Next up in our DCOM challenge is Can of Worms! There’s angsty teens, alien invasions, disgusting slime and all around questionable judgement.

Like the first film review in this challenge, You luck Dog, I had never seen Can of Worms and let me tell you this, I wasn’t missing much.

MAIN PLOT POINTS:
Mike Pillsbury doesn’t believe he belongs on earth. He believes he belongs somewhere else in galaxy. Somewhere where he’ll actually fit in. Using a home satellite, he sends out a signal into outer space asking to be taken away from earth. And when he least expects it, aliens answer his call.

Q: Why are kids so mean? I mean, Mike created this awesome tech to make the Halloween dance bearable, and just because it malfunctioned, he’s deemed more of an outcast than before.
A: Even Katelyn ignored him after he literally did her a favor and helped her with the dance decorations. Kids are the worst.

Q: Have you ever felt so different from everyone else you wanted off this planet, like Mike?
A: Honestly, no. But as I pointed out before, kids are really mean and they make other kids feel like crap. And there are plenty of people who unfortunately don’t grow out of that.

Q: Why is it that in every teen movie, the kids who are smart are considered to be nerds and are made fun of? Let’s get some original thoughts here, brosef.
A: Again, kids are the worst (and writing can be super unoriginal sometimes).

CASTING:
Mike Pillsbury is played by Michael Shulman, an actor who I haven’t seen much of since this film. He did, however, do some voice work on Recess.

Erika Christensen, the actress who plays Katelyn, might be more familiar. She was one of the Braverman siblings on Parenthood from 2010-2015 and she played a pretty iconic stalker in Swimfan.

And I must point out that Mike’s little sister Jill, played by Brighton Hertford, played one of the campers at Camp Walden in one of my favorite movies The Parent Trap (98′).

OVERALL THOUGHTS:
None of the movies I have watched so far in this challenge have felt more 90’s than this film. The floppy discs, the giant dell computers, the computer graphics, and the multitude of VHS tapes. It really takes you back to a simpler time.

Katelyn sure has a high tolerance for Mike’s shenanigans. I’m honestly impressed by how many chances she gives him. I’m, however, not surprised by how many times Mike screws up those chances.

The most entertaining part of this movie is the dog who talks with a voice translator. The dog is a very emotive actor. The scruffy eyebrows really help.

Overall, this movie isn’t great and could definitely be skipped. You’ll spend most of this film wondering what the hell you’re watching and wondering if you’re on an accidental acid trip instead of watching a Disney Channel Original Movie.

However, the basic message of the film is important. We may feel like we don’t fit in or haven’t found the people who understand us, but we’re given this one life and we need to take advantage of it. There are people out there who will appreciate and love every single thing about you have to offer. It just might take a little longer to find them. There is a place that all of us belongs, we just have to have the courage to find it.

Final Rating:

Up next: The Thirteenth Year!