Entertainment
Extremely R-Rated 80s Comedy Is A Masterclass In Tastelessness
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Have you gone bowling lately? It’s prohibitively expensive to get a few games in with the family on a Friday night, but we try to get out every couple of months for the love of the game, even if it ends up costing us nearly $200 after food and drinks. But money comes and goes, and you only get one life, so you should spend it with the people who matter. Bowling is great because everybody in my family sucks at it, which helps the kids realize that not everybody is instantly good at everything unless they put in the practice.
That is all to say that the money spent on a family bonding experience is worth it if there are valuable lessons to be taught. Not all bowling alley lessons are created equal, though, which brings us to 1988’s Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama, a horror comedy that’s kind of based on “The Monkey’s Paw,” but mostly just an excuse for sex jokes and gratuitous, cartoonishly violent kills. I’m not saying that it’s a bad thing either, though the 37 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes would have you believe otherwise. Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama does not have a critical score.
It’s not that the movie is unwatchable or terrible. This is simply what you get with a $90,000 budget while trying to lean into shock value. This isn’t a family bowling trip, and there are no teachable moments in sight. I don’t know about you, but that’s exactly what I look for when I’m trying to escape the horrors of modern life with my entertainment choices.
It’s Exactly What It Sounds Like
Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama follows three socially awkward frat boys named Calvin (Andras Jones), Jimmie (Hal Havins), and Keith (John Stuart Wildman), who decide that the best way to spend their evening is spying on the neighboring Tri-Delta sorority house. There, Babs (Robin Rochelle), Rhonda (Kathi O’Brecht), and Frankie (Carla Baron) are “initiating” their two newest members, Taffy (Brinke Stevens) and Lisa (Michelle Bauer). The initiation involves the newcomers getting spanked with paddles and covered in whipped cream, something the three frat boys take great delight in witnessing through the living room window.
When it’s shower time, the boys sneak into the house, and in no time whatsoever they’re caught peeping. Dead to rights, they’re used by Babs, Rhonda, and Frankie for the next initiation, or humiliation, ritual. They’re tasked with taking Taffy and Lisa to the nearby bowling alley, located in a mall owned by Babs’ father, to steal a trophy. What they don’t know is that Babs and the rest of the girls plan to mess with them, and maybe even get some good video footage of the prank.
What nobody is prepared for in Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama is Uncle Impie (Dukey Flyswatter), who was trapped inside the trophy and is unleashed into the world when it’s dropped. Impie, as his name suggests, is supposed to be an imp, but he really looks more like a cross between a hairless gremlin and a rubber pit bull. Grateful for being freed, he grants everybody one wish, but like “The Monkey’s Paw,” which inspired this film and countless others before and since, every wish backfires.
For example, Keith wishes to hook up with Lisa, who becomes a complete nymphomaniac, to the point where Keith wants to tap out from exhaustion. If you’ve ever wondered what “too much of a good thing” looks like, you’ll find it here.
Matters continue to escalate as everybody starts dropping like flies in the most insane ways $90,000 can buy. Severed heads roll down bowling alley lanes, doors are electrified, people are killed with paddles, and so on. I’m not going into graphic detail because the kills and scares are genuinely fun, but let’s just say that lots of found weaponry is used, and it’s about as crude as you could imagine.
Zero Lessons Were Learned While Watching This Film
So what’s the lesson or takeaway after my viewing of Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama? There isn’t one. This is the kind of good, crude fun you watch after family bowling night, when your son drops a 10-pound ball on your foot, spills his soda on the overpriced chicken tenders, and you have to resist the urge to rattle off f-word after f-word in front of countless spectators. This is how you blow off steam after those teachable moments: by not having to experience any more teachable moments for the rest of the day so you’re ready to conquer tomorrow.
Is Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama a great film? It depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re partial to over-the-top horror comedies, you should give it a go. If you look down your nose at low-budget films that are intentionally campy and going for shock value, you’re going to have the absolute worst time watching it. If you occupy both territories, I can assure you this movie is not 37 percent bad, but your mileage may vary.
As of this writing, you can stream Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama for free on Tubi.
SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA SCORE
Entertainment
July 4th fireworks livestreams: See the best Fourth of July fireworks live
Happy 4th of July, America. This year’s Independence Day celebrations are a little extra special as we celebrate the United States of America’s 250th birthday.
Across the country, many people will spend the day at the beach or at a barbecue, capping the night off with a fireworks display. But, if you’re spending the night indoors, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate with an array of July 4th fireworks livestreams.
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks
Perhaps the most well-known of the Independence Day celebrations is the Macy’s 4th of July fireworks. If you live in NYC, you can catch them live. Otherwise, you can tune into NBC or Peacock at 8 p.m. on July 4th to watch the show.
While the U.S. is celebrating its 250th, Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks is also celebrating a milestone with its 50th anniversary this year.
PBS’s America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together
While many of the livestream options on this list will require a paid subscription to a particular streaming platform, PBS is airing its 4th of July special on YouTube for absolutely free.
America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together will start at 8 p.m. on July 4th and culminate in a fireworks and pyrotechnics display from Colonial Williamsburg.
Mashable Top Stories
Disney Celebrates America
Disney is also getting in on the 250th anniversary of the United States celebrations with its own event.
Disney+, Hulu, and the ESPN app will stream a 24-hour broadcast called “Disney Celebrates America” that checks in on 4th of July celebrations around the country, which will ostensibly include at least a few fireworks displays. The grand finale, Star-Spangled Bash in Nashville, will also be hosted by ABC and deliver one of the country’s largest fireworks and drone shows.
The broadcast kicks off at 10 p.m. on Friday, July 3rd, with the main event out of Nashville starting at 8 p.m. on July 4th.
Freedom 250 fireworks display
There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding President Donald Trump’s own Freedom 250 group, set up to lead Trump’s 250th anniversary celebrations. You’ve probably seen the memes about the lackluster attendance for Trump’s Great American State Fair all week.
With that said, Freedom 250 is claiming they’re about to have a record-breaking 40 minute long firework display on the 4th of July with more than 850,000 fireworks. And, according to the group, the MonumentCam atop the Washington Monument will be the premier free-to-watch livestream to watch it all.
The Great American Block Party 250
Paramount+ and CBS are hosting their own 3-hour Independence Day special at 8 p.m. on July 4th.
Like Disney’s, the show will check in on 4th of July celebrations and firework displays from around the country. The broadcast will also culminate in their own feed of Freedom 250’s Washington, DC, fireworks display.
Entertainment
The '90s Dark Sci-Fi Thriller Cult Classic Saved By Its Director's Cut
By Jason Collins
| Published
The removal of content from streaming, or the absence of definitive versions, underscores the importance of media preservation. That now applies to Dark City, the 1998 neo-noir sci-fi thriller about an amnesiac man trying to recover his identity while hunted for a series of murders. The theatrical cut is available to stream for free, but if you want to watch the superior Director’s Cut, you’ll have to rent or purchase the title on-demand.
A Dystopian City Ruled By The Strangers
Dark City’s narrative is set in a dystopian city that is perpetually shrouded in darkness and controlled by a mysterious group known as the Strangers, beings that possess the ability to alter reality and reshape the city and its inhabitants’ memories at will.
The protagonist, John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell), wakes up with no memories and finds himself accused of murder, which sets him on a quest to uncover his past and the city’s darkest secrets and horrifying truths about his reality and Strangers’ manipulations.
Dark City Was Doomed At The Box Office
Dark City’s theatrical release was marred by studio interference from New Line Cinema, which diluted its thematic complexity and sense of mystery. Most notably, the studio insisted on an opening narration that prematurely explained many of the film’s biggest reveals, undercutting its suspense and intrigue.
Coupled with a marketing campaign that failed to convey the film’s unique blend of noir and sci-fi accurately, these interventions contributed to its initial lack of success among critics and audiences.
How The Director’s Cut Saved The Film
Something similar happened with Highlander II: The Quickening, which was also nearly completely ruined by its production studio, investors, and completion bond company. However, similar to Highlander II, Dark City was also saved by its Director’s Cut edition by removing the opening narration and restoring the film’s intended sense of mystery. The added scenes also deepened character development and clarified the narrative further, which significantly improved the audiences’ perception of the movie.
The added changes to the film transformed Dark City from a misunderstood gem into a cult classic that’s now appreciated for its bold narrative and visuals. Not to mention that some of its themes, such as the loss of individuality and the manipulation of reality, have become more relevant with time, particularly now, with the rising concerns about technology and privacy.
Without The Director’s Cut, It Might As Well Be Radio
The improvement introduced with the Director’s Cut propelled Dark City into a Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. As of this writing, the film has a 78 percent critical score against an 85 percent approval rating on the Popcornmeter.
Yet, despite its acclaim, the definitive version remains relatively inaccessible. While the theatrical cut is available to stream for free on Tubi, the superior Director’s Cut is still locked behind on-demand purchases, making the film’s best version harder for casual viewers to discover.
Despite its immense quality, Dark City continues to elude many viewers because the version most deserving of its cult reputation isn’t the one most people are likely to stumble across.
Entertainment
The 2000s Sci-Fi Space Adventure Epic That Destroyed An Entire Studio
By Charlene Badasie
| Published
Titan A.E. is an animated sci-fi action adventure directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. Released in 2000, it was a major project for Fox Animation Studios. But despite its ambitious scope and visual appeal, the film was a commercial failure, earning $36.8 million at the box office against a budget of almost $90 million. So, the studio closed its doors, and the movie became infamous as a result.
Leaving In The Titan
Titan A.E. tells the story of a young man named Cale Tucker (Matt Damon) who is tasked with saving humanity after a hostile alien species destroys Earth. The movie begins in 3028 when The Titan Project becomes the target of a hostile alien race called the Drej. Made of pure energy, the aliens fear that the ambitious Earthly undertaking will allow humans to challenge their power.
The Drej eventually launch a massive attack on Earth, forcing humans to evacuate the planet. Amid the chaos, Professor Sam Tucker (Ron Perlman) leaves his son Cale with his alien friend Tek (Tone Loc).
Before leaving in the Titan spaceship, Sam gives Cale a gold ring and tells him that as long as he wears it, there will be hope for humanity. Over a decade later, Titan A.E. finds the surviving humans living as refugees without a home planet.
Meanwhile, Cale has become jaded and works in a space station salvage yard. Former military officer and trusted companion of Cale’s father, Joseph Korso (Bill Pullman), finds Cale and reveals that the whereabouts of the Titan are hidden in his ring.
Becoming Fast Friends
Upon activating it, a holographic map opens. Korso asks Cale to accompany his crew to Valkyrie so they can search for the Titan together. Cale agrees and becomes fast friends with pilot Akima Kunimoto (Drew Barrymore) and three alien crew members, including first mate Preed (Nathan Lane), weapons officer Stith (Janeane Garofalo), and scientist Gune (John Leguizamo).
Using Cale’s map, they reach the planet Sesharrim, where the Gaoul reveals the Titan’s location. But everything is not as it seems in Titan A.E., as the map often changes. The crew of the Valkyrie is also faced with various challenges, including a kidnapping and a shocking betrayal that takes the story to a new level.
The Deathblow To Fox Animation Studios
Originally planned as a live-action movie named “Planet Ice,” Titan A.E. was brought to life as an animated feature due to the high costs of the visuals.
Ben Edlund penned the initial script, with John August handling re-writes. With a budget of $55 million and 19 months to complete after $30 million had already been spent on pre-production, much of the animation was computer-generated, with traditional animation used for the main characters. Despite various setbacks, like studio cutbacks and executive changes, the film was released in 2000.
However, the closure of Fox Animation Studios shortly after hindered its promotion and distribution. In fact, cutbacks at the studio during the making of Titan A.E. were largely responsible for the movie underperforming. It kind of all went wrong at once here.
Still, Titan A.E. made almost $9.4 million in its opening weekend, ranking fifth behind other popular films. However, its audience dropped by 60 percent the following weekend.
Streaming Titan A.E.
Titan A.E. received mixed reviews from critics and currently holds a 51 percent approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes alongside a 61 percent audience score.
The movie’s DVD release featured extras like commentary by the directors, deleted scenes, and a music video. Titan A.E. is available via various video-on-demand platforms such as YouTube, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango at Home.
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