Best Worst Movie (2009)

IMDB Link:
Best Worst Movie

Directed By:
Michael Stephenson

Buy the DVD from Amazon

Summing It Up:

A documentary about the cult phenomenon surrounding Troll 2 - a film that is notorious for being one of the worst movies ever made - told by its child actor and featuring the majority of the cast and crew from the film.

Quick Thoughts: 

I had the pleasure of seeing this in a local theater last summer, so this is not the first time I've watched the film. While I admit that I enjoyed it quite a bit the first time, I have to say that it was even better this time around.

I'll admit that I've never been a huge Troll 2 fan. I first saw the film as teenager - only a few years after it was first released on VHS - and at the time, I just remember being appalled by how awful it was. Several years later, I revisited it when it first was released on DVD, and while I still thought it was a gigantic piece of shit, I found a lot to laugh at this time around. Well, imagine my surprise when, a few years later, the film began to become a pop-culture phenomenon. As such, I can't say I blame Stephenson for setting out to capitalize on this newfound popularity.

It goes without saying that Best Worst Movie is a much better film than the movie it looks at. In fact, it was easily one of the best documentaries that I've seen in recent years, and I know that I will watch it many more times in the future. That's why, when I saw the DVD on Amazon for less than $10, I had to grab it.

Best Worst Movie walks a line between being many things. Not only is it humorous and fun, but it's also nostalgic and borderline sad in some ways. Many of the cast have moved on the find their own careers, but there are several of them who seem to have trouble finding work doing what they love. Meanwhile, Troll 2's director, Claudio Fragasso, struggles to understand why people laugh at his film, which he considers to be a serious work of art.

In the end, Best Worst Movie is successful in that it manages to lovingly pay tribute to Troll 2 and its cast and crew while still acknowledging how silly the whole thing is. It also does a wonderful job introducing "normal" society to the world of the "midnight movie" crowd. However, what takes it from being an interesting and humorous documentary, and makes it into a great film, are the heartfelt human stories that lie beneath the surface. This element was even more powerful on second viewing, and it is what will keep me coming back for years to come.

Because of this, I wholeheartedly recommend Best Worst Movie to pretty much everyone. Whether you're a film fan, a B-Movie nut, a documentary junkie, or just a casual viewer, I think you will find something to love here.

Verdict:

4 1/2 out of 5