John-Candy Movie Reviews

I dare anyone to keep a straight face throughout this movie!

As one who has seen all of John's work, I was flabbergasted to find this film at, or near the bottom of his film's popularity list. I can only attribute this awsome oversight to the fact that it hasn't been released on DVD. Why? Perhaps the 1984 release date? Or could it be a conspiracy by some "Anti-Candy-ite"? Who knows.

I am one who seldom, if ever, cares to see a film more than once, regardless of how great it might be, but "Going Berserk" changed all that. This non-stop roller coaster ride thru the most bizzare mis-adventure ever to befall human kind, is one I can't get enough of!

I daresay that if ya can't get it on DVD, Buy the VHS, and use that as an excuse to buy a DVD recorder as well!

TheDoc

One of my favorite comedies ever! The SCTV guys are great!!!

The movie going berserk is your basic 80's film. But it was never well known, or very popular. In my opinion, it was one of John Candy's best films next to uncle buck and planes, trains and automobiles. I especially like the part when he's trying to call his best friend Chick, while still being handcuffed to the dude who set fire to his family. I'm sure you will find it funny too. So if you happen to come across it in a video store somewhere, rentit, and watch it, you will laugh your head off, it's your perfect slapstick movie!

This is on of the best multi story movies I ever seen. The first story includes one of Martin Short's best preformances. Short plays the roll of a 80's lounge singger, Who is employed by a Playboy to provide entertainment for a party that simmular to a Playboy mansion party. Little does Short Know that he's in for a hilarious, but Really Weird night. Next John Candy play a terrific role as a con man who only want whats "not rightfully his" from the town and its Really Weird characters. Lastly Catherine O'heras Really Weird Tale has elements that may ruin the story so you must see for yourself. All in all this is a truly classic comedy Staring and writin by members of the great comedy troop of Secound City Tv. Eventhough I think this film is a classic, this film is not for everyone. If you enjoy SCTV this movie was made for you, But if you don't enjoy SCTV, its increadibly talented cast, or other hilarious films by the flaughtry Bros, (misspelled) like Going Beserk,or 80's comidies in general, then you may just think that Really Weird Tales is better of being a Really rare and out of print film. I Myself think of this as a crime, But since this was a low budget made for HBO film, it probly means this treasure's master copy will stay hidden in HBO's movie vault, and loyal fans will never see this classic cult film rerealeased, like dozens of classic's that seem to be suffering the same dark fate.

I wish I could find this movie again! It's the funniest, cutest, most unforgettably endearing flick ever made! I showed this movie to everyone I know when it was first available and still today we find it in our conversations and we still find it hilarious! If you were a fan of the Second City TV show, you would find it a necessary component of your library!Please bring this back! It's a classic!

I remember seeing this movie in the theatre when it first came out. It's the heart-warming true story behind the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team. After jumping through numerous hoops such as racial discrimination, a coach with a shady past, and a rickety bobsled, they land themselves a bobsledding spot in the Winter Olympics, something Jamaica never had before.
John Candy gives a stellar performance, unfortunately it was one of his last. At times he's comical, while others, more dramatic. He's a character easy to fall in love with. I miss him.
Overall, Cool Runnings teaches the fundamentals of determination and never letting anything come between yourself and your dreams. Even when catastrophy ended the Jamaican's third bobsled run, they still got up and carried their sled across the finish line. Even if their time didn't earn a gold medal, their heart did.

... of this mostly fictional account of the trials and tribulations of the Jamaican Bobsled Team in the winter of 1988. No matter that it's mostly fictional, it's a wonderful, uplifting story. With a terrific performance by John Candy as the coach and a great supporting cast as the team this movie tells a story of triumph, redemption and personal achievement. Billed as a comedy, it has it's chuckles in the first half as the team is formed and begins training in the warm Jamaican climate, but once the boys reach Calgary and are confronted with their obstacles, it becomes very serious. Faced with seemingly insurmountable odds to not only qualify for the competition, more less have a chance at a medal, this movie outRockys Rocky. Unless you're made of stone, the heart-warming scene following the crash combined with the stirring music will at least cause a lump in your throat.

Whenever I feel down, I throw this movie in the VCR and 1-1/2 hours later I feel much better. It's great therapy. Try it.

Cool runnings is enjoying, funny and most of all, it niques its mother !!

I have an old blurry video copy of this film that I got twenty years ago when HBO showed this comedy masterpiece. I really need a good clean copy. If you are a John Candy fan and haven't seen this, get it. Eugene Levy and John Candy as Yosh And Stan Shmenge, put the finishing touches on the characters they played for years on SCTV. Rick Moranis reprises his role as a Litonian crooner and performs such songs as the Doors "Riders On The Storm" as a Polka. Yosh and Stan performing their Polka tribute to Michael Jackson is hilarious. Get this video if you can. You won't be disappointed.

I enjoy the 'ethnic' humor. I have been looking for a copy of this movie for years!! Even video stores no longer carry it. If you should come across this, rent it watch it, and you will howl!!!

It has been many years since we saw The Last Polka,however it stands out as one of the best comedies of all time! It left a lasting impression on my husband and I and to this day we refer to The Schmenges satire during certain situations. I hope to locate this classic. If you are a Second City fan you will definately enjoy the early days of John Candy and Eugene Levy in the HBO 1985 special "The Last Polka".

This was one of the first DVDs I got, for a reason. I love this movie -- it has energy and panache, not to mention some absolutely fabulous music. As I'm sure some blurb somewhere on this Amazon page mentions, the story concerns two blues-singing brothers who are trying to raise money for a good cause. Along the way, they interact with a ton of interesting people (including Carrie Fisher, Frank Oz, Aretha Franklin, and others), perform a lot of great blues, and destroy a lot of property. Mayhem and hilarity seem to thicken around the two leads, whose chemistry is undeniable. The movie feels nothing like some SNL folks' movies can feel -- it's a movie, with depth. I had no idea the Blues Brothers were a sketch originally!

Since I probably just told you a bunch of stuff you already knew, I'll step along to the DVD itself. Those who already own the movie on VHS might want to consider this addition to their DVD library -- the goodies are lots of fun, including an extensive "making of" feature.

The Blues Brothers is a true classic movie, one of the few SNL movies that is actually a good story. Joliet Jake is recently released from prison and picked up by his brother Elwood. The two discover that the orphanage they grew up in is going to be sold to the Board of Education unless they can raise $5,000 to give to the State Assesors office. The Blues Brothers try to get the money by putting their band back together and doing a few gigs. Along the way, they anger the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Nazi Party, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker, and a band from Nashville, the Good Ole Boys. This movie is great from beginning to end. The musical numbers are all great including Jake's revelation in the church, Ray Charles singing Shake Your Tail Feather, Aretha Franklin singing in her soul food diner, the peformance in Bob's Country Bunker, and finally the concert at the end including two of their best songs. As well, there is action galore from Elwood jumping a bridge with their 1974 Dodge Sedan to their chaotic ride through a crowded mall to the police chase at the end through the streets of Chicago( especially Lower Wacker Drive) and the chase up the staircase to the Assessor's office. The Blues Brothers has something for everybody and should not be missed.

The Blues Brothers are played to perfection by John Belushi as Jake and Dan Aykroyd as Elwood. The two actors are hysterical together throughout as they anger just about everybody in the city of Chicago. There are far too many lines to mention, but it is obvious that they had fun making this movie. There are plenty of musical cameos also including Cab Calloway, James Brown as a preacher, Aretha Franklin as the owner of a Soul Food diner, Ray Charles as the owner of music store, and John Lee Hooker as a street peformer on Maxwell Street. The film also stars Carrie Fisher, John Candy, Kathleen Freeman, Henry Gibson, and many more. Also look out for a very funny cameo by Frank Oz and a short appearance by Steven Spielberg. Also worth mentioning is the Blues Brothers band including Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Murphy Dunne, "Blue Lou" Marini, Tom "Bones" Malone, Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, Alan Rubin, and Willy "Two Bits" Hall. The Collector's Edition DVD offers widescreen presentation, the original theatrical trailer, a making of documentary with interviews with the cast and crew, and footage not seen since the original release in 1980. This is a great movie that all viewers will find something to like in it. Do not miss this classic!

This movie still has me in stitches after all these years. I love the musical numbers with Ray Charles, James Brown and Aretha Franklin. The chase scenes are an all time classic, right up there with "Bullitt" and "The French Connection". It's a classic comedy that was not appreciated when it came out the first time in 1980, but it grew as a cult classic!

This was one of the first DVDs I got, for a reason. I love this movie -- it has energy and panache, not to mention some absolutely fabulous music. As I'm sure some blurb somewhere on this Amazon page mentions, the story concerns two blues-singing brothers who are trying to raise money for a good cause. Along the way, they interact with a ton of interesting people (including Carrie Fisher, Frank Oz, Aretha Franklin, and others), perform a lot of great blues, and destroy a lot of property. Mayhem and hilarity seem to thicken around the two leads, whose chemistry is undeniable. The movie feels nothing like some SNL folks' movies can feel -- it's a movie, with depth. I had no idea the Blues Brothers were a sketch originally!

Since I probably just told you a bunch of stuff you already knew, I'll step along to the DVD itself. Those who already own the movie on VHS might want to consider this addition to their DVD library -- the goodies are lots of fun, including an extensive "making of" feature.

The Blues Brothers is a true classic movie, one of the few SNL movies that is actually a good story. Joliet Jake is recently released from prison and picked up by his brother Elwood. The two discover that the orphanage they grew up in is going to be sold to the Board of Education unless they can raise $5,000 to give to the State Assesors office. The Blues Brothers try to get the money by putting their band back together and doing a few gigs. Along the way, they anger the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Nazi Party, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker, and a band from Nashville, the Good Ole Boys. This movie is great from beginning to end. The musical numbers are all great including Jake's revelation in the church, Ray Charles singing Shake Your Tail Feather, Aretha Franklin singing in her soul food diner, the peformance in Bob's Country Bunker, and finally the concert at the end including two of their best songs. As well, there is action galore from Elwood jumping a bridge with their 1974 Dodge Sedan to their chaotic ride through a crowded mall to the police chase at the end through the streets of Chicago( especially Lower Wacker Drive) and the chase up the staircase to the Assessor's office. The Blues Brothers has something for everybody and should not be missed.

The Blues Brothers are played to perfection by John Belushi as Jake and Dan Aykroyd as Elwood. The two actors are hysterical together throughout as they anger just about everybody in the city of Chicago. There are far too many lines to mention, but it is obvious that they had fun making this movie. There are plenty of musical cameos also including Cab Calloway, James Brown as a preacher, Aretha Franklin as the owner of a Soul Food diner, Ray Charles as the owner of music store, and John Lee Hooker as a street peformer on Maxwell Street. The film also stars Carrie Fisher, John Candy, Kathleen Freeman, Henry Gibson, and many more. Also look out for a very funny cameo by Frank Oz and a short appearance by Steven Spielberg. Also worth mentioning is the Blues Brothers band including Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Murphy Dunne, "Blue Lou" Marini, Tom "Bones" Malone, Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, Alan Rubin, and Willy "Two Bits" Hall. The Collector's Edition DVD offers widescreen presentation, the original theatrical trailer, a making of documentary with interviews with the cast and crew, and footage not seen since the original release in 1980. This is a great movie that all viewers will find something to like in it. Do not miss this classic!

This movie still has me in stitches after all these years. I love the musical numbers with Ray Charles, James Brown and Aretha Franklin. The chase scenes are an all time classic, right up there with "Bullitt" and "The French Connection". It's a classic comedy that was not appreciated when it came out the first time in 1980, but it grew as a cult classic!

This was one of the first DVDs I got, for a reason. I love this movie -- it has energy and panache, not to mention some absolutely fabulous music. As I'm sure some blurb somewhere on this Amazon page mentions, the story concerns two blues-singing brothers who are trying to raise money for a good cause. Along the way, they interact with a ton of interesting people (including Carrie Fisher, Frank Oz, Aretha Franklin, and others), perform a lot of great blues, and destroy a lot of property. Mayhem and hilarity seem to thicken around the two leads, whose chemistry is undeniable. The movie feels nothing like some SNL folks' movies can feel -- it's a movie, with depth. I had no idea the Blues Brothers were a sketch originally!

Since I probably just told you a bunch of stuff you already knew, I'll step along to the DVD itself. Those who already own the movie on VHS might want to consider this addition to their DVD library -- the goodies are lots of fun, including an extensive "making of" feature.

The Blues Brothers is a true classic movie, one of the few SNL movies that is actually a good story. Joliet Jake is recently released from prison and picked up by his brother Elwood. The two discover that the orphanage they grew up in is going to be sold to the Board of Education unless they can raise $5,000 to give to the State Assesors office. The Blues Brothers try to get the money by putting their band back together and doing a few gigs. Along the way, they anger the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Nazi Party, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker, and a band from Nashville, the Good Ole Boys. This movie is great from beginning to end. The musical numbers are all great including Jake's revelation in the church, Ray Charles singing Shake Your Tail Feather, Aretha Franklin singing in her soul food diner, the peformance in Bob's Country Bunker, and finally the concert at the end including two of their best songs. As well, there is action galore from Elwood jumping a bridge with their 1974 Dodge Sedan to their chaotic ride through a crowded mall to the police chase at the end through the streets of Chicago( especially Lower Wacker Drive) and the chase up the staircase to the Assessor's office. The Blues Brothers has something for everybody and should not be missed.

The Blues Brothers are played to perfection by John Belushi as Jake and Dan Aykroyd as Elwood. The two actors are hysterical together throughout as they anger just about everybody in the city of Chicago. There are far too many lines to mention, but it is obvious that they had fun making this movie. There are plenty of musical cameos also including Cab Calloway, James Brown as a preacher, Aretha Franklin as the owner of a Soul Food diner, Ray Charles as the owner of music store, and John Lee Hooker as a street peformer on Maxwell Street. The film also stars Carrie Fisher, John Candy, Kathleen Freeman, Henry Gibson, and many more. Also look out for a very funny cameo by Frank Oz and a short appearance by Steven Spielberg. Also worth mentioning is the Blues Brothers band including Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Murphy Dunne, "Blue Lou" Marini, Tom "Bones" Malone, Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, Alan Rubin, and Willy "Two Bits" Hall. The Collector's Edition DVD offers widescreen presentation, the original theatrical trailer, a making of documentary with interviews with the cast and crew, and footage not seen since the original release in 1980. This is a great movie that all viewers will find something to like in it. Do not miss this classic!

This movie still has me in stitches after all these years. I love the musical numbers with Ray Charles, James Brown and Aretha Franklin. The chase scenes are an all time classic, right up there with "Bullitt" and "The French Connection". It's a classic comedy that was not appreciated when it came out the first time in 1980, but it grew as a cult classic!

Okay, so maybe most people don't think of it as a Thanksgiving classic, but my family watches it every single year. I will agree with most people that it is a funny movie, but not hilarious. Now maybe it's because I practically know it inside and out. My absolute favorite part is when John Candy and Steve Martin are so desperate to keep traveling that they actually get in the charred remains of the rental car and head down the road. Then when they get pulled over and the officer asks them, "Do you think this is safe?" and John Candy looks straight at him and replies, "Yes, yes I do" with a completely serious face. That gets me every time. The sheer audacity of it is hilarious.

If you've ever had to spend time on the road for business, you know how it feels to just want to get back home, especially for a holiday like Thanksgiving; the family's waiting for you, there'll be a fire in the fireplace and a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. All you have to do is get from here to there. But that's when Murphy's Law concerning best laid plans often comes into play, and the simplest things become obstacles of monumental proportions, which is exactly what happens in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," a comedy of monumental proportions, written and directed by John Hughes. Neal Page (Steve Martin) is in New York on business; it's two days before Thanksgiving and he has a plane waiting to take him back home to Chicago. He has his reservation, and it's not that far to go; but it's a holiday and the weather is chancy, and beginning with the trouble Neal has just getting a cab to take him to the airport, he's about to become mired in frustration as one thing after another thwarts his attempts to get home. Not to worry, however, once on the plane he meets a guy named Del Griffith (John Candy), a showercurtain-ring salesman with all the answers and connections in seemingly every city in the country. Which comes in handy-- or maybe not-- for Neal, when the weather in Chicago forces a closure at the airport and his flight gets diverted to Wichita, Kansas. But that's only the beginning of Neal's problems, because Del Griffith is on the job, and he's the guy to know in a situation like this. Or not. And the next couple of days become a comedy of errors that takes Neal to the edge of sanity and the audience to the edge of hilarity.

An astute student of human nature, John Hughes takes his observations and insights and translates them in this film into a story with which just about anyone is going to be able to identify. We've all been in Neal's situation at one time or another, in one way or another, and if you've lived more than a day on the planet you certainly know a Del Griffith. And Hughes has a way of bringing you into Neal and Del's world so that you are able to share their experience, while at the same time affording you the luxury of being able to observe it all at arm's length, which enables you to see the "big picture" and appreciate the inherent humor of it all. And the bottom line is, this movie is a riot. There's something of the spirit of Jack Lemmon's "The Out-of-Towners" about it, the whole idea of nature seemingly conspiring against the little guy, that keeps the laughs coming; and Hughes couldn't have had anyone better than Martin and Candy to put it across more successfully.

Martin has an inspired way with physical comedy-- he can make walking down the street funny-- and he infuses it with a subtle, underlying sense that something is always going on inside him that's just as funny as what he's showing you. It creates an air of anticipation, and he never fails to deliver on that promise. Like Lemmon, he has the ability to play the ordinary guy in an extraordinary situation in a very real way, and then take it to the limit without going over the top. And when the reserved, inner turmoil finally erupts, it has you laughing until your sides ache. It's Lemmon standing in the middle of the street railing at the city of New York, and Martin confronting a rental car clerk and spelling it out for her in no uncertain terms what he thinks of her, her cars and life in general at that particular moment in time. It's pure humor, and it works so well because there's absolutely nothing mean-spirited in the way it's delivered, which is something for which Martin-- and Lemmon before him-- deserves a nod of appreciation and acknowledgement; it's a fine art that few comic actors are, in fact, able to master.

John Candy, meanwhile, puts his own natural abilities to the test in creating a character in Del that is the antithesis of Neal. And he passes with flying colors. Del is the big, lovable goof who wears his heart on his sleeve and holds nothing back. With Del, what you see is what you get, and there's not a thought that goes through his mind, apparently, that he doesn't feel obliged to share with anyone and everyone who will listen. Everything about Del is externalized to the point of being overwhelming, and yet Candy manages to convey the feeling that even he has something locked away that is for himself alone, and it's that which makes Del a well rounded character and makes him real. Like Martin's, Candy's is a performance that is rich in detail and humanity, which makes Del believable, and a memorable character. Candy was perfect for this part, one that he was seemingly born to play. And he makes the most of it.

The supporting cast includes Laila Robins (Susan), Michael McKean (State Trooper), Dylan Baker (Owen), Edie McClurg (Car Rental Agent) and Charles Tyner (Gus), with cameos by Kevin Bacon and William Windom. More than just a funny movie, but one which exemplifies the "human comedy," "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" is a triumph for Hughes, but more especially for his stars, Martin and Candy, who demonstrate a refined understanding of human nature and behavior through their respective characters that makes this film so endearing, memorable and entertaining. This is one to watch again and again, whenever you're in need of a good laugh or just something to put a smile on your face. This is one that will definitely fill the bill. It's the magic of the movies.

A stellar performance from Steve Martin and the late, great John Candy.

I don't know where that guys doing the Editorial Reviews are coming from, this movie is great!

Steve Martin is stuffy ad executive Neil "I can take anything" Page and John Candy is the bungling but warm-hearted shower-curtain-ring guy (I know what you mean), Del "Extra set of fingers" Griffith. We follow this mismatched pair half way across the States and back again as they encounter one crisis after another. As the title says, our heros travel whatever way they can to get to Chicago- from planes to trains to cars.

One of the funniest scenes is when after Del gets his coat caught behind the driver's seat, panics and sends the car on a tailspin causing him to go the wrong way down the Interstate. We see their car get caught between two semis. During the squeeze, Neil looks and sees Del as the Devil, complete with pitchfork and horns.

In all, this movie is great! You will not be disappointed, that I can promise you because it's "filled with helium, which makes it 10% lighter."

I can still remember the first time I watched Spaceballs. I was about 9 years old, at a friend's house for a sleepover. I'd already eaten an enormous bag of potato chips, and drank so much Coke that my joints were aching from the sugar and caffeine. After laughing so hard it hurt for an hour and a half, I threw up and had to go home. To this day, I cannot eat plain potato chips without getting nauseous, and I have Mel Brooks and Spaceballs to thank for it.

Spaceballs, like Brooks' other movies (Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights) is a spoof of all things SciFi - and the ridiculous (ludicrous?) marketing blitz surrounding movies like Star Wars. Plot is unimportant: Lone Star, a kind of space cowboy who drives around in a Winnebago with wings, has to rescue Princess Vespa, a snob who ran away on her wedding day, and save her planet from the Spaceballs, an evil race that wears gigantic Magic 8 Balls on their heads (and rear ends, too). The movie is a collection of scenes and jokes from different science fiction and action movies popular in the 1970s and 1980s, some of which border on the inanely stupid and some of which (Pizza the Hut comes to mind) are still funny today.

It's a good and funny movie, if your idea of good is what a 9-year-old boy at a sleepover would find good and funny. It's also a great retro-piece for us children of the 1980s, and is a relatively inexpensive DVD for the fond memories it elicits. The DVD itself is great: a tight-as-nails video transfer and a solid 2.0 sound track to match. Brooks' commentary can be funnier than the movie, although his Jewish jokes get a little old after a while (especially if you're seen them done over and over in his films.)

At this price, it's a hard disc to beat. There is a rumor that MGM plans to revisit this movie along with several of Brooks' other films sometime in mid-2002; if you can't wait that long, 12 bucks is a pittance for a transfer this good and a commentary track this entertaining, even if the movie has lost a little of its shine as we've grown up.

Let the Schwartz be your guide, if you can't decide.

The Planet Spaceball has a problem; They're slowly running out of air. However, they have a plan; Capture Vespa(Daphne Zuniga), the Princess of their peace-loving neighbor planet Druidia, which would force their father, King Roland(Dick Van Patten), to give them the combination to the air shield, which underneath contains 10,000 years of fresh air. Instead, the Princess and her droid Dot Matrix(Voice of Joan Rivers), running away from her wedding to Prince Valium(JM J.Bullock), they find her. After being offered $1 million spacebucks, which they need to pay off gangster Pizza the Hutt(Dom DeLuise), space pirate Lonestarr(Bill Pullman)and his half dog/half man sidekick Barf(John Candy)go to stop the evil Lord Dark Helmet(Rick Moranis)and Spaceball President Skroob(Mel Brooks)and along the way, Lonestarr learns the ways of the Schwartz from the everlasting know-it-all Yogurt(Mel Brooks)

This movie, along with "DRACULA DEAD AND LOVING IT" is Mel Brooks at his best. It's fricking hilarious!! Bill Pullman is great as Lonestarr, a spoof combination of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, Daphne Zuniga gives her all as Princess Vespa, John Candy is hilarious as Barf, Joan Rivers is decent as Dot Matrix, Rick Moranis is downright classic as Dark Helmet, a wimpy puny spoof of Darth Vader(He's the funniest guy on this movie!!!)and the rest of the cast is average.

Highly recommended as one of Mel Brook's best and with lines like "I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate", "You are to refer to me as idiot, not you captain!", you won't stop laughing. So see this film.

AND MAY THE SCHWARTZ BE WITH YOU!!

I have no idea how the kid at the bottom can call this movie dumb and boring etc. and make fun of the kid who brought it over..this movie was HILARIOUS! at first i was tired and didnt feel like watching anything the first time i saw it then from the beginning writings it sounded good and for the rest of the movie i couldnt fall asleep i wasnt even tired anymore cuz i was laughing so hard! its an awesome movie i recommend it to everone!

I can still remember the first time I watched Spaceballs. I was about 9 years old, at a friend's house for a sleepover. I'd already eaten an enormous bag of potato chips, and drank so much Coke that my joints were aching from the sugar and caffeine. After laughing so hard it hurt for an hour and a half, I threw up and had to go home. To this day, I cannot eat plain potato chips without getting nauseous, and I have Mel Brooks and Spaceballs to thank for it.

Spaceballs, like Brooks' other movies (Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights) is a spoof of all things SciFi - and the ridiculous (ludicrous?) marketing blitz surrounding movies like Star Wars. Plot is unimportant: Lone Star, a kind of space cowboy who drives around in a Winnebago with wings, has to rescue Princess Vespa, a snob who ran away on her wedding day, and save her planet from the Spaceballs, an evil race that wears gigantic Magic 8 Balls on their heads (and rear ends, too). The movie is a collection of scenes and jokes from different science fiction and action movies popular in the 1970s and 1980s, some of which border on the inanely stupid and some of which (Pizza the Hut comes to mind) are still funny today.

It's a good and funny movie, if your idea of good is what a 9-year-old boy at a sleepover would find good and funny. It's also a great retro-piece for us children of the 1980s, and is a relatively inexpensive DVD for the fond memories it elicits. The DVD itself is great: a tight-as-nails video transfer and a solid 2.0 sound track to match. Brooks' commentary can be funnier than the movie, although his Jewish jokes get a little old after a while (especially if you're seen them done over and over in his films.)

At this price, it's a hard disc to beat. There is a rumor that MGM plans to revisit this movie along with several of Brooks' other films sometime in mid-2002; if you can't wait that long, 12 bucks is a pittance for a transfer this good and a commentary track this entertaining, even if the movie has lost a little of its shine as we've grown up.

Let the Schwartz be your guide, if you can't decide.

The Planet Spaceball has a problem; They're slowly running out of air. However, they have a plan; Capture Vespa(Daphne Zuniga), the Princess of their peace-loving neighbor planet Druidia, which would force their father, King Roland(Dick Van Patten), to give them the combination to the air shield, which underneath contains 10,000 years of fresh air. Instead, the Princess and her droid Dot Matrix(Voice of Joan Rivers), running away from her wedding to Prince Valium(JM J.Bullock), they find her. After being offered $1 million spacebucks, which they need to pay off gangster Pizza the Hutt(Dom DeLuise), space pirate Lonestarr(Bill Pullman)and his half dog/half man sidekick Barf(John Candy)go to stop the evil Lord Dark Helmet(Rick Moranis)and Spaceball President Skroob(Mel Brooks)and along the way, Lonestarr learns the ways of the Schwartz from the everlasting know-it-all Yogurt(Mel Brooks)

This movie, along with "DRACULA DEAD AND LOVING IT" is Mel Brooks at his best. It's fricking hilarious!! Bill Pullman is great as Lonestarr, a spoof combination of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, Daphne Zuniga gives her all as Princess Vespa, John Candy is hilarious as Barf, Joan Rivers is decent as Dot Matrix, Rick Moranis is downright classic as Dark Helmet, a wimpy puny spoof of Darth Vader(He's the funniest guy on this movie!!!)and the rest of the cast is average.

Highly recommended as one of Mel Brook's best and with lines like "I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate", "You are to refer to me as idiot, not you captain!", you won't stop laughing. So see this film.

AND MAY THE SCHWARTZ BE WITH YOU!!

I have no idea how the kid at the bottom can call this movie dumb and boring etc. and make fun of the kid who brought it over..this movie was HILARIOUS! at first i was tired and didnt feel like watching anything the first time i saw it then from the beginning writings it sounded good and for the rest of the movie i couldnt fall asleep i wasnt even tired anymore cuz i was laughing so hard! its an awesome movie i recommend it to everone!