THE BEST MOVIE OF LIFE

I've seen it. Now I can finally kill myself. 

I can't believe they were able to make a Pee-wee film 31 years after Big Adventure that felt faithful in tone to the original. Made me feel like a kid in a candy shop all over again. I'm astonished at how well Paul Reubens has aged and how easily he slipped back in character. I must admit a fair share of jealousy that Paul Rust had such a large part in this as co-writer. (Guess I gotta go watch Love now.) Also, can't believe I finally found a role that I liked Joe Manganiello in.

Stray observations:

Love how increasingly complicated the Breakfast Machine has become.

I guess it's appropriate that Pee-wee drives a Mr. Bean car since they've both been on holiday.

I'm going to call this a true sequel and say that ever since Pee-wee got a metal plate in his head, he forgot all about his adventures that came before.

As in Big Adventure, Pee-wee encounters a cast of colorful characters that look they belong in a different era (of film).

There were a couple of shots that looked directly lifted from Big Adventure. The hitchhiking scene, and the time that Pee-wee awakens in a bed of hay (on the box car).

What do Pee-wee and Indiana Jones have in common? Yep, snakes. This seemed to be another reprise from Big Adventure (as well as that throwaway line about having "limited experience" on a motorcycle).

The score by Mark Mothersbaugh is whimsical and fun, though I can't help wishing Danny made a contribution.

Pee-wee gets all his gadgets from a traveling salesman this time, not Mario's Magic Shop. Wish they could have found a way to implement that more.

I love that not one of the farmer's nine daughters was attractive.

Simone! Glad to have her back, even if she's playing a different character.

The fantasy/dream sequences were great, although the first one (with E.T.) was really "out there." (Was that a puppet or bad CGI?)

Pee-wee's high-pitched scream. I don't love it, but I don't hate it. I guess it was pretty funny.

"I'm gonna let you let me run." This movie's "I know you are, but what am I?"

"Amish." "Gesundheit."

Alia Shawkat looks like she belongs in a Pee-wee movie but I can't help thinking she felt the most out of place. I guess she's kind of like the "Dottie" of the movie.

It's hard not to see gay overtones in the relationship between Pee-wee and Joe, but I'm going to put my kid glasses on and pretend they're not there. It's a platonic friendship between a man-child and his imaginary big brother/father figure.

All in all, this felt like a fun revisit to the Pee-wee world and a great tribute to Pee-wee's Big Adventure (which was my favorite film as a kid). About as good as can be expected for a Pee-wee movie in 2016. Really glad this got made. Now I need to go find a balloon to slowly let air out of.

P.S. Hope Paul Reubens finally gets his chance to make his "darker" Pee-wee movie now (the one where he becomes a big star and Hollywood corrupts him).