Change Your Image
Rat Man
Reviews
The Ben Stiller Show (1992)
Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
I'm a big fan of Ben Stiller, Jeanine Garfuello, and Andy Dick. They had some good skits, but overall I think the show was less than the sum of the parts. This probably lead to its demise. It was also competing with similar shows such as "In Living Color" and "Kids in the Hall".
Like many other skit shows, the skits were either outrageously clever and funny, or horrible. I think Ben Stiller was funny at first being Bruce Springsteen, but this got old.
My favorite skit was The Monkees parody "The Grungies". They did and excellent job with this one. They included every detail, including the opening of the show, when they introduce the characters, and they show the four "grunge" heads at the end of the opening.
The "one" parody of U2 was good too.
It's been about 10 years since there's been any good skit tv. It's time to dump the reality shows and get back into skit comedies.
Good Morning, Miami (2002)
Stupid, but Guaranteed to make you laugh
"Friends" is like a great aging football dynasty. It had its glory, but now its getting old and predictable. Good Morning Miami is one of the many attempts for NBC to capture the glory of making good sitcoms. The show started out terrible and could have easily been a 3 episode wonder, but NBC came into the huddle and saved the day.
Constance Zimmer is one of the best characters I've seen on sitcoms. Although she's a bit lazy and smart alecky, she can definitely put anybody in his place. She is definitely more complicated and more human than some of these other assisants portrayed on other shows. She's funny, cute, smart, and knows more than you expect. She's the type of women that many men like. I just can't believe she's going with Gavin on the show. I wished that she dated Jake for more than one episode. I think they would have been and interesting couple. Jake really needs a challenge like her.
I like the additon of Tiffany Theissen and Jillian Barberie (she's everywhere like Kelly Ripa). I can almost bet Kelly Ripa will appear on one of the episodes.
This sitcom has alot of potential. As long has NBC pumps good ideas in the show, I think it will be successful.
Deadly Friend (1986)
A Horrible Horror Movie
When this movie came out in 1986, I had no car. A friend told me that it was good, therefore I walked through 2 miles of rain, slush, and sleet, to see this movie. All I saw was garbage. The real horror of this movie is having to see it. So I walked through all that muck just to see a woman's head get shattered by a basketball (thrown by a robotic Kristy Swanson).
This movie needs MST3K!!!
In Living Color (1990)
They make fun of everybody
In Living Color seemed at first an African American Saturday Night Live, but they make fun of everybody no matter what race.
In Living Color made us laugh at ourselves and at celebrites. Like many shows, it had a very strong start, but when the original cast started leaving the show the chemistry was gone.
My favorite skits included "The Brother Brothers", "Men on
Vacation", and "Fire Marshall Bill"
Of course the dancers were entertaining as well.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988)
One of the Greatest Ideas ever come to TV
MSTK 3K was never meant to be a quality show. It's simply a cheesy skit to make fun of really, really bad movies. In a world, where everybody takes things too seriously, this show produces a much needed boost of comedy. Sitcoms tend to become the same, and humor anymore is few and far between. There is just a finite number of plot lines that a sitcom can have. And many sitcoms tend to outlast their usefullness (Friends and Fraiser). However, MST3k, the humor is always refreshing. Joel (or Mike) and the robots never run out of potshots during a movie. So many movies become untentionally funny, because they are so poorly made. The robots are very clever, when they can relate contemporary events with old movies. I'll never forget when Croww T. Robot, said when he saw a wrecked T-bird "Teddy Kennedy are you alright?"
The shorts are very clever too. They make fun of the stupid short films that you had to watch in elementary school. (Posture, grooming, what to do on a date).
The only thing that one must watch out for, is that sometimes people don't get the jokes that the robots are pitching. As long as one is up on current events, he would find this show hilarious.
I remember watching the movie when it came out to theaters in 1996. I have never been in an audience that laughed so much.
Hobgoblins (1988)
So Bad it's Funny
This movie was so cheesy, tacky, and horrendous it made a great MST3K episode. Being made in the 80's even added to the laughter. It had every tacky 80's music and fashion theme you can ever imagine. Seeing the girl getting attacked by the stuffed animal posing as a hobgoblin was hilarious. It's like they taped a stuffed bear to a womans head and made her roll around and scream. "Club Scum" was hilarious. Take the worst night club in the 80's and make it even worse, with horrible characters. There was a scene when a car rolled off a hill and MST3K Croww said "this movie is so bad, even the car is trying to get out of it". Did the director intentionally made this film bad? Was it made for a class project? Hobgoblins is "Gremilins" made with a $300 budget.
Barnaby Jones (1973)
Excellent Formulistic 70's Show
This show always made me chuckle. Every show had the same plot. Barnaby runs down the kidnappers with his 3 ton Ford LTD, gets shot at, ducks, and kills the kidnappers with a single shot. Then Barnaby frees the young blonde woman tied up in a barn.
The opening of the show was good too. And the always showed who plays the guest characters. Many 70's shows always had a title to the particular show. (Streets of San Fransico) That's one thing, which is missing about todays shows. Many shows today, don't even a have an opening or a list of credits. One must look up a show in the imdb to see who the actors are. Of course nothing can top the opening of "Hawaii Five-O", that was the best part of that show.
The Wonder Years (1988)
Neat Concept
I thought it was a neat concept to see the struggles of a boy growing up in the 60's and 70's. There's no other show like it. I liked Wayne,he was the perfect mean brother. But then again, I couldn't be afraid of an older brother if he were only 5 foot 3. But then again, Kevin Arnold looked 8 years old, even when he was in high school. I liked the mean Becky Slater played by Winnie Coopers real life sister, Crystal McKellar. Not too many shows have an aggressive 12 year-old who chases guys or just acts plain mean. Winnie Cooper on the other hand, was not as exciting as Becky Slater, though I like the actress Danica McKellar. Danica is good in everything I've seen her in.
The one thing though, that got old, was the constant narration. Kevin Arnold was always thinking out loud. Please Kevin, turn off the loud speaker from your brain.
Back to the Future (1985)
They should do one where they go back to 1985.
It's so hard to believe that the movie is nearly 20 years-old!. The movie was ahead of it's time in 1985, and still good today. I wonder what they thought in 1985 about what 2005 was going to be like.
It's one of those movies that is very funny without offending anyone. It really made fun of the 1950's. The black busboy (future mayor) who wants to be mayor and clean up the town and the crank white boss says "you can start by cleaning the floor". The movie how clean the town was in the 50's and full service gas stations, but yet the attitudes are so ignorant. And the mother falling for her future son is totally hilarious. Just the kind of humor that nobody thought of before.
I really think they should do a movie in 2005, where they go back to 1985 and make fun of the 80's.
Empty Nest (1988)
Great Show for all types
It's difficult to find great comedy without being to risky for some people. Shows such as Seinfeld, Golden Girls, and Empty Nest can always light a smile on anybody.
I really liked David Leisure's character on this show "Charlie". He would just walk in the neighbors house grab a beer and off he went. He was so stupid and inept, he was funny.
Park Overall and Marsha Warfield added character to the show as well.
It did what TV supposed to do, make you laugh and forget about your problems.
Richard Mulligans passing was a great loss.
Solaris (2002)
There are better mind provoking movies than this.
I think Soderberg tried to make this movie as vague as possible to try to make the audience think.
Unfortunately, it didn't work too well. The plot was okay, but the movie could have been down in 30 minutes. The movie pretty much lost it's mystery, once you've found out the wife had died (30 minutes into the movie).
The movie had no humor, no action, very little dialoge, and not many twists.
Jeremy Davies was the best actor in this movie. His eccentric habits, was the only thing that kept me entertained in this movie.
I thought "A Beautiful Mind" and "The Sixth Sense" were far better movies for people who want a thought provoking movie that had twists.
Gilmore Girls (2000)
Funny and hateful characters makes this show outstanding
When my wife started watching this series, I was prepared to hate this show and call it another man hating series that belongs on "Lifetime".
But I was quite impressed. The characters on this show are outstanding. I like the hateful and snooty grandmother. The even more hateful great-grandmother (Marion Ross). The mother and daughter are quite funny. I like the super strict Korean mother (Lane's mother.) The hateful and depressing Luke is great. I like Michele the rude and hateful conceirge, who treats everybody like scum.
Rory's classmates are great too. The shy, smart, and hateful Paris is great. You don't know whether she likes or hates Rory.
That New England town is possessed. Everybody except Rory and her mom have an attitude. A really bad attitude.
But that's what makes this show funny and appealing even for men.
It's too bad that WB named it "Gilmore Girls", because the title turns off male viewers, that would probably like the show.
Maybe they should have named it: "Snobsville, Mass" or "City of Snobs".
The show took some unknown actors and really made a big hit. Just goes to show you, good writing alone can make up for the lack of well known celebrities. Much better than a well-known celebrity making a bad show.
Family Ties (1982)
Going, Going, Gone
This was a great show when it first came out. It was the first term of the Reagan era and young Alex P. Keaton was making a mockery of the hopelessy outdated hippie parents. The show paralleled the turnaround for America. Making us feel good to be Americans again.
Alex's parents were great. They played pretty good if subtle hippies. And the mother was actually far better looking than the daughter.
The show "jumped the shark" when young Andrew came in sight. Please, why do they have to ruin all the good shows with the cutesy thing.
Skippy was funny. There's always room for the girlfriendless, hopeless, dork, but the little Andrew thing was a thorn on my side.
Pearl Harbor (2001)
Titanic II
This has got to be the sequel to Titanic. Another long, drawn out, love story, with all the action in the end. Since, the Titanic sunk only once, they had to choose something else to fill in the love story. And that something was Pearl Harbor.
Not a bad movie, but a little too long and drawn out. Great for history buffs. Great action in the attack sequences. Had they squelched the love story a bit and made this movie an hour shorter, it would have been a great movie.
Pushing Tin (1999)
Don't Fly with These Two Clowns
A great performance by John Cusack and Billy Bob Thorton. Only average performance by the movie wives.
The movie really makes us guys laugh at ourselves. With all the stresses of daily life, it's nice to see a movie just to relieve us.
Billy Bob may never be on anybody's favorite actor list (9 out of 10 times it's Tom Hanks), but he never fails to make be laugh in any movie.
If air traffic controllers are anything like these two, I'll never fly again.
Payback (1999)
Common Cure for the Chick Flick Infestation
Tired of being forced to watch emotional,slow, tear jerking movies. Tired of sequels to classics that seem more for kids than to the adults who actual watched the original, ie "Phantom Menace".
At last finally a movie made for guys who like movies. Yes, Mel Gibson does play the bad guy, but he's totally likeable. Pretty much destroys anything politically correct.
Man just gets the job done. Of course most Mel Gibson movies are pretty much worth seeing.
Maria Bello isn't bad either. She was much better in Coyote Ugly, however that's a chick flick. She's great. A tough blonde with a tender side. Not just another ditz from the factory.
If the women are out some night, call up your friends, grab some wings, some brewskies, and enjoy.
Drowning Mona (2000)
Should have drowned everybody
I expected this movie to be stupid, but at least funny. The leads should have been worth watching. Danny Devito, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bette Midler, Neve Campbell. However, the movie just falls flat on its face. Nobody was funny. Nobody gave it their best. Almost if they woke the actors from a deep sleep just before the shooting started. Neve Campbell was the only one who acted in this movie. The other actors are outstanding and some of my favourites, but they fell flat. And, joking about Yugos should have been done in 1986, not in the year 2000.
Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
Yee Haw
This movie had the Dukes of Hazzard Syndrome. Loved as a kid, can't stand it as an adult. Except no Daisy Duke, but Sally ain't bad. Best part was the Texas police car falling apart throughout the film. The car pulled over and the horn stuck. The officer came up and said."You can't drive this piece of #$#$ on my highway"
Gr8t to show your kids about life in the 70's how stupid we acted. The Convoy song is stuck in my head. It'll be a miserable day.
Avalanche (1978)
Not exactly PR for Durango, CO
I lived in Durango, CO when they filmed this movie. This makes it all that much funnier. You cannot take this movie seriously.
The avalanche is actually fan blown styrofoam. Half the mountains pictured in the movie, don't actually exist.
If you are a Durango resident, watch this movie for kicks. If not, don't even bother, you're better off watching the weeds grow.
This is a perfect movie for Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Tuff Turf (1985)
So 80's
A great rental. A perfect movie for anybody who went to high school in the 80's. The music, the styles or lack there of.
Kim Richards sadly disappeared after this movie. Too bad she was really good. She hasn't even shown up on a Lifetime movie yet.
James Spader disappeared too. I was expecting him to show up on some TNT movie about Microsoft.
By the way, Kim looked very good in this movie. Oddly enough, I found her more attractive towards the end, when wasn't wearing all of that garbage. She is a very beautiful woman with great hair. Nice legs and dance moves too.
In Living Color (1990)
They make fun of everybody
In Living Color seemed at first an African American Saturday Night Live, but they make fun of everybody no matter what race.
In Living Color made us laugh at ourselves and at celebrites. Like many shows, it had a very strong start, but when the original cast started leaving the show the chemistry was gone.
My favorite skits included "The Brother Brothers", "Men on
Vacation", and "Fire Marshall Bill"
Of course the dancers were entertaining as well.
Amazing Stories (1985)
Aptly named
Amazing stories was a unique series. It was sorting like opening gifts. Some stories were really good, some mediocre, and some were quite disappointing. But you always kept guessing.
The typical story would have a future famous actor(Patrick Swayze, Kevin Costner, etc.) with a very slow plot, but with a cool twist at the end.
The Cartoon story with the Dog was pretty good. It was a Pre-Simpsons.
The Halloween Special with Christopher Lloyd was outstanding.
Too bad this show didn't last more than two seasons, but you can always rent the good stories.
Gilligan's Island (1964)
Better experiment than the Biosphere
Okay, this show was quite corny, BUT ask anybody today about Gilligan's Island and you will get responses. Ask about "The Courship and Eddie's Father" and you probably not get much of a response. You'll hear everybody's favorite episodes. Every character had their charming idiosyncracies What exactly was the Professor the professor of? Why did the Howell's bring their entire wardrobe for a 3 hour cruise? Who's more attractive, Mary Ann or Ginger?
We still see the characters today.
The show "Friends" is Gilligan's Island in an apartment.
Let's not forget the main theme of the show. Castaways living off the land. I mean this was a better experiment than the Biosphere. Pizza Hut didn't deliver to Gilligan's Island at the time.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Cute and Funny but loses its flavor in some spots.
Typical high school teeny bopper love comedy. However, the dorks are funnier today than they were in the 80's.
The two characters Kat and Verona were pretty strong at the beginning of the film,but watered down too fast. Of course the plot is that man hating Kat falls for the crude Verona, but he got civilized too quick. He no longer seemed scary after 5 minutes. At least she kept some friction.
The Jock, Joey, seemed to suffer from Napolean complex more than an overload of steroids. He looked too much like Chachi. At least the film included a line to point this out.
Good Parts
The teacher, Mr. Morgan, Daryl Mitchell, added much needed spice. One would never fall asleep.
Bianca punching out Joey at the Prom.
The party goers who took over the MBA party.
Overall, not a great film, but a funny film for 12-32 year-olds.
Godzilla (1998)
All the good parts were in the previews
Okay, you take Jurassic Park and the Lost World. Cut and paste scenes and presto! you have a new movie.
This movie stinks from the get go. A dinosaur the travels from the South Pacific to New York in the ocean. Okay that's stretching. Not being reported crossing over Mexico. That's really stretching.
The acting was so bad, you actually hoped that the characters would be eaten.
This movie needs to be filed with "New Coke"(1985) and the "Pet Rock" (1970's) in the product disasters of the 20th Century.