Trying To Watch This One Is Like "Hell Baby"

Hell Baby (2013)

Rated R

Starring Rob Corddry, Leslie Bibb

Written and Directed by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon

The Story:

A couple (Corddry and Bibb) are expecting their first baby. They move into a haunted house in New Orleans, and strange things begin happening.

The first strange thing that happened was the filmmakers made Rob Corddry not funny.

Those that have read my other reviews, I love this guy in just about everything he is in.

Hot Tub Time Machine, I'm looking at you!

But even he can't save this pedestrian parody vehicle.

The first rule of parody is to take the source material and put a humorous or funny spin to it.

I'm not sure how far I made it into this film, 10, 20 minutes...

But it felt like a lifetime until I finally switched it off and sent this one back.

No humor.
No scares.

No likey.

This was brought to you by the creators of Reno 911.

Perhaps I don't get their humor, having never seen that show, I can't say.

But I wasn't a fan of this one at all, and it winds up on my Turkey of the Year list with a miserable showing.

Final Grade: F

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+