Merrick here...
Here's awesome Annette Kellerman with her second installment from this year’s SXSW - a festival that I've somehow missed every year since attending a screening of Stuart Gordon's SPACE TRUCKERS back in the late '90s (LOVED it..."Square pigs!").
Here's Annette’s review of THE TEN, which has no relation to the Blake Edwards' 10, or to ABC's bank heist drama THE NINE. SThis stars Jessica Alba, Famke Janssen, and Gretchen Mol - enough hotness to cause a stroke (ahem).
Here's Anette...
Hello all. It's Annnette again with my second review from SXSW.
THE TEN
Wow! Were do I begin? In case you didn't hear the Sundance buzz, THE
TEN is a collection of hilarious vingettes loosely (extremely loosely)
based around the ten commandments. Director David Wain and co-writer
Ken Marino corraled the usual suspects from past sketch comedy troupe
The State plus a vast array of recognizable faces including Paul Rudd,
Winona Ryder, and Rob Corddry to bring us one of the most outrageous
comedies of the year.
I've been a big fan of Wain and company's work
throughout the years, and it's always to fun see the same faces pop up
in each other's projects all the way from The State to Wet Hot
American Summer and now even Reno 911. THE TEN is the perfect concept
film highlighting the vast talents of these perennial collaborators.
The humor of THE TEN is as off-the-wall as off-the-wall gets. Okay,
maybe not as off-the-wall as Stella, but this comedy definitely exists
in its own universe. Examples include a "keeping up with the
Jones'"-type sketch where the instead of vying for best lawnmower,
SUV, or pool, the competing neighbors objects of desire are CAT scan
machines. As CAT scan machines fill each of their homes, yards, and
rooftops, madness ensues. Another segment features a skydiving Adam
Brody as he jumps from a plane just as we learn he has no parachute.
Miraculously, fiance Winona Ryder finds him alive, albeit imbedded
shoulders down in the ground with no chance of survival if ever
removed. As we make our way through the 10 commandments, overlapping
characters and storylines form a vague connection between each short
film culminating in a fantastic musical finale. In addition to the
ten individual sketches, we get a bonus segment (and highlight of the
film I might add) from narrator Paul Rudd. As he "narrates" the film,
we get to see a love triangle unfold between him, Famke Janssen, and
Jessica Alba. Paul Rudd is hilarious!
I'm so pleased that a film like THE TEN is getting a theatrical
release. From the Kids in the Hall to the Upright Citizens Brigade,
I've always been excited when such talented comedy troupes have the
opportunity to reach a wider audience. I'm a big fan of short films
and bizarre sketch comedy, so for me, THE TEN completely hits the nail
on the head while appealing to a large audience. If you want to laugh
your ass off go see THE TEN.
I'll be checking in later with more reviews from SXSW!
Annette Kellerman
