8 jours, 8 nuits à Cancun

I don't think there has been another movie in history that has been released and forgotten about as quickly as THE REAL CANCUN. I myself had completely forgotten about it until recently. Shot and released between March and April 2003, THE REAL CANCUN was an attempt by reality TV producers Mary Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray to bring their successful "Real World" formula to big screen. Luckily, they failed. The Real Cancun was completely avoided, making only $5 million worldwide despite being billed as the first "realiy" movie. Exploitave, disgusting, and idiotic beyond belief, it remains the worst production ever put out by a major studio. I'd say New Line Cinema should be ashamed of themselves, but seeing as they've done their best to bury it, it seems they've learned their lesson. The only reason anyone should check out THE REAL CANCUN is to see what Laura Ramsey was like before becoming a mainstream Hollywood actress. As of this writing, there has yet to be another "reality" movie. 0/10

This movie (and I use the term loosely) is utterly pointless. Instead of an entertaining romp, the filmmakers have given us the longest parental advisory of all time. I am sure the families of these kids are pretty darn embarrassed (especially the parents of the twins Brittany and Roxanne ... I wouldn't be surprised if their folks took them out of college and forced them into a convent.) The situations are contrived and don't even seem real (guy comes to spring break in his glasses and never having touched alcohol and does one shot, and blammy! He's a man for the ages.) There is a young women named Sky who is very dull and only gives long "what are you talking about?" looks while we endure the most boring flirtation of all time. There are the cookie-cutter blonde girls whom you can't even tell apart who only seem interested in sex and wear cheap eye shadow (and one of them actually says, "I thought you were different.") The guys are supposed to be studly, but are just wretched (one of them clearly tweezes and shapes his eyebrows) and don't get me started on the guy who is an aspiring model; he comes across as one of the most disgusting of them all. Instead of being light-hearted, this is a depressing movie to be avoided at all costs.

The Real Cancun was a sorry excuse for filmmaking, if not on mankind. Sixteen privileged kids go out and have fun drinking and basically being idiots for an hour and half, fused together with rock songs and pointless, shallow banter. Fortunately, the negative backlash for this garbage is intriguing, considering the lust most Americans have for reality bull such as this. But then again, this movie was just boring, and idiocy of the people involved just wanted to make me toss my drink at the screen. Hopefully, this whole reality TV faze I looked back upon with distaste, and we can thank The Real Cancun for starting that much needed downward spiral.

I happened on this while checking out what was playing on my pay per view, recalled reading something about it and thought "I wouldn't mind seeing some naked breasts". So I ordered it up.

It's hard for me to decide if I really like this or not. Until recent years, I was a big fan of the Real World tv show (especially the second season), and essentially, this is a movie version of the same idea. Of course, the movie has the same problems that the show has had the last two or three (or more) seasons: it looks scripted and the people seem very insincere in their actions. I got the impression that they were "performing" for the camera, rather than the camera catching "reality", which of course defeats the whole purpose.

But in the end, I have to say I enjoyed it. It's incredible, but I actually felt bad for poor Alan and wanted to see him get to hook up with some hot chick. They actually made me care about him. And it was really nice to see people having such a good time.

As a film, unfortunately, it's pretty poor. Billed as a documentary, it nonetheless feels like a scripted movie that simply didn't go anywhere. Several of the people they had there only appear once or twice. It jumps around a lot and isn't entirely cohesive.

I guess what I like about it is that it brings up some good memories of my college years. Mostly it makes me wish it was 5 years ago so I could go live it instead of watch it. Really, in the end, it's not very good at all, and I'm almost embarassed to say it, but I enjoyed it anyway.

MTV is the epitome of narcissistic superficial artificial slack-jawed mentality that has changed the direction in the youth of American culture for the worse. And the film is quite possibly the nadir of said stupidity. In it a group of young blank twenty-somethings slither their war through spring break in Cancun sharing a beach house (a la "Real World). How these rocket scientists can share a house when they don't even share a braincell among them is a mystery for the ages. One of them is a sober geek who never drank so much of the "reality" movie is based on getting him wasted. All of this is accompanied by mostly flavor of the week crappy music that again is like MTV. Horrible.

My Grade: F