By Shelby
Ever since my first Master Pancake Theatre experience at the Alamo Drafthouse in October, I’ve become a disciple. These guys have been making people laugh so hard they spit out their beer and choke on their burgers for years, so I know I’m a late comer to the party. I reviewed their Christmas show back in December, nearly cracked a rib during their Star Trek captain face-off and then this weekend found myself with tears streaming down my face as they mocked one of the worst movies to come out in recent years, Transformers, the terribleness of which can only be surpassed by its own sequel. (Although in the interest of full disclosure, I do have a soft spot for Shia LeBeouf from his days on the delightfully gonzo Even Stevens.)
Taking pot shots at a movie as crappy as Transformers is probably akin to shooting fish in a barrel, but the Master Pancake guys elevate mockery to an art form. When Michael Bay gets the biggest budget and the best eye candy of his career (courtesy of Megan Fox), there’s plenty to make fun of and the Master Pancake guys up the ante by interspersing some footage from the 1980s cartoon throughout.
Like always, the guys kick things off by setting the rules of the group drinking game. At the screening I attended, every time anything transformed, we were told to shout “Autocrotch!” and take a drink. Anyone who has seen Transformers knows that those parameters give you plenty of opportunity to get a little sloshy, but Master Pancake Theatre is hilarious no matter if you’re imbibing an iced tea or something harder. And there are the typical “It’s time to stop the movie!” shenanigans. I don’t want to spoil anything else, but I will say that John Erler’s Optimus Prime voice was largely responsible for making me laugh until I cried.
Master Pancake Theatre will be taking on Transformers at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz for the next three weekends with two showings on every Friday and Saturday night until Feb. 20. Also, on Feb. 10, they’ll be doing a special one-off of Casablanca. I will definitely be there.