Tag: Hubie Halloween

Film Review: Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix)

By: Jesse Striewski

The original Happy Gilmore was Adam Sandler in his prime; I can remember sitting there in the theater laughing with friends in 1996, just one year after he began his domination of modern comedy with 1995’s Billy Madison. It was harmless enough fun that we relished in back in those days.

Happy Gilmore 2 is definitely…a different story. It starts off innocently enough, with Happy (Sandler) washed up and at rock bottom. With the help of his (mostly grown) kids (one of which is played by one of Sandlers’ real-life children to appear in the film, Sunny Sandler), he reaches sobriety and returns to professional golf while battling a new competitive league called Maxi Golf.

The premise/setup alone is fine, but the execution is muddled with far too many crude, over-the-top jokes that often fall flat. The nostalgia and throwback references are definitely there, as are many familiar faces (Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, and Ben Stiller all return from the first film, among others), and the supporting roles and cameos are far too many to even mention (though real-life pro golfer John Daly is perfect in an extreme version of his self, and modern WWE legend Becky Lynch is always pleasing on the eyes no matter what she may be in).

Whereas the first Happy Gilmore was ripe with quick one-liners and had it’s own unique, quaint charm, this belated sequel tries to cram in as much absurdity as it can within its two hour runtime and hopes you overlook all of its many flaws (much like another recent Sandler vehicle, Hubie Halloween). Again, the concept is there, but the heart of it mostly falls through the cracks; a little less would’ve likely gone a lot further this time around.

Rating: 2/5 Stars

Film Review: Hubie Halloween (Netflix/Happy Madison Productions)

By: Jesse Striewski

Adam Sandler is back to do his best, well, Adam Sandler, in this zany new Netflix romp (and just in time for Halloween). Directed by Steven Brill, the film follows the same formula of many a Sandler flick (even referencing several of his older films like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison), but this time with a spooky twist.

Sandler plays the titular role of Hubie, a do-good “Halloween Helper” type who takes it upon himself to monitor his hometown (which of course is Salem, MA) on the big day, despite constant ridicule from his fellow townspeople. Things take a shift when his new neighbor Walter (played by Steve Buscemi) begins to display some “questionable” traits. From then on, Hubie progresses through virtually every Halloween cliche imaginable, including a drive-in, a Halloween party, and even a haunted house. A large ensemble cast that includes everyone from Kevin James, Julie Bowen, Tim Meadows, and even Shaq, help move the pacing along.

The film no doubt asks its viewers to suspend reality, and those actually willing to do it should find this a fun festive ride. Not overly crass, and harmless enough for older kids to enjoy, it doesn’t pretend to be anything more than what it actually is, and there’s no annoying hidden agendas in an effort to try to make it timely. If you grew up on holiday classics like Ernest Scared Stupid, this should be up your alley. So take a break from the endless social justice wars on social media (do they ever really change anyone’s opinions anyway?!) and take some time to just be a kid again.

Rating: 3/5 Stars