Musicals On Streaming - On the Come Up

Paramount Plus, 2022

Starring Jamila C. Gray, Sanaa Lathan, Michael Cooper Jr., and Da'Vine Joy Randolph

Directed by Sanaa Lathan

Music and Lyrics by various

First of all, I've changed my mind about ending Musical Dreams. I am going to continue doing it, but I'll only be posting one review on Thursday night starting next week. I still have some musicals I'd like to cover in a full review, but I don't have the time anymore to do three a week. You might get an old movie, a new movie, a TV movie, an animated film, a streaming special. You never know what you'll get from week to week, so keep an eye out! 

Now that the announcements are out of the way, on with the review. Whitney Houston was hardly the only black woman to deal with sudden fame. In this adaptation of the 2019 novel of the same name, a teen who is popular on the underground rap battle circuits also finds herself dealing with smarmy producers who ask her to be something she isn't and the aftermath of fame...but unlike Whitney, she's able to do something about it and change things for the better. We've already met real-life teen rap battle queen Roxanne Roxanne in 2024. How does this story of a fictional teen rap warrior compare? Let's begin with Brianna "Bri" Jackson (Gray) remembering the day her heroin-addicted mother Jayda (Lathan) gave her and her brother Trey (Titus Malkin Jr.) up and find out...

The Story: Bri's father Lawless Jackson had been a rapper in her neighborhood Garden Heights before his untimely death. She's determined to take up his legacy in the underground rap battle ring and make it where he couldn't. Her Aunt Pooh (Randolph) is her manager who keeps pushing her into the ring, even when she backs down. Her two best guy friends Sonny (Miles Guiteirrez-Riley) and Malik (Cooper Jr.) support her, including when she's suspended for selling candy in school. Bri's mother tries to point out that the security guards were way too aggressive with her daughter, but the principal insists this isn't the first time she's been in trouble.

Bri finally enters the rap ring as a way to earn money for her out-of-work mother. When she defeats a fellow female rapper outside of the arena, Supreme (Method Man), a smarmy producer who had once worked with her father, takes notice. He tries to change her image and insists she record a song, "On the Come Up," in Atlanta. Her mother and her guy friends think the song is way too violent for her. Supreme has convinced her it's good for her career...but then she sees the furor the lyrics, or how people have interpreted the lyrics, caused at school and in the ring. The King's Crown gang thinks she's at war with them. The school thinks she's anti-cops. After Aunt Pooh has a run-in with the King's Crown gang that leaves her in the hospital and they steal Bri's most precious treasure from her, she knows she has to get back into the ring and show everyone that she can handle some of the strongest insults and lyrics thrown at her and still be herself.

The Song and Dance: You'd never know this was Gray's first role. She handles the drama and the fast-paced rap "battles" with equal ferocity. Latham is a warm mother who is trying hard to do better for her daughter and manages a few decent directorial touches as well, especially in the ring and when Bri's being attacked at school. The grays and blues and neutral colors beautifully show off Bri's tough, battle-scarred world where words have more power than any gun. And unlike Roxanne Roxanne, we do get to see some rap battles in full and get an idea of what they're like and why they're such a big deal for the characters. 

The Numbers: The "musical" numbers here aren't numbers in the typical sense. Our first "rap battle" isn't until nearly 20 minutes into the movie. Bri first takes on Supreme's up-and-coming son Milez (Justin Martin), and wins it handily. "Miss Tique vs. Bri" is the battle outside the arena with a blonde who calls herself Miss Tique (Lady London) and...well, Bri's right that she couldn't be more fake-looking if she tried. Bri wins that one handily, too. The title song is the rough and ready rap number that caused all the trouble. I'm going to agree with Bri and say the lyrics don't sound like anything against cops or gangs to me, but I guess everyone has their own interpretations of songs. Bri also gets "Bri-LLIANT." We end with the two rap battles between Bri and the head of the King's Crown gang, and Supreme's best rapper, Infamous Milz (Lil' Yachty). 

What I Don't Like: As with the Roxanne, Roxanne bio, this is fairly rough going. It's from a teen novel, so it's not quite as rough as Roxanne's story, but there's still violence (including against a teen girl in her own school), swearing, and gun play. This is for older teen rap fans who can handle the violence. It's also pretty predictable. You can guess where it's going to go and that Bri will end up defeating all comers in the ring, especially the ones who killed her father. There's also the simple fact that the rap battles, which are strictly words without musical accompaniment, don't make this your average musical. Those looking for a typical musical romp will definitely want to go elsewhere.

The Big Finale: Touching story of a girl who finds herself and her community through her music and her father's legacy is worth checking out for older teen and adult rap fans and those who read the book of the same title.

Home Media: Surprisingly not on Paramount Plus anymore, but it can be found on DVD and on other streaming services, including Pluto TV for free with commercials.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Pluto TV On Demand

Rappin'

The Cannon Group, 1985

Starring Mario Van Peebles, Eriq La Salle, Melvin Plowden, and Richie Abanes

Directed by Joel Silberg

Music and Lyrics by various

Let's return to the US to celebrate Juneteenth with this early look at rap culture. By 1985, rap had just begun to get off the streets and into mainstream homes. Movies were starting to take notice of this dynamic new urban culture, too. Even smaller studios wanted to cash in on that gritty new sound. The Cannon Group was also at their apex, considered to be one of the strongest "B" movie studios at that point. Having dove into the breakdancing craze with Breakin' and Breakin' 2, they moved in on the even more novel and popular rap craze. How does this attempt look today, when rap is one of the dominant musical genres in the world? Let's begin as Pittsburgh ex-convict Rappin' John Hood (Peebles) is released from prison and find out...

The Story: John returns to his decaying Pittsburgh neighborhood to live with his grandmother (Eyde Byrde) and little brother (Leo O'Brian). He reunites with his gang, only to discover that greedy developers want to knock it down and displace its diverse, impoverished residents. He doesn't exactly make himself popular with the local hoodlums, either, especially their leader Duane (Charles Grant). Duane isn't crazy about John's attentions to his girlfriend Dixie (Tasia Valenza), either. 

Dixie is the one who finally convinces John and his buddies to audition for rap recording contract. Even that might not be enough to save their homes. Developer Thorndyke (Harry Goz) is under pressure to evict John and his neighbors and tear down their dwellings for new development. John's not about to let them get thrown out. They rally the neighbors to fight back, but the rap really heats up with Duane and his boys attack, and the stage is set for a showdown at the courts, where John and his friends prove that music has the power to bring together communities and shared dreams.

The Song and Dance: This was honestly better than I was expecting, and probably better than it has any right to be. It's cheesy, yes, but it's a fun cheesy. Everyone really gets into their roles, with an intense Van Peebles and big, tough La Salle coming off best as the friends whose fondness for rap manages to unite their community. Melvin Plowden (in apparently his only movie) is adorable as their always-hungry friend Fats, and Valenza is sweet enough as Dixie to make you understand why John goes after her, even though she's already taken. There's some genuinely cute rap numbers and some surprisingly decent filming in real-life Pittsburgh.

The Numbers: We open with the title song performed by Lovebug Starski, reintroducing John (and introducing us) to the people of his neighborhood. John and his brother reunite with their rap "Two of a Kind." The first chorus number and the big number at John's welcome-home party is Claudja Barry's dynamic "Born to Love," which underscores the confrontation between Duane and John where the latter won't fight. John and his buddies are musically annoyed with Fats' "Snack Attack" at the produce warehouse where Richie (Albanes) works. 

"First Love Never Dies," performed Eugene Wilde and Joanna Gardner, is our first glimpse of where Dixie works. "Golly Gee" seems like a slightly sexualized number for the members of Tuff, Inc, whose collective ages can't even be in double digits. It's enough to amuse the local kids their age, as is John taking them on a "Neighborhood Walk." "Killer," the first rap audition at Dixie's job, gives us a satirical look at the darker side of rap culture that almost seems like a spoof of darker "gangsta' rap" in the 90's. The Force M.D's are a lot less scary with their matching sweaters and "Itchin' for a Scratch." John beats them both by rapping to two brawling drunks with "Lady Alcohol." 

Dixie's listening to teen singer Warren Mills record "Flame In the Fire" when she has to deflect Duane's call. John's first recording is "Livin' With the Buzz," underscoring his brother's arrest. "Call Me" details how John and his neighbors fight the construction workers and get their heat back during a frigid Pittsburgh winter. "The Fight Rap" at the courtroom reminds everyone of the importance of fighting to the very end. The entire neighborhood reprises "Rappin'" as they celebrate saving their homes in the finale.

Trivia: Master Gee of the Sugarhill Gang dubbed Peebles' numbers.

What I Don't Like: Did I mention how cheesy and cliched this is? I'll pass the cheap sets - this is an urban wasteland, it's not exactly supposed to look lavish - but the "save the neighborhood" story isn't anything you haven't seen in dozens of movies going back to the silent era. I don't know much about rap, but I know enough to note that none of the songs in the movie are especially memorable, and most of the numbers edge into absurd West Side Story imitations. 

The Big Finale: This is far from a masterpiece, but it's enough fun to be worth seeing for fans of Peebles, early rap, or 80's urban-set musicals.

Home Media: Easily found pretty much anywhere. Can often be found streaming for free with commercials, including on Tubi.

DVD

Blu-Ray

Tubi

Cult Flops - The Fighting Temptations

Paramount, 2003

Starring Cuba Gooding Jr, Beyonce Knowles, Mike Epps, and LaTanya Richardson

Directed by Johnathan Lynn

Music and Lyrics by various

Let's celebrate Holy Week with two movies about unlikely church choirs taking part in major competitions. We'll start with the one that has the bigger-name cast. Beyonce Knowles was an up-and-coming singer who had just left her group Destiny's Child the year before. Gooding Jr had been a popular character actor and comedian in movies like Jerry Maguire (which he won an Oscar for) since the early 90's. How well do they work in this tale of a young man who returns to his Georgia hometown and takes over the church choir? Let's begin with two kids sitting on the church steps in 1980, just as the choir's number begins, and find out...

The Story: Ad executive Darrin Hill (Gooding) never planned on returning to his hometown of Monte Carlo, Georgia. He and his mother Mary Ann (Faith Evans) were run out of town by Paulina Lewis-Pritchett (Richardson), a self-righteous and obnoxious biddy who disapproved of Mary Ann singing R&B on the side. Darrin's Aunt Sally (Ann Nesby), who never stopped believing in him, left him the church choir, with the stipulation that he gets them into the Gospel Explosion contest. If he wins, he will inherit Aunt Sally's stock in the company. 

Trouble is, Darrin is an unrelenting and unrepentant liar. He lied his way into the ad job, which he lost due to his lies right before a detective served him the invitation to Aunt Sally's funeral. After he learns that the once-powerful choir has been reduced to a few members, he fibs that anyone who joins will get half the prize money. It takes him longer to convince his childhood friend Lilly (Knowles), who had a child out of wedlock and is now a singer at a local bar. He convinces her to sing lead.

Paulina quits after Lilly joins, but she's not done making trouble. After she claims the deadline to audition for the Gospel Explosion has passed, Darrin convinces the audition judge and town's prison Warden to let them perform for his prisoners. They go over so well, not only do they get in, but three prisoners join the group. A frustrated Paulina reveals his past, which leads the others to turn against him. He returns to New York...but realizes when he gets his job back that it's meaningless, and he's nothing without his new friends, Lilly, and the choir that has come to mean so much to him.

The Song and Dance: Frankly, the song and dance are the only reasons to see this. Digging through the soppy plot reveals some terrific numbers, including Beyonce's nicely intimate "Fever" at the club. This was likely intentional, given MTV had a hand in making this one. Beyonce shines as the talented singer who is reluctant to return to the church after she was pushed away. Nice location shooting in the real small-town Georgia is the only other thing of interest here. 

The Numbers: We open with Aunt Sally leading the choir through a literally foot-stomping "I'm Getting Ready" and "The Stone" in 1980. Mary Ann performs "Heaven Knows" in a flashback as Darrin recalls his life with his mother on the road. Real-life gospel singer Shirley Caesar really gets into a dynamic "The Church Is In Mourning" with her own choir at Aunt Sally's funeral. Lilly does even better by a sexy, intimate "Fever" at a smoky local club that is by far the best thing in the film. 

The choir's first attempt at "Amazing Grace" is...less than stellar, especially due to a leaky roof. It couldn't be a greater contrast to Lilly's slinky "Everything I Do" with Bilal. The montage of locals auditioning for the choir ranges from a not-great "Amazing Grace" to two teens doing "God's Turning the World Upside Down"and someone doing a really horrible "Isn't She Lovely." He's impressed enough with the O'Jays' barbershop quartet rendition of "Loves Me Like a Rock" to convince the head barber to join. He starts them in on "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" before he realizes they need a lead singer. "Swing Low" gets a far more effective reprise at the prison after Lilly joins the choir. 

The newly-hired prisoner singers show what they can do with "Down By the Riverside." T-Bone does his own rap version, "To Da River." The church really shows what they can do for their church audience with "Rain Down." The first number at the Choral Explosion is Mary Mary's "Brighter Days." The Blind Boys of Alabama really get into "I'm a Soldier In the Army of Love." The Baptist Choir's big finale is "Turn My Life Around." We end with everyone - even Paulina - back at the church with "Come Back Home."

What I Don't Like: This is cliched to the max. We've seen basically the same story on this blog in the first Sister Act film and the later Joyful Noise. Gooding Jr's perpetual liar is more annoying than cute or funny. He and Beyonce have no chemistry, making her suddenly falling for him in the second half a lot less believable. Frankly, you begin to wish his constant fibbing had gotten him into trouble long before this. The movie just goes on and on and takes what should have been a light-hearted romp much too seriously. Paulina's attempts to discredit Darrin in the second half borders on comic-book camp at times and probably could have been trimmed with no one the wiser. 

The Big Finale: In the end, this is too shallow and disjointed to be recommended to anyone besides major fans of Beyonce, the other singers in the cast, or gospel and R&B. 

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and streaming. 

DVD

Amazon Prime

Musicals on TV - Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story

TV One, 2016

Starring Teyonah Parris, Gary Dourdan, Darius McCrary, and Amari Cheatom

Directed by Christine Swanson

Music and Lyrics by Miki Howard and others

I'm going to be honest, both the subject matter and the channel that debuted this are entirely new to me. Miki Howard was an R&B diva who had her biggest hits in the 80's and early 90's. Neither her early life, nor her love life were anywhere near as glamorous. Her troubled teen years and habit of marrying men who used her as a doormat boomeranged back at her later, when she fell heavily into drug and alcohol addiction. By 2016, she was attempting a comeback and was well-remembered enough by R&B fans to be the subject of this biography. How does all of this come across on the small screen? Let's begin with sixteen-year-old Michelle "Miki" Howard (Parris) fleeing to a friend's home in 1974 and find out...

The Story: Miki had a rough life, even before her mother Josephine (Vanessa Bell Calloway) threw her out after a boy attacked her. Josephine, a gospel singer, loved her daughter but resented her stealing the spotlight at her concerts and at church. Miki just couldn't resist being in the spotlight wherever she went. She and a friend went out to a disco, which is where she first encounters Augie Johnson (Dourdan). She records a single for them, then is thrown out of her friend's house when she resents Miki getting the attention and insults her homeless status.

Augie, as it turns out, is no prize either. Though they have two children together, he cheats on her and discourages her from leaving the group. After she leaves him, she signs with Atlantic Records who is willing to let her go solo. Not only does she have a series of hit R&B singles, but she falls in love with fellow singer Gerald Levert (McCrary) who inspires some of her best and most popular work. She's a global sensation who tops the R&B chart and appears in films, but her producers want her to become a pop diva like Whitney Houston. 

Miki finally leaves Gerald for smooth-talking producer Eddie Phelps (Cheatom). She also leaves Atlantic for Giant Records when she can't work with Gerald anymore. Eddie claims he's interested in helping her raise a family, but their relationship just ends with him abusing her and trying to control her. He career spirals downwards after she almost literally throws him out. She falls into heavy drug and alcohol addiction and can barely function or take care of her children. It's not until she almost dies of a drug overdose that she goes into therapy and realizes that what she really needs is to learn to respect herself, and that her life and that of her children are worth far more than any of the fame and fortune in the world. 

The Song and Dance: Damn, if any of this is remotely the truth, I feel very sorry for Miki. The abuse here is raw, real, and scary. It's hard to watch on film, let alone in real-life. Parris nails Miki, playing her as a vulnerable woman who has been thrown around and smacked around all her life, until she literally has sense frightened into her. McCrary comes off best of the three men as the most abusive and jerk-ish of the three loves in her life. Callaway also has some good moments as the mother who pushes her daughter away when she sees the woman she's becoming. Some really gorgeous costumes too, especially in the late 80's and 90's when Howard was at the height of her fame.

The Numbers: We open with the gospel song "Somebody Loves Me" as we see a montage of how Miki fell out with her mother and was thrown out of her home. Miki records "Just Not Enough" with two other women for Augie when he invites them to his studio, but her friend doesn't appreciate her getting Augie's attention. We get a cover of "Good Morning Heartache" as Miki wanders around LA after her friend's mother throws her out. She and Augie start a family and achieve minor success as part of Side Effect in a montage to the tune of the Toto cover "Georgy Porgy." 

After she signs to Atlantic, she finally gets a hit solo single in the uptempo ballad "Come and Share My Love." "I Feel for You" takes us to the party where she meets Gerald. They duet on the romantic "That's What Love Is," which covers their relationship and her first major tour. The title song gives us her marriage to Eddie and his insistence on changing labels. "Ain't Nothin' of the World" shows her continuing success on albums and in films, even as her relationship with Eddie deteriorates. "Ain't Nobody Like You" gives us her biggest hit single and the video for it, even as she demands money from the drug-addled head of the label. The movie ends with her real-life comeback, performing a more jazz-oriented reprise of "Ain't Nobody Like You."

Trivia: This was the highest-rated movie ever on TV One, an African-American oriented cable channel. 

What I Don't Like: Note the discussion of the heavy abuse scenes up there. There's violence, drug, alcohol, and marital abuse, strong language, and Miki pulls a gun on Eddie in front of her children at one point. This is absolutely not for kids. See if you can dig up Howard's albums for them first. As mentioned, the violence level makes it hard to watch at times, especially in the middle when Eddie's all but attacking her. It's also a mess of cliches, though the grittier tone does make this a bit more original than some recent music biographies.

The Big Finale: Adult R&B and jazz fans who can deal with the violence level may find this story of abuse and redemption to be fascinating, if just for the performances.

Home Media: Not on disc at press time, but it can be found on many streaming sites for free with commercials, including Tubi and Plex.

Tubi

Plex

It's Christmas Again

Mapelle Films, 2022

Starring Lawson Touliatos, Leela Owen, Dimintri Mareno, and Jason Burkley

Directed by Sandra L. Martin

Music by Quinten Coblenz; Lyrics by Wes Writer

We explore the less secular side of the holiday with this independent Christian film. I'm not the most religious person in the universe, but I was intrigued by the idea of seeing the birth of Christ through the eyes of a jaded teen boy. How did this come across in this low-budget family tuner? Let's begin with Jake (Touliatos) walking through his town and explaining why the holiday decorations and activities are important to the community and find out...

The Story: Jake wants his girlfriend Abbey (Owen) to go on a skiing trip with him and his family. Not only does her family want her to hang around for the holidays, but her mother encourages her to play Mary in a Christmas pageant that'll raise money for a local church. Jake's disappointed and angry with her, and is even more so when his little brother Oliver (Max Victory) breaks his ankle and his parents end up canceling that coveted skiing vacation. He jumps on his skateboard and heads over to a friend's house for a party, claiming he doesn't understand why everyone's making a fuss over Christmas and refusing to appear as a shepherd in the pageant.

After a nasty fall off his skateboard, he first awakens in Bethlehem just as Baby Jesus is born. To his shock, he's dressed as a shepherd, and the other local shepherds assume he's one of them. Two younger shepherds, one of whom looks a lot like Abbey, take him to see Baby Jesus and his mother Mary (Reina Ozbay). He's attacked by a Roman soldier (Nathan Kehn) after a big dinner with Abbey's family and finds himself back in his town and time...but now, the Christmas decorations and revelers are gone. Abbey claims no one has celebrated it in a long time. With the help of her and a homeless teen (Mareno), Jake becomes determined to bring Christmas back to his community and show everyone in the process that Christmas is truly about the spirit of giving, charity, and hope.

The Song and Dance: Some decent performances anchor this well-meaning parable. Touliatos is pretty funny as Jake, whether he's confronting Roman guards, his friends who would rather be somewhere sunny for Christmas, or trying to convince Abbey that Christmas is worth saving. Owen has a few nice moments as his girlfriend too, especially in the second half where she's the skeptical one and he's trying to make her see the light. In fact, I do like how they turn around their positions in the last third. It shows just how much Jake has changed. 

The Numbers: Jake introduces us to the many holiday activities and decorations around his town in the energetic opening title song. He's determined to do Christmas "My Way" at school, even if Abbey can't join him. Once in Bethlehem, he tells the shepherds that what they do is "Not for Me." The people in Bethlehem are more interested in "Gimmie, Gimmie" as they lament having to be counted for taxes. "Mary's Lullaby" soothes the Baby Jesus after the kids arrive. The big family dinner for Abigail and her mother and siblings turns into the "Bless This Home" chorus number that baffles Jake. He briefly sings "We Three Kings" to tell the other shepherds about the wise men who are on their way with gifts. 

"Hey Christmas" is another chorus number, this one in a coffee shop when Jake and his new homeless friend Joe try to explain the holidays to the clientele. "Time Stands Still" is Abbey's solo as she admits how much she misses her father. The trio "Reach Out a Hand" and deliver food to the poor and homeless who were displaced when the church closed. It ends with another huge chorus number and a reprise of the title song as Jake admits that there's a lot more to the holidays than the same old traditions.

What I Don't Like: First of all, it's obvious that this is a low-budget Christian film. The sets are cheap as heck, especially the Bethlehem that more closely looks like something that was filmed in the back of a church. The songs are dull pop and rap and, other than the title song, are totally unmemorable. There's also the cliche of the Mysterious Black Friend having been questioned quite a bit lately, and it gets played to the hilt in the second half. 

My biggest problems is this movie has plot holes big enough to drive a whole herd of sheep through. It should have either stayed in Bethlehem and let the kids meet the Wise Men, or gone the It's a Wonderful Life route and have Jake wake up and realize what the lack of holiday spirit has done to the town. Either one would have sustained a full plot. Or maybe kept the second half, but have him interfere with history in some way and and awaken to Christmas being gone everywhere, period, or never have existed to begin with. 

I can understand him dreaming the sequence in Bethlehem, but they never explain why he wakes up and is suddenly in a world where his town just stopped celebrating Christmas. They don't say how it happened, or how or if it's connected with the church, or why Abbey's father is suddenly dead during the last 20 minutes.

The Big Finale: This recommended only for the most ardent teen Christian movie fans or parents desperately searching for a holiday movie to entertain their teens for an hour and a half before Christmas dinner.

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and streaming. Tubi currently has it for free with commercials.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Tubi 

Family Fun Saturday - Mother Goose Rock n' Rhyme

The Disney Channel, 1990

Starring Shelley Duvall, Dan Gilroy, Jean Stapleton, and Ben Vereen

Directed by Jeff Stein

Music and Lyrics by various

We honor actress and producer Shelley Duvall, who passed away last month, with this truly unique and extremely early 90's fantasy. Disney made TV movies long before they branded them with the Disney Channel Originals moniker. Most of their earlier movies tended to be dramas and comedies oriented towards the whole family. This would be their only musical until the 2000's. How strange does this modern retelling of famous nursery rhymes look today? Let's begin with Gordon Goose (Gilroy), son of Mother Goose (Stapleton), beginning his day in a neon Rhymeland and find out...

The Story: Gordon is the only other normal human in Rhymeland besides his mother and feels very out of place among the bizarre characters who live there. Little Bo Peep (Duvall), who drives backwards, comes to him driving backwards as she looks for her lost sheep. Bo Peep's sheep are the only Rhymeland characters missing. Mother Goose herself vanishes shortly after Gordon leaves her for the day...and after she disappears, many of the characters in Rhymeland start vanishing, too. Gordon and Bo Peep question the many wacky and colorful citizens of Rhymeland to try to find Mother Goose, before they too disappear forever.

The Song and Dance: The Disney Channel used to run this a lot in the early 90's...and it may be the most early 90's TV movie in existence. Everything is bright, big, boxy, and either neon, black, or pastel. The costumes are especially evocative of the time. The ladies are all in tutus, short jackets, and leggings, and the guys wear baggy suits and sweat suits, and they're pretty darn cool to look at. The entire movie has the look of a pop up fairy tale book of the time, with its goofy cheap sets. 

The stars alone make this worth seeing if you remember the era. Name a star who was even a little popular in the late 80's-early 90's, and they're probably in this. In addition to sweet, naive, goofy Duvall, we have everything from Harry Anderson as a Peter Piper who is addicted to alliteration and Debbie Harry as a decidedly not Old Woman Who Lives In a Shoe to ZZ Top as the Three Men In a Tub who aren't the best at giving directions. There's even Little Richard as Old King Cole. 

Favorite Number:  "Hot To It," featuring the Del Rubio Triplets of Pee Wee's Playhouse fame, introduces us to the wacky world of Rhymeland with some nifty choreography and how Gordon feels out of place in it. The Van Nuys Rap Association and the chorus in funky pastel suits are "Waiting for the King." When Old King Cole arrives, we get more dancing, including female blackbirds bursting out of a pie, for "Party With the King." "Gordon Won't You Come Out and Play" is the big metal number in the dungeon, performed by the appropriately-named The Dank.

Trivia: There's two versions of this available, the longer one that was released on video and a version that ran on TV in later years that cut a lot of the more risque content, rearranged sequences, changed the score, and encored "Party With the King" in the end credits. 

What I Don't Like: Gordon keeps calling himself "normal," but he's really whiny and obnoxious. In fact, a lot of the folks they encounter are more annoying or grating than funny or whimsical. No wonder Gordon spends most of the movie complaining about them. For something that turned up on The Disney Channel, there's an awful lot of adult humor on this, from Jack and Jill fussing about "needs" to the Not-So-Old Woman in a Shoe's children having multiple fathers and the uncomfortable hard rock "torture" sequence in the dungeon. The story is also pretty thin, with Gordon and Bo Peep wandering aimlessly among Rhymeland residents for a good chunk of the movie. (And they never do find Bo Peep's sheep.) 

The Big Finale: My sisters and I loved this movie when our family taped it off The Disney Channel in the early 90's, but it hasn't really dated that well. If you enjoyed it when you were a kid, think your kids might enjoy it and be young enough to overlook the more adult jokes, or are a fan of any of the stars involved, it's worth checking out at least once for the unique wacky look alone.

Home Media: Never on DVD or legitimate streaming, the only place this can currently be found is YouTube.

YouTube - Longer Cut

YouTube - TV Cut

Musicals On Streaming - Tick...Tick...Boom!

Netflix, 2021

Starring Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesus, and Vanessa Hudgens

Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Music and Lyrics by Johnathan Larson

We head across the country and skip back three decades for our next show business tale. Johnathan Larson was a struggling songwriter and composer in New York who dreamed of writing the next big musical. He had such a hard time getting his ambitious sci-fi show Superbia off the ground, he ultimately went smaller and wrote a one-man rock musical about his struggle to create that show and maintain his relationships. 

After his death in 1996, playwright David Auden restructured it into a slightly larger three-person musical that debuted off-Broadway in 2001. Producer Julie Oh saw it as part of the Encores! Off-Center concert series in New York that featured Miranda and thought he was the only director who could do it justice. It debuted on Netflix in November 2021 and was a hit, doing far better on streaming than most of the other musicals released in theaters that year did. How well does it do with Larson's tumultuous life? Let's begin with footage from 1992 of Larson (Garfield) performing his three-person musical as his girlfriend Susan (Shipp) explains how they got to that point, and see...

The Story: Larson is a starving artist in New York's Greenwich Village in 1990. He's working as a waiter in a local diner and is barely able to pay the rent, let alone find the money to back his elaborate sci-fi musical Superbia that he was working on for the last eight years. He's about to turn 30 in a few weeks and is desperate to succeed before that happens. His girlfriend Susan wants to get a job teaching dance at a prestigious dance school in western Massachusetts and asks him to come with her. His best friend Michael (de Jesus) is currently working as an advertising executive and wants him to join a focus group. 

Johnathan is too obsessed with his show to pay either of them much mind. His producer Ira (Johnathan Marc Sherman) asks him to come up with a new song to fill in a gap in Superbia's story, and he only has a week to do it. He feels even worse when one of his fellow waiters at the diner is hospitalized with HIV. His decision to put the workshop over his relationships leads to Susan breaking up with him and Michael reminding him that theater isn't the most stable career path. Even after his agent Rosa (Judith Light) does manage to get a few producers to see that workshop, everyone says its brilliant but too big to produce. Johnathan's ready to give up, but it takes encouragement from Michael and a very unlikely source to remind him how much he truly loves the theater and performing.

The Song and Dance: Garfield is amazing in this searing exploration of how real life expectations often collide with dreams, and how we can keep dreaming even when things are at their worst. You'd never know this was his first musical. He sounds great, raw and strong and real. De Jesus more than matches him as his best friend who gave up the theater for security and never looked back. 

Considering all the trouble they had with Covid restrictions, they still managed some nice cinematography in the real New York, including the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, Larson's actual apartment, and the New York Theater Workshop building. Manuela manages to keep everything moving at a brisk pace for such a long film and throws in some really nifty touches, especially during the "Sunday" number at the diner.

Favorite Number: We open with Garfield and the cast singing "30/90," the original title of Tick...Tick...Boom!, on shaky footage from an actual camcorder. "Boho Days" is the big party number for Johnathan and his friends at his apartment. "Green Green Dress" is heard briefly on the radio before Susan and Johnathan make love after their chat on the roof during the party. "Johnny Can't Decide" whether to focus on his relationships or his career. His friends onstage Karessa (Vanessa Hudgens) and Roger (Joshua Henry) represent his actual friends pushing him to figure it out.

"Sunday" starts in the diner, but it becomes a monumental chorus routine in Johnathan's mind as he imagines half the stars on Broadway joining in to his tribute to his mentor Stephan Sondheim (Bradley Whitford). Rapper Tariq Trotter gives us the gritty Times Square of hustlers, hookers, bland "corporate" shows and huge English rock operas in the rap "Play Game." Karessa and Johnathan's goofy onstage "Therapy" is a lot less cute in real-life as Susan reminds Johnathan that she exists and he's been brushing her off. He also reveals why "Swimming" centers him and inspired him to finally write that new song. 

Karessa initially sings "Come To Your Senses" at the workshop...but it's Susan Johnathan hears as he realizes what a jerk he's been. Michael also admonishes him to come to his senses, remind him that "Real Life" isn't like the theater. Johnathan wonders "Why" he's behaved like he did when he finally sits down at the Delacorte to play piano, and remembers how he fell in love with theater in the first place. We end with Johnathan, Karessa, and Roger back onstage, singing about how his music speaks "Louder Than Words." 

Trivia: Among the Broadway stars who have cameos during the "Sunday" number are Brian Stokes Mitchell, Bernadette Peters, Phylicia Rashad, Joel Gray, Howard McGillin, Andre De Shields, Bebe Neuwirth, Renee Elise Goldsberry, and Phillipa Soo. Songwriters Jason Robert Brown, Jeanine Tesori, Marc Shaiman, Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Trask, and Tom Kitt are among those who can be seen as "aspiring songwriters" during the musical workshop scene.

Ironically, Larson's real-life friend who inspired the character of Michael survived contracting the HIV virus and is still alive at press time. Oh, and he was never his roommate, nor involved in the performing arts, even when they were kids. His girlfriend Janet inspired Susan, and though they were apparently off-again, on-again, they never flat-out broke up as depicted here. 

The workshops for Superbia took place in 1988, not 1990. Larson was even more disappointed in its production than what's seen here. The musical theater cast couldn't muster up enough energy for the rock score, and all he managed to get was piano accompaniment. Even Sondheim left after the first act. Larson continued to have faith in it and work on it through 1992, after which he finally dropped it to focus on Rent.

What I Don't Like: This might be a little too dark for those of you looking for something lighter or more uplifting. The adult themes and some mild language makes this not for young musical lovers. I also sort of wish they cut out the wrap-arounds with Larson at the actual show, or only ran them in the beginning and end. The movie is at its strongest when it focuses on Johnathan and lets him tell his own story. And while it's apparently a little more realistic about the AIDS crisis and what men like Michael and Freddy were going through in the early 90's than the show, it's still portraying it largely through the lens of a heterosexual white youth. 

The Big Finale: This might be a little too gritty to be for everyone, but if you're a fan of Rent or want to see a really good musical about creativity and making musicals, this one is worth checking out for the performances and music alone.

Home Media: This remains a Netflix exclusive at the moment.

Netflix

Musicals On Streaming - Roxanne Roxanne

Netflix, 2017

Starring Chante Adams, Mahershala Ali, Nia Long, and Elvis Nolasco

Directed by Michael Larnell

Music and Lyrics by various

We transition from Black History Month to Women's History Month on this Leap Day with this biography of a pioneering female rap artist. Like the performers in Krush Groove and Beat Street, Lolita "Roxanne" Shante Gooden got her start singing on the streets of Queens. Her specialty was rap battles, answering a song written by another performer with her own song. She became known for her rapped put-downs and responses to the largely male-dominated rap business. How does the story of how she got started look today? Let's begin with a young Lolita (Adams) as she picks rap battles even as a child and find out...

The Story: Lolita was a member of a rap collective, "The Juice Crew," that produced records that were answers to their many "beefs" with local rivals like Sparky Dee (Cheryse Dyllan). She was living with her mother when she recorded an answer to the song "Roxanne Roxanne" called "Roxanne's Revenge." The song was a hit, making her one of the first major female rap recording artists at 14. 

She does well recording another rap battle with Sparky, but her love life is a mess. She moves in with her drug-dealing boyfriend Ray (Ali) after a falling-out with her mother, but it proves to be a volatile relationship, especially after she has a son. She has an even harder time keeping her career going, especially after the money from her rap battles she intended for her family to move to New Jersey is stolen. She finally gives up her career, but not before she's able to see what an impact she's made on the rap genre. 

The Song and Dance: Adams is phenomenal as Roxanne Shante, the confused teenager who knows she loves her rap battles, but has a harder time with her love life. Long does even better as her tough-as-nails mother who is fighting her own inner demons. I have to hand it to these ladies - they're portrayed as tough, independent, and all above, better than the useless men around them. Ali is the best of the awful men in her life as the guy who gets the closest to her. There's some nice location shooting around the real Queens and a few nice editing bits, notably going from the bedroom to screaming like she's in labor. It effectively shows the passage of time in a movie that sorely needs more moments like that.

Favorite Number: "Roxanne's Revenge" is heard many times throughout the film, including when she first records it before it becomes a hit. We hear snatches of other numbers from the Juice Crew, including "Keep It Funky" and "And My Beat Goes Boom." "What Have We Done" is the question asked during a dance number at a local club. "Sparky's Turn" is Sparky's response. "Round 1 (Roxanne Shante vs Sparky D)" gets so heated, the guys want to make a recording and turn it into an act. "Runaway" is her number later with Juice Crew. We also get her "Payback."

What I Don't Like: I wish this was a lot more of a musical. They spend so much time on Roxanne's relationships with these terrible men and how she survives them, we really don't get to see much of the career that made her such a hot commodity to begin with. No songs are performed in full until the credits, not even her rapped fight with Sparky. And be warned, this is rough going. The language and violence (including domestic violence) makes this not a rap tale for children.

The Big Finale: Some good performances, but I think they missed a real opportunity to show why rap was so important to Lolita and how she burned out so early. Only if you're a huge fan of early rap or want to know more about Roxanne. 

Home Media: This is a Netflix exclusive at the moment.

Netflix

Krush Groove

Warner Bros, 1985

Starring Blair Underwood, Sheila E, Joseph Simmons (Run D.M.C), and the Fat Boys

Directed by Michael Schultz

Music and Lyrics by various

Our second look at early rap culture has a lot of things in common in Beat Street. It was also set in the Bronx, is very much a capsule of its era, and gives a rare look at several R&B and rap artists who don't often turn up in films. This one, however, is based on the true story of how rap label Def Jam Recordings got started. Def Jam began in 1983 as a haven for rap, hip hop, and R&B and really helped bring a new type of music into the public eye. How does the fictional story of its origins look today? Let's begin at Krush Groove's studio with Run D.M.C recording their latest hit and find out...

The Story: Russell Walker (Underwood) has signed all the hottest hip hop and R&B acts in the Bronx, including the Fat Boys and Run D.M.C, featuring his brother Run (Rev Run). Desperate to press more albums and get their latest hit to the public, he borrows money from street hustler Jay B. (Richard Gant). He also falls for feisty rapper and drummer Sheila B. (herself), but Run does, too. Russell has to figure out how to date her without hurting his brother's feelings, then where to get that money when Jay B. comes calling and wants it yesterday...

The Song and Dance: Obviously, story is not this movie's strong point. It's also not that heavily into the breakdancing that was a big part of Beat Street. This one is all about the music, performed by some of the most popular acts from Def Jam's roster. There's some genuinely good songs here, some of which became hits in their own right. 

Underwood made his debut as the charming and driven Walker. He's the backbone of the film, whether he's trying to get the albums out, hire more acts, or adorably falling for Sheila. At the very least, this makes a lot more sense than Schultz' previous attempt at an all-star rock musical, the ridiculously bizarre Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. 

Favorite Number: We open in the studio with Run D.M.C recording "King of Rock." Their music and Krush Groove Records spread throughout the Bronx, encouraging groups to breakdance and leave their jobs to try their own songs at the studio, ending with Run D.M.C doing the number at a concert. After being sent to the principal for rapping in class, the Fat Boys gets their whole school moving with the infectious "Don't You Dog Me" on the stairs. 

We're introduced to Sheila B. in a club with her hit "A Love Bizarre" (which she sang with Prince in its original version). She's having such a great time strutting her stuff, it's no wonder both Walkers fall hard for her. Sheila proves to the guys that she can do whatever the boys can do in her "I'm Sheila E" at the Walker's home. Kurtis Blow picks things up at a rap concert with "If I Ruled the World" in top-hat, a very 80's tux, and with dancers in elaborate 20's-style costumes. Sheila blows the audience away with her driving "Holly Rock" before Run D.M.C finally get onstage to claim "their house" with "It's Like That." 

Nayobe performs part of her R&B hit "Please Don't Go" at Krush Groove Studios, and even what little we see is good enough for them to sign her. LL Cool J shows off part of his early song "I Can't Live Without My Radio." New Edition was huge at the time, as was their R&B number "My Secret," done at the talent show in flashy glittering suits. The Fat Boys finally get in long enough for their second number, "Pump It Up - Let's Get Funky." They also eat every bit of food in a Sbarro's when they see an "All You Can Eat" sign in the film's strangest and most music video-like number. 

We get Run D.M.C's "Can You Rock It Like This?" before teenager Chad launches into a rollicking cover of "I Want You to Be My Girl" at the second talent show. The "Fat Boys" end up winning it all with their self-titled number. "Tender Love" appropriately covers Sheila and Blair's big sex scene. The movie ends with all of the bands performing "Krush Groovin'" at a benefit dinner to earn the money Russell needs. 

Trivia: Film debuts of Blair Underwood and LL Cool J. 

What I Don't Like: Like I mentioned above, plot is not this movie's strong point. It has very little to do with the actual beginnings of Def Jam Records, which continues today as a rap and R&B imprint of Universal Music. Real owner Russell Simmons was related to Run DMC member Rev Run (Joseph Simmons), but neither had a relationship with Sheila B. Simmons was upset that the writers took so much of the focus off the romantic triangle and Walker's financial struggles and onto the antics of the Fat Boys, and...yeah, he does have a point. The movie lurches from hard-hitting drama with Simmons trying to earn the money to soft-focus romance to the Fat Boys' antics with very little rhyme or reason. The dialogue is negligible, the acting from everyone besides Underwood is worse. These rap artists were terrific singers, but they weren't really actors. 

The Big Finale: That said, this and Beat Street are still important movies for a lot of reasons, not the least being two looks at rap's beginnings. Despite the confusing tone and so-so acting, this is still highly recommended for fans of early rap or black cinema from the 1980's. 

Home Media: It's currently on DVD via the Warner Archive Collection. It's also easily found on streaming, often for free.

DVD

Tubi

The Roku Channel 

Beat Street

Orion Pictures, 1984

Starring Guy Davis, Jon Chardiet, Rae Dawn Chong, and Leon W. Grant

Directed by Stan Lathan

Music and Lyrics by various

This week, we dive into early rap culture with two musicals from the mid-80's. By 1983, rap, hip-hop, and breakdancing were just starting to come off the streets of major cities and into dance clubs like the ones in this movie. Record companies were starting to take notice, too, as were several major movie studios who saw the success of those clubs. How well does this do in representing that new culture, seen through the lives of four young men living in the South Bronx? Let's begin on the streets with the kids and their breakdancing and find out...

The Story: Kenny Kirkland (Davis) is a DJ and aspiring composer. His best friend Ramon Franco (Chardiet) is a graffiti artist who tags himself "Ramo," and wants nothing more than to decorate one unmarked subway car with his work. Ramon's girlfriend Carmen (Saundra Santiago) wants him to marry her and help her take care of their child. 

Kenny's brother Lee (Robert Taylor) is a member of one of the breakdancing gangs. He first turns up when he DJs for a party to rumble with another local breakdancing gang, then at the Bronx nightclub the Roxy. Fellow composer Tracy Carlson (Chong) is impressed with his moves and invites him to try out for TV dance show. He's rejected, and Kenny accuses Tracy of being a snob. She goes to his house to make up, and they end up falling for each other. 

Things begin to look up when Kenny gets a job at the Burning Spear Club, and Ramon finally gets an apartment for him and his family. Kenny's not as happy when he first catches Tracy with her professor (Duane Jones), then he accidentally erases his creation on their equipment. Ramon's having his own problems. There's an artist named Spit (Bill Anagros) who keeps defacing his work, and job interviews are keeping him from the art he loves. His attempt to make one last try at that unmarked train leads to a confrontation with Spit that ends in tragedy. Kenny, however, will never forget his friend or the lasting impression he left on his music, his family, and their community.

The Song and Dance: This one has a lot in common with Saturday Night Fever, from the New York Boroughs setting to its use of actual Bronx locations (including the real Roxy nightclub). Chardiet is by far the best thing here with his intense performance as the tough youth who sees beauty in his art where others see something damaging or criminal. Some of the dancing is genuinely amazing too, both in the breakdancing sequences and at the TV show audition Tracy wrote a song for. 

Favorite Number: We open with "Breaker's Revenge" over a montage of Lee and his friends breakdancing in the streets of the Bronx and Ramon. "Son of Beat Street" and "Baptise the Beat" are the dance numbers at the house party. Juicy performs "Give Me All" and over the end credits "Beat Street Strut." "Santa's Rap" is Lee and two of his buddies (The Treacherous Three) singing a comic Christmas rap number as Santa and two kids complain about his gifts. Jake Homes sings the R&B ballad "Strangers In a Strange World" as Kenny takes Tracy home. "Frantic Situation" is Afrika Bamaataa's goofy jungle routine at the Burning Spear Club. "Battle Cry" is the number that gets Lee and his buddies into trouble when they're practicing a dance routine, and the cops think they're actually trying to hurt each other. 

The huge finale involves Davies and almost every rap group in the film dressed in the most 80's collection of tulle, sequins, chains, and vinyl saluting the life and death of Ramon with "Beat Street Breakdown." A gospel choir finishes off with "Believe."

Trivia: Filming locations included the actual Roxy (which has since been demolished), the City College of New York, and the Bronx subway.

Most of the graffitti used in the movie wasn't real, but actual graffiti artists were used as consultants. 

What I Don't Like: It has a lot of the same problems as Saturday Night Fever - namely, it was made to represent a certain time and place, and hasn't aged well beyond that. New York and rap culture have changed a lot in 40 years. The crazy costumes at the clubs and in the finale alone scream "New York 1984." There is some bad language (though not to the degree of Fever) and violence, not to mention that tragic ending. Most of the artists here probably aren't remembered by anyone but huge fans of 80's rap, too, and neither the actors, nor the plot are really all that interesting. 

The Big Finale: If you want to learn more about early rap culture or rap in New York in the 80's or are a fan of the rap and R&B musicals of the mid-80's, this one is worth checking out for some of the numbers alone.

Home Media: Easily found anywhere; it's streaming for free on The Roku Channel and Pluto TV. 

DVD

Blu-Ray

The Roku Channel 

Pluto TV

House Party 3

New Line Cinema, 1994

Starring Christopher "Kid" Reid, Christopher "Play" Martin, Bernie Mac, and Angela Means

Directed by Eric Meza

Music and Lyrics by various

We return to the rapping world of our other pair of best buddies, Kid n' Play, to kick off Black History Month. The first two House Party movies were some of the biggest hits of the early 90's. A third go-around was likely inevitable, but by the time this one rolled out in early 1994, the music industry had changed considerably. Rap and rock gained a harder edge in the mid-90's than the upbeat comic routines Kid n' Play favored, with the wild candy-colored prints of earlier in the decade replaced by grungy plaids, flatter hair, and less riotous colors. How does this work with the story of Kid's impending wedding and his last big bachelor party? Let's begin with Kid (Reid) dreaming about marrying his fiancee Veda (Means) and find out...

The Story: Kid's nerves about his wedding aren't offset by having to babysit his three cousins (rap group Immature) for the weekend or deal with his senile Aunt Lucy (Ketty Lester). Meanwhile, Play is supposed to bring the female rappers Sex as a Weapon (TLC) to big-time promoter Showboat (Michael Colyar), but they bail out for another manager. He's also trying to set up Kid's bachelor party at a local ballroom, but Immature move it to Aunt Lucy's house in order to put the focus on them. Kid's old girlfriend Sydney (Tisha Campbell) is also in town, which makes Veda very jealous. When the party at the ballroom is a bust and his Uncle Vester (Mac) calls him about the wild party at his aunt's house, Kid decides that he and Play need to make one last stand, before Showboat and his hit women do any damage. 

The Song and Dance: Glad to see Kid and Play have somewhat more time together here after being apart for a lot of House Party 2. They work best when they're playing off each other. Mac shows off the motormouth and verbal dexterity that would eventually earn him his own sitcom later in the 90's. I was a fan of TLC as a teenager, and it's great to see them here, even if they don't have that much to do. I also wish we saw more of Lester. She has some very funny moments as Aunt Lucy, who is a lot less senile than her nephews think she is. 

Favorite Number: We open in Kid's dream with his talking about how his ladies "Bounce." Immature tries to give Play their "Wakes You Up," but he just thinks they're kids. Kid n' Play also get "Two Fingers" and "Make Noize." Hip-hop duo MOP asks "How About Some Hardcore?" while Sylk Smoov wants to "Drop Down." R.A.S Posse get to "Rock This House," while AMG delivers the closest thing this movie got to a hit, "Butt Booty Naked." To da Core perform "We Got It Goin' On" at the actual party, while Nerissa sings "The Cure" and Kid n' Play do "Void" and bring us into the "Here and Now." 

Trivia: Film debuts of Chris Tucker and Angela Means.

What I Don't Like: This one shares a lot of the same problems as the previous films. First of all, after trying so hard to sign them, would it have hurt to let TLC do a number? They were hugely popular in the mid-90's. Immature lives up to their names by being as annoying for viewers as they are for the characters. It's pretty obvious David Edwards as Kid's cousin Stinky was meant to be a replacement for their friend Bial, but he's no Martin Lawrence (who had graduated to his own sitcom by this point). The movie starts slow, with not much of anything besides talk and rapping happening until Immature switch the party venue in the second half. And yeah, there's still the dated portrayal of the film's female characters and marriage in general. 

The Big Finale: While it's generally regarded as the worst of the original three 90's House Party movies, it's still worth a look for fans of the series or 90's rap and R&B. 

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and streaming, often for under $10. 

DVD

DVD - 4 Film Favorites: House Party

Amazon Prime

Back to School Again - School Daze

Columbia Pictures, 1988

Starring Lawrence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell, and Kyme

Directed by Spike Lee

Music and Lyrics by various

Spike Lee has been one of the most provocative directors in Hollywood since his first major movie, She's Gotta Have It, debuted in 1986. School Daze is his first of four musicals. Like many of his films, it's partially auto-biographical, based on his experiences at a real black men's college in the 1970's. This was also his first film with a larger budget, and it shows in the lavish musical numbers, fantasy sequences, and larger cast. What it has in common with his later movie is an often-searing look at the issues within the black community, many of which continue to be debated to this day. How does higher learning look in the decade of big hair and bigger dreams? Let's start with a rally at fictional Mission College in Atlanta, Georgia, and find out...

The Story: Vaughn "Dap" Dunlap (Fishburne) is a socially and politically-conscious student at Mission who has been involved in a series of anti-apartheid rallies. His activism is mocked by the head of Mission's leading Gamma Phi Gamma fraternity Julian Eaves (Esposito) as being overwrought. Dap thinks Eaves and his girlfriend Jane Toussaint (Campbell) are shallow and avoiding the issues that face black students. Dap's earthy girlfriend Rachel (Kyme) thinks even less of Jane and her friends in the Gamma women's auxiliary, with their tight dresses and chemically straightened hair. Dap's cousin Half-Pint (Spike Lee) just wants to pledge the Gammas. 

Their rivalry comes to a head during an especially wild Homecoming week, and then at the school dance. Rachel wants to join a sorority, but Dap doesn't approve. He's not happy when college president Harold MacPherson (Joe Seneca) tells him to cool it on the rallies, either. His continuing antagonism with Eaves ends with the two of them and their friends and fraternity brothers in a brawl after a dance-off at a pep rally. Darrel finally gets the woman of his dreams the night of the school dance, but it doesn't go at all like he expects, prompting his furious cousin to demand that the staff and students of Mission College finally "wake up" to the troubles around them.

The Song and Dance: Fishburne and Esposito are the stand-outs in this exploration of many issues within the black community in the late 80's, too many of which continue to be relevant to this day. Fishburne's powerful performance would make him an actor of note in the early 90's. Lee's eager Darrel makes you wish he starred in more of his own films. The ladies do almost as well, with Campbell standing out here as Eaves' sweetheart who is accused of dousing her identity in an attempt to imitate whites. 

The most interesting thing about this is watching the all-black cast interact with one another. There's no white lens here, and none needed. I enjoy seeing a rarely-discussed group - black college students - and their stories. It's a call to be proud of one's heritage, no matter what that heritage may be, to "wake up" to what's real in the world and within one's own community. 

Favorite Number: We open over the credits with the stirring spiritual "I'll Build Me a Home," performed by the Morehouse Glee Club and Tracey Coley, over a montage of African-American history, from freed slaves to the Civil Rights Movement. Kyme, Campbell, and their like-minded friends have a dance battle over hair that's "Straight & Nappy" in a very 80's lavender fantasy hair salon with neon all around. "Be Alone Tonight" is the Motown spoof, with Campbell and her friends (including Jasmine Guy) performing the ballad in gorgeous tight black and gray ruffled gowns ala the Supremes. 

"I Can Only Be Me," performed by Keith John on the school stairs, accompanies a montage of Rachel and Dap making love contrasted with a girl being crowned homecoming queen. "Perfect Match" is the sexier version as Julian and Jane have their own lovemaking session. Mission's football team may not be winners, but their band and cheerleaders can sure encourage them to "Kick Out the Tigers" anyway. The big dance routines at the pep rally starts well with "Ice Baby" featuring some amazing leaps from the Gammas, but it degenerates into the ladies tossing insulting chants about their hair over them. Fishburne and his buddies show up in vintage suits for their own big step routine...before punches are thrown and it turns into a huge brawl.

The hit from this was the dance routine "Da Butt," performed by Experience Unlimited at the big party. Everyone does sexy, sensual moves wearing nothing but bathing suits and bikinis. This is somehow followed up by the far classier ballad "Be One," complete with singer Phyllis Hyman in a beaded 40's-style suit and gown accompanied by a saxophonist and a lot of very, very close dancing. 

Trivia: Look for many stars-to-be among the cast, including Guy as one of Jane's Gamma Ray friends and  Samuel L. Jackson as the head of the angry locals who confront Dap and his friends and accuse them of ignoring real black issues. 

Lee arranged for the groups of actors to be housed in separate hotels, with the Gammas and their ladies in a better one than the others. This encouraged the realistic tension in the movie...to the point where the fight that broke out during the pep rally was not scripted. It really happened during a take, but it fit so well with the story, they kept the cameras rolling. 

What I Don't Like: The "wake up" ending doesn't really resolve much. In fact, this is the second college movie I've watched in a row that basically has no ending. There's a lot of loose threads left unresolved, like whether or not the school ever pulled out their investments in South Africa. Also, many of the issues here may resonate more strongly with black audiences than with others. Some may not understand what all the fuss is about; others may wish the movie dove even further into these topics. Not to mention, there's the dated portrayal of the ladies, especially when Julian forces Jane into having sex with Darryl in the end. 

The Big Finale: While this isn't said to be Lee's best work, I'm impressed enough to want to check out more of his other movies, including his remaining three musicals. Highly recommended, especially for black college students who just returned to school and are likely grappling with many of the subjects discussed here. 

Home Media: Easily found in all formats.

DVD

Blu-Ray

Amazon Prime

Musicals on Streaming - Vivo

Netflix/Sony, 2021

Voices of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ynairaly Simo, Zoe Saldana, and Juan de Marcos Gonzales

Directed by Kirk DiMicco

Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda

We make a cross-country journey to Cuba and south Florida for our next vacation. This one goes back to 2010, when Miranda first pitched it to Dreamworks. They dropped it in 2015, but Sony picked it up a year later after the success of Moana. It was originally intended to be released in theaters, but after the pandemic hit, it was moved to Netflix in August 2021 (though it apparently did make it into a few theaters in July). It did well enough then, but how does it look now that people can hit the theaters again? Let's begin in Cuba and learn more about the title character and his friend and find out...

The Story: Vivo (Miranda) is a kinkajou living in Havana, Cuba with elderly musician Andre Hernandez (Gonzales). Vivo is upset when Andre reveals that his former partner Marta (Gloria Estefan) has invited him to Miami to see her in concert at the Mambo Cabana. He's even written a song for her. Vivo tries to dissuade him, but finally understands how important it is to Andre, who loved Marta but wasn't able to tell her before she went on to have a big career on her own.

Sadly, Andre dies in his sleep before he can make the trip. His niece-in-law Rosa (Saldana) and her daughter Gabi (Simo) come from Key West to attend their funeral. Vivo stows away in Gabi's luggage, hoping to get Andre's song to Miami. Gabi finds him after his attempt to get on the bus fails. Gabi loves music and is determined to show her mother that she can do a lot more than sell cookies with a troop of rather obnoxious Sand Dollar scouts. She and Vivo dodge the overly rigid Sand Dollars and help two lovesick rosate spoonbills in the Everglades as they make their way to Miami and to remind Marta how much Andre really cared about her.

The Animation: While not as elaborate as Sony Animation's Into the Spider Verse films, there's still a lot to like here. The crisp, brilliant colors beautifully reflect their tropical setting, from the brilliant golds and reds of Havana to the deep purples and emerald greens of the Everglades. Vivo himself is utterly adorable and moves very well. There's some nice set pieces, too, especially in the jungle, with that wild and well-animated storm and the chase with Lutador (Michael Rooker) the Burmese python. Look for some nifty 2-D animated sequences during the numbers "Mambo Cabana" and "Inside Your Heart" that function as flashbacks to Marta and Andre's relationship. 

The Song and Dance: Some great performances, colorful animation, and Miranda's music carry the day here. This was Simo's debut, and she was wonderful as energetic Gabi, especially in her solo "My Own Drum." There aren't many pre-teens who can keep up with Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda for his part is charming and lively as Gonzales is heartbreaking in his brief role early in the film as the kindly musician who wants to see his true love and sing with her one more time. Saldana does equally well as the mother who just wants her music-crazy daughter to make friends her own age.

Favorite Number: We open and close with "One of a Kind," as Vivo explains his life and how he and Andre work in perfect harmony to entertain the people of the plaza...and then show how he now has even more fun entertaining Key West with Gabi. "Mambo Cabana" is Andre's explanation of how he lost Marta and now wants to write her "One Last Song." Vivo wishes he wouldn't and tries to sabotage his efforts at first. Gabi's music may not be the most harmonious, but it's certainly energetic as she explains to Vivo that she marches to the beat of "My Own Drum." 

She and Vivo "Keep the Beat" as they turn their raft through the Everglades into their own home-made drum set. Vivo's less happy to be caught between the Spoonbills' duet "Love's Gonna Pick You Up." Not to mention, that snake is a "Tough Crowd." "Running Out of Time" is the montage that brings everyone to the Mambo Cabana, while Marta's heartfelt and heartbreaking "Inside Your Heart" is Andre's confession of love as Vivo imagines the two young and together forever onstage.  

What I Don't Like: For all the great music and charming characters, the plot is older than the Everglades, and the movie doesn't really do much that's new with it. We've seen all of this before, in animation and live-action, with music and without it. While the characters are cute and the beginning and end are touching and even heartbreaking, the generic middle section is far less interesting. A lot of the segment in the Everglades in particular seems more like padding than anything. 

The Big Finale: Not the greatest animated movie ever, but adorable fun if you or your pre-teen are fans of Miranda, Spider-Verse, or tropical adventures. 

Home Media: A Netflix exclusive when it came out, it's now easily found on disc and streaming.

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Cult Flops - Graffiti Bridge

Warner Bros, 1990

Starring Prince, The Time, Morris Day, and Jerome Benton

Directed by Prince

Music and Lyrics by Prince, the Time, and others

Prince made one last shot at movie stardom in 1990. His 1987 concert film Sign O' the Times and 1988 album Lovesexxy were disappointments, but his success with the soundtrack for the 1989 Batman and the single "Batdance" put him back on top. Originally, Prince intended for this to revolve more around Day's band The Time, but somewhere along the line, it mutated into a sequel to Prince's biggest hit Purple Rain. Does it reach the heights of his first film, or is it less-than-heavenly? Let's begin at the Kid's (Prince) club Glam Slam and find out...

The Story: Billy, the owner of the Fifth Avenue Club in the first film, willed half of Glam Slam to him. He willed the other half to Morris (Day), who also owns the club Pandemonium. Morris needs to pay the mayor $10,000 and tries to force the Kid to sell his half. The Kid is considering it. He's done nothing but write songs and letters to his now-deceased father since the latter's passing. 

Into this hotbed of intrigue walks Aura (Ingrid Chavez), an angel who wants to convince the Kid and Morris to repent and lead more straightforward lives. Things really get complicated when both men fall hard for her, which only makes Morris more jealous. He first trashes Glam Slam, then performs outside the club to sway visitors. The Kid finally challenges Morris to a musical duel at Glam Slam that ends in tragedy and makes Kid realize what Aura really meant to him. 

The Song and Dance: Prince explores spirituality, sexuality, and salvation in this look at how one woman changes the lives of two men in Minneapolis. The enormous, neon-drenched sets and funky, urban early 90's gives it a strangely ethereal vibe and contrasts nicely with the other major black musical that year, the more upbeat and goofy House Party. Prince's charisma is in full-force here, whether he's brooding over those letters to his father or lifting up the club goers in the end in a white shirt with wispy fog behind him. 

Favorite Number: We open with the Kid singing about his "New Power Generation" with his current band at his club. He gets down with jazz master George Clinton as they show "We Can Funk." "The Time gets "Release It" in front of the Grand Slam to lure away customers. Young pop and rap sensation Tevin Campbell shows off what made him a hit with kids and adults alike in his big dance routine "Round N' Round." "Seven Corners" is the big number with Aura and the Time at Grand Slam and as they leave. Morris thinks he's a "Love Machine,"and so does the Kid's girlfriend Jill (Jill Jones), but the Kid doesn't agree. Mavis Staples gets another great number as she leads the chorus in singing about her club and who she is, "Melody Cool." "Thieves In the Temple" is the Kid's song as the Time and Morris destroy his band's instruments. The movie ends with a backlit Kid and the Steeles as he insists he "Still Would Stand All the Time" to the entranced club goers.

Trivia: Prince originally wanted Madonna to play Aura, but she thought the script was a load of hogwash. Kim Basinger, whom he was dating at the time, was his second choice, but they broke up and she dropped out. 

This would be Chavez' only film and Tevin Campbell's first film.

Shot almost entirely at Prince's Paisley Park Studios in Minnesota. 

What I Don't Like: This is basically an extended music video. It looks like a music video of the time, and it certainly feels like one, with its disjointed sequences and barely-there plot. No one comes anywhere close to Prince's charisma and cool. Chauvez may be able to write songs, but she can't do much more than look mystical. Day and Benton do have a few amusing sequences that showed they could have made a fairly funny pair with better material. The script is atrocious, the characters negligible. The fantasy elements feel out of place and are completely at odds with the dark, gritty biography in the first film, and it lacks the first film's almost documentary feel and authentic outdoor shooting, too. 

The Big Finale: Good music and a few creatively choreographed dance numbers can't overcome the overwrought and amateurish script and direction. Once again, for major Prince fans only. Everyone else is better off looking up the soundtrack and skipping the film entirely. 

Home Media: Like Prince's other films, easily found on disc and streaming. 

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House Party 2

New Line Cinema, 1991

Starring Christopher "Kid" Reid, Christopher "Play" Martin, Martin Lawrence, and Tisha Campbell

Directed by Doug McHenry and George Jackson

Music and Lyrics by various

House Party proved to be one of the biggest successes of 1990, vastly making up for the Kid N' Play Saturday morning cartoon running only four months. It was so popular, a follow-up was in development shortly after the original came out. It was an even bigger hit when it came out in October, cementing not only Kid N' Play's stardom, but providing a showcase for up-and-coming rappers like Queen Latifa as well. How does the story of Kid's first few weeks at college look today? Let's start with Christopher "Kid" Robinson (Reid) and his best friend Peter "Play" Martin (Martin), at church and find out...

The Story: After his father passes away, Kid manages to get a scholarship from his local church for college. His girlfriend Sidney (Campbell) is also attending, but her feminist roommate Zora (Queen Latifa) encourages her to be more independent and look for older men...or no men at all. Play's dreaming of stardom and gives Kid's scholarship money to a woman named Sheila Landreaux (Iman) who claims to be a music producer, but is really a con artist. 

After she skips town with her partner Rick (Louie Louie) and leaves both high and dry, Kid takes a job in the school dining hall with the demanding Mr. Lee (Tony Burton) to earn money for his tuition. Not to mention, Sidney is now dating the dean's snooty assistant Miles (Christopher Judge), who helped Kid to get close to her. Kid finally decides he has no choice but to use Play's idea of a pajama party in the dining hall to make back the money.

The Song and Dance: In some ways, I enjoyed this one more than the first. For one thing, Kid n' Play are now playing slightly closer to their real ages. For another, the college backdrop gives the plot a little more heft to it than just a bunch of kids trying to attend a party. They (briefly) discuss real issues effecting black students in college, even today, and the importance of education. The music's even better, too, and we have appearances by supermodel Iman as the duplicitous Sheila, William Schallert as the dean who thinks he's doing his black students a favor by singling them out, and Queen Latifa early in her career as the tough senior who doesn't know as much as she thinks about men or college.

Favorite Number: We open with Kid's nightmare about his high school graduation being "Rated R." A montage of the hit "O.P.P" by Naughty By Nature takes us into college as we see Kid attempt to joke his way through his first week of school. Latifa and the chorus remind the school council that "Knowledge Is Power," and the black students have a right to learn about their history and culture in college. R&B star Ralph Trevant kicks off the party with "Yo Baby Yo." Kid N' Play get together long enough to perform and dance to their own "Frienz" and "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody" at the party. "Motownphilly" by Boys II Men provides the backdrop for Kid, Play, Bial, and the bullies (who are now security guards) chasing down Miles and the con artists at the party. The sorrowful ballad "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" provides the backdrop for Kid leaving college and admitting at his teacher that he wasn't able to make it.

Trivia: Speaking of Kid's father, he was written out because Robin Harris passed away several months after the release of the first film.  

In real-life, Kid did graduate from college in the Bronx in 1986. Play didn't go to college in the film or in reality, but he's taught hip-hop and music studies at several schools, currently Florida A&M. 

What I Don't Like: First of all, two of the highlights of the previous film were Harris' ad-libbing and the close relationship between Kid N' Play. The latter in particular is sorely missed for the first half of the film, when the two are at odds over Play giving the scholarship check to Sheila. Second, while education is especially important for black students who are often left out of it, their attempts at moralizing via Zora and Kid's professor Sinclair (Georg Stanford Brown) comes off as more preachy than well-meaning. There's also the fact that yes, some of this still hasn't dated well, from the wacky prints on those pajamas at the party to appearances by several now-barely-remembered rap & R&B stars. 

The Big Finale: Same deal - if you loved the first film or other college stories about wacky frat hi-jinks, or are a huge fan of rap or R&B from the early 90's. you'll want to throw on your own pajamas and join this party. 

Home Media: Easily found on streaming and on DVD, solo and bundled with the other House Party films.

DVD

DVD - 4 Film Favorites: House Party Collection

Amazon Prime

House Party (1990)

New Line Cinema, 1990

Starring Christopher "Kid" Reid, Christopher "Play" Martin, Martin Lawrence, and Robin Harris

Directed by Reginald Hudlin

Music and Lyrics by various

With the remake now playing in theaters, I thought it was high time to revisit the original wild teen dance party. Kid n' Play were a popular duo in the then-up-and-coming world of rap and hip-hop. This new sound left the cities in the late 80's and early 90's to finally find mainstream popularity, even on Saturday morning television. This came out in the spring, ahead of Kid n' Play's animated cartoon that debuted in the fall. How does this early look at teen rap culture come off today, after much grittier hip-hop films have debuted? Let's start with Chris "Kid" Robinson (Reid) as he begins his day and find out...

The Story: At their high school, Kid's best friend Peter "Play" Martin (Martin) announces he's having a big house party for all the kids in the neighborhood that night, since his parents are on vacation. Kid would love to go...if he hadn't gotten into a huge fight in the school cafeteria with local bully Slab ("Paul Anthony" George). His father (Harris) grounds him, but he sneaks out anyway. 

Kid doesn't have much luck, even after he manages to escape. He first runs into Slab and his buddies again, then ends up in a college frat reunion party to avoid them. When the bullies invade that, he ducks away, only to run into the local cops. He does manage to get to the party after they harass Slab (and his father), only to get into a rap battle with Play, the girl he has a crush on, Sydney (Tisha Campbell), and her friend Sharane (A.J Johnson). He does go home with Sydney, but she's not happy about him flirting with Sharane at the party. Not to mention, Slab's still out there looking for him, as are the police and his father. 

The Song and Dance: You can't get much more early 90's than this movie. The boys wear either tight muscle shirts or snazzy, bright-colored suits, ties, and fedoras, while the ladies go for slouchy cardigans or barely anything. There's more energy in this movie than there are in most other films released that year. While they're not the best actors in the world, Martin and Reid are appealing comedians, and there's early performances from Campbell as the girl Kid's crazy about and Martin Lawrence as Play's DJ buddy Bilal. Harris also has a few hilarious moments as Kid's strict and very tough father who will make a man out of his son if it kills them both. 

Favorite Number: "Hey Love" is the number at the frat party that Kid tries to update by having the DJ turn the 50's doo wop into 90's rap. It actually goes over pretty well...until Slab and his buddies charge in after Kid! "To Da Break of Dawn" is the first number the kids dance to at the party, but it's the vibrant title song that really gets them moving. There's also "Kid n' Play," their big duet at the party, and the song that provides the boys vs. girls rap dance showdown. Kid nervously performs "Fun House" in jail to the inmates to keep them from attacking him.

Trivia: This movie was such a hit in 1990, it inspired five sequels to date, three of which featured Kid n' Play. 

Robin Harris improvised most of his dialogue, including the monologue over the credits where Kid's father punishes him with a strap for all the trouble he caused.

The party sequence really was filmed at Play's real-life home in Los Angeles.

House Party was originally offered to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.

What I Don't Like: Did I mention how of-its-time this movie is? Let's begin with almost none of the high schoolers were actually teens. Play was pushing 30 by the time this came out, and Lawrence and Kid were in their mid-20's. Kid's passable, but the other two don't look anywhere near their teens. Second, a lot of the jokes and gags plain haven't dated well, from the treatment of its female characters to the sequence under the credits when Harris gives Kid his beating. (Granted, we don't actually see it, and what we do hear is so over-the-top it's almost hilarious, but it's still not something they'd get away with today.) Third, Kid n' Play themselves are barely remembered for anything besides the House Party franchise nowadays, and they lack fellow rapper Will Smith's charisma and acting abilities.

Oh, and heed the R rating. Heavy swearing, violence, and sexual situations makes this absolutely not for young rap lovers. 

The Big Finale: Dated but still funny, with some darn good music if you're a fan of the more upbeat and comic rap from the late 80's and early 90's.

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and streaming, often bundled with its sequels. 

DVD - 4 Film Favorites: House Party Collection

Amazon Prime

Animation Celebration Extra - Jetsons: The Movie

Universal, 1990

Voices of George O'Hanlon, Mel Blanc, Penny Singleton, and Tiffany

Directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbara

Music and Lyrics by various

First of all, Musical Dreams Reviews is going on vacation hiatus from the 22nd through the 28th. Regular reviews resume the 29th. 

Second, this one means a lot to me. My sisters and I were major fans of Tiffany in the late 80's and early 90's. We had the soundtrack and listened to it constantly on our shiny pink and silver cassette player and eventually taped the movie off cable. We were big fans of the TV show too when it re-ran and debuted new episodes in syndication. Is the movie still enjoyable for today's kids, or does it look as dated as some of the "futuristic" inventions in the original show? To find out, let's begin later in the 21st Century, as normal working dad George Jetson (O'Hanlon) begins his day on the job, and find out...

The Story: After years of suffering verbal abuse from his miserly boss Mr. Spacely (Blanc), George is finally made vice-president of Spacely Sprockets. He and his family are sent to the Orbiting-Ore Asteroid, where metal is mined at 1/12th of the cost of running the factory on Earth. George is the only one who's happy. Elroy (Patric Zimmerman) looked forward to his spaceball championship game, and teenage Judy (Tiffany) is heartbroken when she loses out on the chance to date a rock star. George's wife Jane (Singleton) and his dog Astro (Don Messick) are more supportive.

Judy's much happier when she realizes that the elaborate apartment complex at the asteroid includes a massive mall. While she falls for a handsome blue-skinned alien teen named Apollo Blue (Paul Kreppel), Elroy befriends the kid robot on his new team, Teddy-2 (Dana Hill). Meanwhile, George discovers that Spacely's gone through four vice-presidents who were plagued with accidents at the factory. George recruits Teddy's father Rudy-2 (Ronnie Schell) to help him solve the mystery. The boys and their furry friend Fergie (Russi Taylor) follow them on their own...and are the ones who discover who's really behind the sabotage.

The Animation:  The character animation is similar to any Hanna-Barbara show on the air in 1990, but it's the backgrounds and building designs where this one really shines. This is one time where the early CGI standing out like a sore thumb actually works. Most early CGI tends to be boxy and plastic...and that's perfect for the show's retro-futuristic look. The exterior of the factory and the mall in particular are marvels, all translucent tubes and ovals and pearly colors.

The Song and Dance: First of all, I know many fans of the original show complained about pop star Tiffany playing Judy instead of original voice Janet Waldo, but I don't think she's that bad. At least she's an actual teenager who wasn't much older than Judy at the time. Zimmerman and Hall are hilarious as the feisty kid duo who are determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. Their Scooby Doo-esque antics and some amusing slapstick from George provide a needed lift to the second half. The music my sisters and I loved so much are still decent examples of late 80's pop and remains catchy and hummable to this day. 

Favorite Number: We start off with "We're the Jetsons" introducing each member of the family and their day. Steve McCormick sings "Maybe Love, Maybe Not," the uptempo ballad rock star Cosmic Cosmo charms Judy with at the concert. "Staying Together" by Shane Sutton provides the background for the family's move to the asteroid. Rudy-2 and George lay into the twisty rhymes of "The Factory Rap" as they relate the rules for running the mining asteroid. "I Always Thought I'd See You Again" is Judy's heartbroken ballad at the mall when she thinks she'll never find another guy like Cosmo. Tiffany also performs the lovely "Home" in the finale as the Jetsons pack to leave the asteroid and bid their new friends a fond but sad farewell.

The big one here is another Tiffany song, the catchy "You and Me." The song Apollo wrote for Judy becomes a random but gorgeously animated abstract romantic reverie making use of everything from heart-themed surrealism to pop art to watercolors. 

Trivia: Last film for Penny Singleton, George O'Hanlon, and Mel Blanc; first theatrically released film for Brad Garrett, who voiced Fergie's father Bertie.

Blanc and O'Hanlon did manage to record their dialogue before they passed away during filming. O'Hanlon had a stroke and could only record one hour a day, but he died in the recording studio doing what he loved. Jeff Bergman filled in anything that had to be re-recorded. The film is dedicated to both men. 

Janet Waldo was set to voice Judy Jetson, but was replaced by Tiffany at the last moment to attract a younger audience. Apparently, she can still be heard as Judy in a few lines. 

While the movie didn't do badly at the box office, it was no blockbuster, either, and flopped only because of the high cost of marketing. It would be 27 years before another Jetsons project got off the ground, and that would be a made-for-video movie with WWE wrestling in 2017. (And apparently, there's a live-action version they've been trying to make since as far back as 1985.)

What I Don't Like: This movie has not dated well at all. The message about diversity and how different races can live together in harmony Apollo brings up in the end would have likely been enough to sustain a full plot. The environmental message with the beings who committed the sabotage feels preachy, dull, and tacked-on. There's no mention of environmentalism up to this point, and the resolution comes out of nowhere. Not to mention, both messages are driven home with all the force of those piledrivers in the asteroid. The perpetrators, when they do appear, are entirely too cutesy for a slapstick sci-fi action comedy and feel like they came from an early 80's Hanna-Barbara show like Monchikis or The Biscuitts. 

And...I think the Jetsons were a little hard on George. He wasn't really running out on them. The job and move WERE important. In fact, some of the characters they met were so interesting, I wonder what would have happened if they'd stayed and we'd seen more of them, especially the hilarious robot Two family. There's also the fact that Judy acted like a brat through most of the film. Yes, losing out on a date with a rock star was disappointing, but she barely met the guy, and she carries on like they'd been dating for years. 

The Big Finale: Opinion online seems to be sharply divided on this one. Some also have fond memories of catching this on video and cable and enjoy the cast and music; others, especially fans of the original show, find it to be too dated, silly, and lament the loss of Waldo. Put me in the former camp, but with reservations. Yes, it's dated, but if you love the original show or the cast or the music from this time period, you might actually have a lot of fun meeting the Jetsons and their friends new and old, too.

Home Media: Easily found in all major formats; the DVD often turns up for under $10.

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