Chipwrecked

Just got back from seeing Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.

This is one of the negative things about having kids.  With all of the films out there that an adult would really enjoy seeing, some of which might make you think and change your worldview,

Six stranded castaways

others which would let you experience the fantasy of fast cars, beautiful women and miraculous survival, you are forced to fork out 450 kč, and another 160 kč for popcorn and a drink, which got spilled all over the floor before the film even started, to watch a bunch of animated chipmunks doing covers of Lady  Gaga songs (I’m surprised that Rick Santorum and Michelle Bachmann aren’t up in arms over this film because the grand finale was “Born This Way” which is a gay anthem but, of course, it could refer to being born Chipmunk – likewise I’m always mystified when people request YMCA at weddings; do they not realize what the song is about, are they being gay supportive, or are they being obnoxiously homophobic?) and bumping into trees.

Bumping into trees, and other objects, is inherently funny.  I don’t know why, but it is.  So is people slipping on a slick surface and falling, even more so if they have lots of things in their hands, even more so if those things are particularly messy and breakable.  The movie had plenty of those scenes, so I had a good laugh, and the kids were very satisfied,  even though Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 13%, and I suppose there’s a reason for that.  Still, an old roommate of mine always said “Go for a comedy-even if the movie sucks, you’ll probably  get a chuckle or two out of it.”

Another thing that’s funny- people in animal suits.  When I first saw the guy dressed up as a duck, I laughed.  Then, of course, he became a running gag.  Some animals are funnier than others, though.  Ducks are kind of funny, and so are chickens.  Bears are cuddly, dogs are fun and gorillas are a little bit frightening, but cows are funny.  Not horses, but cows.  I don’t  know the logic behind this, I just know it’s true.

Very few foods are inherently funny, just bananas, donuts and pies.  If you hit somebody in the face with a bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy, it’s a big mess and somebody might need to be hospitalized, but a pie in the face is good for a belly laugh every time.

Men dressed like women is inherently funny, provided it’s big hairy men who really don’t look like women.  If the men look like women, it’s a transvestite show and that’s a different genre of entertainment altogether.

Women dressed like  men is not funny at all, with their little fake mustaches, although sometimes women think so.

Although comedy may evolve, some day, these rules have held true throughout my lifetime.