Stargate: The Ark of Truth

Stargate: The Ark of Truth

Starring Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Ben Browder, Christopher Judge, Beau Bridges, Claudia Black, Morena Baccarin, Tim Guinee, Julian Sands, Currie Graham
Written & Directed by Robert C. Cooper
DVD Release: 11 March 2008
MGM Home Entertainment, 101 mins., NR

Plot: The SG-1 team search for The Ark, a device created by the Ancients that will reveal the truth about Origin to the evil remnants of Ori followers and diminish the power of Adria.

Yep, sure that plot synopsis makes no sense to anyone who hasn't watched the series. Truth is, I'm still only two discs into the freshman season of Stargate: SG-1, so I really shouldn't be watching The Ark of Truth, cos, y'know, spoilers and all that. The good news is, the DVD comes with an eight-minute "prequel", or rather, a catch-up of the events from seasons eight-ten which clue as into the whole deal with the Ori, the Ancients, Adrian, and the new kids on the block (read: anyone not Daniel Jackson, Colonial Jack O'Neil, or Samanda Carter). So I was rather fortunate in that regard. The clip compilation helps establish the epic scope of the story executive producer/writer/director Robert C. Cooper set out to tell, but overall, the events of The Ark of Truth is perfectly understandable for newbies as well.

After all, the movie tackles universal themes and storylines: the journey of redemption for people blinded by darkness, a race of beings following a religion's doctrine to a harsh degree and their attempts to stop nonbelievers from changing their beliefs, and another one of those fate of all mankind rests in the balance type subplots. For anyone under the misconception the Stargate franchise is simply kiddie fare of funness, The Ark of Truth will be one hell of a eye-opener for you. No, the franchise isn't as dark as, say, Battlestar Galactica, but the series, and movies, tackle heavy themes and boasts an intelligence that absolutely bewildered me when I first started watching Atlantis (and which is in abundance here, and in Continuum). The Stargate franchise is smart, and it's a science fiction series that should not be missed.

Moving on.

The pluses: marvelous production design. The spaceship interiors, the chamber pictured above, even Stargate Command, all positively gorgeous design and amazing to look at. In the realm of digital effects, with a bigger budget than that of the television series, they are noticeably superior and bigger in quantity (i.e., the loads of Replicator spiders and finally the Mother Replicator). The cinematography is cinematic in execution. In fact, both Ark of Truth and Continuum could be released as theatrical productions, they are that well produced.

Like I said with my Continuum review, these actors know these characters inside and out, so as expected, they all excel in their roles. I want to, again, make specific note of the awesomeness of Ben Browder as Cameron Mitchell. He's never short of one liners (my favorite will always be when Marrick is beating Cam up, Marrick asks Cam to kill him, and Cam responds, 'Trust me, I'm trying'; oh, hahahaha!), and definitely delivers the action hero goods. Amanda Tapping and Christopher Judge are kickass in their respective roles, strong and wise characters that have no problem engaging in combat or using their wicked smarts to save the day. Worth noting: the gorgeous and ever sexy Morena Baccarin is Adria, Vala's daughter and some evil bitch, apparently. Basically, if you ever watched Xena, Warrior Princess, she's the Stargate equivalent to Hope, as far as I can tell. She's only onscreen for a short while, but she makes those seconds count.

If you're reading this review as a lover of the Stargate franchise, I hope you appreciate my lovage for these two direct-to-DVD flicks. If you're a casual reader and are perhaps interested in checking out this franchise, with no hesitation do I recommend it. This series is the perfect blend of action, intelligence, space battles, awesome characters, clever dialogue, and best of all, fun. The Ark of Truth is no different.

Tying up loose ends in a short 101 minute movie probably isn't easy, yet writer/director Robert C. Cooper definitely succeeds. There's even time for some brilliant one liners and action scenes! With The Ark of Truth, the Ori storyline is brought to an end, but the journey doesn't ever stop, and that's the beauty of the Stargate franchise. Just because a Big Bad is defeated and over with, the story doesn't just stop. There's always another mission, and with such strongly defined and three dimensional characters, we, the viewers, can't wait to tag along.

Rating: 10/10 = Another spectacular adventure of the Stargate franchise that can't be recommended enough!

Stargate: Continuum

Stargate: Continuum

Starring Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Michael Shanks, Cliff Simon, Claudia Black, Don S. Davis, Beau Bridges, Richard Dean Anderson
Written by Brad Wright
Directed by Martin Wood
DVD release: 29 July 2008
MGM Home Entertainment, 94 mins., NR

Plot: The SG-1 team faces the Last of the System Lords as the mighty deity attempts to rewrite history to serve its own galaxy-conquering purposes.

After one feature length movie, ten seasons, one spin-off series (at the time), and one direct-to-DVD release, the creators and writers behind the Stargate franchise are still pumping out fantastic stories, and Stargate: Continuum is no exception. Time traveling and aliens or humans tinkering with the way the world should be is nothing new to the science fiction genre, it's how the writers handle the material that matters, and Continuum handles it brilliantly, once again crafting a film that works on multiple levels: novices to the franchise can delve right in and not get lost (although, of course, it would help having prior knowledge) and still enjoy themselves, the script is clever and full of twists and turns and the shows trademark witty dialogue, the Big Bad's plan is epic in scale, and the SG-1 unit faces - once again - impossible odds that is absolutely exhilarating to watch them battle.

Of course, with ten seasons, a spin-off series, and two movies under their belt, I wager the writers/producers should be well versed in their mythology and bouncing off the walls with creativity.

Er, anyway, Continuum definitely shows off it's cinematic style and gorgeous location shoots. The digital effects are far and beyond expectations, delivering some marvelous shots that rival feature films. One shot in particular I quite like is in the opening half hour when Ba'al travels back to 1939 on the ship Achilles, there's a exquisite shot of a crewman running for his life against the moon-lit sky. Later on, the swarm of battleships that loom over the earth are fantastically rendered, as are all the gazillions of explosions and aerial battles that grace the final twenty minutes.

When it comes to the characters, the actors have inhabited these roles for years, so it probably goes without saying that they are excellent, as always. The only actor there who didn't seem entirely sold on being present and accounted for is Richard Dean Anderson as the much-loved-by-fans Jack O'Neil (the character recast from the original Stargate movie with Kurt Russell filling the role), who says his lines and doesn't seem entirely committed to them. By contrast, Ben Browder showcases his love for comic timing and action, much like he does in The Ark of Truth, and immediately became a favorite of mine. Claudia Black gets to have some fun portraying not only her prime character of Vala but also the System Lord Qetesh, who is ruthless and somewhat fun in her evilness. And major kudos should be given to Cliff Simon who plays Ba'al so completely menacingly and hilarious simultaneously, portraying the perfect Bad Guy. No disrespect about the 'hilarious' comment, mind you; it's a performance that should definitely be seen and enjoyed.

Writer Brad Wright pens an excellent script, full of drama, twists and turns, time traveling wibbely wobbley timey-wimey, awesome action sequences, and, of course, clever dialogue. It's all here in Continuum.

So all in all, I enjoyed the hell out of the flick. I absolutely recommend it to fans (although I'd be hard pressed to find one who hasn't watched it by now) and newbies. If you're a bit hesitant about the Stargate franchise, I highly recommend you give Continuum a try. As I said, it's a good enough standalone installment where prior knowledge of the franchise is not a necessity. As of this writing, there has been no forward movement on a third Stargate direct-to-DVD movie (nor, for that matter, a direct-to-DVD production for Atlantis), but if it ever does come to pass, you can definitely expect me to be there, watching and loving.

Rating: 10/10 = High-octane fun and adventure with some brilliant time traveling twists, one to be seen and enjoyed by fans and newbies alike!

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS

Voices of Mark Harmon, Chris Noth, William Baldwin, Vanessa Marshall, Gina Torres, Jonathan Adams, Josh Keaton, James Woods
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Directed by Lauren Montgomery, Sam Liu
Release: 23 February 2010
DC Comics/Warner Premiere, 75 mins., Rated PG-13

Plot: Parallel Earth Lex Luthor arrives on the newly erected outer-space Watchtower in our dimension to ask the Justice League to say his world from the sinister crime syndicate who threaten to destroy all realities.

Crisis on Two Earths was exhilarating. It's not as O-M-G!!! awesome as, say, Wonder Woman, but it is quite spectacular. Initially, I thought this whole thing was Clark having to deal with his arch nemesis Bizzaro, and the other members of the League would have to get into the groove to save humanity. Turns out that wasn't so much what they were getting at. Instead, it's a really awesome, complex-ish tale about multiple realities, cause and effect, making a choice as opposed to not making a choice, and some other stuff that gets meddled by a lot of punching and lasers.

The whole movie is full of cool. First cool thing - alternate dimension Lex Luthor being a good guy, and not only that, but the last living member of his Justice League. Probably a running reversal through several billion comics, but considering that my main dose of comic book geekdom is Batman and Ultimate Spider-Man comics, I appreciate these things I didn't know and other blokes who watch these flicks are probably bored of. Second cool thing - although Batman (my favorite character of all time) is left in the shadows for the first 50 minutes, the final act more then compliments the Caped Crusader: in fact, he's quite instrumental in the whole world-saving part. His intelligence is on full display here, as he's completely out of his league in reference to strength, seeing as the baddies this time around are super-powered honchos. Really, it's just awesome watching this guy work. Third cool thing - the Justice League members are literally fighting to save all universes, and it's jaw-dropping to watch. It's not just a punch-punch-ouch (!) thing, it's a true slugfest. Totally awesome.

But at the same time, it's a little unfortunate that a lot of the movie is action-heavy, although I wager I shouldn't be so surprised since a lot of animated hero movies are exactly that. I guess I was spoiled by Gotham Knight's extensive depth into the Batman psychology, and Wonder Woman's excellent story that offered so much in characters, story, and mythology.

However, there is one extremely notable character and storyline that is well written and very intriguing. The Owlman, voiced with chilling subtlety by James Wood, is a frighting, intelligent character who sets his sights on the destruction of reality itself. I could literally watch a entire movie with this character. Every time the Owlman was onscreen, I was always on edge. The Joker may be a brilliant maniac, but he's not as cold and calculating as Owlman, and that's entirely freaky. Also really cool is the killing-happy Superwoman, who just relishes the idea of universe-wide death.

Overall, a very good installment in DC's animated film line, and I'm extremely excited for their next project, Batman: Under the Hood, which appears to be going even deeper into Batman's psychology after his failure in saving his apprentice (scheduled for July). Crisis on Two Earths was epic, and featured multiple characters that had their own agendas, their own personalities, and it was spectacular to watch this Armageddon-scenario unfold and the Justice League doing their damnest to stop it. Very much recommended for any fans of superheroes in general - Crisis on Two Earths is a buffet of awesomeness.

Animation Domination! DC vs. Marvel

GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT
Cast (v): Christopher Meloni, Victor Garber
Writer: Alan Burnett, Michael Allen, Christopher Meloni, Victor Garber
Director: Lauren Montgomery
Release: 28 July 2009
DC Comics, 75 mins., Rated PG-13

I didn't know a single thing about the Green Lantern character, or its vast mythology when I popped in First Flight. Turns out the Green Lantern property is actually pretty darn cool. Cool enough that I am now really looking forward to a big-screen adaptation of this character, although I'm not entirely 100% on the Ryan Reynolds casting choice. Anywhoozles, First Flight works great as both a film for first timers and for those who know this franchise inside and out. For the newbies, we get all the necessary backstory that's relevant, as well as some quick notes about the race of Lanterns and their role in the galaxy (note: coolness!).

Hal Jordan witnesses a crash in the far distance, and rushes to their aid, only to find a dying green man who spouts off something about destiny. The great warrior Sinestro and other Lanterns hold Jordan under supervision while they investigate their fallen comrade's death, but find that perhaps Jordan is meant for a greater destiny, as the deceased's green ring of power (which harnesses the 'green element') chooses himself as the successor. Hal finds himself in the middle of a war, with a key member of the Guardians of the Universe betraying the others and in search of the 'yellow element', the only weakness to the Guardians. Basically, Armaggedon all over again.

I love every single one of these films, and unfortunately I'm not going to go into too much detail, but the fine line is that these are all superbly crafted animated movies. Green Lantern, however, does suffer from a small flaw: lack of character development defeated by a short running time. A flaw that I don't quite understand; it's a animated flick, they could write and animate any scenes they want. Watching Hal Jordan come to terms with this whole galactic order of peace keepers, and come to terms to his powerful role in events - I wouldn't have minded a few scenes of him trying to grasp it. Terry had more emotional moments in the Batman Beyond pilot.

First Flight is high on action and plot, but sadly light on character. However, I can't blame them too much. They have a product to sell, and more likely than not, youngsters and teens are picking these up to see some planetary explosions and aliens doing universe-saving deeds. So plot, not exactly high on the top of their list. Still, it was fun, and the story is highly intriguing, so I demand sequel.


HULK VS.
Cast (v): Fred Tatasciore, Bryce Johnson, Steven Blum, Matthew Wolf, Nolan North
Writer: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
Director: Frank Paur & Sam Liu
Release: 27 January 2009
Marvel Animation, 82 mins., Rated PG-13

A title with "VS." in the title has a certain league of battleage that it needs to match in order to meet expectations. "VS." as in King Kong vs. Godzilla, Freddy vs. Jason, Somebody vs. Somebody Else that I Don't Know [not a actual movie title], etc., etc. And holy potatoes, Hulk vs. matches expectations many times over, and even offered elements that were very welcomed.

First up, "Hulk vs. Thor." That was EPIC! Just judging this story as a stand-alone, pushing "Hulk vs. Wolervine" out of my mind, the second installment had a lot to live up to. It's not just a mano-a-mano fight to the death between The Hulk and Thor, it integrates and ties all these multitude of elements - Odin's sleep, Loki's rebellious nation, Hela and the Underworld, Thor's issues with all manner of mortals, immortals, and Gods - into one pleasant, cohesive, and all around EPIC storyline. [My apologies for tossing around the word EPIC a bazillion times; I just can't think of another way to describe how massive this story is] This is a brutal battle, with the rage-fueled Hulk, the puppet of the God Loki who wants Thor out of the way, pulverizing the Norse God to the brink of death.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that "Hulk vs. Thor" relied heavily on The Hulk instead of being a Thor vehicle. And the biggest and happiest surprise was the role of Edward Norton-esque Bruce Banner in this story. He's ripped from the Beast, his own, free self. And when faced with the most difficult choice he'd ever have to make in his life - forfeiting a life of happiness for the sake of the people of Asgard (which looks a lot like Helm's Deep, but with more buildings behind its giant walls), watching Bruce struggle with his decision is as dramatic and engaging as any My Sister's Keeper type flick. It's a personal story, really, with a lot of ass kicking thrown in to appease the male audience. If I was rich enough, I'd help finance a live action adaptation of this into a feature length film, because it's that damn cool.

"Hulk vs. Wolverine", on the other hand, isn't as awesome. There are, of course, highlights: the ever talkative Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, who is on his A game here; Wolverine fighting Hulk instead of Weapon X; Deathstrike's obsession with killing Wolverine; and a lot of explosions and limbs coming off. However, it's not as personal, not as deep, and I guess that's a given with the title, but "Hulk vs. Thor" kinda spoiled me. In the story, taking place during Wolverine's early years (I assume), Logan is sent to Canada by Department H to track down and eliminate this giant green beastie. Turns out he and the Hulk are part of a larger picture masterminded by The Professor of Weapon X. Hulk and Wolvie fight Sabertooth, Deathstrike, Deadpool, and some other baddies and a lot of havoc ensues. Good, but not great, "Hulk vs. Wolverine" is fun, and a tiny bit shorter. The inclusion of Weapon X into the plotline was initially a little jarring, but as piece of plot after piece unravel, I can dig it more.

Overall, Hulk vs. was a enjoyable experience, and it's been awhile since I got to watch some good pulverizing going on, yah know? This is just getting me even more pumped up for Planet Hulk. "Hulk vs. Thor" is the clear victor - being smart, jaw-dropping, and EPIC; "Hulk vs. Wolverine" is cleverly written, dialogue-wise, bloody and indulging in limb-severing hysteria, and generally pretty good.

SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES
Cast (v): Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Xander Berkley, Allison Mack, CCH Pounder
Writer: Stan Berkowitz
Director: Sam Liu
Release: 29 September 2009
DC Comics, 67 mins., Rated PG-13

First night this gem came out, I rented it from a Redbox. I sadly haven't had the opportunity to revisit the movie, so don't really count this short review as a, well, 'review' per se. From memory, I can say that it was phenomenal watching Superman and Batman fight against super-powered enemies, both friends and foes. To watch Lex Luthor turn the world against these costumed heroes, place a bounty on their heads, and see all the individuals who would gladly turn them in - and those who decide to stick with them...it was all very interesting, very engaging.

If there's one thing in the entire universe that will instantly grab my attention, it's a story of Lex Luthor meddling with both Superman and Batman. Lex barging into Batman's territory in the graphic novel Batman: No Man's Land was delicious, and I keep wishing (although I'm sure it'll go unfulfilled) that some 'event' like this happens in the movie adaptations.

Aside from the premise, what I liked many consisted of Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly reprising their world renowned vocal roles, basically every fight scene, and Lex Luthor. Although the movie itself was good, the animation came across as a little sloppy - it seemed like not a lot of effort was put into it. Watching the film, I was sorta missing the good ol' days of animation (the 90's) when everything seemed to move fluently and nearly lifelike. And by lifelike, I mean everything you saw onscreen, you experience almost like it's a real, live-action movie, and you're right in the middle of it. One disappointing aspect of this and some other animated Marvel/DC films of late is that it doesn't accomplish that. It feels like animation. It's simply dodgy. Oh, and that stuff with the Toyman in Tokyo....yeah, that was bad.

Public Enemies may not have excelled in the animation department (at least in my opinion; I seem to be one of the very few on the planet to express such), but the overall product is powerful.

WONDER WOMAN
Cast (v): Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Rosario Dawson, Alfred Molina
Writer: Gail Simone & Michael Jelenic
Director: Lauren Montgomery
Release: 03 March 2009
DC Comics, 75 mins., Rated PG-13

Why are they having trouble getting a live action Wonder Woman out of Development Hell? This is the perfect presentation of how the character should be done, adapted to the big screen. This flick has it all: a lot of action to keep all audiences entertained, very witty and exact dialogue that's absolutely marvelous and definitely one of the script's strong suits, great musical cues, fine editing, etc., etc. There's basically not a bad bone in this movie's arsenal.

The movie opens with a epic fight between the Amazons and Ares centuries ago; Ares loses, and is imprisoned. Cut to present time, as Princess Diana (Russell) comes into her own as a Amazon, and proves herself to be a powerful weapon. A incident involving a American fight pilot entering their lands inspires the Queen to open themselves to the outside world. Plans don't exactly follow through as, well, planned - Ares is released from bondage and decides to unleash Hell on Earth. Diana, endowed with extraordinary powers, leads the Amazons into a battle that will decide the fate of the world.

Awesome. Does that synopsis sound like one of the coolest stories on planet earth? Well, it should. These Amazons are brutal. The direct-to-DVD line allows DC to go all-out, and Wonder Woman and Marvel's Hulk vs. perfectly display this. Washington, D.C. gets demolished as the Amazons fights Ares and his seemingly never-ending goons, and it's glorious to watch. It's equally glorious to really see a female character that is by no means bound by cultural views of being a woman. By this, I mean Diana/Wonder Woman's just as amazing and powerful as any Batman or Superman. However, the whole 'feminist power' thing does show up sporadically, and that got kind of annoying after awhile; c'mon, folks, show it, don't tell it.

The script is superb. The characters, the dilemmas, the choices and consequences, the role of mythology ever present, the storyline - all of it, I love it. My only problem would be the American pilot, Steve Trevor, acting as a love interest to Diana. If they were going to introduce romance into a Wonder Woman movie, wait for the sequel. Her first outing as a action star should be all about her; men shouldn't be on her radar - the fight should.

In summation, I can easily attest to all the rave review for Wonder Woman: it's absolutely the best of the DC Original Animated Movies line....yet....

And Hollywood? Hire Joss Whedon the hell up again pronto and get this project rolling before cameras, because he is the absolute best person in Hollywood to be spear-heading this film. And yeah, I'd definitely be first person in line.

Road Trip: Beer Pong

Road Trip: Beer Pong
starring Preston Jones, Michael Trotter, Nestor Aaron Absera, Danny Pudi, Julianna Guilli
written by Brad Riddell
directed by Steve Rash
dvd release: 11 August 2009
Universal, 95 mins., Unrated

There's Frakking Worse Things

I initially wrote two opening paragraphs that weren’t all that funny with me sarcastically writing that when I popped in Road Trip: Beer Pong, I was expecting a movie of utmost excellence, and the second paragraph would basically lead in with “…it’s not.” Hilarious, no doubt. But honestly, I knew what I was getting into; everyone who picks up a Universal direct-to-DVD title does, especially with one that includes a “2” or “3” at the end of a title. Beer Pong is not cinematic gold, nor is it all around a really good movie, but it’s serviceable, and at the very least, made me laugh every once and a while, basically accomplishing what it set out to due. I was sorta hoping that with the trend of rather good American Pie sequels, that it would sorta rub off on these other DVD franchises, like Bring It On.

It hasn’t, at least not fully.

Nearly a year ago, Universal announced a slate of new direct-to-DVD titles that would be sequels to “hit” movies. On the list included but not limited to Grease 3, Mean Girls 2, The Naked Mile 4, Bring It On 5, Deep Blue Sea 2, American Pie 7, and Road Trip. Universal knows the franchises that will make money, and they completely plan to juice it in the DVD market. I myself am a sucker for the American Pie presents... titles, and I have rented the Bring It On and Asylum Productions, so I'm one of the evil blokes who are helping these relatively no good projects be green lit. Well, the first title of this new wave has been released, with unspectacular results. Here's hiping the next Bring It On with Christina Millian (Pulse) will at least be above average.

While best-friends Korkin (Trotter) and Jake (Absera) enjoy the benefit of bachelorhood in college, Andy (Jones) remains with long-time girlfriend Katy (Guill), who just recently transferred to his college to put an end to that pesky far-distance relationship agitation. Initially troubling Andy, Korkin pleads that he needs to go out more and party, to indulge in temptation with no-string casual sex with all the feisty ladies on campus. It just so happens a short lived relationship in Andy’s past has resurfaced, and is more than ready to rekindle the flame. While on a road trip to participate in a Beer Pong tournament, Andy seeks to meet up with his sexy ex behind Katy’s back and reclaim his “manhood.” As with anytime there’s four teenagers in a car together, hijinks and ‘hilarity’ inevitably ensue.

Direct-to-video movies I judge a little more leniently, knowing before viewing that more likely than not, its sole reason for existence is to yank some poor bloke's cash and rat away their minds with dodgy scripts that don't really matter and footage of a ton of boobies with bad and even dumber sex jokes. So, I rate the movie well if I found it entertaining, if the performances were at least subpar, if I laughed, and if there was at least some apparent effort put forth. 1) Yes, the movie was entertaining, though I found myself not giving a damn about the Beer Pong tournament which is, y'know, supposedly a large component of the movie. 2) The performances...well, eh, read below. 3) I actually DID laugh! Yes, surprised the hell outta me. 4) I haven't seen this lazy of directing since Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.

The script doesn't work for the sole reason that Andy just comes off as a douche, conciously making the decision to embark on a road trip just to screw a old passion while his perfectly fine mentally and physically girlfriend is at home wondering what the frak is going on. Doesn't help that most of the side characters aren't worth remembering after the movie's over, either, with the sole exception of Arash, which I'll talk about in a sec below.

Luckily, the cast is all-around likable, with the sole exception of our main character Andy, with Preston Jones not giving one iota of a performance but instead attempting to get by with his ‘charming’ good looks. Trotter as Korkin is only noteworthy because he plays essentially the Stifler role, but never once being likable enough to understand how he scores with a Chastity Girl. In fact, much to my surprise, the best and most hilarious moments come from Danny Pudi, playing the horny Middle Eastern Arash, never failing to elicit at the very least a chuckle with his dialog that must have been improvised by him, since it was way too funny to be in this rather arbitrary script. The only returning cast member from the first installment is DJ Qualls, looking older than ever, playing the function of Tom Green’s character in the first – bad narration with small moments of funny involving a cougar-ish mom and her slutty daughter.

Road Trip: Beer Pong is for the most part enjoyable. It's weighed down by its overall unoriginal plot, jokes, and one-dimensional actors, but the performance of Danny Pudi alone makes this movie at least worth a Netflix rental (gosh no, I would never recommend someone buy this unless it was in the Half Price $3.00 bin). Just, please Universal, try a little harder with the next title.