MacGruber Review Thread (Use Spoiler Tags)

[FIDDYPOP]

I enjoy the MacGruber skits, but I can not imagine an enture movie. Its funny but it is the same gag.

[LynxFX]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

You can be a fan of both.

Have you seen the skits?

Yeah I've seen a couple, not funny, not clever, not even a good name.

What I would much rather have is a true MacGyver movie.

[cajmoyper]

IMO, SNL is as funny as it has ever been but I never really liked any of the SNL-based movies. I do hope that it'll be funny though.

[PH3AR]

This is one of my fav characters from SNL, but idk how they can turn a simple 5min scit to a 2hr movie

[apollo92178]

Crap! I been hoping they would do a Astronaut Jones movie with Tracey Morgan, lol..

[goochspot]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

There's been a couple decent SNL movies. I really enjoyed both Wayne's World movies, as well as The Blues Brothers. In addition The Waterboy is obviously based on Canteen Boy, Office Space is based on SNL Shorts, and A Mighty Wind featured characters first seen on SNL. I also liked Night at the Roxbury and Superstar, but those clearly weren't great movies.

SNL also has 2 of the worst movies I've ever seen, It's Pat and Stuart Saves His Family. Crazy to think the star of Stuart Saves His Family is now a US Senator.

I think SNL has gotten much better over the last couple years and has some sharp writing, including Taccone. I really like the current cast, particuarly Andy Samberg, Will Forte, Jason Sudekis, and Bill Hader. The women have also improved, as Kristin Wiig is hilarious but overused, and Abby Elliott seems to have potential. They really need to get someone who can play Obama though.

Are you serious about no one being able to play Obama? Fred Armisen does a hell of a job with his impersonation.

Though I agree with you about SNL being better. I love the whole cast and even Kenan Thompson has steped up. I feel that the current show is a lot more like the show was in the 70's. The comedy is very random now like it was then. The Lonely Island guys bring a lot to the table even though they under use Andy Samberg.

[goochspot]

Originally Posted by LynxFX

Yeah I've seen a couple, not funny, not clever, not even a good name.

What I would much rather have is a true MacGyver movie.

I feel they are very funny, clever and the theme song is awesome.

Now, the MacGyver show is HORRIBLE! It's up there with A Little House on the Prairie. Every and I mean every episode is the exact same. So much so, you can break down each plot point to the minute. This is what makes the sketches so funny.

So, for you to put down the sketch and then praise the show in the same breath, you obvisouly don't get the humor that Taccone and Forte were going for. But, Mr. MacGyver himself gets it.

After saying all this, I'm not sure if it would work as a movie, but I loved Hot Rod and I'll see anything that Will Forte does because I think he's a genius

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by goochspot

Are you serious about no one being able to play Obama? Fred Armisen does a hell of a job with his impersonation.

I don't think Armisen necessarily does a bad job, but I just think it would be better if they used someone who was at least part African-American, rather than someone of German, Japanese, and Venezuelan descent (per IMDB). I don't think they should bring someone in purely to play Obama, but there has to a good comic out there that can play Obama. I listened to a podcast where head writer Seth Meyers admitted they didn't like having Armisen as Obama but they didn't have any other options and they didn't want to pick someone up in the middle of the season for a key character like Obama.

[Chordata]

Originally Posted by LynxFX

Yeah I've seen a couple, not funny, not clever, not even a good name.

You're entitled to your opinion. Just odd how much you seem to HATE MacGruber.

Re: SNL, had no idea Abbie Elliot was Chris Elliot's daughter.

[goochspot]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

I don't think Armisen necessarily does a bad job, but I just think it would be better if they used someone who was at least part African-American, rather than someone of German, Japanese, and Venezuelan descent (per IMDB). I don't think they should bring someone in purely to play Obama, but there has to a good comic out there that can play Obama. I listened to a podcast where head writer Seth Meyers admitted they didn't like having Armisen as Obama but they didn't have any other options and they didn't want to pick someone up in the middle of the season for a key character like Obama.

You make very valid points. I just think that one could always say someone could do it better. I do think Armisen's Obama is better than Sudeikis' Biden, even though Sudeikis' Biden makes me laugh my butt off.

On a side note, I think Armisen's David Paterson is one of the funniest things I've seen. I still have Amy Poehler's last episode on DVR for Armisen's Paterson. When he walks around set, I lose it every time.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by goochspot

You make very valid points. I just think that one could always say someone could do it better. I do think Armisen's Obama is better than Sudeikis' Biden, even though Sudeikis' Biden makes me laugh my butt off.

On a side note, I think Armisen's David Paterson is one of the funniest things I've seen.

Armisen's David Patterson is hilarious, although incredibly offensive. I figured after the complaints following the first time they spoofed Patterson that they wouldn't do it again, but they did it again numerous times.

[LynxFX]

Originally Posted by O_V_N

You're entitled to your opinion. Just odd how much you seem to HATE MacGruber.

Never said I 'hate' it. Just don't find it funny. Making a feature length movie of something I don't find funny in 2 minute spirts makes it a bad idea IMO. Plus not a fan of Will Forte.

[Grevlin]

Originally Posted by goochspot

I feel they are very funny, clever and the theme song is awesome.

Now, the MacGyver show is HORRIBLE! It's up there with A Little House on the Prairie. Every and I mean every episode is the exact same. So much so, you can break down each plot point to the minute. This is what makes the sketches so funny.

So, for you to put down the sketch and then praise the show in the same breath, you obvisouly don't get the humor that Taccone and Forte were going for. But, Mr. MacGyver himself gets it.

After saying all this, I'm not sure if it would work as a movie, but I loved Hot Rod and I'll see anything that Will Forte does because I think he's a genius

::One less thread to check up on::

[krazeyeyez]

one of the few funny skits left on SNL, this cast is the worst imo SNL has ever had, and the writers are slacking as well, while i like macgruber and seeing the original macgyver guest for skits, cannot see this as a movie even a bad one

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by thedarkangel1975

The problem with SNL is easy. The show has not been funny in almost 15 years.

And the reason for that is, the original '74-'79 show's idea was to capture underground improv-sketch groups in a bottle, and recruited its members from the Toronto and Chicago Second City's.
Nowadays, it's become some "Apprentice"-like race to see which of the writers has "the stuff" to promote his way up to The Next Big Performer--like Conan O'Brien and Mike Myers did--but all they've got now are performers who know how to write sketches about one line or mannerism shtick repeated over and over.

(...But it was still the Groundlings that gave us Phil Hartman. )

They need to releazie why Skits work as skits and not as movies. Hence why Its Pat, Anything Will Ferrell, The Coneheads, don't work as movies.

First of all, "It's Pat" wasn't a "real" SNL movie.
(It was just an indie-burp that got picked up and dumped by Disney, hoping they'd leech onto whatever Paramount tapped into with Wayne's World.)

Second, that flood of SNL movies we got in the 90's (Superstar, Night at the Roxbury) was a pre-arranged deal between Lorne and Paramount/Viacom/NBC-before-Universal-bought-them:
NBC wanted new sitcoms just like "NewsRadio" and "Just Shoot Me", which Lorne's production company delivered, and Lorne Michaels wanted to build a production company, but didn't own any intellectual property outright except SNL--
So, all new SNL writers were told that their prime-directive output was now to create new running characters....Characters which would become the sole-rights property of SNL Productions, which could mandatorily draft its star into a feature project at their discretion. Also, performers would have to accept one of three NBC pilot scripts sent their way (based on their breakout "popularity" in the movies, you see.)

And so that's why Will Ferrell and everyone else left the show, new performers don't stay around more than one or two years, Lorne produces every Tina Fey script for bigscreen, and he's still trying to push Amy Poehler into a sitcom or at least convince us that "Parks & Recreation" is an actual hit.
Just in case you ever wondered.

[goochspot]

Originally Posted by Grevlin

::One less thread to check up on::

Why, because you just realized how bad MacGyver was?

[goochspot]

Originally Posted by EricJ

And the reason for that is, the original '74-'79 show's idea was to capture underground improv-sketch groups in a bottle, and recruited its members from the Toronto and Chicago Second City's.
Nowadays, it's become some "Apprentice"-like race to see which of the writers has "the stuff" to promote his way up to The Next Big Performer--like Conan O'Brien and Mike Myers did--but all they've got now are performers who know how to write sketches about one line or mannerism shtick repeated over and over.

(...But it was still the Groundlings that gave us Phil Hartman. )



First of all, "It's Pat" wasn't a "real" SNL movie.
(It was just an indie-burp that got picked up and dumped by Disney, hoping they'd leech onto whatever Paramount tapped into with Wayne's World.)

Second, that flood of SNL movies we got in the 90's (Superstar, Night at the Roxbury) was a pre-arranged deal between Lorne and Paramount/Viacom/NBC-before-Universal-bought-them:
NBC wanted new sitcoms just like "NewsRadio" and "Just Shoot Me", which Lorne's production company delivered, and Lorne Michaels wanted to build a production company, but didn't own any intellectual property outright except SNL--
So, all new SNL writers were told that their prime-directive output was now to create new running characters....Characters which would become the sole-rights property of SNL Productions, which could mandatorily draft its star into a feature project at their discretion. Also, performers would have to accept one of three NBC pilot scripts sent their way (based on their breakout "popularity" in the movies, you see.)

And so that's why Will Ferrell and everyone else left the show, new performers don't stay around more than one or two years, Lorne produces every Tina Fey script for bigscreen, and he's still trying to push Amy Poehler into a sitcom or at least convince us that "Parks & Recreation" is an actual hit.
Just in case you ever wondered.

Where did you find this info?

Are you saying that Amy Poehler isn't funny or that Lorne is pushing her into shows that are beneath her? I feel that Parks and Rec isn't the best show, but Amy Poehler is funny enough to carry it. Plus, Aziz Ansari is pretty good. If they develop the other characters more, then I see Parks and Rec being almost as good as the Office.

[DrasticPlastic]

I think the MacGruber skits are some of the absolute worst I've ever seen... this movie will be epic FAIL.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by goochspot

Are you saying that Amy Poehler isn't funny or that Lorne is pushing her into shows that are beneath her?

"Pushing", definitely; "beneath", YMMV.

(And he has to push Tina and Amy, they're the only last ones who still depend on Uncle Lorne for work anymore, now that he gave Conan O'Brien's old job to Jimmy Fallon as a present.)

[Lord_Stewie]

UPDATE

MACGRUBER MOVIE TO BE HARD R

One of the most recycled, one-note, inexplicably dated bits in the history of SNL, “MacGruber,” is still moving forward as a feature film. Shooting has started in New Mexico on the 2010 release, with SNL writer and Lonely Island member, Jorma Taccone, making his theatrical debut as a director. Personally, I’d rather see Taccone reprise Cha-Ka in a spin-off or sequel to Land of the Lost, but his performance (and that rad film) sadly await discovery on Netflix. Just wait. Let’s skip the existential dilemma that is a 95-minute MacGruber sketch, and get down to its all-important rating. In an interview with Vulture, co-star, Bill Hader, defends the film, saying that a theatrical leap is by no means “a stretch.” Also, in discussing the script by star Will Forte, John Solomon, and Taccone, Hader says that the film should earn a “****ing ugly” R-rating. If so, it will join John Belushi’s The Blues Brothers as one of the rare R-rated SNL films….


I read the script, and it’s like a hard-R comedy, and it totally works. It’s hilarious. It’s kind of in the vein of, like, eighties action movies, like there’s a very definitive bad guy. I don’t know if I can talk about the plot too much, but it’s hilarious. The thing that kind of blew my mind about it is that it’s like a HARD-R movie. I was like, “What is this? This is ****ing ugly. You guys are really going to do this?” And they’re like, “Yup.” And I was like, “That is awesome. That is ****ing hilarious.”