While I’m not exactly a fan of Zack Snyder’s films, his personal brand of razor thin plotting and fast-paced action just might make for a stellar children’s film, which is exactly what Legend of the Guardians looks like it might be.
I know next to nothing about the series of books it was based on, or what the heck the film is about, but I must admit, I’m a sucker for epic fantasy films starring animals. Dare I dream that this will be as good as Watership Down?
Its tough to follow up the absurdly perverse genius of Meet the Feebles, so I decided not to. Instead I decide to pick a film that is truly ridiculous and revels in showcasing some of the dumbest jokes that you could possibly imagine. Yet while the jokes may be stupid, and believe me they are stupid, its the delivery that sells them time and again.
One of the most interesting things about this film, is that it currently holds a 0% approval rating over at Rotten Tomatoes, an impressive feat to be sure. Yet even stranger is the fact the film is actually ridiculously funny and has a truly epic cast (including Steve Zahn, Jonah Hill, Kevin Heffernan, Harry Hamlin, Justin Long, Jeff Garlin, Ernest Borgnine and Robert Patrick). The voice over narration during the nature scenes alone are absolutely priceless (ex – Experts estimate that monkeys make up 80% of the world’s monkey population.) and they beg the question, why the hell isn’t that kind of nature show on television?
But it is the final nature show that truly eclipses them all, and the one that is impossible not to find humorous, despite it being one of the laziest jokes ever. Yet Strange Wilderness continually shows that earnest repetition is the key to getting a laugh, which is why this is one of the Greatest Moments in Cinema History.
Recently I’ve been tossing around the idea of starting up a regular feature that would highlight some of the films that I’ve run across in my film watching career that I adore for no discernible explanation. That is, no explanation until now.
For now I will highlight the competently ridiculous, the oddly perverse and hopefully the drug-addled genius of some truly awful movies that hurt so good. For these movies truly represent the greatest moments in cinema history.
Our inaugural edition highlights one of the most bizarre and possibly frightening films you are bound to encounter. A film so vile, so lewd and so inspired that it could only come from a man who was destined to become one of the biggest director’s in Hollywood, that being Peter Jackson. This movie marks both his creative peak AND nadir, resulting in a movie that is bound to fell anyone without the strongest of stomachs, though a complete lack of morals can only improve your viewing experience.
For those unaware of Meet the Feebles, the plot is rather simple, a troupe of Muppets is trying to put together one big television broadcast special, in the hopes of landing a syndicated series. But as the big day approaches a series of disasters threaten to ruin everything they’ve worked so hard for. Of course that also leaves out the sex addicted rabbit dying from AIDS, the massive drug ring that the show’s producer runs in the theatre’s back alley, or nasal sex, which sounds almost as disgusting as it actually is.
But the highlight of the film is the pinnacle song and dance number as a homosexual fox sings about his love for, you guessed it, sodomy, all while a manic depressive hippopotamus attempts to murder every performer with a machine gun, thus marking this as one of the Greatest Moments in Cinema History with a bullet.
Sure I’m the only person who thinks so, but with each trailer I watch I get more excited to see Hot Tub Time Machine. Granted, the new Red Band Trailer leaves a lot to be desired, but that doesn’t change the fact that this movie is from the guys directly responsible for two of my favorite comedies, High Fidelity and Grosse Pointe Blank. Plus, the new Green Band Trailer contains one of the funniest lines I’ve ever heard.
“Oh then you have to talk to girls with your mouth.”
I’ve made it relatively clear that I am a fan of genre films, up to and including exploitation films. I grew up on these movies and they have helped shape my future movie watching habits, so I have enjoyed quite a bit the recent bit of mainstream love for grindhouse films.
Now, coming on the heels of the outstanding Ozploitation documentary Not Quite Hollywood, comes a film devoted to the American exploitation films of the same time. Now the film does not look to have quite the same level of frenzied adoration as its Australian counterpart, but with its massive cast of interviewees it should prove to be a fascinating look at one of my favorite parts of cinema history.
Special thanks to The Documentary Blog for the heads up on this film.
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