Hell Baby (2013)

Directors: Robert Ben Garant & Thomas Lennon

Starring: Leslie Bibb, Rob Corddry, Thomas Lennon, Riki Lindhome, Paul Scheer, Brittney Alger, Keegan Michael Key, Robert Ben Garant, Rob Huebel

More info: IMDb

Plot: Expectant couple Jack and Vanessa move into the most haunted fixer-upper in New Orleans—a house with a deadly demonic curse. When things soon spiral out of control, it’ll take the help of Vanessa’s Wiccan sister, a nosey “neighbor” who lives in their crawl space, two local detectives, and a pair of elite Vatican exorcists to save them—or is it already too late?

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? YES & YES!!!

This one takes the funny cake at Sundance so far.  The writer/director team, Garant & Lennon, introduced the film with a great deal of energy and laughs.  We were treated to a 5 minute film called THE CUB written and directed by Riley Stearns (who spoke for a couple of minutes before the show).  I was howling with laughter.   It was fucking hilarious and it’s the kind of funny that I’m going to make it my mission to show everyone who comes over to the house.  Somehow I’m going to get a copy of it.  Stearns said he was giving away copies after the movie but it was 2 AM and my movie mate and I were going to have to hustle our way outside if there was any chance of us catching a taxi to take us home.  We could have been stuck there for a couple of hours if we didn’t get there fast.  That sucked.  When I got home I checked out this guy online and it turns out that short was funded by Kickstarter.  Had I any idea I would have gladly ponied up a few hundred bucks to help this cat out.  I’m going to seriously pursue this guy before I leave here and make myself available for his next project.  It was THAT good.  I wish I could show you.  Goddamn it was funny.

OK, so then HELL BABY started and I barely stopped laughing for 98 minutes.  There’s a high percentage of gags that work.  The dialogue is fast and funny and the actors are so good and so hilarious.  Even the two directors steal every scene they’re in as priests sent from the Vatican to exorcise the demons out of the house.  Hell, it’s hardly fair to say they steal every scene since all of the actors are so on top of the material and bringing the funny that it would be tough for anyone to stand out.  Jesus this shit is hilarious.  There’s even  an extended (by a few minutes, mind you) nude scene.  Riki Lindhorne gives us full frontal and backal.  She’s throwing out funny left and right as is everyone else who enters the scene.  I love this movie.  I thought DON JON’S ADDICTION (2013) was going to be the one to take the Sundance funny prize but it’s been beat.  I’m going to try and see it one more time before the festival ends.  If I do it will be the only film I will have seen twice and that’s saying something.   I cannot wait to get the DVD on this one and show it to anyone who will watch.  I’ll be a local hero.