This is a genuinely funny movie. Yeah, it's another one of those independent films with the weak willed everyman who tries to toughen up and it blows up in his face (e.g. Office Space - another Mike Judge film, go figure), but this one is done really well. Jason Bateman is fantastic in this film, in a role that is very reminiscent of his role in Arrested Development; Mila Kunis is a knockout; J.K. Simmons, as the factory manager, is hilarious; Ben Affleck is creatively mischievous; and the list of accolades just goes on and on. This is a 'thinking man's' comedy, in the sense that you kind of have to watch it in order to follow everything that is going on, but it really is worth the rental. This one is good enough that I really don't want to ruin it by talking about it too much, so I'll just say that it really is highly recommended.
Movie to Skip: Girly
I think you can best sum up this movie as a 'classic.' It's from 1970's England (well more like the late 60's since it actually came out in 1970), and it had not quite adopted the typical slasher film qualities. That is, if something naughty is going on, it will be strongly implied, but you'll never actually see it. And when something gruesome happens, again, it will be strongly implied, but you'll never see it. You will see some lame cartoon violence now and then, but that's about it. So, if you're looking for naughtiness and gore, you're not going to enjoy this one. Given some of the much more graphic films that were produced in the 70's (I'm looking at you, Clockwork Orange) I'm kind of surprised that this one was so... self censored.
The story in this film is certainly original, but I'm not entirely sure it's compelling. I can definitely see similar films growing from this one as 'the family that slays together' is kind of a popular horror film theme (e.g. Texas Chainsaw Massacre, for one). But I think other film makers nailed it a little better. There is a sickening... sweetness to this film that is kind of horrific and creepy on its own. That is, there is a kind of Mary Poppins quality that is really disturbing. And hey, let's face it, I'm not sure anyone in this film is sane; some are just less bonkers than the others. It creates an odd Alice in Wonderland character to the film that gives it at least a little redeeming quality. But all in all, it really feels like a rough draft of a slasher that was ultimately filmed for prime time television. While it wasn't the worst film I've ever seen, it wasn't the best. It's an interesting distraction if you're looking for a 'horror' film that has no chance of giving you nightmares, but ultimately you won't be bad off if you miss it entirely.
