FANBOYS (2009)
Directed by Kyle Newman
For what seemed like years, we waited…and waited…and waited…for what seemed like it could be the funniest movie ever made. Details trickled out. The trailer came long before the movie. And then when the movie itself finally arrived, that terribly familiar thud of disappointment sank in.
There are so many movies that do what Fanboys does, but so much better. Free Enterprise is a good example. Paul is another. It’s unfortunate that with a decent cast and great spoof material, they could not do better. At least the movie studio didn’t excise the cancer storyline as they wanted to, but what disappointed me was that the movie didn’t live up to the hype — cancer or no cancer, it’s weak.
Funny bits: I liked the Rush references, but they were done better in I Love You Man. I liked the Shatner cameo, but I liked it better in Free Enterprise. I liked Billy Dee Williams as “Judge Reinhold”, but come on…that Reinhold joke has been used twice before, on Arrested Development and Clerks: The Animated Series! I liked the Seth Rogen cameo(s), especially as the hapless Star Wars fan who thinks he’ll be the coolest guy ever by getting a full back tattoo of Jar Jar Binks. That was funny! Also cool was Ethan Suplee as Harry Knowles (Ain’t It Cool News).
Your story (such as it is): It is 1998. Linus has terminal cancer. He will not live long enough to see Episode I: The Phantom Menace, which he and his three friends have dreamed about since childhood. The plan: break into Skywalker Ranch, and steal it. Brilliant setup.
This sets into motion your typical road trip movie. Sidetracks into the desert, biker bars, being forced to strip, peyote…I’ve seen this all before: Beavis and Butthead and Detroit Rock City anyone? Take your favourite modern road trip movie and superimpose it over Fanboys. They are the same.
The movie ends with one funny but ominous line: “What if the movie sucks?” And it did, and after waiting this long, Fanboys didn’t fare much better.
2/5 stars
Sam Huntington … Eric
Chris Marquette … Linus
Dan Fogler … Hutch
Jay Baruchel … Windows
Kristen Bell … Zoe
mikeladano.com 
I loathed this movie
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That makes you a good man!
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Aw, it had funny moments. Like when it was only an R2-D2 in his pocket. It’s funny, and also sort of sad for him, when you think about it.
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His lucky R2!
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I especially dislike everything about Hutch, actor and character. Also, though I like Kevin Smith and Jay Mewes, that part was awful as well. If them and Seth Rogen weren’t in it, I might’ve skipped it altogether, but I checked it out because they were in it and its the sort of thing I usually like…. bad decision.
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Meh, if you wanna see something better, check out Free Enterprise.
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I saw this movie and remembered not hating it. Of course, that was a long time ago and I haven’t thought much about it since, so… well, actually, that doesn’t mean much. I forget a lot of things.
By the way, have seen my keys?
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