Adam Sandler Sci-Fi Is Dominating Netflix
Netflix subscribers are quite familiar with the comedic talent of Adam Sandler, as many of the Sand-Man’s best films are currently streaming on the popular platform. While there are plenty of classic Adam Sandler comedies available on the Netflix library at this time, only one occupies the Netflix top 10 at the time of this writing. The film in question is Sandler’s critically panned 2015 outing Pixels, which offers a chaotic science fiction plot and an ensemble of comedy legends.
Pixels Is In Netflix’s Top 10 Movies
For those of you who have not seen Pixels in the near decade since its release, the film’s plot centers around an electronics installer named Sam Brenner, who has resigned to his role as a forlorn slacker ever since losing his first-place billing in a game of Donkey Kong as a teen.
The game in question was part of a championship tournament, which was filmed and shot into space as part of a time capsule project decades before the film takes place. In the present day, alien lifeforms seem to have discovered the tape, and taken it as a declaration of war.
Pixel Monsters Attack Earth
As the narrative really kicks off, aliens begin beaming down pixelated creatures in the image of retro video games, in order to destroy Earth using its very iconography. Galaga ships descend upon an American Air Force base, as Arkanoid blocks assail the Taj Mahal, and a giant Pac-Man starts chomping on the citizens of New York City. As Pixels builds to a thrilling climax, the President of the United States is forced to call on the only people knowledgable enough to destroy the aliens in a round of 80s video games, which includes Sam Brenner and his former tournament opponents.
Critics Weren’t Fond
Obviously, Pixels is a patently absurd film with a ridiculous plot and an over-the-top comedic delivery. Unfortunately, the film failed to connect with audiences upon release, and currently touts a terrible 18 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the poor response from critics, the film managed to bring in tons of money at the box office, accounting for more than $244 million in global returns against an estimated production budget of $129 million.
The Cast
Pixels also touts a stacked cast of all-star talent, including Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Josh Gad, Brian Cox, Dan Aykroyd, and former Game of Thrones co-stars Sean Bean and Peter Dinklage. In addition to its legendary cast, Pixels also credits iconic filmmaker Chris Columbus as its director. Columbus is best known for his work helming such classics as Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, and several of the best installments in the Harry Potter film franchise.
Streaming On Netflix
REVIEW SCORE
Today, those interested in catching Pixels can do so by streaming the film on Netflix. It seems that Netflix audiences are far more forgiving of the film’s flaws than initial audiences, as the film is currently ranked #5 in the Netflix top 10 streaming charts.
Though I personally would opt to watch better Adam Sandler classics on the platform like Big Daddy, Mr. Deeds, or The Waterboy, Pixels is a perfectly solid film to throw on and enjoy, especially if you’re big on old-school video game titles.
