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Hal MacDermot [Film Festival 06.22.08] movie review comedy

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Year: 2008
Release date: Unknown
Director: Seth Packard
Writer: Seth Packard
IMDB: link
Trailer: link
Review by: cyberhal
Rating: 7.3 out of 10

Seth Packard's debut film HottieBoombaLottie premiered at LA Film Festival, and the audience had high hopes. Movie execs assistants were there in force to see if this new high school world teen-comedy really was the new Napoleon Dynamite or Juno. I enjoyed the movie and laughed, but I don't think it's going to be the next Big Thing. The awkward geek moments are funny, and the hip energetic soundtrack helps drive it (I love anything with Ami Winehouse), but ultimately the best parts of this movie are in the trailer.


Ethan (Seth Packard) is a geeky Utah teenager who's in love with uber-hottie Madison (Shay Williamson). Unfortunately, the path of true love does not run straight, especially for geeks. Ethan's older brother Clay (Matthew Webb) steps in to steal Madison and engineers it so that Ethan must spend the summer with his cousin Cleo (Lauren McKnight) in California. Cleo and Ethan team up to break up Madison and Clay, and in the meantime, Ethan comes to learn whom he really loves.



I loved this movie when Ethan was being at his most obsessive geekiest. This dude has a life sized cardboard cut out picture of Madison, Poster Madison that he keeps in his bedroom, and talks to. He tries to get girls to sign his Yearbook and they write stuff like

Roses are Red
Violets are Blue
Sugar is Lumpy
And so is your head

In terms of production values, the film is well accomplished. Shot simply, the camera captures high school life and Ethan's awkward moments well, so hats off to the DP Travis Cline, who probably not coincidentally, also worked on Napoleon Dynamite. On the downside, I found the character developments clunky, and the plot entirely predictable. None of this would matter is it was super funny all the way through, but it isn't, and the LOL humor is there, but not all the time. Still, I bet money that this movie will find at least limited distribution, oh and BTW here's the director on what the title means: "HottieBoombaLottie is a word that I remember the cheerleaders in my high school using to describe the hot guys in the school. For some reason it always stuck with me. Probably because I always wanted to be a hot guy in school."


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Kevin (3 years ago) Reply

I loved this movie. I saw it at LAFF, and it was awsome. Yeah, it was a bit predictable but it worked for me with the funny laughs. I do like this more than "Juno' (because i possible never liked Juno in the first place), but hopefully it gets a ditribution deal... Maybe from FOx Searchlight :-)

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Jesse (3 years ago) Reply

I think this film was perfect in its imperfection. It doesn't try to overcomplicate its humanity. Call me a nerd but I could relate to the subtle victories and defeat of each character on a very personal level, in fact, most of the film I felt like I was laughing at myself.

I've noticed that there is a race in filmmaking going on very similar to the arms race during the cold war. Everyone is trying to make a cooler plot twist or throw in some incredible special effects never before seen. It has almost come to a point where the ability to relate to a film on a human level is almost completely choked out by the super human "cinematic experience".

I think this film takes us back to the roots of filmmaking. Sure we have X-box 360 but old school Atari still kicks ass now and then.

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agentorange (3 years ago) Reply

You're right in your assessments Jesse. Very ofter characters and story take the back seat to the film's "concept." It's the best genre films that can transcend this.

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Kevin Taft (3 years ago) Reply

This movie is hilarious and charming. A throwback to the old John Hughes movies. I loved it and I think it will do very well if given a wide release. It was a refreshing change and consistent in it's humor. Well done.

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randy peck (3 years ago) Reply

i cant say that i completely relate with the review. but all the previous comments i do. this film is so light and real. evryone has had these moments in their life. thats why people like it. who cares if it isnt as deep as drama films. I think this movie should go as far as it can!

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Anonymous (5 months ago) Reply

This movie is finally going to be released on dvd 10/25/2011, though Warner Bro will have it available for VOD in October as well.

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rastachucker (3 months ago) Reply

Wow I used imdb before renting this film from redbox and not a lot people saw this film in the star ratings only thrity nine people voted on the movie giving it 6.4 out of 10 if I not mistaken and there was not one single user review. So I am assuming this movie did not much reach pass the la film festival where one of the other said he saw it. I have not yet watched it yet but after some of the comments I have read hear you given me hope that it just not some dumb kids movie but would b fun for people who are older too.

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rastachucker (3 months ago) Reply

Wow I used imdb before renting this film from redbox and not a lot people saw this film in the star ratings only thrity nine people voted on the movie giving it 6.4 out of 10 if I not mistaken and there was not one single user review. So I am assuming this movie did not much reach pass the la film festival where one of the other said he saw it. I have not yet watched it yet but after some of the comments I have read hear you given me hope that it just not some dumb kids movie but would b fun for people who are older too.

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curiouslobster (1 month ago) Reply

Just rented this movie from Redbox out of a whim and greatly enjoyed it. It's currently 4.5/5 on Redbox which is pretty impressive. It seems people are drawing parallels between it and Napoleon Dynamite, but it reminds me a lot of Kabluey.


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