This little film is a great display of the true comedic genius of Charlie Chaplin and his "Little Tramp" character. The film isn't powerfully dramatic but still stands the test of the time in terms of comedy. Chaplin's elaborate and well-prepared sight gags really show how his style differed from the frantic & wild pace of Max Sennatt's silent films. Plus his "Tramp" character is a very sympathetic and human character as you do feel his emotions as he tries to win Georgia's heart. Overall Chaplin did a fantastic job on this classic and it deserves recognition as one of the best comedies of all-time. Without a doubt, a solid 10/10!
Reviews
11 Reviews
Interesting concept, not very good execution
30 August 2003
This was the second of three MST3k shows where they did major mainstream movies instead of the normal obscure and forgettable "films". However there is probably a very good reason they didn't do more of these: they're not very funny. Mike & The Bots spend most of the segments trying to explain the film or the situation in the scene instead of doing their normal riffing. Plus there are unnecessary cameos by the villains of the series who just added nothing and come off as a little more than annoying particularly Bobo coming into the "Men In Black" segment. Has it moments but there are MANY more episodes of MST3k that are funnier. 4/10.
Fitness Beach
(1996–1998)
T&A! ESPN2-style!
30 May 2003
I remember this show used to come on VERY early here on the west coast and it was pleasant, to say the least, to wake up to each weekday morning. This was a pretty unique show of ESPN2's block of exercise programs as it featured 4 super-hot girls in fitness celebs Deborah Khazei & Denise Paglia, ESPN fitness "poster girl" Kathy Derry(she was later on "Bodyshaping") and former Frederick's of Hollywood lingerie model Leeann Tweeden(later on F/X's "Toughman World Championship" and Fox's "54321"). Along with being very helpful in improving physical fitness, it offered the benefit of watching 4 stunning babes in bikinis and the camera giving many close-ups of chests and thighs. True it was probably an obvious ploy to attract more viewers but if it got them to exercise more then it can be called pretty beneficial. It's probably still on the air somewhere so if you can check it out, don't miss the opportunity AND especially don't miss the sexy opening and closing sequences of the girls in slow-motion in their bikinis! I give it 8/10.
Deadly Games
(1995–1996)
Silly series with plenty of cool cameos
12 August 2002
This series wasn't around too long but had some pretty cool moments while it lasted.
Gus, a loser who is having problems with his wife, creates a video game with himself as a hero called The Cold Steel Kid. He battles Jackal(played by Christopher), an arrogant and almost game show host-like villain, who always seems to defeat him. But once Gus finally masters Jackal, the unreal happens...Jackal becomes real! Jackal escapes the game and beings to terrorize Gus with other characters from the video game, all of whom Guz based on people who terrorized/traumatized him in real life, including a quarterback called "Killshot", his ex-boss(Lavar Burton with steel hands and cool contact lenses), a cover girl(Kathy Ireland in her bra & panties) and even his old camp conselor. Silly and definitely entertaining!
Gus, a loser who is having problems with his wife, creates a video game with himself as a hero called The Cold Steel Kid. He battles Jackal(played by Christopher), an arrogant and almost game show host-like villain, who always seems to defeat him. But once Gus finally masters Jackal, the unreal happens...Jackal becomes real! Jackal escapes the game and beings to terrorize Gus with other characters from the video game, all of whom Guz based on people who terrorized/traumatized him in real life, including a quarterback called "Killshot", his ex-boss(Lavar Burton with steel hands and cool contact lenses), a cover girl(Kathy Ireland in her bra & panties) and even his old camp conselor. Silly and definitely entertaining!
Wizards
(1977)
Bakshi's favorite but not his best
23 February 2002
Ralph Bakshi said this film was the most personal for him and dealt with important matters like the dangers of technology and propaganda. Alas poor Ralph made into a film that is just hard to take seriously or even enjoy a whole lot...
"Wizards" is a weird animated fantasy that takes place on Earth millions of years after a terrorist attack caused a nuclear holocaust. One part of the earth is a kingdom called Mortagar where elves, fairies, dwarves, and creatures live in peace under the rule of a good wizard named Avatar. The rest of the earth is desolate and decaying wastelands that have radioactive mutants and demons from Hell roaming around under the obedience and command of Avatar's evil brother Blackwolf. Blackwolf has discovered old Nazi films and propaganda that he uses to inspire and motivate the mutants into starting a war for the planet where they will become a master race. To save the world, Avatar, along with a kinky fairy queen named Elinore, a brave and cold elf named Weehawk and a reprogrammed robot named Peace set off on a quest to stop Blackwolf and his armies.
Confused? Well the movie doesn't get much clearer. The movie is supposed to be like a metaphor for World War II but comes out as a mess and just too ridiculous to watch by the end. The humor is flat and the characters can get somewhat irritating to listen to(particularly Bob Holt's voice of Avatar that sounds like a bad Peter Falk impression). If you like Bakshi movies, you'll probably like this but definitely not for everyone. I give about 4/10.
"Wizards" is a weird animated fantasy that takes place on Earth millions of years after a terrorist attack caused a nuclear holocaust. One part of the earth is a kingdom called Mortagar where elves, fairies, dwarves, and creatures live in peace under the rule of a good wizard named Avatar. The rest of the earth is desolate and decaying wastelands that have radioactive mutants and demons from Hell roaming around under the obedience and command of Avatar's evil brother Blackwolf. Blackwolf has discovered old Nazi films and propaganda that he uses to inspire and motivate the mutants into starting a war for the planet where they will become a master race. To save the world, Avatar, along with a kinky fairy queen named Elinore, a brave and cold elf named Weehawk and a reprogrammed robot named Peace set off on a quest to stop Blackwolf and his armies.
Confused? Well the movie doesn't get much clearer. The movie is supposed to be like a metaphor for World War II but comes out as a mess and just too ridiculous to watch by the end. The humor is flat and the characters can get somewhat irritating to listen to(particularly Bob Holt's voice of Avatar that sounds like a bad Peter Falk impression). If you like Bakshi movies, you'll probably like this but definitely not for everyone. I give about 4/10.
Behind the Music
(1997–2021)
Best of the genre!
31 January 2002
When Behind The Music debuted in 1997 with the Milli Vanilli story, it was an instant hit and became one of the finest biographical series ever probably second only to A&E's "Biography". Its in-depth and gripping situations definately makes it a spectacular series. It also still ranks above its lame knock-offs like the E! True Hollywood Story and Sci-ography. You probably won't find a better music series. Without a doubt, a 10/10!
An excellent sequel for its day
15 January 2002
In the late 80s when sequels were being put out at an incredible rate, this little film called "Return of the Killer Tomatoes" was released. It definately ranks among the best comedy sequels I've ever seen. Possibly the funniest sequel to this genre next to "Gremlins 2"
The film is the sequel to the spoof of disaster flicks "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" that bombed heavily upon release. This film pokes fun at the low-budgets and box-office failures of both films but tends to make more of a mockery of the first film. It reuses old footage, makes fun of the actors/lines from the first film and has a plot thats almost a complete turnabout from the first one. There are no giant growling tomatoes or explosions or musical numbers or anything hi-tech in this film but you get tons of hot chicks, evil Tomatoes-turned-Rambo guys, catchy synthesizer music, the adorable little F.T.("fuzzy tomato") and probably the only time you'll see John Astin and George Clooney in the same movie.
I'd give it an 8/10!
The film is the sequel to the spoof of disaster flicks "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" that bombed heavily upon release. This film pokes fun at the low-budgets and box-office failures of both films but tends to make more of a mockery of the first film. It reuses old footage, makes fun of the actors/lines from the first film and has a plot thats almost a complete turnabout from the first one. There are no giant growling tomatoes or explosions or musical numbers or anything hi-tech in this film but you get tons of hot chicks, evil Tomatoes-turned-Rambo guys, catchy synthesizer music, the adorable little F.T.("fuzzy tomato") and probably the only time you'll see John Astin and George Clooney in the same movie.
I'd give it an 8/10!
The Aztec Mummy
(1957)
Proof that Egypt doesn't have the most terrifying mummies!
4 January 2002
The horror and terror of the Aztec Mummy is shown in this classic Mexi-horror film! This is the first and most profound movie in the "Aztec Mummy" trilogy of the late 50s as we see the Mummy in all his bandaged and bulky horror.
The Mummy is the cursed spirit of a warrior named Popoca who was buried alive for loving a maiden and cursed to always protect her remains and the valuable bracelet and breastplate left with her that reveals the location of a vast cache of Aztec gold. Soon, the wounded warrior is awakened and sets off to find the stolen items and Flora, the reincarnation of his deceased love. But Flora's boyfriend, Dr. Almada who was responsible for bringing the Mummy to life is out to stop him and save his fiance. Almada also has the trouble of the nefarious Bat, a masked wreslter who also is a major player in the criminal underworld who seeks the Aztec treasure. Will Flora be saved? Can Almada overcome his foes? Will the Bat steal the treasure? Will poor Popoca find eternal rest?
Definately worth checking out and better than the two Aztec Mummy movies that followed!
I give it 7/10!
The Mummy is the cursed spirit of a warrior named Popoca who was buried alive for loving a maiden and cursed to always protect her remains and the valuable bracelet and breastplate left with her that reveals the location of a vast cache of Aztec gold. Soon, the wounded warrior is awakened and sets off to find the stolen items and Flora, the reincarnation of his deceased love. But Flora's boyfriend, Dr. Almada who was responsible for bringing the Mummy to life is out to stop him and save his fiance. Almada also has the trouble of the nefarious Bat, a masked wreslter who also is a major player in the criminal underworld who seeks the Aztec treasure. Will Flora be saved? Can Almada overcome his foes? Will the Bat steal the treasure? Will poor Popoca find eternal rest?
Definately worth checking out and better than the two Aztec Mummy movies that followed!
I give it 7/10!
Escape from the Bronx
(1983)
The 80s Italian knockoffs at its best
30 December 2001
Back in the 80s, several producers in Italy decided to copy whatever was popular in the rest of the world and create some low-tech, low-budget, and low-expectation knockoffs. This is one of those films with a title, plot and characters that have counterparts in "Escape From New York". But overall, its kinda cool.
Mark Gregory returns as Trash who is living the smooth life of being a thung in the slums. But the evil General Construction Corporation have decided that the Bronx needs to rebuilt and decide to save money and time by simply killing everyone who didn't take them up on their offer to move to New Mexico(what's so bad about moving to New Mexico anyway?). The GCC hires an expelled prison warden who loves death(played by Rat Packer Henry Silva) to lead a bunch of "disinfesters" who are guys in silver jumpsuits & bike helmets that carry semi-auotmatics and a bunch of astronauts with flame throwers. Trash is their target and they pursue him and his friends on a long chase sequence under the Bronx.
Worth checking out in its original form or the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version.
Mark Gregory returns as Trash who is living the smooth life of being a thung in the slums. But the evil General Construction Corporation have decided that the Bronx needs to rebuilt and decide to save money and time by simply killing everyone who didn't take them up on their offer to move to New Mexico(what's so bad about moving to New Mexico anyway?). The GCC hires an expelled prison warden who loves death(played by Rat Packer Henry Silva) to lead a bunch of "disinfesters" who are guys in silver jumpsuits & bike helmets that carry semi-auotmatics and a bunch of astronauts with flame throwers. Trash is their target and they pursue him and his friends on a long chase sequence under the Bronx.
Worth checking out in its original form or the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version.
Typical Dragon affair
29 December 2001
Just your average Don "The Dragon" Wilson movie. They guy whose been in all those awful Cyborg Cop movies shows off more "underground street fighting with thugs" style that was so big in the late 80s and early 90s. Playing "Dr. Do-Good" Johnny, Wilson fights a bunch of evil jumpsuit thugs, muscle freaks, and dorks on skates as he tries to save his girl Julie from the evil champion of the underground fighting world, Kalin. So your basic "Double Dragon", "Final Fight" or any other punch-and-kick video game plot plus he's got his comical posse following him slowly and fighting everyone else he encounters. Don also has Sy Richardson as the wise old guy in the form of a disillusioned and always-angry black ex- soldier who wants revenge on Kalin. If this is your kind of movie, enjoy, otherwise.............RUN BEFORE IT GETS YOU!
Fire and Ice
(1983)
Bakshi's best by far!
29 December 2001
Forget "Wizards", this is the best Ralph Bakshi ever has given! Using Frank Frazetta's characters and art, he created this beautiful and stunning epic that has more life and interest than any other movie he has done. Wheras "Wizards" just is confusing and way too cartoonish to be taken seriously, "Fire and Ice" never shows any humor or cartoonish elements. It is simply a straight foward and to-the-point action cartoon. It also is a bit deeper and interesting than most of the other "sword and sorcery" movies in the 80s. Definately recommended!!!!
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