Things I've Slept Through on Cable #3: SNL Edition

And no, I didn't watch A Night at the Roxbury. I doubt I will ever be that bored with my life, and that's saying a lot. No, this edition features two SNL stars, one an alum and another at the height of their popularity. And while technically I was awake for all of the latter film, I was really sleepy for most of it.

The first film featured is a Molly Shannon vehicle titled Year of the Dog. In it, Molly plays a rather odd woman (how can she not, really) who has a dog named Pencil. I missed the first 30 minutes or so of the film, so I didn't get to see Pencil. See, pencil bites the big one at the beginning of the film, an act that sends Shannon's character down a slippery slope of delusion, self-discovery, and activism. Think Robin Williams in One Hour Photo minus the completely psychotic last act and you have a pretty good idea what goes on here.

I wouldn't necessarily call the film enjoyable, but it was far from un-entertaining. Of course, it was 4-5 AM when I was watching it, so it's not like there was much else on. But for some reason, I got attached enough to the premise that I stuck it out to the end to see what happens. It has a bit of a non-ending, but maybe it makes more sense if you see it from the beginning.

The next film is a bit zanier... no, actually it's bat-**** insane. Andy Samberg has certainly established himself as a video genius and a master of the surreal, but the feature film Hot Rod spotlights most of that and takes it to the extreme. Samberg plays young amateur stuntman with a simple dream: to win his step-father's respect. Along the way he hangs with his friends, attempts to win the love of a lady, and performs stunts that would make Super Dave Osborne cringe.

But as crazy as the whole thing is, it keeps a consistent pace, and I found myself actually caught up in the story. The climax provides some of the most hilarious side references I have ever seen, and the conclusion is nothing short of epic.

So all in all, it was an interesting pair of films to stumble across. And it's always nice to be reminded that SNL stars, under the right circumstances, can still be entertaining in film.