Reefer Madness:
First things first. This isn't MST3K. There's no Tom, no Crow, no shadowrama. Mike simply provides the voice-over commentary to a campy cult favorite which warns of the perils of pot. Did I say "simply"? Let me amend that... This is -bar none- one the funniest commentary tracks that has been placed on a DVD... in the history of MANKIND!
Onward then; Comparisons to his work with Mystery Science Theater are inevitable. In that regard there are moments when Mike shifts into MST mode and rolls out a riff that had me remembering the good old days -"And even though they don't exist yet; she wakes up craving Doritos"- And I admit that I did miss the interplay between Mike and his robot pals and sometimes, it seemed so did Mike. Poor guy probably would have liked to have had some interaction (after all, many commentaries include 2 or 3 folks).
But make no mistake, Mike Nelson is one of the funniest human beings on this, and any other planet. He does just fine by himself. tackling "Reefer Madness" with that rich, visionary absurdity, which has always made him such a comedic treasure. Legend has Mike lined up for 2 more commentaries. "Carnival Of Souls" and "Night of the Living Dead", coming this Halloween.
Oh yes, this DVD includes some trailers, another short film. Both black & white and colorized versions of the flick. Colorization still looks weird to me. Skin pigment is chalky, colors appear gaudy and unreal -tho that might have been intended as the pot smoke billows out in blues and reds- I find it a distracting and unnecessary addition. But really, lets not kid ourselves. We MSTies are here for Mike, and Mike only. And he's worth every penny, Huzzah!
GRADE: A-
Night of the Living Dead:
No one is perfect. And that statement now, sadly, includes Mike Nelson. The man who never fails to make me laugh, fails miserably with this commentary on Night of the Living Dead.
His timing, delivery and the jokes themselves are just... bad. And it doesn't help that he takes these bad jokes and runs with them. In the first 30 minutes he compares the zombie attack to normal life in Wisconsin... which isn't funny at all. But he compounds the agony of sitting through a failed joke, by making this comparison several times! Quips about a womans wig or how fans of the movie refer to it NOTLD, aren't funny and don't get any funnier no matter how often he repeats it.
Of noted irony are the continual "Zombie drink mix" directions. Ironic because on MST Mr. Nelson slammed many a Director for "padding the film". Yet he's guilty of a similar offense; padding his commentary with trifles such as this. Not only that, but during his first instructional dialog, he misses a riff opportunity when an obvious dummy gets whacked by a crowbar.
Out of that first half hour, I was given two laughs, Two! (A line about how zombie actor Bill Hinsman gets a ride, and one where Mike spots Jiminy Glick)
The rest of the disc continues on at this pace. Mike makes some accurate digs about cricket noise and how the movie is mostly about a guy nailing boards to the wall. But neither is really very humorous. And when he does find the target -as in his attacks on an angry guy with a smudge on his skull- he over does it. It's as if he simply didn't have much material to work with and was going to milk what he had until it ran bone dry.
As for the movie, I'm not one of its legion of fans. I've never liked NOTLD so you can't say my criticism is rooted in love for the source material. How about the colorization? It's horrid. I know the whole point of "Off Color Films" is colorizing old movies. But it's a bad idea, poorly done and Mike really doesn't say anything wonderful in references to it, so I wish I could have the option to listen to the commentary track and watch the B&W version.
All in all a very, very disappointing effort. Grade: D
Carnival of Souls
Mike bounces back after his lackluster performance on NOTLD with a commentary that's funny and informative.
Directed by the master of shorts -Herk Harvey- Carnival of Souls is a low budget cult film that plays like an episode of the Twilight Zone (well, a TZ with constant organ music that is). Herk actually does a decent job in his one foray into full length feature work. He really sells the isolation and the slow unravelling nightmare experienced by his lead character (played by Candace Hilligoss). The locales contribute to the eerie feeling (Saltair gave me the chills) and several scene transitions are well edited.
Yet, there are weak spots as well, which are exposed with hilarious results. From the stiff non-acting -"Watch, this woman has a minor heart attack"- to the bad foley work. Mike is in top form through-out (though he does draw more laughs during the first half of the movie) as he deftly takes these defects to task.
Another positive aspect to doing "Souls", are the connections with MST. Harvey directed many of the shorts seen on Mystery Science Theater and Mike peppers his commentary with reflection, trivia and humorous nods to the past that'll make MSTies smile knowingly (Speaking of knowing smiles; Mike makes a sly reference to comments made by Kevin Murphy in "The Making of MST3K", concerning the size of Mr. Nelson's face -Kevin compared it to a meaty rolled roast-).
Again, I'm not a fan of the colorization. But you can actually hear Mikes audio while watching the B&W version (just change the audio track while viewing) and that's a huge plus. All told, I recommend this effort highly.
Grade: A
House On Haunted Hill:
"Is it alright if I'm her date to the morgue?"
I have to admit to being a William Castle fan and always hoped that MST would cover one of his flicks, in particular, the delightfully silly House On Haunted Hill. Years after the cancellation of my favorite comedy I get the next best thing, a Mike Nelson commentary.
Mike does pretty good with this one too. He's set the movie trivia aside and is going for what he knows best, riffing. Yup, HOHH is pelted with much more of the riff style humor than the previous 3 tracks Nelson's recorded for Legend.
The opening bits are fun -then Mike settles down to a slower pace before revving up again and shooting off comments that provide one big laugh after another. When a character bumps his head in an empty room and a young gal meets up with 'Alice Cooper(?)', I was in stitches and reminded of the great old days on the SOL. Mike even references TVs "Father Knows Best" and the "Thin Man" movies.
I watched a bit of the colorization and it's about the same as the others. Only I think that showman Castle would have appreciated the effort, the garish purples and greens fit his style. At chapter 3 I switched over to the more comfy B&W, which also includes Mikes audio work.
Mike Nelson meets William Castle. It's a dream come true for me and I wasn't disappointed with the results.
Grade: A
 Plan 9 From Outer Space:
I�ll tell you right off � I�m not a Plan 9 romantic. While I acknowledge the flicks goofy charm; what with the cardboard tombstones and cardboard actors� It doesn�t change the fact that this is a cheap, monotonous and for me, hard to watch movie.
Purists will grouse over the irreverent treatment Plan 9 receives on this release, but I find that very silly. You can�t ruin garbage by throwing more garbage on it. Legends treatment is a goof, it�s lighthearted fun directed at a film that deserves what it gets. And if Plan 9 is your holy shrine, there�s a restored B&W version offered for your viewing displeasure. No harm, no foul.
I watched it colorized. While I�ve never been a fan of the process, here �as with the William Castle release issued late in 2005- it fits. Vampira looks cool in color, Ed's cut rate space craft shines like chrome and when an alien is struck, his flesh turns a lovely shade of green. This version also includes the auction winners, the folks who bid to have their image or names blended into the flick. Both additions add an extra layer of cheesy goodness. And the cherry atop this mixture, is the commentary by my hero, Michael J. Nelson.
Nelson starts off razor sharp, lobbing hilarious quips that had me doubled over. But he soon tapers off. There are patches of silence, which disrupts the comedic flow and makes it a lesser effort all told. It�s not that the narration interferes, as some would suppose. Mike has worked with denser narration on movies like Monster A-Go Go and Creeping Terror, and he�s very funny poking fun at Criswell during the opening bits. It�s that he says little or nothing on a few scenes that beg for comment. Tor�s breakout performance, which required that he actually speak a few sentences of dialog, is a riot and an easy target. But Mike doesn�t level the comedic kill shot I�d expected from a man with such elevated observational wit.
I don�t mean to say he isn�t clever, he is. When a group of people sitting on a patio hear a noise, they don�t get up to investigate, but start staring intensely. This inspires Mike to suggest� �Maybe if you look harder you�ll hear something�. So fear not, even lesser Mike Nelson is funny as all get out.
Mike also narrates the extra, �Plans 1 through 8�, an amusing trifle which provided a smile or two. The extra I laughed at most was the faux deleted scenes. Mike isn�t involved with these but they are rib ticklers and worth watching. The cover art is eye catching and the menues are a delight (Watch for a waving Mike). The limited autographed edition came with a saucer air freshner which was another nice cheesy touch.
Grade: B+
 Little Shop of Horrors:
Corman�s cult favorite receives the Legend/Nelson treatment: The end results? I didn�t feel the colorization works as well here as it did with Haunted Hill and Plan 9 - Corman�s sets are drab and even the color couldn�t seem to brighten things up. Not only that, but the movies a horror to sit through. I know there are people who slobber over themselves in praise of this wreak. But if there�s one thing I can�t abide, it's a movie scripted by hacks who thought they were oh so wacky, and oh so funny� when all they�ve really done is create something �oh so wretched�. The film strains to be humorous and fails on every level.
Thankfully Mike�s commentary provides a few laughs. For example: Mushnick sits down for dinner but has lost his appetite after witnessing Audrey (the Plants) eating habits. Mike cleverly admonishes� �He shouldn�t have ordered the Soylent Green�. Before that he levels a richly deserved shot at Kevin Federline and taps into �Memoirs of a Geisha� for a laugh. Where Mike loses points is with the bad puns and some of the forced delivery (as when he's apologizing for a bad pun).
The disc also includes a couple of silly extras. One which gives a lesson on killer plants, the other is a short film titled "Man Eating Plant", which was painfully dumb.
Grade: B+
Rifftrax: Road House
New from Legend films, it's Mike Nelson's Rifftrax! Simply download Mike's commentary (for a nominal fee), pop in a copy of the movie and away you go. This is a brilliant, fun idea; so how did it work? Quite nicely- I did have a few minor issues with drifting, but it wasn't too difficult to keep the riffs and movie in synch and there's a voice over narrator named, "DisembAudio", who helps maintain order if your a little off.
The riffing, well the riffing was a blast. I believe Mike has always wanted to quip on this flick and he doesn't waste the opportunity. Highlights include hilarious jabs directed at Swayze's constant shirt-less-ness and his kung fu moves... "Clearly, he has studied with the great master - Pat Morita".
One interesting aside is that the movie is rated "R" and there's lots of nudity. Despite this, Mike keeps his humor at PG levels, and in fact, one the funniest bits for me were the jokes said during Swayzes big love scene with co-star Kelly Lynch.
This was grade A material and I'd strongly recommend checking it out for yourself at... Rifftrax.com. If sales are good we could receive Rifftrax with Mike and a few friends; which would be heaven if those friends have names like, Kevin, Bill, maybe Joel, Trace....
 Rifftrax: The 5th Element
"I've always wondered what clown tastes like?"
The Fifth Element is one of those motion pictures -while savaged by the press- has developed a hearty fan base among the common folk. Count me among its number of fans. I find it wild, imaginative and unlike many dark and pessimistic futuristic tales; Element is a bright cornucopia of primary color. With a positive message that promotes the idea that, "All you need is love".
Unlike chief geek, Harry Knowles, who had a tantrum when his beloved "This Island Earth" was riffed on - I choose to have sense of humor and not get uptight when something I enjoy becomes the butt of a joke. I thought Mike's treatment was a riot. The opening sequence in particular was tackled with brilliance. - "He stole Bobby Brown's Church clothes!" - The flick was featured on one of MST3Ks summer blockbuster specials, and Mike draws from that (the various "Clown" quips). He also keeps pecking away at Kevin Federline (God bless you for that Mr. Nelson) and taps into "Lord of the Rings" a number of times for material.
After the stunning start, Mike's riffing ebbs and flows. At times he repeats a good joke one too many times (still, with Federline, you got to do it) and the interplay between him and DisembAudio is a little over played this time out. But that's nit picking - this is funny stuff and I can't wait for more. Discuss this rifftrax
Rifftrax: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
God bless you Legend films. Bringing Mike Nelson in to do commentary was nice enough, hiring him to your staff, launching rifftrax and then pairing him up with pal Kevin Murphy is enough to earn you Sainthood in my book
Mike�s riffing on these ventures has been solid. But having someone to work with makes it even better. This is the hardest I�ve laughed while watching a movie since, well, since MST3K was on the air.
Without network censors, the quips do get a wee bit blue, and they overdo the fart jokes a smidge. But overall this is classic material. The riffing said during Uhura�s dance, as well as those spoken when the group meets with God, is drop dead hysterical. It really did remind me of the good old days and was equitable to the humor found on Mystery Science Theater. Seriously, it�s that good.
My favorite moments include the running gags on Sulu and Chekhov�s manner of speaking as well as taking any and every shot they could at Shatner. From hits directed at his directing, to his �Price-Line� commercial work. It was also great to hear Kevin sing out a riff as well. Go now, do yourself a favor and download this immediately. I can�t recommend this effort more. Discuss this rifftrax
 Rifftrax: Cocktail
"Are those his actual clothes or did he just join Spandau Ballet?"
Right off the bat Mike lets the scientology, Katie Holmes, couch jumpin' quips loose in a steady barrage that had me rolling with laughter. Mr. Nelson was a comedy juggernaut and though it would be too much to expect him to keep up this pace throughout. Overall the riffing here is rock solid from start to finish.
Aside from crushing Cruise (in which I rejoiced in glee), he also taps into his own experiences from working at TGI Fridays and makes several funny callbacks to "Road House". Mike's work is more topical here than what he did with MST3K -He references Sumner Redstone and takes a deliciously wicked jab at Mel Gibson- which might date the effort in later years. Then again, the classic SCTV was very topical and its humor hasn't become stale in the least. As for DisembAudio, he/it is less obtrusive than he was in "The Fifth Element", but also gets in one good zinger.
Despite having to sit through this wretched movie (Bryan Brown's character really bugged me) and even worse, having to rent it at the video store! The laughter I receive is a soothing balm. "Cheers!", It's another winner for Mike. Discuss this Rifftrax here
Rifftrax: xXx
"His acting conveys his sleepiness"
Triple X is a high-octane action thriller, which stars the lumpy Vin Diesel, the sexy Asia Argento and the melty Samuel L. Jackson. The movie�s one of the better ones from the Rifftrax selections - in that I could watch it without having that aching desire to hang myself intruding every minute or so (as with Road House and Cocktail).
Unfortunately, it also is the weakest of the bunch in terms of laughs. That�s not to say that I didn't get a big kick out of Mikes work, I did. It just wasn�t one of his most relentlessly hysterical. What I liked about �xXx� was how I was able to relate to Mikes sentiments on the film. He�s a family man in the same age bracket as I, and like Mike, I also found Vin�s Xander to be an idiot punk (especially in those early scenes), the music of Rammstein baffling and I would eagerly enjoy backhanding Bill Maher too! Mr. Nelson, we are on the same wavelength.
The best bits were the simplest. Mocking Diesel�s manner of acting (the use of the sound, Duuuuh has never been funnier) and I liked how Mike would tease the overdone explosions, by speculating on the exploded objects containing all manner of odd combustible. So you can see how even a minor rifftrax effort can still give major laughs. Discuss this Rifftrax here
 Rifftrax: Crossroads
Britney Spears road picture Crossroads is ripe for the picking, it�s the perfect riffable flick and Mike had me roaring to the point where I was squeezing tears from my eyes. Part of the fun came from blasting Britney herself. There certainly is a lot of material to plumb and Mike doesn�t skimp on any of it. From observations on her paper-thin vocals -�Singing, or articulated moaning?�- to her abilities as an actress -�Is she trying to be coy or is she just borderline retarded?�-
Another great part of this rifftrax are the hilarious references. Kent McCord, William Hung and former Packer and prisoner, Mark Chmura, are some of the funnier ones - but when Mike made a brilliant point about Buster Poindexter I about died. That is one of the most hysterical, clever quips he�s made in his career as a bad movie commentator.
I�d say this was comparable with Star Trek V for full out sidesplitting humor. I know it�s tough to rent a movie like this, for men in particular, but trust me; the jokes-and the Dylan immitation-are well worth the embarrassment (plus there�s always Netflix or downloading available as an option). Don�t miss this! Discuss this rifftrax here
RiffTrax Index * Page one * Page two * Page three * Page Four * Rifftrax Presents * Rifftrax Shorts * Home * Film Crew etc
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 Rifftrax: X-Men
Doing this movie might upset a few folks. There are fans of MST and now Rifftrax who shackle themselves to all manner of regulation � the movie can�t be too bad, or it should be real bad, or it has to be cheesy or this and that and blah-blee-blah-blah-blah. While it is true certain movies lend themselves to a riffing better than others (Such as Werewolf, a movie Kevin described as a gift from God) the only thing that matters to me, the bottom line of bottom lines: Is it funny?
I don�t care if you rip on Attack of the Crab Monsters or Casablanca -to hell with the movie- just make me laugh. With X-Men Mike is joined by Bill Corbett and for the first time the duo let loose on a pretty decent movie. Would it work? For the most part the answer to that question is yes.
It isn�t the strongest Rifftrax of the bunch. There are a lot of gaps and I�d speculate it�s the most sparsely quipped of the bunch thus far. Bill might surprise with how subdued he sounds as this isn�t him doing the angry Crow of lore. He never the less is darn funny and gets in some of the best lines. When a bald fighter is introduced as �Your savior�, Bill states that he always imagined Jesus having more hair. He also got me laughing with jokes about his dentist and by doing an appropriately placed Harvey Fierstein imitation.
What didn�t work were the rare moments when they attack the movie. Implying that doing this film (generally held in high regard and a box office smash) somehow diminished Patrick Stewarts standing as an actor, isn�t funny because it doesn�t ring true. Mocking the unreal reality falls flat as well. It�s a comic book and the fantastic is all par for the course. Lastly, the Cerebro/Magneto exchanges are about as inspired as Letterman�s Oprah/Uma joke at the Oscars. It�s not funny and it�s not going to get funny no matter how often you say it.
Despite these hiccups, when Mike and Bill concentrated on irony or making literal observations (as with the Jesus line), the two proved even a good film can be riffed with success. And there�s also something special when your movie opens a scene with the words� �In the not too distant future� Discuss this rifftrax
 Rifftrax: Top Gun
"Is it still considered banter if it's devoid of all wit?" - Mike
For The first time I find myself disappointed with a Rifftrax. I had high hopes for this one, but the riffing is even sparser than X-Men, with fewer big guffaws. Yes, I enjoyed the lack of PC humor � quips about how gay the movie is, and Bill�s comment about Indians. I enjoyed the way they made fun of the stupid nicknames (Captain Fun was my favorite) and the tedious-as well as confusing-air battles. I liked the nod to another boring fighter pilot film-The MSTed Starfighters-when Mike makes a comment about having �The sex�. All of these jokes are very� cute, though not especially hilarious. Maybe they�ve spoiled me. Sending me through uproarious hysterics is what I�ve come to expect from Mike and his comrades and Top Gun doesn�t deliver.
Even the Scientology jokes wear thin. I loved them in Cocktail but it�s like Servo said during Godzilla vs Megalon when the giant lizard repeated that flying kick thing, �Yeah, yeah, we seen it already... it was funny the first time�. The movies a bad joke with its trite plotting, puerile stabs at humor and Tom�s irksome grin -"He unsheathed his teeth!"- This should have been pure gold and that the end results provide merely a chuckle-fest feels like a wasted opportunity.
Discuss this rifftrax
 Rifftrax: Point Break
"It was Asper, the friendly ghost!"
Mike goes solo this time out and the results are miles better than what he did with Bill on Top Gun. Point Break is an asinine film, idiotic in every way. It raises Mike justifiable ire and he savagely rips into every stupid plot point, bad acting and limited dialog that comes his (and our) way.
The movie opens with the merging of our lead actors names and Mike gets in a beautiful quip when he calls it "A harmonic conversion of cheesiness". Right then and there I knew I was in for a good time. Mike takes the easy and obvious shots but hey, they work: Keanu's bad acting gets a going over (and my Lord, he is especially bad here) I howled when Nelson suggests that the plywood people in the film served as Reeves acting coaches!
Lori Petty, as grating as ever, is often confused for a dude and Swayze receives some nice callbacks to Mike's earlier work on Road House. Only the slams on Gary Busey didn't always click for me (Though the comment about his teeth was hilarious).
The script consists of mostly 3 words: An F-Bomb, the S-Bomb and "Whoa!" - When Keanu's Johnny Utah repeats the S-Bomb and Whoa over and over during a sky diving sequence, Mike finds it an odd time to quote Maya Angelou (LMAO!)
I also absolutely adored the return of a couple of old MST reoccurring riffs: The "You taste Like..." and the, "He died as he lived..." lines make a welcome return. All told this was a very solid enjoyable rifftrax.
Discuss this rifftrax
 Rifftrax: Halloween
"Look, Free-Range mental patients� � Kevin
Kevin returns and that�s great news, considering how well he and Mike clicked for Star Trek V � Halloween is a better film than the last one they covered but their riff-work is equally as brilliant.
The duo take Carpenter to task for continuity problems (Exposing the differing weather conditions and time zones in the same scene was especially funny) � They make a good point of noting how the director lingers too long on certain shots and how the friends in the film seem to loathe one another.
But the real spark comes from the two simply adding their own skewed mindset to whatever�s on the screen. In Mike and Kevin�s version of the movie, Darth Vader accidentally wanders on the set; Billy Corrigan discovers his true calling and the opening sequence-which becomes a conversation between Debbie (?) and John Carpenter-had me holding my sides in huge fits of laughter.
Other bright spots: Kevin quotes an obscure Beatles tune ("I'll Be On My Way"); the insiders debate on the appropriate response to hearing a Chris De Burgh song (Mike once tossed Kev�s Servo at the screen for singing �Don�t Pay The Ferryman� during show #618); the hilarious line, �You�re kidding me! Someone went back in time and ripped off John Carpenter�s �The Thing�?�, and the various quips concerning the near comatose little girl, Lindsey.
A classic horror flick receives a classic riffing. Discuss this rifftrax
 Rifftrax: The Matrix
"The Matrix is a worn out barber chair. Kind of a let
down I know� - Mike
Mike and Kevin slam the Matrix hard and if you�re a fan you might not enjoy hearing the duo proclaim this a stupid, stupid flick. But hey, it's all in fun and they do make some valid points while having a good time trying to figure out what exactly "The Matrix" is. Overall the riffing on this one is workman like, solid; lots of laughs, though not their most relentlessly hysterical. They hammer away at the same points: Making funny Mormon quips aimed at the agents, various observations
on the liquidy nature of the film and its visual style. Of course, the ever wooden Keanu is keelhauled as well.
This Trax also featured some riffing written by a fan, during a scene when Neo visits the Oracle. It�s some genuinely funny work and Legend should think about hiring a couple of home writers just to keep Mike (and Kevin) from getting burned out. Other treasures to be found include: Mike noticing that Johnny Cash, or Dieter, is on the attack (or at least someone dressed in black) - and his side splitting imitation of Burgess Meredith's Mickey from Rocky. Kevin makes a funny reference to the comedy �Office Space�, which made me howl with laughter, and Reeves band Dogstar is used for a chuckle or two as well.
Discuss this rifftrax
 Rifftrax: Star Wars: Episode 1
�So George Lucas is a 4 year old right? That�s the only explanation for what we just saw� - Kevin
The kid gloves are off right from the opening sequence as Mike and Kevin gleefully blast the offensive stereotypical characters by making notably non-pc jokes -imitating the Japanese accents: "She crazy, she eat a Browfish for runch!" - Mike; call out the lack of logic -Kevin wonders why a holographic figure didn�t hologram himself into a room to make sure for himself that the Jedi were dead- and give a royal bitch-slap on the all the silly, childish names that infest this entire flick.
This is classic work from the terrific two, and we haven�t even gotten to Jar Jar (Who bugs Kevin�s soul). As Mike accurately observes -�10 minutes in, Lucas has already wized this movie away�- This flick is a disaster, a horrid, infantile mess; stuffed to the gills with dull negotiation and dinner scenes and acting so pathetic it sets my teeth on edge. The boy who plays Anakin is so wretched that Mike wonders if he was created by puppeteer, Frank Oz and Kevin is suitably creeped out by the knowledge that this little kid and Natalie Portman will be� �Humping like monkey�s� in the next film. EEEW!
This is a brilliantly funny rifftrax, easily one of the top 5 - but the biggest laugh came from the simplest, most straight forward quip. It�s when Jar Jar finally grates on Mike to the point where he simply shouts, �Look, Go to Hell!�. It�s something we all, in our heart of hearts, have wanted to say to this entire movie. Discuss this rifftrax
 Rifftrax: The Grudge
�You gotta try this acid, son� - Kevin
Though not a rollicking rifftrax rollercoaster like Star Wars, The Grudge still provides ample quantities of humor. The biggest and brightest bit comes right at the beginning of the film as Mike tries to convince Kevin that his nickname back in school was, �The Grudge�. The banter between he and Kevin (who did some research which seems to contradict Mike�s boast) had me doubled over with gales of laughter. Soon after this exchange, Kev wets �em at the very first scare. Priceless.
Mr.�s Nelson and Murphy spend the rest of the movie confused by the pointless story, making Yoko Ono quips and referencing several moments from their MST3K days (from Prince of Space to Gamera). I loved the jokes directed at the crazy old lady and the creepy little kid (I roared when a character was on the elevator and Kevin had the blue boy asking things like� �Hi lady, could you get me some underpants?�-) and got a kick out of how Mike would say -�And with that� Goodnight�- when the movie would make a quick cut to black after every scary moment.
When all the laughs are tallied up The Grudge comes out a winner. These guys are doing an excellent job with the Horror genre.
Discuss this rifftrax
Rifftrax: Fellowship of the Ring
�Hobbits are essentially teenagers with huge feet� � Mike
The group at MST3K was astronomically good at teasing films with narration (Monster A-Go Go, Creeping Terror, Attack USA) and that tradition is alive and well with rifftrax. The first 7 minutes where Mike and Kevin smart off to the voice over, is drop dead uproarious. This was the perfect way to start off what would be a long and winding road.
Fellowship is a lenghty film and there are moments where it defeats the duo (That first half hour drags, with what amounts to endless scenes where Hobbits converse ad naseum on the Ring) But overall the two do well with their subject. The observational humor and quick witted punch line-like responses to the dialog are a joy.
I dig this style of riffwork. It�s similar to what they did on �The Painted Hills� � Since the film isn�t the worst or cheesiest (like a Manos, or Crossroads), they can't go into "attack" mode, so the jokes are mostly comprised of clever voice-overs -�I said big one, not the obscene one�, quips Kevin when a couple of Hobbits steal a firework
There are also some great pop culture references. Mike gets in a brilliant Robin Williams imitation and his �Fellowship Starting Line-up�, -Magneto, Baby Face� was a gas. While Murphy uses Myspace, TVs �Lost� and the football flick �Rudy� for laughs. The Hobbits make for wonderful targets of humor -Frodo flunked Canoeing-, and we even are given a great Mothera imitation. Mike and Kevin seem to be having a blast poking fun at a movie they both like - and �fun� describes this project as a whole.
Discuss this rifftrax
Rifftrax: Island of Dr. Moreau and Reign of Fire
�You know, there are times when I almost think this film is kind of silly� � Kevin.
Mike and Kevin's work run at about the same level on both of these. Though not among my favorites, each is solid with frequent huge laughs offered at every corner.
In Moreau the most hysterical moments for me happen when they tackle my favorite actor, Marlon Brando. This is one of Marlon�s most eccentric performances and the guys never let him off the hook. From his strange makeup (he wears lipstick on only half of his mouth?) to his ice bucket hat! The imitations are classic, and a reference to �Last Tango in Paris� had me doing a spit take.
Val Kilmer also takes a well deserved beating for his stoned out acting -�We call this brokeback island� � Kevin. And Mike�s frustration with hearing yet another �Rice of Pipple� speech was a nice MSTed callback
The actors in Reign of Fire are not immune either. The pan fried and oiled Matthew McConaughey chews the scenery, swaggers and as Mike and Kev observe, speaks like Jody Foster and moves just like John Belushi in Animal House!
The bits about �Incomprehensible panic yelling� was priceless because it sums up the entire movie in a nutshell. The two also take the film to task for being so unrelentingly dark and bleak. �Yay! I get to sleep in the same room with a depressed hairy man!� � Kevin. Also, I loved the riffing whenever the kids were involved. It was very funny when 2 men stage a Star Wars play for them and Kevin uses the opportunity to bash Lucas as a childish bearded freak. LMAO! Discuss these rifftrax here
 Rifftrax: Firewall
�He seems to be the idiot savant of self incrimination� - Mike
I never knew that Harrison Ford was so funny. But in Mike and Kevin's hands he's a treasure trove of laughter. The best part of this computer/robbery actioner are all the riffs inspired by the actor. His age, his haircut, the way he slips into past roles (Especially the one where he spouts, "Get off my plane!"). The way his head is full of change and how he always looks too darned exhausted to act... "I'll just sit here looking wrinkled and grumpy" - Mike. All of this is a gas; and I haven't mentioned Fords wonderful, "Daily Affirmation"!
Aside from Harrison, we are gifted with a couple of cute Alan Arkin imitations and several Terminator jokes at Robert Patrick's expense. The two also take notice of all the foreshadowing early on.
Also, Mike makes more personal confessions: About his boss at Taco Johns as well as how the movie ruined his long planned "Flintstone" inspired screenplay. Oh, and there's a character named Cox. It goes without saying that this name is run through the mud by movies end ;)
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Rifftrax: Nestor: The Long Eared Christmas Donkey
�Depressed yet?� - Mike as Narrator
This 20 minute Christmas special from Rankin/Bass is a gas and the workover it receives ranks right up there with the MST3K Christmas episodes in terms of pure comedic gold. But dark; Whoo-wee, Mike is harsh but hysterical.
Some of Mikes best biting remarks include pointing out that Elves are drunken half wits, and that Gods mission for Nestor includes running a package out of Mexico. ROFLMA!!
The sections where he tackles Roger Miller's inane tune, left this songwriter in stitches. This is an instant classic. A non stop riot and highly recommended. Discuss this Rifftrax here
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