Wolff rating: NOT BAD
Plot summary: A musical exploration of the legend and reality around Alfred Packer, the only man in the United States convicted of cannibalism.
Biased, pithy comments: Comparisons to the Donner Party aside, this is one hell of a silly movie. Made by Parker (and friend Stone, who as a pair go on to make ``South Park'' the, uh, flatulent success it has become) while in college, it's sort of odd something this amatuerish has had such a wide release, except on the basis of the subsequent fame of the creators. For a college film, it's pretty damn funny, complete with bizarre musical numbers, intentionally campy production, parodies of the foibles of real Western musicals (like Paint Your Wagon), and clever running gags. However, for a professional film it's pretty uneven, with the jokes-per-minute pretty low. Your mileage will vary depending on your tolerance for the pauses, green acting, and sometimes abrupt editing.
Other Notes: You can really tell it's early in this editor's career because he goes to great pains to make sure everyone enters and leaves each frame correctly---it's so consistent it becomes conspicuous and funny.
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: Trey Parker and some other people.
Directed by: Trey Parker