Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review

→ in
Tools    





Oh my gosh! You've never seen Airplane, Rules?
I'll be curious as to your impression. (Will it hold up over time, or will the humor seem dated?)
One thing you'll probably be able to pick out and appreciate is all the spoofs of scenes, themes & situations from all the Airport movies (and I know you've seen all those).

Some people think Airplane is genius, others think it's stupid - I just remember seeing it in the movies - a friend's parents took us (we were high-school aged, but too young to drive). My friend embarrassed me as he was hysterical through the whole movie - at one point he was literally rolling in the aisle and he was laughing so hard that he was spitting up his soda! I thought it was funny, but not THAT funny.

P.S. How come every movie I saw in the theater seems to have some stupid story attached to it?



Ha!...love that story...what ever became of your friend?

I'm thinking that stupid funny is funny, so I bet I'll love it! At any rate after setting through all four of the original Airport movies, why not watch it? It should be good fun recognizing scenes as you say. I might watch it tomorrow and I for sure will do a review on it.

I'm off for pizza and Blade Runner....yahoo!



Ha!...love that story...what ever became of your friend?

I'm thinking that stupid funny is funny, so I bet I'll love it! At any rate after setting through all four of the original Airport movies, why not watch it? It should be good fun recognizing scenes as you say. I might watch it tomorrow and I for sure will do a review on it.

I'm off for pizza and Blade Runner....yahoo!
He was my roommate for 9 years, and then my landlord for another 9 years!

I moved into the house that his parents owned & lived with him & his girlfriend when I was 25. His girlfriend died of lymphoma! Then his parents made him an owner of the house. Then he got another girlfriend - a woman who was already married to his friend. She moved into the house. At that time there was a couple living in the 2nd floor apartment - they were friends with the husband of my roommate's new girlfriend - what a soap opera!!! My roommate's girlfriend got a divorce from her husband (the mutual friend of everyone else in the house) & married my roommate. When the couple upstairs left, my roommate & his new bride asked me to leave, but offered me the upstairs apartment. I moved from 2 rooms on the first floor to the 5 room apartment on the second floor - so at that point he was no longer a roommate, just my landlord. They ultimately had kids and kicked me out because they wanted to convert the house into a single family dwelling. I moved out 8 years ago. (And that's just the short version!)



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.

Hello My Name is Doris (
Michael Showalter, 2015)

Director: Michael Showalter
Writers: Michael Showalter, Laura Terruso
Cast: Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Tyne Daly
Genre: Indie Drama-Comedy-Romance


Doris (Sally Fields) is an ecliptic, lonely 60ish spinster, who has spent her life living with her mother in a run down old house, filled with junk and memories. Doris is left alone after her mother dies, her only one friend (Tyne Daily), tries to keep her company. Her brother and sister in-law want her to get rid of her life long collection of useless junk and sell the house. But Doris is not willing to let go of her safe space...to her the junk might be useful and holds memories.


I haven't seen Hello My Name is Doris, but it sounds like a movie, (or at least a character), that I can relate to. I spent years arguing with my sister about not throwing out my "junk".
__________________
.
If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
BTW, I requested Airplane at your recommendation, months ago...I just picked that up from the library, so I will be watching that very soon. And it's another 80s movie I never seen. Come to think of it I must have missed the 80s all together
Oh my gosh! You've never seen Airplane, Rules?
I'll be curious as to your impression. (Will it hold up over time, or will the humor seem dated?)
One thing you'll probably be able to pick out and appreciate is all the spoofs of scenes, themes & situations from all the Airport movies (and I know you've seen all those).

Some people think Airplane is genius, others think it's stupid - I just remember seeing it in the movies - a friend's parents took us (we were high-school aged, but too young to drive). My friend embarrassed me as he was hysterical through the whole movie - at one point he was literally rolling in the aisle and he was laughing so hard that he was spitting up his soda! I thought it was funny, but not THAT funny.

P.S. How come every movie I saw in the theater seems to have some stupid story attached to it?

I'm surprised that you've never seen Airplane. I thought that was a movie that everyone our age has seen.

I love the movie, but don't get your hopes up too high. It seems like people who saw it years ago, when they were younger, love the movie, but people who see it now, when they're older, usually just think it's dumb. Hopefully you still have enough of a kid in you to enjoy it.



I'm surprised that you've never seen Airplane. I thought that was a movie that everyone our age has seen.

I love the movie, but don't get your hopes up too high. It seems like people who saw it years ago, when they were younger, love the movie, but people who see it now, when they're older, usually just think it's dumb. Hopefully you still have enough of a kid in you to enjoy it.
Hi gb!

I don't know if Rules has seen other spoof movies, but these days Airplane could almost get lost among them since there are now so many.

When Airplane was made it was fairly unique as a movie spoofing a specific genre with it's own brand of humor that hadn't been seen in other satires or comedies (except for its lesser known predecessor, the Big Bus, of course!)

But then there was a craze of spoof movies that I think maybe began with The Naked Gun franchise? (which had similar humor to Airplane and starred one of the stars of Airplane: Leslie Nielsen).
But shortly after the Scary Movie franchise began it seemed like they started spitting them out like crazy with the humor & quality becoming worse and more low brow each time.

I know YOU know all this already (but in case any of the younger folks aren't up on their spoof-movie history!)



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Hi gb!

I don't know if Rules has seen other spoof movies, but these days Airplane could almost get lost among them since there are now so many.

When Airplane was made it was fairly unique as a movie spoofing a specific genre with it's own brand of humor that hadn't been seen in other satires or comedies (except for its lesser known predecessor, the Big Bus, of course!)

But then there was a craze of spoof movies that I think maybe began with The Naked Gun franchise? (which had similar humor to Airplane and starred one of the stars of Airplane: Leslie Nielsen).
But shortly after the Scary Movie franchise began it seemed like they started spitting them out like crazy with the humor & quality becoming worse and more low brow each time.

I know YOU know all this already (but in case any of the younger folks aren't up on their spoof-movie history!)

Hi Capt.

I think that's why people who watch Airplane! now don't appreciate it the way we did back when it was released. Back then, it was unique. We spent years quoting lines from Airplane!.

But now, it's just one of the many, and if you've seen the later movies first, then it feels like Airplane! is just a copy, not the original.



Hi Capt.

I think that's why people who watch Airplane! now don't appreciate it the way we did back when it was released. Back then, it was unique. We spent years quoting lines from Airplane!.

But now, it's just one of the many, and if you've seen the later movies first, then it feels like Airplane! is just a copy, not the original.
That's exactly what I was trying to say.
Well said.
Night, night!




Airplane! (1980)
Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker
Writers: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker
Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen
Genre: Comedy

'A former war pilot who's afraid to fly a plane, must fly a plane.'

If you're a fan of this movie be prepared for a rough landing with this review. Airplane! is a spoof of the Airport movies (which I did recently watch and review) and it's a spoof of an old black & white movie Zero Hour! (1957), which is oddly, real good.

Airplane! mainly consist of sight gags. It's not clever comedy or situation comedy, but a throw back to the vaudeville days with comic shtick. Such as the 'auto pilot' which is a blow up doll.



The movie is full of such gags, one after another. Occasional they get a laugh but mostly they seemed dull. I wish I could say this was one of those, 'it's so stupid it's funny movies', but I found little funny in this famous comedy.

For all it's claim of lampooning the original four Airport movies, there's scant little actual lampooning going on. We do get the infamous nun scene singing to the sick little girl which is a nod to the original movie. And yes that's Barbara Billingsley, June Cleaver from Leave It To Beaver .



OK, I admit it, the scene above made me laugh. So if you're not looking for anything too funny this movie might work for you. "I picked a bad week to quit smoking." That was the line. I thought that was funny, but of the millions of people who've seen this film I wonder if they all got the reference?

I can't recommend Airplane!, and I sure wish it didn't have an exclamation point after the title. Surely you'd be better off watching an Adam Sandler movie. Or better yet watch a really odd and hipster cool movie like, Zero Hero!...

-



So... Airplane! apparently does not stand the test of time.

(Have you seen The Big Bus, Rules?)

One thing I can't agree with is being better off with an Adam Sandler movie - Airplane! may be dated but it's still not THAT bad!

I always remembered my favorite part being a character (I think his name was "Johnny"?) who was a balding guy in the control tower who had a few non-sequitor stupid jokes: he's seen pulling the plug on the runway lights and says, "oops!" or something? And when someone says, "The plane is getting closer!" he wraps his hands around a chubby guy's tummy and says, "And Leon is getting LARGER!" He seemed funny to me because many of his jokes didn't follow any logic of humor - he was just so random & arbitrary.

Also, Rules, did you catch Jimmy Walker's cameo (checking the oil?)

Now I can't wait to hear gbg's thoughts on your review!



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.

Airplane! (1980)
Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker
Writers: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker
Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen
Genre: Comedy

A former war pilot who's afraid to fly a plane, must fly a plane.

If you're a fan of this movie be prepared for a rough landing. Airplane! is a spoof of the Airport movies (which I did recently watch and review) and it's a spoof of an old black & white movie Zero Hour! (1957). Airplane! mainly consist of sight gags. It's not clever comedy or situation comedy, but a throw back to the vaudeville days with comic shtick. Such as the 'auto pilot' which is a blow up doll.



The movie is full of such gags, one after another. Occasional they get a laugh but mostly they seemed dated. I wish I could say this was so a stupid it's funny, but there's nothing funny about pedophile jokes or mocking black people. This movie belongs to another time.



For all it's claim of lampooning the original four Airport movies, there's scant little actual lampooning going on. We do get the infamous nun scene singing to the sick little girl which is a nod to the original movies. And yes that's Barbara Billingsley, June Cleaver from Leave It To Beaver .



OK, I admit it, the scene above made me laugh. So if you're not looking for anything too funny this movie might work for you. "I picked a bad week to quit smoking." That was the line. I thought that was funny, but of the millions of people who've seen this film I wonder if they all got the reference?

I can't recommended Airplane!, and I wish it didn't have an exclamation point after it as it looks like I'm excited by it. Surely you'd be better off watching an Adam Sandler movie. Or better yet watch a really odd and hipster cool movie like, Zero Hero!...

I'm disappointed that you didn't like Airplane!, but I can't really say that I'm surprised. The movie is a very funny movie for those of us who saw it back when it came out, but unfortunately most people who see it nowadays, just don't see the humor in it. Maybe it's because there have been so many spoof movies since then that it now feels like a copy of those movies, (kind of like seeing the remake of a movie before seeing the original, and wondering why most people prefer the original when you think that the remake is so much better).

Or maybe it's just because the world is such a different place now that some of those jokes just aren't funny anymore. I haven't watched the movie in such a long time that I don't know if it would stand the test of time for me, but when I think of some of those jokes in my mind, they still make me laugh. However Hubby watched it recently and he said that it wasn't as funny as he remembered it, so maybe it just doesn't hold up anymore.

Or maybe you just have to be younger than us to appreciate it, (at least the first time you see it because it has nostalgia value for those of us who saw it when we were younger). Have any of the young kids on MoFo watched it for the first time and reviewed it?

No matter what the reason, it's kind of sad that you didn't enjoy it. It was one of my favorite comedy movies for many years, and I still have fun remembering some of the classic lines.


So... Airplane! apparently does not stand the test of time.

(Have you seen The Big Bus, Rules?)

One thing I can't agree with is being better off with an Adam Sandler movie - Airplane! may be dated but it's still not THAT bad!

I always remembered my favorite part being a character (I think his name was "Johnny"?) who was a balding guy in the control tower who had a few non-sequitor stupid jokes: he's seen pulling the plug on the runway lights and says, "oops!" or something? And when someone says, "The plane is getting closer!" he wraps his hands around a chubby guy's tummy and says, "And Leon is getting LARGER!" He seemed funny to me because many of his jokes didn't follow any logic of humor - he was just so random & arbitrary.

Also, Rules, did you catch Jimmy Walker's cameo (checking the oil?)

Now I can't wait to hear gbg's thoughts on your review!
I saw The Big Bus, and Airplane! is much better than The Big Bus. If he didn't like Airplane!, I doubt that he'll like The Big Bus.

But I strongly agree with you about Adam Sandler's movies. No matter how bad you think it was, Airplane! is far superior to any of Adam Sandler's movies. (Although I'm probably the only person in the world who liked his movie Pixels.)

The guy in the control tower was so funny. I love when Lloyd Bridges hands him a piece of paper and says "Johnny, what can you make out of this?", and he says, "This? Why, I can make a hat or a brooch or a pterodactyl...".

And there were so many funny lines, that I can't imagine how anyone can dislike the movie. I loved the way the lines play on words.

Dr. Rumack: Captain, how soon can you land?
Captain Oveur: I can't tell.
Dr. Rumack: You can tell me. I'm a doctor.
Captain Oveur: No. I mean I'm just not sure.
Dr. Rumack: Well, can't you take a guess?
Captain Oveur: Well, not for another two hours.
Dr. Rumack: You can't take a guess for another two hours?

Dr. Rumack: You'd better tell the Captain we've got to land as soon as we can. This woman has to be gotten to a hospital.
Elaine: A hospital? What is it?
Dr. Rumack: It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now.

I love when the two announcers fight over the red and white loading zones.



Master of My Domain
I can't recommended Airplane!, and I wish it didn't have an exclamation point after it as it looks like I'm excited by it. Surely you'd be better off watching an Adam Sandler movie. Or better yet watch a really odd and hipster cool movie like, [i]Zero Hero!...
Better off watching an Adam Sandler film? I understand you not finding this movie funny but that was a bit cruel. At least Airplane puts in effort and doesn't have actors sleep-walk through performances.




Starship Troopers (1997)

Director:
Paul Verhoeven
Cast: Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Ironside

If you think Starship Troopers is a no-brainier flick with nothing to say, you'd be wrong. This rock 'em sock 'em movie, loosely based on Robert Heinlein's best selling novel is much more than just space marines battling giant bugs on an alien planet.

Starship Troopers delivers a powerfully conflicting message on the dangers of over zealot flag waving and the folly of demonizing your enemy, without knowing them.

At first the film looks like a simple sci-fi action story about an alien insect planet that has evil plans to destroy Earth with their asteroid bombs. Later we find out that the alien bugs are brainless and act out of pure instinct. Which seems to suggest that the Human's war effort is misguided by the militaristic government. At the end of the movie however, they encounter a 'smart bug' which perhaps justifies Earth's fear. Or perhaps not? It's a conflicting message.

The movie cleverly indoctrinates the viewer into it's message by showing us, ultra patriotic Nazi style propaganda clips. These clips on shown on the fictions 'Federal Network'. It's no coincidences, that the military officers are audaciously dressed in pseudo Nazi uniforms. The films propaganda news clips rallies one's militarist side....'the enemy is evil...they must be destroyed!'

War”


New military recruits are indoctrinated into fighting soldiers by an ultra patriotic instructor, played by Michael Ironside. The recruits are taught the differences between a full fledged Citizen who has earned the right to vote, and a Civilian who has not served in the military and so has no voting rights. The following scene is well done, especially as Michael Ironside gives his Citizenship speech to teen students who are more interested in flirting with each other. The arm bit at the end is good too.

The Failure of Democracy”

On the surface Starship Troopers works as an action packed, special effects movie. But look deeper and it's a clever parody of ultra-militarism.

Thanks for this Rules, really. It's a revelation and it opened my eyes. The only hint of what you said was at the very end when the chief bug looked so helpless I felt sorry for it. ("It's afraid!") But then there's that dilemma, as you say. They leave us wondering: maybe a challenge for us to conclude from what we've seen is it truly evil or not. (I didn't read the book) What do you think? I'm inclining (as I just realized, tragically) towards "yes". Because it was afraid. and one who's afraid must have some intelligence which isn't necessarily evil I guess. But again, I'm inclining towards "yes". Why else would they give such an information at the very end? Unless the one who said it was lying or whatever.

But there's no question that there's lot to be criticized. I can't stand the Nazis, but they're not the only evil in human history.

Thank you Honeykid! It took me a loooong time to write it, so I'm glad to hear someone liked it....

I know I've seen MoFo members with Starship Troopers as one of the favorites. So any thoughts on the movie from you guys, even if you think I'm nuts is OK
Are you nuts? Calling yourself nuts? You're one hella intelligent guy, Rules! Hell, I might even call you a genius. Seriously, I'm not joking.

This whole thing even reminds me of the Crusades, which were actually sanctioned by the pope, church wanted for them to happen. Ridiculous promises were made, such as that you'll go to heaven only if you die in battle. Of course the church only wanted war, what's the purpose of weapons otherwise? We all know that unfortunatelly weapon industry is the greatest one in human history which is tragically a history of war.



So... Airplane! apparently does not stand the test of time.

(Have you seen The Big Bus, Rules?)
No not yet, but I'll give it a chance....Oh and I'm glad you recommended Airplane!
(damn explanation mark in the movie title making it look like I'm overly endorsing the film), I mean I had to see it. I suppose if I had watched it back in 1980 as a teenage I would have thought the gags were funny, but now they just seemed sophomoric and crude, and cruel. Yes, even Citizen has been brainwashed by the PC police Seriously I appreciate the recommendation


One thing I can't agree with is being better off with an Adam Sandler movie - Airplane! may be dated but it's still not THAT bad!
Ha, I knew when I wrote that, it was too much!

I always remembered my favorite part being a character (I think his name was "Johnny"?) who was a balding guy in the control tower who had a few non-sequitor stupid jokes: he's seen pulling the plug on the runway lights and says, "oops!" or something? And when someone says, "The plane is getting closer!" he wraps his hands around a chubby guy's tummy and says, "And Leon is getting LARGER!" He seemed funny to me because many of his jokes didn't follow any logic of humor - he was just so random & arbitrary.
Yes! Johnny was the best part of the movie. I read at IMDB that he was allowed to ad lib those lines on the spot. I forgot to mention him but I'll go back and write a nice paragraph about the character as he did make me laugh, that's more my speed of comedy.

Also, Rules, did you catch Jimmy Walker's cameo (checking the oil?)
I sure did! But wasn't he cleaning the windshield?

Now I can't wait to hear gbg's thoughts on your review!
Say no more, say no more (in my best Monty Python imitation) Now Monty Python movies, those are funny!



I'm disappointed that you didn't like Airplane!, but I can't really say that I'm surprised. The movie is a very funny movie for those of us who saw it back when it came out, but unfortunately most people who see it nowadays, just don't see the humor in it.
I think that's because of nostalgia. The same way older people who watched Rocky Horror Picture Show love that film! Others who've never seen it don't like it. (I seen it once and didn't like it). Like I just told Captain, had I went with high school friends and seen Airplane!, I bet I would have laughed my self silly. But seeing it for the first time, I actually cringed at some of the jokes. Like the bored Indian person who's soaking himself with gasoline to burn himself up, just seemed wrong.

Maybe it's because there have been so many spoof movies since then that it now feels like a copy of those movies, (kind of like seeing the remake of a movie before seeing the original, and wondering why most people prefer the original when you think that the remake is so much better).
I don't think I've seen another spoof movie. The Naked Gun and Police Station movies (or whatever they were called) looked stupid to me when they first came out, like I said not my style of humor.
Or maybe it's just because the world is such a different place now that some of those jokes just aren't funny anymore. I haven't watched the movie in such a long time that I don't know if it would stand the test of time for me, but when I think of some of those jokes in my mind, they still make me laugh. However Hubby watched it recently and he said that it wasn't as funny as he remembered it, so maybe it just doesn't hold up anymore.
I read this the other night at IMDB under reviews hated it:
From IMDB: I saw this movie when it first came out. I remember laughing so hard at the time that my sides hurt. It was one of my favorite comedies for the longest time. I bought it when it came out on VHS. Quotes from it were seared into my memory. I didn't watch it again in until last year. When my kids were old enough, I decided they needed to experience this laugh riot. There was a riot alright. I thought my kids were going to kill me. I wouldn't have any right to blame them either. To be kind, this movie has not aged well and simply isn't funny. Airplane! was innovative and irreverent in 1980. It is now stale and sad.
Or maybe you just have to be younger than us to appreciate it, (at least the first time you see it because it has nostalgia value for those of us who saw it when we were younger). Have any of the young kids on MoFo watched it for the first time and reviewed it?
Sounds like Gatsby has seen it?

But I strongly agree with you about Adam Sandler's movies. No matter how bad you think it was, Airplane! is far superior to any of Adam Sandler's movies. (Although I'm probably the only person in the world who liked his movie Pixels.)
I was kinda joking about Sandler movies. I've only seen 2? I did like Happy Gilmore. But once again Sandler isn't my style of comic.



Citizen Rules: Starship Troopers review
Thanks for this Rules, really. It's a revelation and it opened my eyes. The only hint of what you said was at the very end when the chief bug looked so helpless I felt sorry for it. ("It's afraid!") But then there's that dilemma, as you say. They leave us wondering: maybe a challenge for us to conclude from what we've seen is it truly evil or not. Because it was afraid. and one who's afraid must have some intelligence which isn't necessarily evil I guess. But again, I'm inclining towards "yes". Why else would they give such an information at the very end? Unless the one who said it was lying or whatever.
You're a smart man Beatle! and you've started to figure out the paradox of Starship Troopers. Not many people do. Did you see it recently?

(I didn't read the book) What do you think?
I didn't read the book either. The movie and the book are very, very different so I hear, so much so that it's best to consider them unrelated.

I can't stand the Nazis, but they're not the only evil in human history
I agree.


This whole thing even reminds me of the Crusades, which were actually sanctioned by the pope, church wanted for them to happen. Ridiculous promises were made, such as that you'll go to heaven only if you die in battle. Of course the church only wanted war, what's the purpose of weapons otherwise? We all know that unfortunately weapon industry is the greatest one in human history which is tragically a history of war.
Ahh, the Crusades that's a good comparison for Starship Troopers. I hadn't thought of that, thanks





Race relations were so much better back when they could make fun of each other without all the PC generated fear of "offending" others.
And hey, it went both ways - remember Richard Pryor & Eddie Murphy's imitations of "white people"?



Citizen Rules: Starship Troopers review You're a smart man Beatle! and you've started to figure out the paradox of Starship Troopers. Not many people do. Did you see it recently?
No Rules, I haven't. Thanks for the compliment.

I didn't read the book either. The movie and the book are very, very different so I hear, so much so that it's best to consider them unrelated.
Thanks.

I agree.
I believe we all know any establishment is evil per definition. My dad is a real nut job on conspiracy theories, I learned a lot from him. Masons and all that. I didn't believe in them, but they make sense. Like, the real fat bastards who are evil and rule the world are actually in a bunker somewhere. Someone could shoot them otherwise. You think Clinton will be the most powerful one? Forget it. (I'm not attacking her personally, i mean whoever president, even though I heard she's litterally a witch!) I mean this whole thing, just like everything else is the ancient "science or religion?" question. I say religion, even thou I'm occupied with math, i adore it. I'm very Christian, I believe Satan himself is behind science, and a lot of other stuff, including people in power. Did I go to far? I'm stopping before I get into trouble. How about you? If you don't wanna say it in public, I can PM you.


Ahh, the Crusades that's a good comparison for Starship Troopers. I hadn't thought of that, thanks
Welcome. It's really a shame. Jesus came to send the message of love and peace, but we're just not listening. Satan's at work. But he'll get his soon enough. Even more, Jesus gave the example. Hefought all his life, and then payed the ultimate prize on the cross. (I believe that you have to pay for absolutely everything you do, after action, there's always passion.) But we're living in a particular era, when he'll come to fight and defeat the devil. We didn't listen, so there's no love and peace this time around I'm afraid. The devil must be defeated.



Race relations were so much better back when they could make fun of each other without all the PC generated fear of "offending" others.
And hey, it went both ways - remember Richard Pryor & Eddie Murphy's imitations of "white people"?
That's true! and you know what? The first time they did that scene with the two black guys speakin street slang, it went on for only a few seconds and I thought it was clever. But when they revisited that scene with Barbara Billingsley and it went on and on, I felt 180 degrees different about it.

The first time it was like the black guys were in on the joke. The second time it seemed like they were the joke. Anyway that's just how I seen it.