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dynamite_xi
Reviews
That '80s Show (2002)
It wasn't bad, it was just premature
After looking around at the Internet discussions of this show, I have concluded that many people didn't think "That '80s Show" was up to scratch with "That '70s Show," mainly because "'80s" was just a little bit different.
I disagree. While this show did have its weak points, I thought it was a hilarious portrayal of '80s pop culture. I actually enjoyed this show.
I also believe that the Fox Network was too premature in creating the show. "That '70s Show" did well because it began in the 90s, which was when all of that delightful 70s pop culture was still in full swing.
2002 was too early for "That '80s Show." Modern pop culture still hadn't let go of the influence of the 70s at that point, and not very many people were not receptive to the oncoming 80s influence at that point.
I partially blame that as the reason that "That '80s Show" died with its cancellation. And as I said before, fans of "That '70s Show" had preconceived ideas of what "'80s" had to be like.
Would "'80s" have done well if it had been released in 2004 or later? There is no way of knowing. I like to think that the show would have had more of a fighting chance if it had.
Best Week Ever (2004)
"I Love the....Present"?
Imagine if "I Love the 80s" or "I Love the 70s" were about the past week instead. In a nutshell, that's the premise of this show.
What you have on "Best Week Ever" is a delightful commentary on pop culture, trends, interesting news, and entertainment by some of the funniest comedians and satirists of present day.
Michael Ian Black and Hal Sparks were left behind with "I Love the 80s Strike Back," but funnyman Mo Rocca has stayed on. He is joined by Chuck Nice, Rachael Harris, Paul Scheer, Miss Info, and "Modern Humorists" John Aboud and Michael Colton, among others.
Occasionally someone else will step in to comment. So far I've seen SNL's Darrell Hammond and "The Simpsons'" Yeardley Smith.
Overall, this show is hip and up-to-date, and it's definitely a breath of fresh air from all the rest of the world.
I love it. Ten stars out of ten.
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell (2002)
Best of Will? You bet!
SNL doesn't run new shows during the summer, so this show was a breath of fresh air (especially since I was trapped in a Austin hotel room babysitting my younger cousins at the time).
The special was very well done. It was arranged so well it kept me and my cousins entertained between the commercials. All of Will's best characters were there: Harry Caray, Robert Goulet, James Lipton (the "scrumtralescent" gag is immortal), George W. Bush, and the obligatory Alex Trebek.
Later on in the summer, SNL aired "The Best of Chris Kattan". While Kattan may be one of the best SNL cast members, his special was not as well done, and I was rather disappointed.
A must buy, if they ever release it on VHS or DVD.
Project G.e.e.K.e.R. (1996)
Goofy seriousness
I was in fifth grade when this show was on the air. It was in the waning years of Saturday-morning cartoons, when networks like Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon were turning cartoons from holy, Saturday-centered gems into common, everyday travesties.
However, even in the midst of the downfall of Saturday-morning cartoons, I remember G.e.e.K.e.R. This cartoon took place in the future. An evil CEO wants to take over the world, and his creation, Project G.K.R. (an artificial superhuman), will lead him to victory.
However, Noah (a talking t-rex, thanks to Brad Garrett) and Lady Becky MacBeth (a rebellious, mostly bald-headed woman) steal the Project and set it loose. It turns out that G.K.R. is nothing more than a drooling, goofy,superhuman geek (hence, his name - "Geeker"). Geeker tags along with Becky and Noah throughout the series.
The show was creative, because it was action-packed with cartoony humor, a la Geeker. Imagine Stimpy from "Ren and Stimpy" in the world of "Blade Runner". G.e.e.K.e.R. was a pretty cool show. Too bad no one else remembers it.
Eight stars out of ten.
Powers of Ten (1977)
Amazing for a 70's film
This is a really interesting film about how large the universe is and how powers of ten become so drastically distant.
It starts out by showing a couple at a picnic in Chicago. It then shows an overhead shot a meter up of the man lying down on the picnic blanket. It then proceeds to zoom out by increasing the distance by a power of ten every ten seconds; 10 to the first meters, 10 to the second meters, 10 to the third meters, and so on.
Before long the viewer is above the earth, then the solar system, then the galaxy, then much of the visible universe. The viewer is projected back forward by decreasing the powers of ten every two seconds.
After a while the picnic scene is displayed again, but it doesn't stop there. The view returns to the regular speed and goes into the negative powers; ten to the negative first meter, ten to the negative second meter, and so on. The viewer is zoomed into the man's hand, and ends up zooming into a single proton in an atom.
I first saw this at an observatory, and I recently saw it again in Chemistry class. I recommend it to anyone.
Garfield on the Town (1983)
Garfield goes back to his roots
This is a great story that really takes Garfield back to his humble beginnings in an Italian restaurant.
Garfield is separated from Jon after a battle NOT to visit the vet. Pretty soon he finds himself stranded in the middle of an urban jungle, filled with dangers hitherto unknown to him.
After running into a gang of surly alley cats, Garfield hides out in an old building, where he meets his long, lost mother! After a brief reunion and a trip down memory lane, he meets his large family, who are known for being "mousers" (not Garfield's type).
Later on, the evil cat gang finds Garfield, and a large fight ensues. The good cats win, and Garfield is faced with a dilemma: stay with his newfound family or go home. It has a good ending.
I give this movie a 7 out of 10. Go Garfield!
Duck Hunt (1984)
It's a classic!
Who can forget Duck Hunt? The game that shared an NES cartridge with Super Mario is a piece of video game history.
The player had the choice of playing to shoot (with the NES "zapper") one duck, two ducks, or clay pellets. If the player chose to shoot the ducks, then you would see the cartoon dog, added in for much needed comic effect. The action became faster and faster as the player climbed the levels.
They need to bring back this classic game for Game Cube!