I think this a good place for Mario Galaxy. It is maybe not the most influential 3D platformer, but is it the most delightful? I think so.

Overall, I had a fun time catching up on some Adam Sandler films. Now I get why he’s a generational touchstone. #moviesky #filmsky

While the concept of extreme golf is a little beyond my personal tastes, this sequel does try to walk the line between being overly self referential and trailblazing new territory. While not a strong standalone film, the original’s foundation allows its legacy sequel to accomplish something novel.

While I don’t think the sequel is as consistently funny as the original, the sequel does do cameos better than the standard Hollywood fair. Cameos at their worst feel like the director awkwardly winking at the audience. The idea of making every speaking role a cameo is low key unhinged and works.

My favorite Full Moon crossover. Should out to Gingerdead Man vs Evil Bong.

For me, I would say that this movie was funny for me consistently around 50-60% of the time. Funnier than a lot of comedies I’ve seen, but sometimes a little to silly for my taste. Somehow, I feel that I slightly understand both the merits and criticisms of Sandler better now.

The most important part of a comedy is the funny joke to bad joke ratio. Comedies ride an oscillating wave between these extremes. Humor is subjective, but nothing is worse than watching a movie try to be funny. Yet, nothing is better when a movie can crack you up with consistent humor.

Happy Gilmore (1996) finds a surprisingly open niche of a Golf Comedy, a space it only has to share with Caddyshack (1980). The story features the simple genius of a bad hockey player becoming golfer, the character development of the entire cast is a bit lax and almost entirely devoid of themes.

A person’s comedy preference is almost as personal as one’s inner thoughts. My preference definitely leans more to the absurdist or physical comedy spectrum. I’m glad to report that Happy Gilmore (1996) features multiple punchlines that Adam Sandler simply and randomly beats the shit out of people.

One of my most desired machines.

It tells two interconnected stories across two worlds in a very streamlined way. Ultimately, I don’t know if I can say I prefer this to the 1946 original film or the iconic Disney version, I will say that this is something I will return to. Despite adaption, its strength is disassociation.

Unexpectedly, what stuck with me the most is its depiction of teenagers’ relationship with technology. To steal a Hasan Minhaj term, our “rectangle of sadness” completely distorts how people view relationships, identity, material possessions, and so on. Belle (2021) safely explores this topic.

Thematically, there isn’t real depth beyond the third act virtue monologues in both films. Cinematographically, the first film struggles maintaining the camera’s focus while panning. These criticisms cannot discredit its winsome humor. Something that “better” made films have struggled and failed at.

The script keeps to a tight pace of a new gag scenario every 5-10 minutes. Even in the sequel, this spirit is maintained with the addition of a new character - the only female teacher in school. Cheating runs rampant, cigarettes are secretly smoked, Mark Twain-esque negotiations, and tests failed.

The premise is the same class of high schoolers keep failing to graduate year after year. Now in their twenties, the forever students have become masters of pranking their teachers. A new vice principal may change all of that. In this quasi-Billy Madison set up, a blank slate of comedy is presented.

For transparency, one of these films crept up the IMDb Top 250 movies list. I’ve finished this list long ago, but new films keep creeping in. Comedies are a genre that is notoriously hard to translate to a global stage. The Chaos Class franchise is effective at this due to how simple the script is.

Overall, I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to watch something challenging and not in my wheelhouse. I feel that I have a new tool experiment with in my writers toolbox. It’s not a film I’ll forget anytime soon.

The runtime is 2.5 hours but it felt like a solid 90 minutes. This is perhaps the best paced movie I’ve ever seen. Each POV offers its own stakes that you simultaneously hate to leave when we cut away to the next POV, yet happy to return to. I predict this triplicate method will be copied henceforth