The world of movies changed forever when Happy Madison, exclusively for the streaming service. A man who was once comedy's most bankable star moved directly into the homes of his audience and things would never be the same.
The latest Sandler Netflix release is Hubie Halloween, a seasonal comedy about a man who both worships and fears the Halloween holiday. Since its release, it's been met with more respect than even the most devoted Sandler fans could expect. It even has a 45 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a great score for any of his Netflix comedies. But the debate remains about whether or not it's his best Netflix film to date.
Best: Stunning Twist
One of the best parts of Hubie Halloween was its surprising villain twist at the end of the movie. While it was a convoluted road to get to this point, the movie still deftly subverted who the attacker in Salem would be.
For the most part, Hubie's various bullies seem like candidates ripe for the villainous role and even Julie Bowen's character is worthy of some side-eye. Yet, the twist was one that was genuinely affecting, especially in a Sandler comedy.
Not The Best: A Better Mystery
While the twist in Hubie Halloween was excellent, the mystery itself was not the best Sandler has ever pulled off on Netflix. That honor belongs instead to Murder Mystery, last year's Netflix romp with Jennifer Aniston.
Even though the humor in Murder Mystery was similarly schlocky, there was actually a genuinely compelling story at the center of it. It came in a year when the world was delighted by mysteries, from those led by Sandler to those led by Daniel Craig.
Best: Sandler-Verse Cameos
Hubie Halloween might just be the greatest collection of Adam Sandler actors assembled since Grown Ups. Blake Clark, Dan Patrick, Allen Covert, Colin Quinn, Maya Rudolph, Tim Meadows, Steve Buscemi, Shaquille O'Neal, Julie Bowen, Kevin James, and Rob Schneider all turn up for the fun.
The best cameo of all, though, comes in the first scene of the movie. Happy Gilmore. It's a delightful cameo that connects two Sandler moments.
Not The Best: Wexler's Better Cameos
While Hubie Halloween is filled with all the comedians we know and love from the Sandler repertoire, its cameo count pales in comparison to another Sandler Netflix film, Sandy Wexler. In this case, Sandler favorites and extracurricular Hollywood stars turn up.
Featured here are Dana Carvey, Judd Apatow, Weird Al Yankovic, Jimmy Kimmel, Milo Ventimiglia, Lamorne Morris, Janeane Garofalo, Henry Winkler, and more. They're not Sandler regulars, but they might be arguably even more delightful.
Best: The Aesthetic
What Hubie Halloween definitely has going for it is that spooky autumn aesthetic. It makes for a perfect watch when the sun has set and night has fallen over the fall season.
It helps, too, that it was filmed in eastern Massachusetts, especially in Salem, one of the best towns in which to celebrate Halloween due to its dark history. Anyone who wants to see the way New England celebrates the season will gobble up Hubie Halloween.
Not The Best: It's No Europe
While Salem, Massachusetts, makes for a delightful Sandler setting (he's brought his family to the state before, as with Cape Cod in Grown Ups), it's not the best location he's managed to achieve on Netflix.
Sandy Wexler occurs in Los Angeles, The Ridiculous 6 took to the old frontier. Murder Mystery takes place in Monaco, though, and for gorgeous backdrops, this film takes the cake.
Best: Dedication
What was especially heartening about Hubie Halloween was that it was dedicated to Cameron Boyce, who played Adam Sandler's son in the two Grown Ups movies. Boyce tragically died last year from epilepsy.
The loss obviously impacted Sandler and his friends, as the movie's dedication read, "Gone way too soon and one of the kindest, coolest, funniest, and most talented kids we knew." Boyce was special and the dedication made Hubie even more special.
Not The Best: The Romance
Over the years, Sandler has been known to be quite the charmer. His rom-coms with Jennifer Aniston and Drew Barrymore have always been lovable and believable in equal measure.
However, the romance in Hubie Halloween faltered. Once the novelty of seeing Sandler and Bowen together again wore off, it was revealed how empty their affections for one another truly were. Murder Mystery's romance was clearly superior.
Best: Be Kind
The ultimate lesson of Hubie Halloween is an advocacy for kindness, but not in the traditional sense. Instead, Hubie is posited as a hero because of his unconventional relationship with kindness.
Hubie is kind, even though he never receives his moral desserts for it and even though his peers don't deserve his gentle treatment. That's true courage in kindness and Hubie exemplifies it as well as anyone.
Not The Best: Sacrifice The Jokes
While the denouement of Hubie Halloween hit harder because of its thematic resonance, it also came at the expense of some of the humor in the movie.
Many Sandler movies are much funnier than this one, and many of his Netflix movies are funnier still! Even The Ridiculous 6 managed some laugh out loud moments, while Hubie Halloween managed maybe one solid recurring gag.
