2 posts tagged “beerfest”

What never fails to make you laugh?
Submitted by BeautifullyBroken.

Maybe I'm mellowing but I rather like this question. I mean, it could mean so many things, like what kind of books make you laugh? What jokes make you laugh? What situations make you laugh? It's just a nice way of looking at things.

Of course, as a cynic and a possible pessimist, it could also be used as "What makes you laugh with cynicism? What causes you to give a mocking laugh?"

Though, I'm not typically a one who will give a mocking laugh or a poo-poo-ing laugh. I think it's passive aggressive. If I think something you're doing is stupid, I'll cut you a side-eye or make a "Who farted?" face. There will never be a question as to how I feel.

What makes me laugh? Let's start a list:

Movies:

Beerfest - yes, I know. No, seriously, I know. It's a movie about a beer competition. But it makes me happy, stop judging me)

Blazing Saddles - LOVE this movie. Absolutely love it. I lent it to a friend who's husband had fond memories of it from his youth and so she sat while he watched the movie, watching to see if he laughed. That's so much pressure! Would it surprise you to hear he wasn't able to laugh at any of it?)

Ghostbusters - I'm sorry but if you don't like Ghostbusters, we need to have a serious conversation. I'm not going to judge you for not liking Ghostbusters 2, though I thought it was quite good, but Ghostbusters! Come on! It's a work of genius!)

The Addams Family 1 & 2 - Whatever you think about the second one, Joan Cusack is genius and I love her. Plus her attempts to kill Fester make me laugh like a donkey.)

Team America - What can I say? Besides "Matt Damon!"?

I'm sure there are some I'm missing (though I mostly watch action movies) but those are off the top of my head.

Books:

Dave Berry's Guide to Guys - irreverent and it plays off of stereotypes but it's so good-humoured with this strain of cynicism, it's almost like me, distilled as a comedy book.

... okay, that seems to be it. I mostly read romances and suspense fiction. Some of those are laughs but it's mostly because the writing or situations are really bad.

TV

How I Met Your Mother - I just did a marathon of Season 1 and 2 and it is so funny, mixed with sweet, mixed with booze and topped with whipped cream and cherry. Love.

Big Bang Theory - I wasn't wild about this show when it first came out. I thought all the jokes would be grotesque stereotypes (Oh look! Nerds can't get laid!) but it's not. It's a lot sweeter than that. It feels like the writers like the characters and aren't willing to be vicious or cruel, just for an easy joke.

And... huh. I don't seem to watch a lot of comedy shows either. Mostly action or sci-fi which contain humour but aren't the "traditional" sitcom.

Is this the point where I have to assure you all that I am actually a girl?

And will I have to assure you again when I tell you I also like Family Guy?

As for jokes and things, I prefer jokes that aren't at someone's expense, in the sense that, while I may joke around, I don't like jokes where the heart of the joke is vicious.

How many times can I fit "joke" in a sentence? Damn, no wonder I never cut it as a writer.

I'm not a fan of practical jokes since it seems the basis of those are to make the person look ridiculous. I don't mind a crass joke if it's properly funny, that is, if it's funny in it's own right, regardless of crassness. Though I'll take the occasional poop joke. I like those.

I like word play jokes because it lets me use my brain sometimes.

But mostly, I just like to laugh. I like the weird witch's cackle I get when I'm feeling particularly evil, the weird deep throated laugh that I have no idea when I developed. 

Mmm, funny things. I like funny things.

If you know me at all, you won't be surprised at how much I really liked this movie. The premise is simple: After their grandfather dies, Jan and Todd promise their great grandmother that they'll sprinkle his ashes at an Oktoberfest in Berlin. What they don't realize is that the Oktoberfest they'll be going to is actually the super secret celebration of BeerFest, a festival for all the beer games that you played.

You know, when you were legally allowed to drink.

Except for me, dad, if you're reading this! I NEVER played any beer games!

... actually, I don't think I actually HAVE ever played any beer games. Man, my knowledge is seriously deficient. Before finishing this review, I might need to shotgun a beer by stabbing the side with the knife and then flipping the tab.

Maybe not. I barely keep food in the house. Why would I have beer?

Sorry, digression. Anyway, they go to BeerFest after losing their grandfather's ashes in a stampede at the regular Oktoberfest (yeah, I can't give it a decent description of how the riot starts and the crazy, completely gratuitous but hilarious T&A shots), they find out that they have cousins, the von Wolfhausens who hate them, their thieving grandpa (stole a secret beer recipe from his father) and their whore grandmother (who, it seems, was actually a whore. Who knew?). To uphold their family honour, the boys challenge their German cousins to a chugging contest.

They lose. Spectacularly. I mean, they're the slowest chuggers in the world. *I* could have chugged faster and I'm not a beer girl or a drinker. ::shakes head::

They head back to the US, honour in tatters but with the determination to create their own beer team.

Blah blah blah, it's not a montage but this review is getting boring.

Oooh, which reminds me: James Roday fans, he's got a little cameo in this film. No idea who James Roday is? Get on your butts and watch Psych. He's HILARIOUS and cute! Plus the chemistry between him and Dule Hill is so good.

Finds the stolen beer recipe hidden in Popo, their grandfather's doll, start brewing the beer, German cousins visit to buy the recipe from them, challenge them to a Beer Pong match, Barry leaves in a huff (there's a later "touching" scene where he talks about why he no longer plays Beer Pong), the US honour is in tatters on the floor and their team is splintered.

Bad things happen to them so that the team is torn apart and at their lowest point (of course) and Landfill dies (in a vat of beer. It's kind of sad) and grandma (Cloris Leachman) rallies them together and Landfill's twin brother joins the team, willing to be referred to AS Landfill (I'd make this sound better and funnier -- because it's really funny in the movie -- but this is starting to reach Miami Vice lengths.).

Refortified, they head to BeerFest (where we FINALLY see some Canadians. Seriously, why weren't we in the semi-finals?! Sure, in the commentary they say it's because we don't seem evil enough but ... CANADIANS! We're all about the beer!) and, besting their competitors, head to the finals against the evil German team.

They lose. Again. But it was closer this time. It was Das Boot and the damned air bubble (which also reminds me, if anyone knows where to find a glass Das Boot, I would really like one. I'd be willing to replace shotgunning the beer from the can to the boot if I had one.).

After some German taunting, the US team challenges them to double or nothing: the beer recipe against their brewery won through 6 Das Boots for each team. Not one drop can be spilled and whichever team is fastest wins.

Guess who wins by a drop?

Recommendation: I really like this movie but it's really not for everyone. If you're easily offended, you won't even get to the point where Fink gets the eye of the Jew before you turn it off, which would be a shame because it's hilariously Rocky. If you like Super Troopers, you'll like this movie. I think this one's better and looks way less low-budget.

The commentaries are both really funny, make sure you stay past the credits for the last little sequence (spoiler, Willie Nelson shows up) and for the bloopers.