Escape to the Movies: Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie

[ANImaniac89]

I love how everybody hates Tim and Eric, but can't articulate it. Tell me WHY you hate Tim and Eric. Don't just say "it sux lololol".

I, for one, think Tim and Eric are fucking hilarious.

There "humor" is based on simple annoying repulsive gross out moments that frequently border on the homophobic and tasteless, Anti-humor is not funny even when done well (which they don't). They get whatever washed up hack/failure "celebrity" ( Weird Al, Marilyn Manson, Zach Galifianakis, Patton Oswalt, Jeff Goldblum, David Cross the list goes on) that they can find to do pointless shit and make it seem like they have some kind of deep cult following (which I prey to God they don't).
In the end all it is is a waste of time and money. There Style doesn't even work in 15 minutes intervals, so adding another 75+ minutes to it in my mind could qualify as lite torture. And Yes I've seen the damn movie (a friend made me watch it after I lost a bet)
The scene that Moviebob couldn't put into Family friendly terms that was inter-cut with the "sex" scene is of Tim in a bathtub being shit on(which in retrospect kinda sums up how I feel about them) Truly these men are deep visionary's with there fingers on the pulse of comedy.
Look I know humor is subjective and that everyone has there own opinions on what they think is funny or not. But ever since the first episode of Tom Goes to the Mayor up until a few hours ago I had yet to find ANYONE who legitimately found them to be funny or entertaining. And now the revelation that not only do you people exist but are willing to defend them. Well it makes me fear for the future and the damage your kind will do to the gene pool.

 

[ewhac]

Dear Bob:

I respect your opinion on this matter, and I thank you for articulating what you see as the underlying social commentary. Nevertheless, I simply don't understand it.

I've been watching [adult swim] for a while (thanks be to TiVo), and enjoyed many of the shows offered (some of which have already been mentioned -- Sealab 2021, Harvey Birdman, Venture Bros., The Brak Show, Space Ghost, Aqua Unit Patrol Squad (nee Aqua Teen Hunger Force (and yes, I did see the movie film in the theater)).

But there was something about Tom Goes to The Mayor that just left me cold. I must confess, the only episode I've watched all the way through was the, "Rats Off to Ya!" episode, in which Tom has his idea for a T-shirt stolen by an unscrupulous rival merchant who knows the commerce landscape cold. I was left with the impression of a dysfunctional town where thieves are celebrated and feted by unprincipled politicians, while creative, if dim, people are left to twist in a cold, unforgiving wind.

And this is supposed to be, I am reliably informed, a comedy.

Nevertheless, when Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job was released, I gave it a try. Honestly, if you removed all the gross-out "jokes" (and yes, Jan and Wayne Skylar qualify as a gross-out joke), I suspect it would be a fairly clever, enjoyable show. As it is, it's just relentlessly discomfiting.

I suppose I dislike Tim and Eric's style of humor for the same reason I detested Married With Children, and never bothered with Dumb And Dumber or similarly themed movies.

For better or worse, because they so consistently miss with me, I no longer pay attention to anything Tim and Eric do. As a consequence, I honestly had no idea they had made a movie until I saw this review.

So, rats off to ya, Bob, I guess. Forgive me if I don't share your enthusiasm.

 

[Diddy_Mao]

I remember the first time I sat down and watched an episode of Awesome Show. My first thoughts were "This is fucking stupid" almost immediately followed by "This reeks of the fetid touch of Odenkirk."

So yeah my hatred of Tim and Eric is pretty much compounded by a preexisting dislike for Bob Odenkirk.

In a nutshell I don't find anti-humor to be at all funny and their specific brand usually just translates into a painfully unfunny 15 minute Shaggy Dog Story where the only joke on display is pretty much "hey it took forever to do something stupid...get it?"


Perhaps worst of all is the "Emperor's new clothes" argument that most people tend to offer up in their defense.
"You just don't get it, it's supposed to be stupid and bad." Somehow passing off the critic's distaste as a cognitive failing on their part rather than admit the fact that there's not really any humor to be found.

 

[Eric the Orange]

snip

I'm not really the person you should be quoting for that, as I agree with you. You should rather be quoting the person I was quoting. But Ima guess he's getting a flood of responses as it is so maybe he wouldn't notice anyway.

 

[stupiddrummer]

I liked Tom goes to the Mayor, but I could never get into Awesome show.

I also cringe when people tell me that Tim and Eric Awesome show is supposed to be "psychedelic humor" comparing it to shows like Wondershowzen or Xavier: Renegade Angel, the two of which being nothing short of beautiful. Awesome show doesn't even come close to being as good as those shows.

 

[wintercoat]

I love how everybody hates Tim and Eric, but can't articulate it. Tell me WHY you hate Tim and Eric. Don't just say "it sux lololol".

I, for one, think Tim and Eric are fucking hilarious.

I think you are the only person to say that so far, I like them a lot too, these people take things way too fucking seriously. Tim and Eric are awesome.

QUIT NOT LIKING WHAT I LIKE!!!11!!1@2

*shivers* The thought of a 2 hour long Tim & Eric episode makes me want to crawl into a hole. They're the most horrible "comedy" duo I've ever seen. Their shows are bad and they should feel bad.

 

[crotalidian]

Lorax commercial for an SUV. I trust any irony is lost on those that ordered its production.

It is a HYBRID SUV...

anyway. Having never heard of this I have very little frame of reference, but the only thing I can equate with it is the League of Gentlemen and Little Britain, the former being a somewhat gross out surrealist comedy/satire based on a small village in the middle of nowhere in Britain that has some of the incursions of the outside world and a complete failure to deal with them, and the latter being a surrealist/gross out sketch show on some of the worst parts of daily life in the UK

anyone who knows both see similarities, or am I barking up the wrong poo joke

 

[Thunderhorse31]

The attempt to justify and explain the comedy of these guys was really stretching it there.

This, exactly. Calling it "high camp" is seriously, ridiculously pretentious, and I don't throw that word around lightly.

People who call T&E geniuses strike me as the same kind people who adopt Catcher in the Rye as the smartest and coolest book ever written, finding the deepest of meaning behind a character who is a smarmy asshole.

It's like some sort of douche bag litmus test.

 

[daxterx2005]

Wasn't planning on seeing this, but now after seeing all the supporting cast I might give it a watch.

 

[Steve the Pocket]

Lorax commercial for an SUV. I trust any irony is lost on those that ordered its production.

It is a HYBRID SUV...

That's even worse. Do you know what ecosystem they have to rape to get the minerals they make those batteries out of? No, not the Amazon rainforest, but close: the African savanna. Totally serious. NBC had a thing on Nightly News about how they're considering building a freeway right through the middle of the Savanna to transport the stuff. I can only imagine what kind of harm the strip-mining operations they use to get the stuff in the first place are doing.

 

[Serge A. Storms]

It took me awhile to get exactly what it is Tim & Eric were really going for, and I've gotten to the point that I like watching T&E Awesome Show, but I don't think I'm to the point of paying movie prices to see it in theaters.

 

[Imp_Emissary]

I love how everybody hates Tim and Eric, but can't articulate it. Tell me WHY you hate Tim and Eric. Don't just say "it sux lololol".

I, for one, think Tim and Eric are fucking hilarious.

I think I can help you friend. Though I should mention that I don't hate Tim and his friend Eric quite as much as some of the people your talking about. For one thing I have seen a few scenes from their show that I did enjoy, but for the most part I just don't like their material.

Anyway, I think the problem that I have with their show (and others like it on Adult Swim) is how they deal with their "uncanny valley". See with the cartoons that are similar to them your watching something you can easily identify as something not real. So when things start to get wired (either with the looks of characters or their behavior) you're already set to see something "different". However, with Tim and Eric we have all the wired things are happening in a "real" world setting with real people, and its just harder to enjoy crazy coming from (or happening to) not just life like but actually real characters. At least for some. Don't get me wrong I like getting a peak at the uncanny valley every once in a while, but most of the time with these live action shows it fells like bein in the deepest darkest part of the Uncanny Valley where you keep feeling something brush up against your leg that seems to be both hairy and slimy.

Also its hard to get into the stories when these shows have real people acting like cartoon characters. Yes I know we are not suppose to take any of it seriously, but it just takes me out of the story when I see real people doing and saying things that I know no one would ever do or say.

As for their first show that was animated....I just found it kind of boring.

All that said, Bob has shown me how I can appreciate Tim and Eric, even if I don't like their shows.

 

[Baresark]

Tom Goes the Mayor = Awesome
Time and Eric Awesome Show = Terrible

While I enjoy the occasional skit from the show, I will never pay to see this movie... nor would I probably pirate it, given the opportunity.

 

[Furrama]

I just always thought they were boring. And they were a sign that the stoner crowd was ever increasingly taking over the Adult Swim block, while the anime fell by the wayside. (Not that all of that junk was all good either... Bleach and Inuyasha, I'm looking at you).

I kept thinking, "More Full Metal Alchemist, more Wolf's Rain and Ghost in the Shell, less Squidbillies and Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job or 12 oz Mouse."

 

[elitestranger1]

never heard of it
update: no wonder i havnt, it doesnt have a uk release date, its just that good.
i wont judge though, i'll just forget this episode and wait for next weeks infusion of information

 

[Safaia]

I always felt like these two were trying way too hard on their shows. I have a pretty dark sense of humor but I felt like I could feel the strain as I watched. This movie, which I didn't even know existed before now, has strain so loud I would have to bring ear plugs.

 

[loc978]

Huh... I've never heard 'em explained that way before. I don't get Tim and Eric, and now I know why I don't get Tim and Eric. I just don't follow that bit of Americana. I'm sure it exists somewhere near me, I just think of people under its influence as zombies.

As for my Adult Swim preferences... more Venture Bros!
...I get my anime elsewhere...

 

[crotalidian]

That's even worse. Do you know what ecosystem they have to rape to get the minerals they make those batteries out of? No, not the Amazon rainforest, but close: the African savanna. Totally serious. NBC had a thing on Nightly News about how they're considering building a freeway right through the middle of the Savanna to transport the stuff. I can only imagine what kind of harm the strip-mining operations they use to get the stuff in the first place are doing.

In fact yes I do know that, but from Top Gear not NBC, they worked out the mileage all of the components had to travel to make a battery for a Toyota Prius compared to an Aston I think, basically you would have to drive something like 50,000 miles in a prius to break even with the carbon emissions from an aston that had gone the same distance (or something crazy like that)