Come anticipate HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, won't you?

I can't decide if this is stupid-good or stupid-stupid, but I know John Cusack and Craig Robinson crack me up in this trailer. I'll let The Onion AV Club set up the clip:

The title is shitty, right? But it got you to click! The trailer for the worst-named movie since Dude, Where's My Car debuted at Comic-Con, and it looks like it might actually be funny. The premise: Craig Robinson, John Cusack, Rob Corddry, and Clark Duke are transported back to 1986 in a magical hot tub. So crazy it just might work? Elaborate joke? (I'm told not.) Check out the swear-filled trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyAi6JD3PCg&feature=player_embedded

I feel like I need to see more than just those two scenes before I can feel comfortable anticipating this properly

YES

this looks funny

wtf onion AV Club, Dude Where's My Car is a great title.

no

yes?

went to the midnight showing. lazy? yes. sensical? No...in fact the story is absurd to the point where it serves little to no purpose. Chevy Chase's character is a cipher.

Intelligent? No. The whole "we all USED to be best friends and drifted" motif is drilled over and over and over again into your head.

Funny? Fuck yes. Craig Robinson is just naturally hilarious, John Cusack rekindles his 80's-isms, and Crispin Glover's character has a hilarious running gag. It's mindless fun that knows it's mindless. Laughed a looooooot.

that's pretty much all i want from this movie

exactly. some of the negative reviews I read seemed to expect the movie to be the adult Stand By Me or something....IT'S FUCKING CALLED "HOT TUB TIME MACHINE" FOR GOD'S SAKES!

it's like people who expected "Anchorman" to be a scathing satire of local news

I did :-(

On rethinking Hot Tub I can't remember the last time a comedy had a plot this directionless and contradictory - it just seems almost random, like it was suggested at a frat party and written as they went along.

Does that decrease the LOLs? Nope - it's just weird, I mean even The Hangover had an actual plot!

Contrary to what a few critics have said, I don't think the film was guilty of "Hey look I'm obviously in the 80s" - other than the few moments in the previews, there's only a few moments like that.

Definitely a few Back to the Future homages though.

I can't fathom harboring any expectations about the "plot" of a movie called HOT TUB TIME MACHINE. All I expect is gags/jokes and if it delivers on that premise I will be happy.

the previews make it just look like a bunch of lame 80s jokes

eh I don't judge movies by previews anymore

(Children of Men, for ex.)

yeah, that's kind of the whole point of the preview tho

As long as the movie is in on the joke of it's own absurdity, I'll likely have a good time watching it. That's what made Live Free or Die Hard so enjoyable. It was a 90-minute wink at the audience.

thought the existence of this movie was limited to a lazy 30 Rock joke

this film was really unfunny

rob corddry particularly

cusack just kind of uncomfortable. they can't all be "war inc" john!

^^ this is vital intel as there appears to be a conspiracy of favorable reviews afoot

idk wtf is up w/ that, yeah

honestly i was pretty well-disposed

i own a copy of 'old school'

i own a copy of fuckin 'hot rod'

i like bro comedy, i like lizzie caplan, etc.

still not good/funny!

it's from the writers of sex drive

i own a copy of fuckin 'hot rod'

whoa

it's hilar

you're hilar!

im too legit to quit

don't listen to gucci mayne here, it was funny.

his name is "history mayne"

Hilarious movie

Lizzy Caplan is in this right?

For three scenes.

Kinda sad this didn't do well. I guess the 80s ski movie send-up genre isnt very broad based.

From what I remember of Hot Dog a key element was gratuitous nudity.

this had that

If someone told me this movie was improvised over the course of a week, I'd believe them. So lazy, so sloppy, so scattershot even by scattershot standards.

Lizzy Caplan interview:

When you say there were so many versions of the script, do you mean there were on-set rewrites, or were you actually shooting different versions?

It’s changed a lot. There were many writers coming in and out working on it — all very funny, talented people. I went in to do looping, and I did looping for a couple different versions, so I have no idea, really, what the movie is. It’s kind of weird.

So even while you were shooting, you’d do wildly different takes and lines?

Yeah, there were lots of new pages coming in, which was refreshing, actually. It allowed everybody a lot more freedom, and Steve Pink, the genius director of the movie, allowed us to mess around and improv, which is always good.

Read between the rose-colored lines and it's amazing this movie even managed a start, finish and end.

the movie is called "Hot Tub Time Machine." Were you expecting Amadeus?

I was expecting at least "Rock Me Amadeus"

I was expecting at least "Rock Me Amadeus"

Yeah, this.

A couple of months ago starz or encore or some other piece of shit cable movie channel played Hot Dog followed by Ski School. Such an awesome environment for drinking in the living room.

There were many writers coming in and out working on it — all very funny, talented people.

of course they worked with "very funny, talented people", i mean who wouldn't wanna do that ;-)

lotta jokes about this movie made on my ski reunion brocation (which included a hot tub that flashed different colored lights), but none of us had actually seen it

snakes in a time machine

i don't care how they wrote it - it was fucking funny.

OTM.

The funniest part was definitely where Rob was forced to fellate Craig at gunpoint while people chanted "suck it!" I wonder which talented funny writer came up with that bit?

Someone needs to make an '80s sex romp the same way dude made "House of the Devil." Like, just go for it and keep it real. It can still be stupid, just make a little effort.

wait what

Maybe I'm just uncouth, but the punchline to that scene was pretty funny.

I totally laughed at all the vomit jokes, true, especially the one (yes, there are several) after Glover's arm was finally ripped off, spewed blood, and then the dude from "Sex Drive" projectile vomited again, in quick succession. It was one of the few times the director got the timing right, or that the film was cut in a manner that didn't undermine the actors or punchlines. Regardless, that sort of absurd rule of infinity humor either belonged in another movie, or this one should have totally gone for it, a la "Dumb And Dumber." But there was just enough minimal heart (and darkness) to underscore how little the movie lived up to its meager potential, and just enough order to underscore how little any of it made any sense, which could have been absurd and funny, too, like "Anchorman," but here just felt ... tragic and flabby.

Warmed the ol' cockles, however fleetingly, when Cusack busted out the Fishbone shirt, though.

it didn't make any sense but when you have a HOT TUB THAT HELPS YOU TRAVEL IN TIME it's a little hard to do that, no?

I mean the film was a bit of a mess, but it was damn funny. not like the funniest comedy of all time, no, but it brought the LOLs

The funniest part was definitely where Rob was forced to fellate Craig at gunpoint while people chanted "suck it!" I wonder which talented funny writer came up with that bit?

is this a real scene in the movie??

Yes, it is a real scene.

Was dragged to this today and it was pretty fucking awful. I laughed a couple of times before they got to the resort and at some of the nods to the 80s ski-bum movies. But this was so so terrible. And WTF, 21 Jump Street didn't premiere until 1987!

I mean, Out Cold with David Koechner and Zach Galifianakis was a much funnier and more consistent retro ski screwball comedy.

And even that wasn't all that funny, but still preferable to this pile of shit.

This wasn't very funny :(

this film's idea of "music from the future" is from 2003–04, isn't it?

Yeah, "Let's Get it Started" was an '04 single.

"Manimal" was canceled in 1983, which defuses a "Manimal"-joke. Also, "KIckstart My Heart" was from "Dr. Feelgood"-era Motley Crue, post this film's target. And how, for that matter, even if Cordrry stayed behind, could he then become lead singer of said band, which had been around - and popular - for years? Just so, so lazy, and some of my least favorite kinds of lazy, too, like they just totally couldn't be bothered to take the 5 minutes to rewrite patches for these holes. Makes "The Hangover" seems like solid shit.

Do I hate fun? Maybe. But I hate not funny even more.

i haven't seen this movie yet, but i'm pretty sure i laughed a lot when i saw it.

― Mr. Que, Friday, April 2, 2010 3:28 PM (4 days ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

wait does mr. que have a hot tub time machine!?

I like to sing the title of this movie to the tune of the chorus of Venom's "Countess Bathory."

Hahhah

<3<3<3

I am shocked and appalled that the timeline of HOT TUB TIME MACHINE was incorrect at times.

Also, not really a 'ski comedy.'

i thought this was pretty amusing even though it was rather sloppy

for those who liked the movie this is kinda interesting:

http://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/04/06/hot-tub-time-machine-wish-fulfillment/

Nice to see that we are debating more time debating the time travel plotholes in Hot Tub Time Machine than was ever devoted to the Terminator franchise on this board....

that's how we roll.

Yeah, "Let's Get it Started" was an '04 single.

― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, April 6, 2010 9:35 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark

oh yeah, and even though this is an edgy semen-in-the-face kind of comedy, they still go with the advert-y 'let's get it started' over 'let's get retarded'

i noticed that too. maybe they just didn't know any better.

I guess the best thing that could be said about this movie is that there is some clever irony in having a movie in which people go back in time to the '80s and having the movie itself turn into a retro-'80s raunch-com, even down to the lazy joke-writing and gratuitous nudity. That said, the idea of watching a movie filled with lazy 80s-style joke-writing is perhaps more interesting than the actual experience.

wife wants to see this tonight. I'm inclined to see Greenberg instead. Help us decide, ILX!

andrew sarris gave this four stars, feel kinda chastened

I lolled a lot in this, more than I expected

gunpoint fellatio was unlol though

this was not just unfunny, it was kinda hateful on any number of levels.

there is some clever irony in having a movie in which people go back in time to the '80s and having the movie itself turn into a retro-'80s raunch-com, even down to the lazy joke-writing and gratuitous nudity

kindest possible interpretation imo.

Suffered from the poorly timed Gary Coleman and Michael Jackson 'jokes'.

all of the jokes were poorly-timed.

Enjoyed this.

"wife wants to see this tonight. I'm inclined to see Greenberg instead. Help us decide, ILX!"

We watched this instead of Greenberg last night! We laffed. What can I say, we're lowbrow.

i watched it a second time at a friends place - just as funny.

Just watched it last night. I wasn't expecting miracles, just a few chuckles. I got those.

I am shocked and appalled that the timeline of HOT TUB TIME MACHINE was incorrect at times.

I know, it's a ridiculous argument. But really, would it have been too much trouble to hire someone to go through the script just once to make sure all the references were 1986-appropriate? I mean, fucking Mötley Lou? Mötley Crüe's first album was from 1981 and "Home Sweet Home" was from 1985, so how exactly would that have happened?

Also, I'm sure it was inadvertent, but it was funny that time-traveling John Cusack (the *star* if there was one) wore a puffy winter vest like Marty McFly did in Back to the Future...A TIME TRAVEL MOVIE THAT CAME OUT ONE YEAR BEFORE HOT TUB TIME MACHINE TOOK PLACE. When he was spilling his guts to Lizzy Caplan, I'm sure she was thinking "this guy's seen Back to the Future one too many times."

gawd this was terrible. didn't make it to the end. unfunny and strangely depressing.

Also, not really a 'ski comedy.'

unfortunately

i just thought it was kinda tragic 2 hide lizzy caplan under bad hats & that wig and corddry is barely believable as a macho rebel bro but this was reasonably funny enough; 1 of the rare times i could stomach john cusack

""wife wants to see this tonight. I'm inclined to see Greenberg instead. Help us decide, ILX!"

We watched this instead of Greenberg last night! We laffed. What can I say, we're lowbrow."

Never take your wife to a guy movie and vice versa.
I can't decide if I like this movie or not - some of its funny

This has enough funny moments, but they are carried by Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson.

I still find the kid living in the basement and playing out Second Life in jail kind of funny.

second life itself is kind of funny

Pretty sure it's been referenced in articles, television, and film much more than anyone has ever used it

all you do is fly around all day

Watched last night:

It was funny and reasonably promising up until they got into the hot tub.

After that, I got bored, and lasted another 20 mins or so.

they did not go back to the eighties, they went back to the "lol eighties"

yeah i was appalled that Hot Tub Time Machine was not an accurate period piece

p sure the movie was aiming for "lol"s not "documentary realism"

worst example of non-historicism was Craig Robinson singing "started" instead of "retarded," but apparently the director didn't know that was even a radio version

xpost

Oh, that wasn't why I didn't like the film.

Basically, it stopped being funny, beyond the loleighties angle.

What a weird movie. Overall pretty funny but uh if you are going to bring music back from the future why would you pick the Black Eyed Peas?

Also I wish that one bald guy wasn't in this movie. I guess all the other characters were so vacant that he was essential to driving the plot but there was a lot of potential for some 80s humor that got tossed aside in favor of shock comedy from the loser brother of the trailer park guy from GTAV.

I haven't been so excited for a sequel since 'another stakeout'

Sequel couldn't muster the amount of heart (what little there was) that there was in the first one, and it's basically even dumber and more unforgivable than 22 Jump Street's shamelessness. But there were enough stupid, stupid jokes to elicit guilty lols from me

the sequel bombed really badly

i finally watched the original film. it was neither as bad nor as good as some have suggested. i say that, though, as someone who laughs very easily.

above all, it seemed profoundly /lazy/, like a bunch of writers hashed out a rough draft and never bothered to rework it.

i thought the use of public enemy was really discordant; so odd to hear chuck d's politicized lyrics being used as nothing other than a generic "80s badass" signifier.