLING HOT TUB PARTY!
by Nasty In The Pasty
Feb 16th, 2010
03:53:52 PM
Sex Drive was fun.
by Knobules
Feb 16th, 2010
04:13:13 PM
Stiller wasnt funny in in T Thunder. Black was also lame
by Knobules
Feb 16th, 2010
04:19:15 PM
Anyone else not find The Hangover very funny?
by fiester
Feb 16th, 2010
04:29:44 PM
Seeing this next week.
by Kid Idioteque
Feb 16th, 2010
04:30:45 PM
Apparently, fiester doesn't read any comments but his own...
by the dolphins are in the jacuzzi
Feb 16th, 2010
04:54:46 PM
Now I want to know what Capone and Quint think
by the dolphins are in the jacuzzi
Feb 16th, 2010
04:56:56 PM
And if Harry actually doesn't like it...
by the dolphins are in the jacuzzi
Feb 16th, 2010
05:06:17 PM
«The moment Craig Robinson says...
by Nocturama
Feb 16th, 2010
06:20:26 PM
The Hangover and recent comedies in general
by Jaka
Feb 16th, 2010
07:29:46 PM
I'll watch it if it's on Netflix streaming.
by HercThinksEntourageIsBetterTha nArrestedDevelopment
Feb 16th, 2010
08:05:36 PM
been looking forward to this
by Gungan Slayer
Feb 16th, 2010
08:31:48 PM
almost smells like a plant
by Gungan Slayer
Feb 16th, 2010
08:33:27 PM
Massawyrm a plant? Yes, I've heard he...
by Jaka
Feb 16th, 2010
08:37:51 PM
the new transported man gets his ass
by Star Hump
Feb 16th, 2010
08:45:37 PM
FriendlyWaitress... MASH tv?
by MurderMostFowl
Feb 16th, 2010
08:57:38 PM
enderandrew
by damn_dirty_ape
Feb 17th, 2010
01:30:55 AM
when i watched 2012, i want to scream: "My 2 dollars!!"
by AsimovLives
Feb 17th, 2010
03:13:32 AM
But Old School was Crap, and so was Will Ferrell
by NZGUY
Feb 17th, 2010
03:17:38 AM
Chevy Chase as a Magical Cracker...
by The_Dreaded_Rear_Admiral
Feb 17th, 2010
03:22:28 AM
I'm cautious about what Massa calls smart and intelligent
by AsimovLives
Feb 17th, 2010
03:22:39 AM
Best parts of Tropic Thunder:
by AsimovLives
Feb 17th, 2010
03:59:09 AM
What is wrong with people?
by rogueleader66
Feb 17th, 2010
07:24:45 AM
Tropic Thunder and The Hangover
by Fish Tank
Feb 17th, 2010
08:21:42 AM
Last movie that made me laugh out loud....
by rogueleader66
Feb 17th, 2010
08:46:53 AM
rogueleader66
by AsimovLives
Feb 17th, 2010
09:59:51 AM
rogueleader66
by AsimovLives
Feb 17th, 2010
10:18:13 AM
Asimov
by rogueleader66
Feb 17th, 2010
10:25:59 AM
How about a HOT DOG remake?
by Royston Lodge
Feb 17th, 2010
01:59:11 PM
NERDS
by Cruzboy
Feb 18th, 2010
06:24:40 PM

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