Last year, whist searching for Thanksgiving themed films, I discovered a defunct reality show on the Starz channel. Said program pits two novice filmmakers against each other at making a movie, which is a nice idea.
The runner-up was “Hollidaysburg” which I really enjoyed. It was of course an amateur production. But excellent acting and a simple story made for a very good movie.
I made a commitment that this Turkey Season, I would cover the winner of the show. The result was me feeling like a loser.
Total Garbage
“Not Cool” dropped in 2014 and somehow defeated “Hollidaysburg” in a college football type score of 63-58. It was based on people voting, and we all know how well that usually goes.
The movie was created by an unfunny (but immensely popular) YouTuber named Shane Dawson. It’s billed as a raunchy comedy but there’s nothing funny about it in any way. Including acting, writing, and filming in general, there isn’t anything good about it at all.
Per the rules of the show, it follows a similar, if not identical script to its competition. Tori (Cherami Leigh) is the narrator. She is returning home for the Thanksgiving break after her first semester at college. Shane Dawson himself plays Scott, a former bully and love interest. Parties, gross jokes, unfunny antics. That’s it.
Raunchy Filth
One of the Starz producers compared the two movies as arthouse versus mainstream. I guess mainstream is a litany of sexual overtones or one hysterical scene where a character covers Tori in vomit. Isn’t it just so funny? If this garbage is mainstream, God help us.
I did laugh out loud at one part. Not in the movie, but after when I read a review from NY Times columnist Neil Genzlingersept who said the flick was “so unfunny no one involved with it should ever be allowed to work in movies again.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Sad Culture
Shane Dawson is quoted as saying “I made the movie I wanted to make. People are out of touch with what teenagers are interested in and…” yada yada yada something about “adults” being clueless. This coming from a guy who has made millions for accomplishing next to nothing. And he is the definition of a hate-the-face person.
Watching “Not Cool,” I found myself seething with anger. At myself for wasting a digital credit to rent it. And at a nearly ten-year-old show for allowing it to win. I didn’t want to waste time reviewing it but my hopes are that, if even one person reads this, they will pass on watching. I wish there was a grade lower than F, because this trash deserves it.
“Not Cool” can be rented on Amazon if you like burning money
