Fishies Pt 5 (Piranha 3DD, 2012)

The surprise success of Piranha 3D (which has a 73% Fresh Rating) resulted in another 3-D sequel. Apparently the takeaway for this film’s “creative team” from the previous film’s success was boobs. The title, Piranha 3DD? The posters? The plot?

The story centers around a water park run by David Koechner’s Chet and the return of his step daughter Maddy (Danielle Panabaker, the Flash). Maddy’s mother has died and Chet is a classy guy introducing an adult section to the Water Park. Maddy is appalled, but also happy to be back to see her friends.

The prehistoric fish are back, having escaped into a water supply, ultimately reaching the lake by the water park. There are corrupt cops (Maddy’s boyfriend, because…oh who cares) working with Chet to turn a blind eye to his cost cutting ways. The fish get into the park’s water system, eat people and cause carnage.

This film is gleefully trashy, yet manages to miss the mark entirely. The jokes are a bit more mean spirited and the characters are, at best, not terribly interesting to to watch. At worst, they are pretty unlikable. Keochner’s Chet is unlikable, but that is typical for characters he plays. So, as opposed to other unlikable characters, he is hilarious in his unlikable nature.

The film just falls apart and the plot becomes lost very quickly. The cameos are, mostly, not clever. Other than David Hasselhoff, the cameos have no real connection to water based horror. I mean, Hasselhoff is part of water themed horror. But Gary Busey?

Along with Koechner, there are some other bright spots. Paul Scheer and Ving Rhames return, in spite of it appearing both died in the last film. To be fair, Scheer literally disappears from the movie. He and Rhames have come to the park to challenge their fear of water (apparently the piranha attack in Lake Victoria was traumatic…babies). When the Piranhas show up, Rhames reveals his fake legs are also shotguns. Oddly, Rhames does not appear in the credits. David Hasselhoff is amusing portraying himself as a rather detached and delusional star. And Christopher Lloyd makes a reappearance as entertaining as the previous film. But it is a pretty short scene.

But this film stumbles in trying to outdo the gore and nudity of the previous film. It makes Aja’s film to look like art. Heck, the closing credits take forever, because they are filled with “gags” and “bloopers”. This film fails while trying to imitate it’s predecessor. Remember that Piranha 3D Rotten Tomatoes rating of 73%? 3DD is at 4%…and deservedly so.

October 29, 2016 0

Baked Goods Part 8 (American Reunion, 2012)

And the franchise came full circle with the first theatrical release since American Wedding. Overseen by director Jon Hurwitz, (director of Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay), American Reunion completely ignores the films that came after American Wedding. This was, of course a wise decision. Also wise? Centering the film around a class reunion. This keeps from having to come up with weird plot devices as to why everyone would be located in the same area.

And they brought everyone back for this round. Granted, in some cases it is a blip and you miss it moment (such as Natasha Lyonne’s character Jessica). The film introduces us to Jim and Michelle’s life as parents, with a scene reminiscent of the first film’s opening sequence…except this time around, it is being caught by the kids. Truthfully, this scene does not fully work. I get they are setting up that their relationship is strained. But I think they might have been better to set this scene up with the couple trying to have together time that they sorely miss. Most parents have tales of the kids walking in on intimate moments and there is all sorts of ways to play that.

However, Biggs and Hannigan really work well together. We also meet Kevin, who is now a happily married father and house husband (for the most part). Oz is now a successful sport-caster on a sports network and Finch is appearing the wandering soul he has always tried to be. Stifler (with no acknowledgement of his supposed Girls Gone Wild career in Band Camp) is now working as a temp for a Geek who has made it big. Apparently his biggest nightmare. Tara Reid returns as Vicky, who causes Kevin to question the could have beens. Heather and Oz are no longer together and their story line focuses on the re-kindling of their relationship.

The cast remains likable in the film, especially when they get to channel the qualities that made them sympathetic.

The film focuses on marriages/relationships in trouble and questioning where people find themselves years after high school and the disappointment they may feel. Some of this actually works well in the film. Jim and Michelle are struggling to make it work, and Jim’s dad is struggling with being a widower. Jim shows a lot of his dad’s heart, even in scenes where things are starting to fall apart. Jim has an opportunity, but really walking out on Michelle or cheating on her are not true options for him. Oz and Kevin deal with temptations against their relationships. Oz keeps thinking his girlfriend (played by Katrina Bowden) is cheating on him, due to him finding her in many compromising situations. But, of course, his heart yearns for Heather.

This is a fairly decent return to form for the franchise. American Reunion has welcome laughs and heart. The ongoing story line of Stifler’s mom is actually resolved in an unexpected way that works nicely. It does not abandon it’s gross out humor, but it is not so overwhelming as to becoming off-putting. If you enjoyed American Pie and American Wedding, this is a decently enjoyable enough follow up.

March 17, 2016 2

Hillbilly Mountain Madness (Tucker And Dale Vs. Evil, 2012)

You know when the opening moments of a film pay homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Wrong Turn, it will either be good fun or go terribly awry. As we are introduced to the college kids driving into the Appalachian hills for a weekend of debauchery, it is a little uncertain. These are very cartoonish and seemingly vapid characters.

As they are driving, they almost collide with a beat up old pickup truck. As the truck passes them, the occupants stare at the college kids ominously. foreshadowing of the cruel plans they have for these kids? It turns out… not really. Tucker (played by Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are on their way to Tucker’s newly purchased vacation home for some relaxing and fishing. The kids run into the duo at a gas station, where we discover that Dale is painfully shy. Tucker tries to give him a pep talk (“You are a good looking man, in a way”) to go over and talk to the pretty college girl Ali (30 Rock’s Katrina Bowden). Unfortunately, in his attempts to appear confident (including walking over with a scythe) he comes off scary.

At the vacation home, Tucker and Dale discover all sorts of signs of an ominous past-but look right past them. Tucker assumes the bones dangling from the ceiling show the previous owner to have been an archeologist. Newpaper clippings on the wall about a massacre of college students is met with the assumption that the previous occupant was a news buff.

But it is when Tucker and Dale decide to go doing some night fishing it all goes wrong. When they save Ali from drowning, her friends assume they attacked her and flee. Tucker and Dale decide the best thing to do is tend her wounds and return her to her friends the next morning.

But one of the college kids, Chad, becomes obsessed with the idea that they must fight the evil hillbillies and rescue Ali. While the other kids suggest getting the cops, he is certain that is a terrible idea. Chad sees himself as special and unique-better than everyone else. This mentality has him certain that he and the attractive Ali should be hooking up (in spite of her resistance). He also has a history with Hillbillies that drives his relentless desire to destroy Tucker and Dale.

This all leads to a series of events where the kids attack the two-and die in the process. This leads them to conclude the kids are part of a suicide cult. And from the there the misunderstandings continue. Ali attempts to resolve the conflict, but through a comedy of errors, the now formed trio cannot convince her friends that Tucker and Dale are quite kind guys.

The film sends up the idea of the final dual with a solid twist. The film has a lot of fun with it’s reversal of the Mutant Cannibal Hillbilly premise. There are plenty of clever jokes and visual references to other films (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Fargo, Deliverance, etc). As the leads, Tudyk and Labine are well cast, and tremendously likable characters. Bowden does a nice job as the only sympathetic member of the college entourage. Director Eli Craig shows promise, as this is a pretty strong debut (so far, Craig has directed a short and an episode of the TV show Brothers & Sisters).

I found the film to be enjoyable, with many laughs. It understands the weaknesses and absurdities of the genre and has fun with them. And again, there is no understating how important the casting of Tudyk and Labine were to the film, as they are the ones who bring the heart of the film. In a world with films like Epic Movie and Vampires Suck, it is nice to discover a film that understands the need for characters-even in parody.

September 17, 2015 0