A Schmovie Review

In SCHMOVIE, Sara Farber and Bryan Wilson have produced a silly party game that delivers serious laughs.  Although some players may be initially intimidated by the "creativity factor", once they warm up they will find this is a game for almost anyone - not just the quick-witted jokesters.

The concept is this: players form up into teams (if necessary due to a large group) then take turns being the "Schmovie Producer" who will choose the best answer on a turn.  All other players (or teams) write funny made-up movie titles on dry-erase boards.  The genre for these wacky films is determined by a six-sided die (which includes one "Producer's choice" side, which gives the judge the ability to choose any sort of film.)  The subject of the film is chosen randomly by drawing two cards, one from a WHAT deck and one from a WHO deck.  So you might be called upon to make up a title of a film about, say, a FLAMBOYANT COWBOY (how about "Showgun"?)  Or a DRUNKEN COMPUTER. (Will you go with "WALL-AA"? Or "HALcoholic"?)  Maybe it will be a romantic comedy about a policeman who has a small child.  "Kindergarten Cop a feel".  Or a science fiction movie about a naughty dessert... "Earth Girls are Cheesecake."  The game works because it gives players many "hooks" to hang their ideas on, but does not constrain the judge to only choose an answer if it matches the category or genre (as Schmovie Producer, you can choose any answer as best, even if it didn't follow the die or cards at all.) Also, you can use the title of a real movie as inspiration and put your own twist on it - or just come up with something completely new.

Everyone in my group loved SCHMOVIE, even the player who was most concerned about coming up with something funny.  When playing in teams, you have the benefit of multiple brains and don't have to worry about being on the spot to think of something.  But be sure to encourage quieter teammates to take a turn writing a response.

As a person who has always loved puns, the game is a natural for me. Let me be the first (probably not!) to not only give SCHMOVIE my highest recommendation, but to give it two thumbs up!

To learn more (and to play the game with others online) visit SCHMOVIE on Facebook!  They also have a site on Wordpress.  And you can purchase the game on Amazon.