1. Watchlist: Hot Tub Time Machine

    Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
    Directed by Steve Pink
    Watched 3/4/2010 (Advance Screening) - 1st Viewing

    Here we go… There’s a hot tub, a hot tub that’s a time machine, a hot tub that’s a time machine that four dudes get into one night and are magically transformed in time to the golden-oldie 80’s, where they learn the errors of their young ways by attempting to re-live the past. If you can’t wrap your head around the absurdity of that premise, read no further. If you can, have at it.

    Directed by two-timer Steve Pink (2006’s dud Accepted), Hot Tub Time Machine is a straight-up slapstick raunch-com, wrapped in a post-Hangover mystique. The film stars the recognizable by many (John Cusak, Chevy Chase), by a few (The Daily Show’s Rob Corddry, The Office’s Craig Robinson), and nobody (Clark Duke of the awesome Clark & Michael) as a foursome of dudes with little and lost direction in life. There’s a drunk loser, a marriage-whipped loser, a mid-life crisis loser, and a “on the path to being a loser” loser. Sound familiar? It should. But it’s not.

    It’s impossible for those who have not yet seen the film to NOT compare it to last years The Hangover - the trailer takes every opportunity to entice that film’s audience into the theater once again. But Hot Tub is no Hangover do-over, and it’s better for it. It’s more like a love letter to teen-comedies of the 80’s, with the pacing of today’s comedic giants. Time Machine spits the jokes as if, like in it’s vintage setting, everything is going out of style. The movie is impossible not to laugh through, despite the feeling that what is happening on screen should not be that funny.

    Is it the actors? The well-earned references to 80’s comedies of yore? The rapid-fire dirty jokes? Yes. Or no. I’m not sure. But it works.

    If you need more motivation, we reviewed Hot Tub Time Machine in full on Hot Tub Oscar Party, our latest podcast.

  2. The RotCast Episode #65 - Hot Tub Oscar Party

    In this episode we recorded while watching The Oscars! While reviewing Hot Tub Time Machine! Live audio Oscar commentary! Hear our reactions to the winners and losers, as they happened, cut with audio from the big show!

    ~~ Show Notes ~~
    00:00:00     - Intro & Oscar Commentary
    00:04:40     - Best Art Direction
    00:07:30     - Best Costume Design
    00:09:05     - Hot Tub Time Machine review begins
    00:16:04     - Horror Montage discussion 
    00:18:45     - Best Sound Editing & Best Sound Mixing
    00:28:38     - Best Cinematography
    00:43:31     - Best Original Score
    00:46:15     - Best Visual Effects
    00:50:47     - Best Documentary Feature
    00:53:07     - Best Film Editing
    00:54:23     - What’cha Watching? James see’s An Education
    00:57:36     - Best Foreign Language Film
    01:02:32 - James see’s Precious
    01:06:05     - Best Actor
    01:10:55     - James watches LIVE and rewatches Terminator 4 and Hurt Locker
    01:21:40     - Best Actress
    01:26:10     - Best Director
    01:29:52     - Best Movie
    01:35:25 - What’cha Watching?
    • James’ thoughts on the doc Shark Water
    • Survivor: Heroes -vs- Villains chat
    • Dave rewatches The Dark Knight on Blu-Ray
    • Andrea goes on a “London” doc binge
    • Andrea’s thoughts on The Misadventures of Merlin Jones and Ponyo
    02:13:25     - Goodbyes

    Download MP3

    [Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]