moshomaniac Reviews

The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

The Emperor's New Groove: a tired retread with a throughly unlikable main character.

[2/10 · 22 February 2023]

In 2000, Walt Disney was on the way of phasing out traditional animation in lieu of 3D computer animation. One of these last traditional animated movies, originally entitled "Kingdom of the Sun" was completed retooled and reworked as a retelling of the emperor's new clothes. It now centers on a corrupt young-adult ruler of an Incan Kingdom named Kuzco, who gets usurped by his head advisor Yzma, when she tries to poison him, but instead turns him into a llama. Thrown out of the kingdom, he must now rely on the help of local peasant Pacha who must teach Kuzco humility if he is be turned human again.

We've seen this type of story before, done better-Beauty and the Beast from 1991. But here's the thing: although the beast was portrayed as mean-spirited and cold hearted, he was nowhere as bad as Kuzco. My hatred for this character knows no bounds. Nowhere in BATB was the beast portrayed as such an annoying, pompous, shallow, arrogant, vain, heartless, condescending, infuriating , self-entitled, obnoxious, non-empathetic, egomaniacal little jerk as Kuzco. Kuzco makes Vanity Smurf look like an amateur. He only cares about himself and his perceived grandeur, life for him is but a reflection of himself. Actually, you know who he is? Kuzco is the daughter on "The Masks" episode of The Twilight Zone, only 1000x more unbearable. If that wasn't enough, this petulant little jerk still feels that his immense wealth and servant who answer his every beck and call isn't enough. He still needs more, and he is willing to completely bulldoze an entire village full of people less fortunate than himself to build a summer retreat that is another monument to himself: called Kuzco-topia. On top of being completely unlikable, he is a loose cannon. You know when the so-called protagonist of your movie is less likable than the villain, something is terribly wrong. But he's not the hero. In reality, KUZCO is the villain of the movie. So who is the hero? John Goodman's character Pacha is, and nobody can convince me otherwise. Pacha is portrayed as a loving, forgiving, and forthright father and husband who initially goes to Kuzco to plead for him to spare his village, and now is mixed up in Kuzco's mission to reclaim his throne. But even after saving Kuzco on numerous occasions, he is still not swayed. He makes it clear when he is out of the wilderness that he still has every intention of still destroying Pacha's village. Then, in one completely-out-of-character moment, Kuzco saves Pacha by pulling him back when he is standing on the edge of a cliff, when the ground suddenly gives out from underneath him. Why does he do that? Because deep down in his hardened heart, he's still human? Perhaps, but at this point in the film, I've hated him for so long, I don't care anymore. It seemed more like a plot convenience than an actual moment of self-redemption.

What else is wrong with this film? Well, this may come across as petty, but I'm not a fan of the animation. To me, TENG is a real eyesore. One reviewer online said it was nothing but sharp corners and bright colors, and he's right. But it's just sad that Disney animation has stooped down to this low quality. On top of that, the movie tries so, so hard to be hip it's obnoxious. It's like someone trying to be funny, if you actively try to be funny, you aren't going to be. I know that the humor was supposed to be more in line with Looney Tunes in this movie, and the emotional depth was de-emphasized, but sometimes it felt a little too zany.

I will say that there was some moments that made me laugh, the scenes with Pacha's kids are very funny. Also, I am very glad they chose not to put musical numbers in this movie, as Disney did that way too often, and although some of the show tunes were good, there was always a handful that were total stinkers. So this movie does have good qualities, yes, but Kuzco ultimately soured the experience for me.

To conclude, if you like this movie, that's fine, it's all opinion, but I personally can't get over some of its glaring flaws to truly enjoy it. Instead, I would gladly recommend some of my personal favorite Disney films, like Aladdin, Oliver and Company, or if you want to watch the whole "corrupt ruler gets turned into an animal until he can learn humility" story, watch Beauty and the Beast, as before stated. This movie just wasn't my cup of tea, but to each his own.

Howard the Duck (1986)

Howard the Duck: so bad it's great!

[8/10 · 6 June 2019]

In 1986, filmmaker George Lucas(you heard that right)was the executive producer of this notorious 80s flop. It was based on the Steve Gerber Marvel Comics character of the same name, a sentient duck from outer space who winds up on Earth.

The biggest problem with Howard the Duck seemed to be the fact that it was live-action. The crew wanted an animated movie, but the contract prevented the time nessesary for an animated film. The animatronics in 1986 were not up to snuff to convincingly make Howard, and the appearance of Howard in the movie was considered to be poor. On top of that, Howard the Duck's writing was viewed as bad, and the film had adult humor in it not considered appropriate for young kids, which eliminated it's perceived target audience.

But the question is: was Howard the Duck really that bad? It lived in infamy for years as a movie you were required to hate, if you knew anything about movies. Maybe it was the fact I was only a kid at the time the movie came out, and knew nothing of the film's reputation, but I saw the film on television at my Grandparents' house, and found the movie a lot of fun (seeing it on television was probably better as it censored the infamous "duck boobs" scene). But as a child, I was able to appreciate the movie for what it was: a fun, silly little flick.

Years later when I heard about how horrible most people found the picture, I didn't really understand what the problem was. We're talking about the 80's after all, a decade that gave us ALF, Small Wonder, Fraggle Rock, Ducktales, etc, so you think a movie like this would be right up everyone's alley. I was beginning to wonder if I had wrongfully found enjoyment in this film, that I was just an easily pleased kid that couldn't see the movie for the stinker it really was.

Years later, my brother found that the film had been released (shocker!) on DVD, and bought it. Years after my initial impression, would I still find the same enjoyment, or would I now as an adult be able to view this work as the truly terrible experience it was? I sat down and watched it again.....and to my surprise, it was every bit as enjoyable as I remembered it.

Did Nostalgia blind me? No, I saw the flaws in the writing, some of the effects, and the hilariously bad premise. But I still enjoyed the movie in spite of its shortcomings. Howard the Duck is not a classic per se, but it is not even half as dreadful as people say.

Plus, I had a little vindication for my audacity of liking such a cinematic bomb, as further research revealed something I was unaware of: I was not alone in the film's fandom. Not even close. Howard the Duck is considered a cult film, as it had been rediscovered by a new generation that had fallen in love with it. They got the premise as I had: that it's a film that you don't take seriously, you accept the absurd premise, and just have fun with it.

To close, I'll just say this, if you like a movie, don't worry about what the majority says. Judge for yourself. If you like a film, don't let others convince you otherwise. That's what I did with Howard the Duck, a film I still have in my video collection, and put on whenever I'm in just the right mood.

The Angry Video Game Nerd (2004– )

The angry gamer series that started it all!

[10/10 · 31 May 2019]

James Rolfe, an unassuming young filmmaker from New Jersey, decided to jokingly make a review of Castlevania 2 Simons quest in 2004, intending it to just show it friends and family. At much urging from them, he decided to post it to YouTube, and soon the internet exploded with fans begging him for more reviews. Under the name "The Angry Nintendo Nerd", he produced more videos, and within time changed his name to Angry Video Game Nerd(or AVGN), and the internet never knew what hit it.

James' videos manage to be both informative and hysterical at the same time. His unique sense of humor and delightful screen presence make this series a viewing delight. James admitted he was maybe a bit naive as to how much games(especially bad games) have made an impact on so many people's lives, and he had definitely tapped into a deep-rooted frustration that so many gamers feel, as you watch with glee as he gives these games their just deserts, tearing them to pieces(both literally and figuratively) in the most comical way imaginable. He once said the web series is "dedicated to anyone who ever got mad at a video game."

Rolfe's videos are filled to the brim with some of most imaginative insults and profanity anybody ever imagined, and his popularity soon led to a fan-funded AVGN movie, which deals with the 1983 Atari E.T. Burial. The movie was mostly negatively received by critics, but James to this day delights fans with the Classic "nerd" videos, which will seem to continue to gain more fans.

Rolfe's outrageous web series spawned countless other web reviewers and a few imitators(the most infamous of which being The Irate Gamer), but none have the appeal of the original AVGN. It's just an internet classic

Stressed Eric (1998–2000)

This series could have worked...if it wasn't an exercise in cartoon sadism

[4/10 · 21 May 2019]

Stressed Eric was a British import that was released for 2 seasons. Honestly, I'm surprised it made it past the first. Before somebody makes a comment about "You don't understand British humor", I've watched Monty Python, Benny Hill, Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy and the British version of All in the Family "Till death us do Part", all of which is better the this. It has nothing to do with British humor, the problem lies in the horrendous treatment of the main character.

The series revolves around the much abused Eric Feeble, a single father whom NOTHING goes right in his life. He has been dumped by his ex-wife, has a horrible job with a slave-driver boss who constantly belittles and abuses him, a lazy lush of an Au Pair for a house-keeper/babysitter, a son with the IQ of a rock and Pica, a daughter who is probably allergic to everything, and a next door neighbor called Ray Perfect who's family always gets everything they want, and are constantly upstaging him. If that wasn't bad enough, Eric is constantly being punched, hurt, run over, etc, all of which culminates in a throbbing vein on his temple strangling him when his stress hits it's peak. Tell me, absolutely productions, at what point am I supposed to laugh here?

This could've been a good satire, instead it is a hollow, one-joke pony with a sadism equal to something written by the Marquis de Sade(ok, maybe that's a bit much, but this series is still incredibly uncomfortable to watch).

As far as subversive satires go, effective satire knowns when to relent, but this series just keeps dumping and dumping more crap on our hapless protagonist to the point where it's just unbearable. Our main character, Eric, is essentially a hard-working and loving father and tries to do his best, but receives nothing for his efforts but more misery. Possibly the most depressing cartoon ever. If you want to get some sadistic laughs at another human beings expense, this is right up your alley, otherwise, you might want to skip out on this one.

The Plucky Duck Show (1992)

The Plucky Duck show: one of the biggest swindles ever perpetrated on unsuspecting kids in the early 90s.

[1/10 · 12 July 2018]

The Plucky Duck show--Ha!

This show was like a bad April fools joke. Upon hearing that Plucky Duck, my favorite character from Tiny Toon Adventures was getting his own show, I was thrilled. Imagine the possibilities, I told my then 12-year old self. But that anticipation amounted to one of the biggest disappointments in history as the show was composed of nothing more than PREVIOUSLY AIRED episodes from Tiny Toons Adventures starring Plucky. To my knowledge, only 1 or 2 of the 12 episodes on this show were made exclusively for The Plucky Duck show. This was one of the most missed opportunities I have ever seen. They could have flushed out Plucky's character more, introduced his family and/or other people from his past, and so on. Oh wait, they did do a show like this....with the Tasmanian Devil on "Tazmania", showing that a character can spin off on his own show and it can actually be funny. But this show was like a bad joke. All my young mind was thinking was this: "Shame on you, Fox Kids network! Do you actually think I am so stupid, I won't recognize episodes I had already seen countless times before on a new show and think it was a brand new episode?! " Please, I watched Tiny Toon Adventures religiously for years, I think I would recognize an episode I've seen before. Even the theme song was ripped off Tiny Toons, with the exact same tune and a really bad dubbing job. Well guess what: I didn't. Kids aren't as stupid as you think. Suffice it to say, this "show" was one of worst things I had ever seen. If you aren't going to take the time making a show, then don't even try.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Science Fiction, double feature--the insane midnight movie madness all started here!

[9/10 · 7 March 2018]

The story of a clean-cut bunch of kids who embark on a night out after getting engaged, only to end up breaking down and seeking refuge in the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a bisexual, transvestite mad scientist from outer space(you read that right). Frank is creating a man ala Frankenstein: the buff, blonde-haired Rocky Horror, who has been created as a means of relieving the doctor's sexual tension. Only the monster is straight. Before the night is over, Rocky Horror and the Doctor will be dead, the servants will leave for another planet, beaming up the whole house in their wake, and Brad and Janet will both lose their virginity and their own personal values.

Richard O'Brien's madcap spoof of Sci-fi, B-movies, Horror, Rock Music, and sexuality first made its mark in 1973 as "The Rocky Horror Show", before it made its silver screen debut in 1975. The bizarre, genre defying, hilariously twisted film initially bombed in theatres before they realized that it needed to be played in the midnight circuits, then it soon became a cult phenomenon.

To call the movie offbeat is an understatement. It is literally 2 hours of insanity, crazy, fitfully amusing insanity perhaps, but still insanity. Tim Curry's classic gender-bending role as the mad Dr. Furter has become his signature role, and the film has become less of a movie, and more of a full-blown ritual with its legions of fans. This film is best viewed with a audience, as the participation is the key to its full enjoyment. The songs and settings have become iconic, household tunes, and the film spawned a sequel, "Shock Treament", in 1981. Though the sequel didn't do very well, the original RHPS still enjoys success to this day, with over 40 years of midnight movie madness. Check it out.

Shock Treatment (1981)

The Shocky Horror Picture Show, a film 20 years ahead of its time!

[9/10 · 7 March 2018]

This much detested sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show was panned by critics and audiences alike when first released in 1981. A big fan of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, I decided to give it a watch. Though I knew of the film's infamy, I wanted to keep an open mind, like I do with all films. When the film began, my reaction differed drastically than the majority of RHPS fans--I LOVED it!!

Shock Treatment must be viewed as a stand alone picture to be truly loved and appreciated. It was notoriously dubbed "an equal" upon its release, a notion that angered most RHPS fans. But I do think the film is a interesting-and fun-picture in its own right. If anything, it's more intricate and sophisticated than RHPS . The production values are top-notch, and the story is a bit cliché, but so was the proceeding film.

The story takes place in the hometown of Brad and Janet, Denton, where the entire town has been turned into a huge television studio, where its brainwashed residents participate in 24/7 television, complete with commercials. Predating The Truman Show by almost a decade, Shock Treatment's biting satire of a world consumed by television, if anything, resonated even greater today. The idea of having the entire film take place on a soundstage was not a stroke of genius by Richard O'Brien, it was done out of necessity: the previous plot of the film--called "The Brad and Janet Show", which featured Brad and Janet's adventures shot on location in Denton, had to be scrapped due to a writer's strike going on at the time, so they opted to take the production back to England, and film it in its entirety on the giant television set.

The film suffers from what I like to call "Halloween 3 syndrome", as it decided to take a familiar story and do something different and unique with the characters. Also, Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon didn't reprise their roles and Brad and Janet, played by different actors. Charles Gray, Little Nell, Richard O'Brien, and Jeremy Newson all return to the sequel, but play different characters: only Jeremy Newson reprises his role, as the character Ralph Hapschatt who was featured briefly on Rocky Horror.

Overall, Shock Treatment, though not as good as Rocky Horror, is a misunderstood film that is not near as bad as its reputation would suggest. I suggest watching it with an open mind, and remove all pretenses of it being related at all to RHPS(because, in all honesty, it isn't). But if you are looking for a wild, crazy satire that is truly unique, give it a whirl. You might end up enjoying it.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Raiders of the Lost Ark: A tribute to the film serials of the 1940s, and one of the all-time greatest movies

[10/10 · 28 January 2018]

In writing this review, I'll say at the very beginning, I love this movie. It reigns supreme as my all-time favorite. Conceived by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, this movie, released in June of 1981(a month before I was born) was an instant box-office smash, giving birth to Indiana Jones, played to perfection by Harrison Ford, coming off his success from Star Wars(1977) and Empire Strikes Back(1980). The film captures the spirit of the Saturday Matinee with an absolute brilliance. It action-packed, it's funny, it has fantastic visuals, great acting all around, it is a winner in every regard. Released 3 years prior to the PG-13 rating, the film does contain some scenes of fairly intense gore and blood (which would probably warrant a PG-13 today), but I think that a mature 11 year old can probably handle it. I also must mention the score, done by John Williams, the "Raiders March" is quite possibly the most exciting and invigorating score I've ever heard, instantly establishing the film's adventurous tone, and the theme for the ark of the covenant is mysterious and wrought with intrigue. Its interesting also to note that the submarine from 1981's DAS BOOT(directed by Wolfgang Peterson of The Never-ending Story) was rented for one scene. Indiana Jones became of the most recognizable characters of the 1980s, and the original fedora was donated to the Smithsonian. Overall, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of Steven Spielberg's best films, and a great American classic that no video collection should be without. 3 sequels followed: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom(1984); Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade(1989); and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull(2008); but none truly captured the spirit of the Saturday Matinee more than this essential classic. What more can be said except, if you haven't seen this, check it out!

Blade Runner (1982)

A Dystopian Masterpiece that stands up 30 years after its original release.

[10/10 · 18 December 2017]

Based (very loosely) on Philip K Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", Blade Runner concerns Rick Deckard(Harrison Ford), a retired cop who is yanked out of retirement when 6 rogue androids, called replicants, make it from an off-world colony into 21st Century Los Angelos. Their crime: wanting to be human. So much about this film is iconic: the dystopian cityscapes, the score by Vangelis, the 'tears in the rain' speech, adlibbed by Rutger Hauer, who plays Roy Batty, the leader of the band of Replicants who tries to go to the Tyrell Corporation(the company that makes Replicants) in a desperate gamble to prolong their life-span, the list goes on and on. Blade Runner, though a commercial failure during its initial release, was re-evaluated and rightfully proclaimed one of the all-time greatest Sci-fi movies. The film is extremely slow-moving, but never boring and uninvolving, and the story, while a tad scarce makes up for it in atmosphere and character development. Very rarely has a movie been made with such skill, and the sets of 2019 L.A. are a collaborative knockout. Blade Runner has become one of the most influential movies in the last 3 decades, inspiring movies, writers, and videogames alike, and in 1993, it was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress' national film registry. Though Philip K. Dick has been gone since 1986, his legacy continues to this very day, and Blade Runner is definitely one of the prime reasons for that.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

A sequel to a Sci Fi Classic, much delayed, that kind of disappoints

[7/10 · 18 December 2017]

As I'm writing this, I say with a heavy heart I was a little disappointed in this film. I wanted to like this film. I really did. But the film has some problems that hinder the full enjoyment. Allow me to elaborate. The biggest problem is the length. The first Blade Runner from 1982 clocks in at only about an hour and a half. Blade Runner 2049, by contrast is almost 3 hours long, a bit too long for a film with such a laborious pace. The first one is very sluggish in its pace, but makes up for it with atmosphere. Blade Runner 2049 seems to take it time at inappropriate moments: in a scene where the main character is looking for Rick Deckard, it takes 15 minutes when it could have just as easily take only 5. Onto the look of the film. As a visual film, Blade Runner 2049 is stunning. Absolutely beautiful to look at. The gloomy and depressing atmosphere is overpoweringly gorgeous. That is a definite plus. The production designers deserve to win Oscars. What about the story? Well, here goes: The rogue Nexus 6 replicants have been obliterated, and a new generation has come out that seems (mostly) compliant, used for slave labor and servitude. The main character, known only as 'K', is trying to locate Rick Deckard(Harrison Ford), as they have found the dead body of Rachel(Sean Young), and have discovered that replicants, although told they are inferior, have the ability to have offspring(it is obvious from the corpse she died in childbirth), in this case, Deckard and Rachel's offspring. Afraid of what this discovery will do if word of it gets out to the replicant community, they send K to kill him. Interesting premise, but the problem here is that there are far too many slow moments. The first movie was slow, but it at least had something interesting to look at, so I was never bored. This film by has too much nothing in it, and is often boring. The acting is pretty solid. I always love to see Harrison Ford in any movie, and the actor who played the main character, Ryan Gosling, did a pretty likable job, too, as did the rest of the cast. One particular standout was Ana De Armas, as K's holographic roommate. A very touching scene is featured where she tries to make love to him, in a sense, when she hires a prostitute and superimposes her image over her. I know it sounds kind of lewd, but in the picture, it is a very sweet and moving segment, done in a surprisingly tasteful way. That being said, I'd love to give this movie a second watch. I'm hoping I will warm up to it more. Overall, Blade Runner 2049 isn't as memorable as the first film, but it will likely be destined to be a cult classic just like the first, as it offers so many intriguing themes. It just needed to be a bit shorter.

Max Headroom (1987–1988)

Max Headroom: 20 minutes into the future, and about that far ahead of its time.

[8/10 · 20 November 2017]

In 1985, the media group Chrysalis produced a daringly original made for T.V. movie, about a dystopia future ruled by television networks who fought a brutal battle for ratings. A new form of advertising that had the side-effect of casing spontaneous human combustion in certain viewer was uncovered by television reported Edison Carter(Matt Frewer), who discovers this insidious tool after doing some snooping in Network 23's science and development center and tries to warn the authorities. He is chased out of the Network by security, and in the process puts himself into a coma after running into a low-clearance sign. In an attempt to keep Edison on ice, a synaptic dump of his memory is performed and a computer generated replacement is created. That was the origin of Max Headroom.

I vaguely remember Max being on in grade school. I was about 6 years old when the American remake was on network television, but never really knew what it was about. But Max would appear on MTV, advertisements for soft drinks, and other forms of media. I had all but forgotten about Max until I was at Vincennes University in the early 200os, and saw the original British edition there on the video rack at the local video store, but at the time, I didn't watch it. When I was in my early 30s, and with the compliments of YouTube, I finally got a chance to travel 20 minutes into the future, and was instantly hooked. The fact I am an 80s child is not the only thing that I like about this series. It was smart television--maybe a little too smart, and daring, especially for the 'me' generation. It dared to act as a retort to the media saturated world around it, and the importance of having individuality in a world that is continually superficial. Like Howard Beale of Network, Max Headroom routinely mocked his corporate masters and sponsors with an unapologetic sarcasm.

Maybe that was the biggest draw to Max: he was a rebel with a cause, and startling funny. Plus, he looked like no other media personality the world had ever seen before. The bizarre,blonde-haired stuttering CGI creation turned more than a few heads, though the character itself was Matt Frewer in heavy prosthetic make-up: the CGI in 1987 was not quite up to the standards to make a completely CGI Max, it would take another half a decade for that to be possible. Still, the series was ground-breaking in its own right, and the character was one of the most recognizable 1980s icons of the time, right up there with ALF, Mr. T, and so on. Max has all but faded into obscurity in the past 20 or so years, but the few that were there when he first breathed life(so to speak) will remember just how hip, smart, and innovative the series really was. If anything, Max is even more relevant today, in our existence where people cannot even go to the pot without their cellphone in hand. It might be interesting to see a Max Headroom reboot, but I personally think it was best in the past. The series, only 2 seasons long, began to feel tired after that short run, and I feel that a 'modern' Max Headroom wouldn't really work. But for fans of the original series, like myself, Max remains an interesting artifact from the 1980s that was every bit as important in ushering in the digital revolution at was Toy Story or Jurassic Park. Well, memories never die even if good T.V. is a dying art. I'll S-S-See you later!

ALF (1986–1990)

ALF: a review from a long-time fan.

[9/10 · 23 September 2017]

I was in Kindergarten when this out-of-this-world comedy debuted. ALF, an alien from the planet Melmac, crashed landed in the attic of an American family called the Tanners in 1986, and into the hearts of millions. Rather than tell a comprehensive review of the series, I just wanted to mention how the series impacted all of us back in the 80s. ALF was a cultural phenomenon, ranking up there with 80s icons like Max Headroom, E.T., and Indiana Jones. Gordon Shumway(aka ALF) was a wisecracking, cat-eating, accident-prone, T.V. loving, constantly hungry, but always lovable extraterrestrial, the brainchild of Paul Fusco, co-creator and the voice of ALF. ALF was a series that was cut off before its prime, ending on an unresolved cliff-hanger. When I saw the DVD first put out in the early 2000s, I bought it, wondering if the show would still be as fun for me as a kid. To my astonishment, I found I not only like it as much as an adult, but even more. They have jokes in there that are aimed at adult audiences too(ALF's emulates Tarmac the Magnificent on the tonight show, and does an impression of Mork from Mork and Mindy). All in all, ALF is still a fun series, but left a bit of a bittersweet note with me as well: that sitcoms that are wholesome and family-friendly have all but the dust. Well, we'll always have memories, and nothing can change that.

The Twilight Zone (1985–1989)

Twilight Zone 1980's: not as good as the original,but has its moments

[7/10 · 19 September 2017]

As stated before on this site, I am a HUGE fan of the original 1959 Twilight Zone. Released a decade after the death of Rod Serling, how could they pull it off? Twilight Zone: the movie from 1983 was a notorious disappointment for most fans. Would this series give us the Twilight Zone for the next generation we were waiting for? Well,This series from the 1980s tried its best to recapture the sense of the fantastic from the original, with mixed results. I was 4 years old when this was first Broadcast on T.V., and remembered almost nothing about it. I recently started watching it off Netflix. I have been approaching the series objectively, trying to be not be discriminate and giving the benefit of the doubt. It is my belief that no series will reach the level of sheer brilliance as the original twilight zone, that being said, this series is OK. It has its good and its bad. Here are some of the episodes I've seen so far that I have liked:

1)The Card: This is the scariest episode I've seen so far, involving a shopaholic mom with a very unusual credit card. When she fails to keep up with her bills, the company begins repossessing everything she owns. If this doesn't make you pay your bill on time, nothing will. 2)The Paladin of the lost hour: A man who is responsible for a lost hour left over from the when the pope changed the calendar long ago must find a replacement to pass the watch onto, or time will end. 3) Dealer's Choice: Directed by Wes Craven! A group of friends during a poker game have a DEVIL of a time when a new player joins them one faithful evening. 4)Dead Woman's Shoes: A woman puts on a pair of shoes donated to a thrift store and becomes possessed by their previous owner. 5)The misfortune cookie: A notoriously picky food critic goes to Chinese restaurant and trashes the food before he even eats it. His fortune cookie he receives gives him exactly what he deserves. 6)Act Break: a struggling play producer finds a magic pendant that allows him 2 wished. He wishes to have the greatest playwright in the world. The wish is granted....as he is transported back in the time of William Shakespere. 7)Ye Gods: probably the funniest one on the series, a man encountered Cupid, who tries to make him fall in love, but Cupid can't seem to do his job right because he has had a bad breakup with another Greek God. 8)If she dies: a little girl is put in a coma after a car accident, and her father buys a crib from a church going out of business in hopes that a ghost girl will cure her. As stated, this series tries it hardest, but it doesn't quite cut the mustard of being the definitive follow-up to the twilight zone. But for what it is, it is watchable. If you are interested, give it a shot.

The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)

The original Twilight Zone: the best. Uncompromising, ingenious, and classic.

[10/10 · 28 August 2017]

Born in the 1980s, I was shown the reruns of the Twilight Zone by my babysitter, and I fell instantly in love with it. The series creator, Rod Serling(rest in peace), was an absolute genius, and television's greatest storyteller, who week after week presented us with tales of the incredible, written with intelligence, wit, and an unbridled imagination. Predating other anthology series like "The Outer Limits", "Tales of the Unexpected", and "Amazing Stories", The Twilight Zone's legacy continues to this day. The series, though(slightly)dated in production values, still holds up with its story telling, showing that good writing will trump special effects any day, that intelligence and imagination is what it takes to tell a story. There is so many things about this series that impacted television and pop-culture. Who cannot look at stories like "Living Doll" and see the seeds of the 'Killer Doll' concept that were planted 2 decades prior to the release of "Child's Play?" What about "The Dummy", about a dummy who comes to life and overthrows his ventriloquist, decades before movies like "Magic" or the Goosebumps story "Night of the Living Dummy"? So many other stories: a child who can wreck havoc with his thoughts; "To Serve Man", with one of the greatest punchlines in history; The thought-provoking and appropriately shocking "The Masks"; there is to much here to do justice in just a mere paragraph. The series also covered multiple genres: Science Fiction, Horror, Comedy, Drama and even Western. If you are a fan of Science Fiction and classic television at all, this series is mandatory. Don't do yourself a disservice by missing out on this classic series. There's the signpost up ahead: your next stop, The Twilight Zone!

The Last Starfighter (1984)

The Last Starfighter: a Star Wars imatation, but a quality one.

[9/10 · 3 August 2017]

....After all, Star Wars borrowed heavily from both Flash Gordon and Akira Kurosawa(in particular, the hidden fortress). But we are talking about TLS here, so here we go.

The Last Starfighter is a space adventure PERFECT for kids around 10-11. The special effects, the tongue-in-cheek script, the whole movie is one of the most exciting and entertaining films to come out of the early 1980s. The use of CGI space ships-then state of the art-may look dated today, but keep in mind this was 1984, so I feel that it doesn't hurt the film that much.

*Spoilers ahead* The story is about Alex Rogen, a high school kid living in a trailer park with a talent for an arcade game called 'Star Fighter'. One faithful night, he beats the top score, and the next day, a man named Centauri comes to recruit him to fight evil, the game acting as the proverbial sword in the stone which leads Alex to his destiny, leaving behind a robot double to fill in as his replacement. The film does a good job of making a star wars like fantasy that is just different enough to keep it fresh. Lots of fun, with an enthralling soundtrack and good acting all around, especially from the late Robert Preston(Centauri), who plays the role of Centauri. It is also interesting to note that the film was originally going to spawn a tie-in video game of the same name, Atari's first 3D polygonal arcade game to use a Motorola 68000 as the CPU, but it was never released. If you like Sci-fi and adventure, this film is right up your alley.

The Black Hole (1979)

The Black Hole: Haunting, visual stunning, misunderstood

[8/10 · 16 May 2017]

I was born in 1981, and saw the Black Hole on television as a child, and immediately fell in love with the robots, production design(especially on the Cygnus, one the of the coolest-looking ships ever), and the dazzling effects with the black hole. That being said, yes, the movie does have its flaws. It feels like a combination of the swash-buckling action of Star Wars with the cerebral qualities of Kubrick. The movie soundtrack is rather annoying, especially the main title theme. But does that make it bad? No, just misguided. The movie's plot is cliché: A mad scientist wants to pilot his ship into the black hole in search of immortality. Some of the dialogue is cringe-worthy, and the ending tries to out-weird 2001. But the movie is still an underrated film none-the-less. For 1979, the visuals are awe-inspiring, featuring more special-effect shots than Star Wars. The characters, while stock, are still likable. The opening sequence, featuring a wire-frame computer generated black hole yanking you towards the center of the whirlpool is fantastic, and the enemy robot, Maximillian, comes in second only to the Horned King as Disney's scariest and most intimidating villain. Yes, Disney made this movie. As far as Disney live action films go, this is easily one of the most watchable. The best part is that there isn't any singing tacked onto it like so many of their Disney films of the time. The Black Hole was an experiment, some would say failed, but I say that while it may not be as acclaimed as others, this film is vastly underrated and deserves a second look.