Idiocracy

It must be the most unlikely "DVD of the Year" nomination.

Mike Judge's Idiocracy is a very pessimistic view of the future, following the misadventures of modern day average Joe Bauers - an army admin staffer remarkable only in his lack of remark ability. He is accidentally frozen for 500 years and wakes up to discover what America might be if Darwin's Theory of Evolution ever met Walmart.

The theory goes like this: With a lack of natural predators, evolution favoured not the smartest, or the toughest - but the most fertile. The intelligent people of the world were soon swamped by the rapidly breeding dumb underclass - until America's IQ was driven down to a level equivalent to the average Jerry Springer guest.

The world is a mess. The economy is a joke. Water has been replaced by Gatorade. Members of the cabinet are sponsored by fast food outlets. People are now slaves to fast food, corporate branding and violent and sexual TV (including The Violence Channel and The Masturbation Network: Keeping America 'batin' for 300 Years.)

When Joe awakens, it's soon discovered that he's the smartest man alive... And President Comanche (ex-Slapdown Champion of the World) recruits him to save the world from self destruction.

It's a hilarious film. Totally politically incorrect, totally over the top and a condemnation of the way the world is going. In the future, people are incredibly stupid, living in a crumbling society littered with garbage and pollution. Corporate sponsorship drives everything. Even the Department of the Environment has been privatised, leading to America watering it's crops with Gatorade (with electrolytes - It's What Plants Crave.)

It didn't hit the box office in a big way. It's star, Luke Wilson is capable but apparently lacks star quality. But people who miss out on this film miss out on one of the real gems of the year. It's hilarious. It's biting. It's got an all star cast including our man Luke, Saturday Night Live's Jimmy Fallon and Will Farrell in two blink-and-you'll-miss-em cameos.

It's a view of the future - American or not - that will make you sit up and think. And that's something an awful lot of this year's pretentious blockbusters (like The Prestige) fail to deliver.