Finally got to see this special on Comedy Central last night. I already knew that he had two new guys in the show, although to be honest, Little Jeff he has done before. Check his autobiography. The beginning I didn't care for with Bubba J as the guard and Achmed driving. This was leftover from the Jeff Dunham show, which didn't work because these are dummies, not Muppets. As for his opening segment with his pictures, which you can see in his autobiography, it was cute and I wish he had mentioned the names of the earlier dummies. Is he ashamed of them? I liked the Walter segment and Achmed and his son was funny too. Peanut and Jose had some great lines, like when Jose called Peanut a Muppet reject. Walter once called him a Muppet on heroin. Nice little joke at the end with a mini-Peanut. I wish though he had tried to use Diane and Bubba J more than in the beginning. I know he can't put everyone in, but maybe he shouldn't try to do new characters in special 5 and just put everyone in as a reunion or something. Jeff is still great and one of the best.
Reviews
10 Reviews
Life Stinks
(1991)
A film about the truth in this country that it can't handle
25 May 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This year is the 20th anniversary for Mel Brooks' underrated comedy Life Stinks, which was a departure for Brooks in that it was the first straight story he had done since The Twelve Chairs in 1970. It wasn't a parody of a genre like Spaceballs, Blazing Saddles, Silent Movie, and High Anxiety. This was a story trying to show us the plight of the homeless, which is all around us. How many panhandlers do we see on the subway going to work or outside a McDonald's that we brush off? What about the people who wipe windshields down at the Holland Tunnel? These are people who have been thrown away by the system that seems to thrive on keeping the rich in power and not understanding that as Brooks' character says, "Every person has the right to have a place to live." Brooks is showing us that it isn't easy out there and there are dangerous elements that we need to take care of. So why don't we try to deal with this problem? I have the answer from George Carlin's 1992 HBO special: There is no money to be made off the homeless. You need to have a solution that ends homelessness and have the corporate guys steal money in the process instead of just trying to care for your fellow man through human decency, which isn't going to happen because we are a selfish species who only care for our own welfare. As to this film, the best moment to me is when Brooks' character sees a homeless friend has died and he is just being taken away to the morgue. Watch how Brooks is acting in the scene. He realizes that there are many like his friend who have become victims and it is almost due to his past being uncaring about them, as he was in the opening scene, when he doesn't care about consequences to actions he is taking in tearing down people's homes. So why didn't this film do better in this country? Well, yeah, it was released under MGM, which had financial problems and still does, but I have the feeling that even if it had been released on 2000 screens at once, people would not have wanted to see a film that criticizes its country. Brooks himself mentioned how the film became a big hit overseas for him. I guess other countries were more open to our problems. We should not be patting ourselves on the back saying we're a great country. We have our own faults too and we need to look at them. It is so ever true today. The whole bit where Tambor's character bribes Brooks' lawyers to join him in betraying Brooks is just like the Wall Street meltdown of 2008. These guys could have been on Wall Street doing the same thing. I would've loved to have been a judge disbarring the lawyers that pulled this stunt on Brooks. Anyway, this is a film that should've won Best Screenplay at the Oscars as well. I hope that people seek out this film and realize, "There but for the grace of God, go I." In this day and age, this film was an omen.
Gus
(1976)
Not too bad for its time
27 January 2010
I saw this film for the first time when I was a little boy, which was when it came out. I remembered two funny parts: 1. The supermarket sequence, where everything gets messed up. 2. A lady's hat gets eaten, showing the woman being bald. As I got older, I understood more of the story and finally was able to tape the film off of TV and then Disney (no commercials). The film is not very realistic, but pretty funny. The opening sequences showing how bad the Atoms team are are so ridiculous that you think a Pee Wee football league could beat them. Also, how come they don't fire the Coach, played by Don Knotts? Could Hank Cooper be such a loyal friend that he can't do that? Also, notice how the owner, Mr. Cooper, is always on the sidelines during the games? What owner does that today? And you also have to wonder why the opposing team doesn't score each time, since the Atoms are so bad, right? Still, it is a fun movie and you can't take it so seriously. It was also nice to see a twist on the winning play, which I won't reveal here. Oh, here's something else. Notice how muddy the field is during the Super Bowl. When has it even rained on that day in real life? NEVER! Would like to see it happen, though, and have the field be so muddy. I'll also mention that the actors are pretty good, especially Gary Grimes as Andy, who feels in his brother's shadow, Ed Asner as the Atoms' owner, Don Knotts as the befuddled Coach of the Atoms, and Tim Conway and Tom Bosley as Crankcase and Spinner, two con men hired to prevent the Atoms from winning the Super Bowl. They had great chemistry-almost and Abbott and Costello relationship. Disney really doesn't make these films anymore and it is too bad.
Head of the Class
(1986–1991)
Entertaining high school sitcom
21 January 2010
I was in high school when this show started. I didn't get into it right away, but caught on after a year or so. I was familiar with Howard Hesseman from WKRP in Cincinatti as Dr. Johnny Fever, the spaced out DJ. He was very different here. What I liked about the show was the fact that these kids were smart kids and the opposite of Welcome Back, Kotter, which had class clowns. These kids had brains, as I did, and like me, weren't very social. Mr. Moore tried to not only teach them history, but also tried to help them with their social skills and problems. He was like a dad to them and I think they learned a lot from him. And the show would revolve around the students. You'd have an episode about Arvid, like with his dad and the opportunity to lose his virginity, Maria dating someone she doesn't want to reveal her brain too, etc. This was a problem when Billy Connolly took over in season 5. He was more a stand-up comic, as noted in the first episode. Some of his stuff seems more like a stage performance. Maybe that was why the series only lasted one more year. Too bad when the kids graduated they couldn't have Hesseman come back for a cameo and have him say, "Well, I knew you were graduating this year and I didn't want to miss it." And I had no problem with the new students who took over. In a way, Viki was the beauty like Maria was. I wish they'd air this show again. I have a few episodes on tape but I would love to see more of them.
WarGames
(1983)
excellent film from my youth
11 January 2010
I have a history with this film. When it came out in 1983 during the summer, I was in my last year of sleep away camp. It was visiting day and my dad came up on July 24 (yeah, for you Yankee fans-the Pine Tar game occurred that day) and wanted to take me to see it. I decided against that because my mother was also coming up separately (my parents were long divorced) and thought she might not want to go. We saw the film on video several months later and I remember being moved by two sequences: 1. David screaming as he is dragged down the stairs, "No, it's Joshua! He's still playing the game! He's gonna start a war!!!!" 2. Joshua's comment at the end of the film, which I won't mention here for anyone who hasn't yet seen this film. I later taped the film off of TV and when it came out on cable, I was surprised how much was edited out. I didn't remember the whole movie since it had been several years. I now have it in letterbox version which makes it even more like seeing it in the theater. One more thing: My dad's funeral was July 24, 1994, which was exactly 11 years after my dad wanted to take me to see this fine film. As to this film, it may not be accurate about computers, since they can't start wars, but it is convincing. Now the Cold War is a distant memory but I can remember the fear as to maybe having a nuclear war and the world ending. It is amazing how many actors in this film in small parts have gone on to other things: Jason Bernard, John Spencer, Maury Chakin, to name a few. And Matthew Broderick has certainly had a great career, in fact, at the time this film was playing, he was on Broadway in Brighton Beach Memoirs!!! Bet you all didn't know that. Also, doesn't Barry Corbin (Gen. Jack Berringer) look like Jackie Gleason? And yes, he and Gleason worked together on Nothing in Common, Gleason's last film. Can't say enough about this film and how far we have come with computers and video games. See It Immediately!
Just the Ten of Us
(1987–1990)
underrated show
10 November 2009
I loved this spin off from Growing Pains, where the character of Coach Graham T. Lubbock from Dewey High School got his own show after the stupid principal Detwit fired him. Most of the episodes were pretty good and I did like the fact that some of the characters evolved a little bit, like Wendy near the end (the nature scout episode). Coach was also an all around teacher, teaching not only phys. ed, but regular classes and even directed plays for the school. Yes, he could be protective, but what father isn't? In fact, I think most parents today aren't like him. I'm glad to see some of the episodes on youtube, although I'd love to see the final season, that had some really great moments, like when the girls go to the Virgin Islands and the smoking episode. I'd love to see the show back in reruns on USA or somewhere. Maybe on DVD. Again, it is too bad they canceled this show since it was popular, but I guess sometimes decisions are made by network execs that we don't like.
Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills
(1994 TV Movie)
Entertaining, although might've been done later
3 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this long after the case was wrapped up. It was interesting to watch, especially the first part where we see Jose being a ruthless person in his work and towards his kids. He seemed to get them out of jams too many times. The whole build up to the murders is interesting in and of itself because we see the lifestyle of the family in the three years leading up to the killings. The second part wasn't bad either, although we know the boys were arrested. I liked the part where the judge reprimands Leslie Abramson in a way Judge Lance Ito never would have (would've been too chicken), plus the jury deliberations, although why there were sandwiches in the room is beyond me. I can understand coffee and water (especially the latter-check Twelve Angry Men), but why sandwiches? Maybe some jury rooms are more luxurious? Getting to the title of my, summary, maybe they should've waited to see the whole story, since it ends with the hung jury. That isn't the end of the case. Maybe they just wanted to get it out there.
The Jeffersons
(1975–1985)
Big fan of this show
9 September 2009
When I was a young boy a Sunday night ritual for me would be watching several CBS shows. Jeffersons was one of them, usually the last one of the night before turning in for school the next day. Ironically, today is the first day of another school year!!!! I didn't get all the jokes when I was younger but enjoyed watching the characters and cared for them. I also liked the fact that they had the characters evolve over the years. George became less racist and was friendlier towards Tom. Louise at first didn't like being rich but once she did volunteer work, that changed. I have the feeling that she didn't want to be like an Uncle Tom and forget her past. Doing work at the help center was what helped her adjust to her new life. I also was amazed that in the 80's, they redecorated the apartment with richer furniture. What other sitcom has ever done that? Can't think of one. One other thing I liked was that George sometimes did succeed. If he had always failed in his plans like Wile E. Coyote, it would get tiring. It was good to see him come out on top once in a while. It was terrible that CBS didn't give this show a proper sendoff. I think they set it up for the ratings to go down by moving the show to Tuesday night in 1985 so the audience that watched it on Sunday may not have been able to watch it Tuesday. Therefore, ratings would drop and the network could use it as an excuse to give it the axe. I think they could've done at least one more season and I even had some story ideas for them for the new season, which I discussed on the message boards. It is sad that several of the actors have passed on, but that happens to everyone sooner of later. This show will live forever.
The Tripods
(1984–1985)
Very well done sci-fi for its time
24 August 2009
I was a big fan of this BBC series when it played on PBS in the 80's. I had read the first book a year or two before and I didn't quite understand it then. My thought was, "Why are the Tripods getting away with capping people?" Being a little older and seeing the series made it clearer. I was able to tape both series when they did marathons of them, although I'd love to get the cast for each episode. I didn't bother to tape the ending credits for each episode, just the last one in the marathon. Anyway, there is so much to talk about, but right now I will mention the stuff in series one is pretty good. There are a lot of dialogue scenes that actors could use for scene study. I especially loved Will's angry monologue that occurs when he is talking to a black guard about ridding the world of Tripods. John Shackley was great in that sequence. Yes, there are differences between the book and series, but you have to do that when you adapt. Will talk more later about certain moments.
Teachers
(1984)
A comedy-drama (mostly comedy) about Kennedy H.S.
16 August 2009
I first saw this film on video in the 80's. I thought it was pretty funny at times. However, I felt that was sort of a flaw because near the end it gets too serious, which we aren't really prepared for. Maybe it should have been more serious early on in depicting the school being sued by a former student. Nolte is pretty good in his role, although I have heard he was drunk a lot, which does fit his character in one scene with his buddy Roger. The cast is fine, maybe they should've just tried to be more serious and not gone for so much comedy. Also, I like to give star ratings, not a number from one to ten. Basically I give it 2.5 stars for its humor. One more thing. Liked the songs. Should try to get the soundtrack someday.
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