Hundreds of Beavers

The world championship in escalating dumb jokes. There's no point in repeating the oft-mentioned (and sometimes assumed) sources of  the inspiration, just go have royal, childish fun. It's just a shame that there's so much calling out of artists, reminders of the small budget, and all the nonsense that comes along with it. As a small and almost unknown cult film, there's nothing wrong with Hundreds of Beavers; but as something you get practically assigned screenings to spread among the masses , it's just an unnecessary cramp. (2024-06-24)

Jean Kayak is stranded in the North American wilderness and must learn to fend for himself. And even though he'll eventually turn into a courageous outdoorsman, hunting hundreds of beavers to buy his beloved a ring won't be easy. This frantic black-and-white slapstick combines the classic silent films of Charlie Chaplin and other legends with the poetics of Looney Tunes cartoons, the visual style of Karel Zeman, and the intense action of Wallace and Gromit. You've probably never seen anything like Hundreds of Beavers, and you definitely should. (2024-04-17)

I feel like a bit of an oddball for rating an obviously authentically loved by all bizarre film as low as I do, but I just don't see it there. And I've given it a chance twice! First time a couple of weeks ago, I gave up after 15 minutes, thinking it must have hit me in a bad mood. Today, the second time, I made it to the end, but no. I didn't laugh once, and I'm not even sure what I was supposed to laugh at. When you get the Teletubbies stoned and dress them in black and white, you get stoned black and white Teletubbies. They're still Teletubbies, not an independent film masterpiece. (2024-04-21)

An extraordinary torrent of creativity in the best comedy of recent years and, at the same time, a surprising update of slapstick for the 21st century. It’s as if Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd joined hands with Bugs Bunny and Wile E. Coyote, with the late, great Czech fantasy director Karel Zeman in the director’s chair, having just discovered the possibilities of computer graphics. This film is definitive confirmation of the proposition that a small budget is not an obstacle when you have enough ideas and creative ability. In the case of Hundreds of Beavers, the filmmakers have ideas in spades and they pack so many of them into the film that they easily fill the whole runtime, thus turning the limited resources for making the film into a strength, so the result, including the visual aspect, is outrageously funny, creative and endearing. The plot never slows down for even a minute, the individual gags progressively evolve and build up to unpredictable levels, and the film works superbly with the characters and recurring motifs while making full use of the snow-covered forest setting and the associated props. Hundreds of Beavers is a unique film and clearly a future cult classic. (2023-10-11)

An idea-packed sweetheart that is a pleasure. Mike Cheslik obviously likes Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner, Tom and Jerry and Chaplin. A whirlwind of wacky gags, video game leveling up as individual animals are killed, and heavy backwoods romance. P.S.: a prequel to The Revenant? (2024-08-04)