Pool Party

ANY movie is better than "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull", but based on the expectations of the filmmakers involved, "Indy 4" is a massive disappointment on a huge scale, and "Pool Party" is a success, as most of the folks behind "Pool Party" are just coming out of the gate, and seem to be having fun doing it. Cate Blanchett didn't look like she was enjoying herself at all.

So is the worst movie of all time ("Indy 4") an easy target? Perhaps. Then how about "Star Wars: Episode 2 - Attack of the Clones"? Here's a movie that talks about the Clones attacking. Not only did they not attack, but they were GOOD GUYS!! WTF?!?!? In "Pool Party", you expect pool and party and guess what? They deliver.

I'm not saying it's the greatest comedy ever, I think the filmmakers know they've put together an exploitation comedy with hot chicks and low-brow jokes. But I am saying it's better than "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull".

Lastly, if you're going to rip this film (or any film) on IMDb, and want to be taken seriously, try not to litter your review with grammatical errors. It makes you look like a stupid person.

There are no laughs to be had in this sorry little 'zany' tale of Matt whom is studying for the bar exam while house-sitting for his overbearing boss and trying to keep the boss's kids and their friends from throwing a party. Lame joke follows lame joke in a vain attempt to be funny & wacky, but all the so-called 'humor' (usually gay-oriented non-jokes) misses the mark by a mile, instead turning this into an exercises in sheer will to make it to the end, which I doubt many people other than myself will do.

Eye Candy: Meredith Giangrande gets topless; Sarah Horvath shows some T&A

My Grade: F

Where I saw it: Netflix via xbox 360

I love bad movies. I've seen The Room several times, I've seen Birdemic at least twice. And I like sleazy movies. I like cheap stuff. I picked this on Netflix since I had been watching a string of 80s teen sex romps.

There are a few positive traits to this movie. It's generally well lit. The sound is clear. The editing is competent, in that I don't feel confused about what I'm being shown.

But all of those positive traits come with caveats. The lighting is fine - but many indoor scenes, which have lower light, somehow make the picture look a bit more blocky. The sound is mostly fine, except for a few sequences, where the sound takes on a hollow effect. I think those were recorded on-set with a camera mike, possibly. Then the editing was also strange. There are minor continuity errors between shots, like a person's arm being raised, then in the next shot, it's down. It isn't horrible, but it's distracting.

And there isn't a message to this movie that comes across preachy or even vaguely offensive to any sensibilities. But the movie is so painfully unfunny that it made me feel mildly ill.

I am not joking about this.

I almost cracked a smile once, as Buck is calling out, trying to find his "towlie." But that was it.

This movie is so packed with "wacky" that there's nothing else to it. Everything is a joke, but it's not a funny joke.

I look for the things that are well done in cheap movies. In this case, they barely competently made a movie that is dull and a bit annoying. This is as low as you can go without getting entertaining for camp value.

One addendum is that I understand exactly where these people are coming from. I loved the same movies that they pay tribute to. The problem is that the movie would be impressive if it were written by a couple guys right out of high school.

Netflix recommended this movie to me. (That should tell you what kind of movies I watch.) And I actually enjoyed it. No it wasn't high budget, but I thought it was funny. What can I say, boobies and crude humor make me laugh. As you may have guessed, I watch a lot of these kinds of films, and I mean A LOT of these kinds of films, and this is pretty much the rank and file of the genre. Plus, I thought it was sick that the puppet master dude from Heroes was in it. (I met him at comic con and he was the coolest.) I get the feeling that the other reviewers are quite a bit older than me and aren't really the kinds of guys that would normally watch this type of film. If you enjoy immature National Lampoon types of movies, then I recommend this movie.

As a low budget film, sans the luxury of an A thru D list name attached, this movie looks and sounds great. The writing probably gets a little zany for some tastes but it is fun and enjoyable. The protagonist is likable and charming, and even delivers a couple of late 80's Bill Murray moments. There are a few moments when you think you know what the joke is going to be and they go in a different surprising direction. There is nudity, so this isn't for kids, but if you are the right demographic for a National Lampoon film then this is fair game. So if you want a party movie and not have to think too much, and to get some laughs along the way - check out Pool Party!

7 stars.