Charles Chaplin's 1936 masterpiece, Modern Times, reinvents its own title. It transcends what were "modern times" in 1936, and it every bit as relevant and powerful in 2005, our "modern times." A story of man vs. machine, individual vs. "the system," and hope in the face of a world that seems to have grown apart from humanity, Modern Times is an inspiration! It is not inspirational because of the laundry list of problems facing our heroes, but because of their unrelenting resilience, their ability to "Smile" at the end of it all. Chaplin social commentary is presented in a satirical, yet optimistic, way, so that we are free to recognize the size of the problems at hand, but never allowed to sink into the hopelessness that such troubles often bring. We are led by Chaplin through a tumultuous time in American history; one of labor disputes, high unemployment, poverty, and despair. Fortunately we are guided by The Tramp, in his final screen appearance, all the way to the light at the end of the long, dark tunnel, his humor and pathos as poignant as ever. Through his phenomenal brand of physical comedy and ingenious directing, we see that all we need to do is smile, and not give in to the world that surrounds us, and we will see a brighter day. An extraordinary film of great power, with a message that should be seen by anyone who has ever struggled through a hard time in their life! A masterpiece!