Time For A Dip In The "Hot Tub Time Machine 2"

Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015)

Rated R

Starring Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Adam Scott

Directed by Steve Pink

The Story:

Lou (Corddry), Nick (Robinson) and Jacob (Duke) are enjoying the benefits of having used the Hot Tub Time Machine, but Adam (John Cusack) has apparently disappeared from sight. The boys party on without him though, until an assassin shoots Lou!  Desperate to keep that from happening, the 3 guys jump into the Hot Tub and fire it up to go back and prevent the shooting!  When they wind up in the future though, it appears that they have to fix the present to save the past!

Yeah..time travel!

File this under "I can't believe that they made a sequel to a movie that I never thought they would have made in the first place."

Because really, whoever thought Hot Tub Time Machine would be made? That and be moderately successful?

About 5-7 people, and they probably all work in Hollywood.

But apparently it was, and I can't lie, I watched the first film, and there are indeed some laugh out loud moments.

So here we are, five years later, and most of the group is back.

Why Cusack didn't come back is a mystery. Come on John, I've been watching some of your direct to DVD releases, and this wasn't going to sully your resume any worse than some of those.

But they work around him as best they can, bringing Adam Scott to fill the role by playing a long lost son.

It works, because it's Adam Scott, and he is a great character actor.

In fact, all of the cast makes the movie better just by dialing the crazy up to 11.

If you liked the first one, take a dip back into the water, you'll probably have as much of a good time this go round as well.

Final Grade: C+

Wishing You "A Merry Friggin' Christmas"

A Merry Friggin' Christmas (2014)

Rated PG-13

Starring Joel McHale, Robin Williams, Lauren Graham, Clark Duke, Candice Bergen

Directed by Tristam Shapeero

The Story:

Boyd (McHale) is taking his family to spend the holidays with his estranged family. He doesn't want to because he and his father (Williams) don't exactly see eye-to-eye. In fact, Boyd has spent his entire life trying to overcompensate his Christmas traditions by being the father he never felt his dad was.

Another of Williams' final performances, this one is pretty fun.

A great cast, it feels like it could have been a tv movie, but that's not a huge surprise considering the pedigree of most of the cast and the director coming from a television background.

They throw a bit of the PG-13 language/innuendo in there to spice things up, but nothing horrible that keeps it from being enjoyed by the whole family.

It's a darker comedy than you expect from this holiday season, but not a terrible viewing experience.

My guess, this will grow on some and become a cult holiday classic as the years wear on.

I'm still on the fence, I enjoyed it enough, and I think I could come back for more, maybe just not in an annual dosage.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No purchase yet, but again, I could be persuaded to visit the Mitchler family.