I have watched this movie at least four times, and every time I catch something I didn't see before. There's always a nice surprise waiting.
Time travel (or time displacement, such as "Demolition Man") is one of my favorite genres, whether it's drama or comedy. But, despite watching every time travel flick I come across, I can think of nothing to compare this with. It isn't "Back to the Future," but it doesn't try to be. Great sight gags, sly references, slapstick, puns ... this movie isn't afraid to try anything. And it succeeds when maybe it probably shouldn't. Yes, there's some "BTTF" here, but there's also some "Airplane!" and hints of Mel Brooks.
I went into my first viewing not knowing anything about it, and for two seconds I thought it was, truly, a resurfaced lost movie. Alas, Neil de Grasse Tyson giving an introduction with a tub of popcorn the size of washing machine pretty much dispelled any idea that something old had been unearthed. But 10 minutes in, I didn't care one bit. The quick word punches, vibrant background gags, and a sincere commitment to the premise made this enormously enthralling. And - dare I say it? - Betty Gilpin struck me as someone who is going to make a strong and serious dramatic turn one day.
There's really no way this movie should have worked, and it amazes me that it did. It's B-movie escapism with a complete lack of self-importance while maintaining respect for the audience. In other words, "let's just have some fun." If there's a message here, it got lost on me. And I don't have a problem with that.
Time travel (or time displacement, such as "Demolition Man") is one of my favorite genres, whether it's drama or comedy. But, despite watching every time travel flick I come across, I can think of nothing to compare this with. It isn't "Back to the Future," but it doesn't try to be. Great sight gags, sly references, slapstick, puns ... this movie isn't afraid to try anything. And it succeeds when maybe it probably shouldn't. Yes, there's some "BTTF" here, but there's also some "Airplane!" and hints of Mel Brooks.
I went into my first viewing not knowing anything about it, and for two seconds I thought it was, truly, a resurfaced lost movie. Alas, Neil de Grasse Tyson giving an introduction with a tub of popcorn the size of washing machine pretty much dispelled any idea that something old had been unearthed. But 10 minutes in, I didn't care one bit. The quick word punches, vibrant background gags, and a sincere commitment to the premise made this enormously enthralling. And - dare I say it? - Betty Gilpin struck me as someone who is going to make a strong and serious dramatic turn one day.
There's really no way this movie should have worked, and it amazes me that it did. It's B-movie escapism with a complete lack of self-importance while maintaining respect for the audience. In other words, "let's just have some fun." If there's a message here, it got lost on me. And I don't have a problem with that.