Barbie (2023)

"I'm not pretty anymore!"

Director

Greta Gerwig

Cast

Margot Robbie - Stereotypical Barbie

Ryan Gosling - Ken

Helen Mirren - Narrator
America Ferrera - Gloria
Ariana Greenblatt - Sasha
Will Ferrell - Mattel CEO
Rhea Perlman - Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel
Kate McKinnon - Weird Barbie
Michael Cera - Allan

I'm late to the game as usual. Regardless, I finally sat through the 2023 movie, "Barbie" based on the popular doll from Mattel. And like the movie, my thoughts seem disjointed. 

While it was in theaters, I was often asked mainly from female coworkers if I was going to see it. 

With all the hype behind it, I knew my wife and I would sit through it at some point.  

Who would have thought that a movie based on the Barbie doll would be such a polarizing flick. It's doused in social political commentary. So much so that it has caused a lot of strong opinions from both sides of the political aisle. 

Some conservative commentators loved it. Other conservatives loathed it. Meanwhile, some liberal commentators like Bill Maher also hated it. 

Despite all that, "Barbie" is certainly one of the most, if not the most, successful film of 2023. The Los Angeles Times calls it a "Billion Dollar milestone for women in Hollywood" pointing out that the movie earned an estimated $1.03 billion at the box office as of August 8.  

"Barbie" director, Greta Gerwig has a lot of acclaim in Hollywood, having directed "Lady Bird" and "Little Women." 

At first, I didn't know what to make of "Barbie." 

I have a suspicion that a lot of critics know it's a poor movie but pretend to like it because of the underlying political message, and because Gerwig directed it.

And audiences must praise it, or else they'll be bashed by Hollywood's elite producers and directors all over social media. Hollywood has, for some reason, developed a disdain for modern audiences. And when movies with a "woke" message or trope of any degree is inserted, and that movie flops (which they've been doing lately), then the powers-that-be in Hollywood go to social media foaming at the mouth to lambast and ridicule movie-goers. 

Since when is Barbie so political in the first place? Sure, she was a game changer in the world of dolls when she made her debut in 1959. The movie opens with this point. 

What's terrible about the movie "Barbie" has nothing to do with the intellectual property at the center. Nor is it all the pink in the film. 

What baffles me is who Gerwig's intended audience is. Is it left-leaning people? Is it kids? Is it adults only?  

My seven-year-old daughter wanted to see it, and knowing what I did before watching it, I was reluctant to let her see this. After watching it, I think a lot of this would have gone over her head. 

The movie's blatant message surrounds feminism.

G.K. Chesterton once said “[Feminism] is mixed up with a muddled idea that women are free when they serve their employers but slaves when they help their husbands." That sums up the movie's message, as muddled as the movie is, rather nicely. 

Ryan Gosling as the simp, "Ken" and
Margot Robbie as "Stereotypical Barbie" in "Barbie."

My initial impression of "Barbie" is that it's a frustrating, overly preachy, tired, bitter screed of anti-male vitriol that doesn't even try to so much as pretend to be intelligent and creative. It's one exposition scene after another.

The film opens with a satirical nod to Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" as little girls trade their baby dolls that promote motherhood for the Barbie doll that appears as the towering monolithic emblem of liberation and consumerism, with Helen Mirren narrating. 

The movie continues along this line that all leads to unhappiness in Barbie herself (Margot Robbie). Thoughts of mortality begin plaguing Barbie. So, she goes to the Barbieland outcast "Weird Barbie" (Kate McKinnon) who explains she has to leave Barbieland and go to the real world to find the child that's playing with her. That way, she can overcome these afflictions and bridge the portal between Barbieland and the real world. Robbie's Barbie starts calling herself "stereotypical Barbie" to differentiate herself from the other Barbies. 

Men are depicted as dumb, pointless, and juvenile. By the way, none of this was included in the initial marketing.  

By the end of the movie, I wondered if maybe the movie is really a satire towards society's irrational, far-flung hostilities towards this so-called "patriarchy." I honestly can't tell. That word "patriarchy" is used a lot in the movie, by the way.

There's an anti-male sentiment that's strongly felt in the movie's portrayal of Barbie's boyfriend, Ken (Ryan Gosling). He, along with the other "Kens" (all the guy dolls are named Ken, except for his one buddy, Allen, played by Michael Cera) are a bunch of simps. Allen is a simp, too, by the way. But he doesn't really serve much of a purpose in the story. 

Gosling's Ken doll is an infantile product of feminist ideology. All he wants is to be Barbie's boyfriend because, as he correctly points out, it has always been "Barbie and Ken." But Barbie doesn't want to be hindered by Ken or any other male. Again, I can't tell if Ken is a satirical character or a political statement. 

I was completely confused by the moral of the story. It concludes with the idea that the best parts of a woman are those that make them mothers. However, there's a pungent smell of the repulsive idea that a woman's happiness is found away from men and children who are nothing but a hindrance to their material and career success. 

So, is the intended audience those who have the "correct" politics?

The males and females are portrayed with an us-versus-them mentality that develops through the movie, especially when stereotypical Barbie returns to Barbieland. 

Ken and his Ken pals set up a "patriarchy," which Ken learned about in the real world, and all the other Barbies just go along with it. 

So, stereotypical Barbie has to snap the other Barbies out of it so they can reestablish themselves as the heads of Barbieland when the Kens aren't looking. Again, inconsistent writing. 

Ken, who's portrayed as incompetent and stupid while the Barbies are brilliant and smart, is still able to take over the matriarchal Barbieland in no time whatsoever, and with hardly any effort! And the "smart and intelligent" other Barbies don't even notice. So, who's really the stupid ones? Chalk one up for the patriarchy!

The premise boils down to how women don't need men, and men don't need women. That's the only way both sexes can be free... or something? It seems there's an out-of-the-way effort today to portray marriage and the complimentary nature of men and women as some sort of indentured servitude on the part of women. This sentiment is definitely felt in "Barbie." 

Again, I caught wind of this message only to be left wondering if it's satirical or the actual point the movie is trying to make. At the same time, there's a scene in which the discontinuation of the doll "Midge" who in the Barbie doll line is pregnant and married to Allen, is commented on and criticized. Talk about mixed messages. 

I felt like the movie was trying to beat me over the head with the dishonest message that women are treated in today's society as second-class citizens struggling to survive in this male-dominated society who keep women from succeeding. 

America Ferrera, who plays a Mattel employee named Gloria that ends up helping Barbie in the real world, has a drawn-out diatribe that is a shining example of the movie's preachy hack writing about that very subject. 

All this preaching about the "subjugation" of women is, of course, spewed by women who are immensely wealthy and successful. Nothing is more irritating than being lectured on the trouncing of women in society by filthy rich women in Hollywood who are more successful and famous than I can ever hope to be. These same women made more money with this one movie than I could make in my lifetime. Yet they still insist on this narrative. Give me a break!

Regardless, I think the strangest, yet funniest part is how the company Mattel, which has been the toymaker that manufactured Barbie all these years, unmercifully throws itself under the bus. And here I though Ken was a simp!

The company portrays its board of directors as being all white males, which left-leaning ideologues want people to think is the worst thing to be. Never mind the fact that Mattel's CEO was a woman for 30 years. And the current board is actually composed of six men and five women. But someone at Mattel agreed to allow the company and the board to be depicted as a big part of the problem. Grovel much, Mattel? 

Anyways, these white male directors are all clueless of the plight of women, and are portrayed as awful for failing to maintain Barbie to what she was supposed to be. Barbie's problem ends up being that she failed at living up to the symbol of female empowerment she was intended to be, and Mattel didn't help that situation any. 

"I'm a man with no power. Does that make me a woman," one of the board members claims.

Will Ferrel plays Mattel's CEO in charge of a board of directors. And like Ken, he comes across as an imbecile.  

Nothing is consistent in this film, least of all the characters. 

In one scene, Barbie is a ditzy plastic doll. Later, she's lecturing about commerce. 

Later in the movie, Barbie meets up with a girl named Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), Gloria's daughter, in the real world whom she thinks is the same girl that played with her all these years. When she finds Sasha at her high school, teenage Sasha verbally bashes her with a politically motivated diatribe about how Barbie failed women. Of course, Sasha's tantrum ends with her calling Barbie a "fascist." 

There's my argument against public education. Teacher, leave them kids alone! 

And when Barbie hits the real world, she's bombarded with an onslaught of sexism, even within the police force, that is heavily exaggerated. 

I had to rub my temples in frustration as Mattel handed over their popular product, "Barbie" over to Barbie hating producers with a major chip on their shoulder. I mean, someone at Mattel gave the green light to depict its own financially successful, decades long pop-culture icon as bad and terrible for failing to be the women's liberator she was intended to be. Liberated from what? A girl's natural instinct, maybe? The evil men ruling everything and keeping women down, so says influential millionaire women in Hollywood?

In the end, the spirit of Barbie's creator and former longtime Mattel CEO, Ruth Handler (Rhea Perlman), tells Stereotypical Barbie that Barbie's legacy continues to grow and evolve, blah, blah, blah. So, now Barbie is good enough to keep around a while longer for little girls to keep playing with.

Whatever the movie's intentions are, the writers were all too happy getting high off the fumes off their own tangled mental gymnastics. 

The only amusing part of the movie was Ryan Gosling's performance. He got some laughs out of me.

In the final scene, I think motherhood ends up being the world vision Barbie accepts. I can get behind that, unless I misread the message. Was it pro-feminist, or was it anti-feminist? I can't tell. 

Despite having no interest in Barbie dolls outside of the doll's cultural impact, I would be perfectly fine with a Barbie movie in and of itself. I would even give it a positive review based on what is.

Unfortunately, it's a poorly written movie with inconsistent writing, confusing characters, an even more confusing message that left me wondering what I was supposed to get out of this experience in the first place. I hope Ryan is the only actor to win an Oscar for this movie. That'll be hilarious!  

Anyways, I gave it a chance. And as I've allowed the movie to settle in my head, I still don't know what to make of it. 

The Flash (2023) - My Thoughts Relatively Quick

(Minor Spoilers ahead)

I guess multiverse movies are the trend in movies now.  Everyone's crossing timelines and popping into different universes and all that. Then they just get themselves into a world (or worlds) of a mess. 

This is the premise for the recent superhero movie "The Flash" based on the superhero from DC Comics. 

Andy Muschietti, who did a decent job directing the 2017 horror film "It" and its 2019 sequel, "It Chapter Two," based on Stephen King's novel about a child-eating clown, sits in the director's chair for this latest flick for DC. 

Anyways, we've seen this alternate timeline premise a lot in the last several years such as in 2009's "Star Trek" movie where young Spock meets old Spock. Disney/Marvel used it in the "Doctor Strange" movies, and Marvel's 2021 movie "Spider-Man: No Way Home" used the alternate timeline premise to mix the different Spider-Mans into one flick. 

This kind of trope is a playground for movie producers to throw in all kinds of callbacks and old characters as callbacks and the return of old characters are also a current trend in films. 

In "The Flash," Ezra Miller plays Barry Allen who can move at superhuman speeds, calling himself "Flash." Flash, nicknamed "the Scarlet Speedster," is a member of the Justice League. 

His mother was murdered when Allen was a young boy. His father, played by Ron Livingston, was accused of his wife's murder even though he was at the grocery store at the time, buying a can of tomatoes which his wife forgot to pickup. 

In a moment where Allen is overcome with sadness thinking about that day, he starts running at a speed force so fast and accidentally forms a "Chronobowl." This gives him access to past timelines. 

So, he goes back to that fateful day, and changes his history. Back in the Chronobowl, a mysterious speedster knocks him into a parallel universe. By chance, he's kicked back to the day back in 2013 when he obtained his powers. But his past is now changed as his mom is alive.

It also happens to be the time when General Zod (from "Man of Steel") is attempting to invade Earth.

So, this alternate timeline is the means by which writers bring back Batman/ Bruce Wayne, played by Michael Keaton, from Tim Burton's 1989 movie "Batman." It's also the means by which writers include Kara Zor-El / Supergirl (Sasha Calle) as having come to Earth from the planet Krypton instead of Kal-El/Superman. 

I was primarily interested in seeing this movie just to watch Keaton play Batman once again. As I sat and watched, I imagined it to be the third Batman we never got after Burton's 1992 sequel "Batman Returns." "Batman Forever" didn't cut it back then. 

For me, it was the selling point of "The Flash." I have a huge nostalgic soft spot for Burton's "Batman." All in all, Keaton didn't disappoint. I enjoyed seeing him in the batsuit one more time. 

Plus, a bunch of multiverse DC superheroes show up including George Reeves as Superman, Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin, Jay Garrick as Flash, and Nicholas Cage as Superman. 

Cage as Superman?

Well, Cage's appearance as Superman comes from an abandoned Tim Burton movie that never came to fruition called "Superman Lives." Test shots and stills of Cage dressed as the Man of Steel have made the rounds online. Now, CGI Cage as Superman is reality in "The Flash." Even in CGI form, nobody can Nicolas Cage better than Nicolas Cage. He's so Nicolas Cage that he can be both verb, noun, and adjective all at once. Seriously, his CGI cameo looks like he's a wax museum figure. In fact, most of the CGI characters look completely fake, including an initial scene in which Flash rescues several newborn babies plummeting from a hospital window. 

In one scene, Christopher Reeve as Superman flies in along with Helen Slater as Supergirl standing next to him. Reeve was initially supposed to appear alongside Slater, at least for a cameo, in the 1984 movie "Supergirl." I guess this makes up for that a little. Unfortunately, they also look laughably fake. 

My wife accurately pointed out how lousy the CGI is commenting that it would be great for a video game, maybe.  

The pace and storyline feels clumsy and too convenient at the same time. As Barry messes with the timeline, each problem that arises seems to have a conveniently timed solution. This is especially true when older Barry attempts to get his powers back, with the help of Batman and Supergirl, by recreating the circumstances in which he initially got his powers in the first place. And this doesn't happen once, but twice. 

The constant scenes of younger and older Barry Allen together are impressive and well-acted. But young Barry is insufferable. 

Despite its problems and weaknesses, and there's a good number of them, somehow I still found "The Flash" an entertaining and a passable superhero film.

"My Thoughts Real Quick"

I tend to put in more effort on my site 1000daysofhorror.com while this blog gets much less traffic. In an attempt to remedy that, and write more posts especially on new releases, I plan to jot down my thoughts rather than write up lengthy reviews.

Oh, there will still be lengthy reviews on older films. But for newer releases, I'll try to make them quick. 

Nicholas Cage (CGI) as Superman in "The Flash."

Yellow Submarine (1968)

"Hello, there, blue people! Won't you join us? Hook up, and otherwise co-mingle? What do you say?"

Directors 
George Dunning

Animation Directors

Robert Balser
George Dunning
Jack Stokes

Live-action Directors

Dennis Abey
Al Brodax

Cast
John Clive - John Lennon
Geoffrey Hughes - Paul McCartney
Peter Batten - George Harrison 
Paul Angelis - The Narrator, Chief Blue Meanie, Ringo Starr

Dick Emery - Max, Lord Mayor, Jeremy Hillary Boob
Lance Percival - "Young/Old" Fred

Kiss lead singer, Gene Simmons, once said in an interview with Dan Rather that he didn't think there would be another Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, or Kiss. 

I agree, especially when it comes to the Beatles. They hit the rock scene when rock and roll was considered a mere dying fad. If the Beatles never formed, rock music would have most likely done just that - Die! 

They demonstrated singing and song-writing talent at the right time. Love them or hate them, there's no denying the Beatles had talent. No person or group can rise to such heights of popularity without talent. One might question the use of their talents, but that's another discussion for another time. 

I became a Beatles fan back around 6th or 7th grade when my music teacher, Mr. Yamasaki, played "I'll Cry Instead" from the album "A Hard Day's Night" during music class. That was enough to hook me. In fact, "A Hard Day's Night" was the first Beatles album I bought. I purchased it at a Borders Books and Music in Emeryville, Calif. about 30 years ago. Sadly, Borders isn't around anymore. 

As a fan of the Beatles, I admit I haven't seen the 1968 film "Yellow Submarine" in its entirety until now. The movie is based on the Beatles' song of the same name released on their seventh studio album "Revolver" in 1966.

I've seen their other movies - "A Hard Day's Night," "Help!" "Magical Mystery Tour," and their documentary "Let It Be." 

I wanted to review at least one Beatles movie on here, and "A Hard Day's Night" was the film I intended to write about. I also considered the largely criticized 1978 jukebox musical comedy "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" based on the Beatles' 1967 album. 

But I came across a copy of "Yellow Submarine" and that seemed to be an enticing option. It's animated, and I've never seen the whole film. So, why not? 

The story takes place in Pepperland where the residents all love music. Pepperland is home to none other than Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. What a perk that is! And I think Pepperland exists under the sea. 

On top of an Aztec-looking pyramid sits the Yellow Submarine. And on the outskirts exist a range of blue mountains. Beyond the mounts live the Blue Meanies - a group of unfriendly music-hating folks. They're led by the Chief Blue Meanie (voiced by Paul Angelis) who doesn't take 'yes' for an answer.  

One day, the Blue Meanies launch an attack on Pepperland by hurling bombs and apples (a reference to the Beatles then new company, Apple Corps) that turn the Pepperland residents into motionless blue statues. They also release their most dreaded weapon, the dreadful flying glove that smashes and crushes everything in its path. 

At the last minute, the Lord High Mayor of Pepperland (voiced by Dick Emery) sends Old Fred (voiced by Lance Percival) to find help. 

He jumps in the Yellow Submarine and travels to Liverpool where he finds Ringo Starr (also voiced by Paul Angelis), who's a bit sad as he wanders back to a building called "the Pier" which sits on top of a hill. 

Old Fred persuades him to return to Pepperland with him. Ringo agrees, but not before collecting his mates, John (John Clive), Paul (Geoffrey Hughes) and George (Peter Batten).

All the lads hop in the Yellow Submarine and travel back to Pepperland to defeat the Blue Meanies, going through all sorts of unique realms while singing the Beatles tune "All Together Now" along the way. 
I guess it's no revelation to say "Yellow Submarine" is a product of its time. No doubt the psychedelic fantastical imagery is allegorical to some extent of the social, political, cultural and religious climate of the day. One side (i.e. the Blue Meanies) surround themselves with negatives like the word "no" as well as a hatred of music. Meanwhile, the Beatles and all the inhabitants of Pepperland endorse positives like "love" and the word "yes." They're all superficial sentimentalities that the counterculture of the day thought would really show to powers-that-be a thing or two. Nothing much has changed in that regard. 

Nevertheless, the surreal whimsical fantasy story wasn't as difficult to get into as I originally thought it would. I wanted to see where the story goes. 

According to the book "The Beatles A Hard Day's Write" by Steve Turner, the song "Yellow Submarine" was written by Paul McCartney to be a children's song. 

"The idea of writing a children's song about different coloured [sic] submarines came into Paul's head as he was drifting into sleep," Turner writes. "This was to develop into 'Yellow Submarine,' the tale of a boy who listens to the tall stories of an old sailor about his exploits in the 'land of submarines' and decides to go sailing and see for himself." 

Turner points out that McCartney uses short words in the song lyrics so it can be learned quickly and sung easily by children.

"Yellow Submarine" was released on the B-side of their song "Eleanor Rigby" in 1966, the same year "Revolver" was released. 

Obviously. like other Beatles songs, rumors spread that "Yellow Submarine" is a reference to drug use.

According to Turner's book, McCartney denied these rumors stating, "the only submarine he knew that you could eat was a sugary sweet he'd come across in Greece while on holiday." He quotes McCartney as saying, "I knew 'Yellow Submarine' would get connotations, but it really was a children's song."

As for the movie, unfortunately, I couldn't understand much of the dialogue. A lot of it is spoken quickly and softly. 

It has a jukebox soundtrack which features various songs by the Beatles. "Hey Bulldog," "Nowhere Man," and "It's All Too Much" are three of my personal favorites from the film. 

Aside from the songs, the animation is what carries the movie. The style looks like a mix of Edward Gorey, Terry Gilliam and Dr. Seuss. It's simple yet ornate. It's especially impressive considering the smooth movements and almost 3-dimensional style it takes at times.  
The voice actors are well cast, especially Geoffrey Hughes as Paul McCartney and Paul Angelis as Ringo Starr. They sound like the respective Beatles their playing. But all the voice actors capture the inflections and mannerisms of each member of the Beatles. 

Though the message is a bit flowery for me, "Yellow Submarine" has a childlike innocence and is a fun movie to watch.

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985) - Au Revoir, Pee-Wee...

"I don't have to see it, Dottie. I lived it."

Director

Tim Burton

Cast 

Paul Reubens - Pee-Wee Herman

E.G. Daily - Dottie

Mark Holton - Francis Buxton

Diane Salinger- Simone

Judd Omen - Mickey

Alice Nunn - Large Marge

Jon Harris - Andy

Nostalgia and the quick passing of time really hits home when a cherished and highly appreciated part of it leaves us.
Seldom does news of a celebrity's death really sting. I recall being sincerely morose when Muppet creator Jim Henson passed away in 1990. And when comedian John Candy died in 1994, I felt bummed out that day and for a few days after.
Of course, death is always a sad thing. 

Upon hearing of Paul Reubens' death on July 31, I couldn't help but feel a lingering sadness. Reubens, known especially for his long running character Pee-Wee Herman, is among the biggest personalities I enjoyed in my childhood and after. With such sadness comes the reality that nothing lasts forever. Time plows ahead like a speeding train. We all have to go. But before we do, our past fades more and more. Thankfully, we do get to hold on to memories for as long as we can.

No doubt I'm one among millions who have paid their respects publicly with similar sentiments. Pee-Wee is the first comedian I was ever enthralled with. I could never be in a bad mood after watching Pee-Wee Herman. 

Back in the day, his presence on television, whether in an interview, on his Saturday morning show "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" or in his movies "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" and "Big Top Pee-Wee" (1988) would instantly draw me to the screen. I also caught his 2016 Netflix movie "Pee-Wee's Big Holiday" as soon as it came out. I had to watch it. I just had to.

Disney's "Flight of the Navigator," released in 1986, which also stars Reubens (credited as 'Paul Mall') as the voice of the spaceship is another favorite of mine from back then. I always knew that ship sounded like Pee-Wee. I didn't learn that it was him until years after.

The plot of "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" is simple. Pee-Wee's (Paul Reubens) most prized possession, his customized bike, is stolen. He immediately suspects the local rich kid, Francis (Mark Holton) who, earlier, tries to buy Pee-Wee's bike. He tried to persuade Pee-Wee to sell it to him since it was his birthday. Pee-Wee laughs in his face telling him, "It's not for sale, Francis." The interaction ends with Francis declaring, "You'll be sorry, Pee-Wee Herman." 

After the bike is lifted, Pee-Wee doesn't receive much help from the police nor his friends.

Desperate, he consults a psychic who claims his bike is in the basement of the Alamo.

So, he sets off on a journey to find it himself, starting at the Alamo. 

Unfortunately, the trip ends in complete disappointment. There's no basement at the Alamo. 

Now, his bike could be anywhere!

Pee-Wee Herman is silly and juvenile but he's not stupid nor anti-social. This adolescent persona of his doesn't wear thin in the movie as Pee-Wee acts accordingly, though still humorously, to the situations he encounters. He starts off nonsensically, utilizing his signature prop comedy as a setting for his home. As the story progresses, Pee-Wee becomes a relatable and sympathetic character. He develops as a character thanks to the variety of folks he meets along his journey. 

Pee-Wee gets a lift from an escaped convict. He's also picked up by the ghost of a truck driver. He makes friends with a diner waitress named Simone, who tells him about her hope to one day visit Paris, France. 

He also gets some bad advice from a fortune teller. And impresses an unfriendly biker gang with his signature dance to the song "Tequila" by The Champs. 

And by the end, Hollywood pics up his story and turns it into a motion picture. The movie ends with all the characters Pee-Wee met along the way watching this movie at a drive-in. Pee-Wee, reunited with his bike, turns to his love interest, Dottie, and says "C;mon, Dottie. Let's go!"

"Let's go? Don't you wanna see the rest of the movie?"

"I don't have to see it, Dottie. I lived it." Bad experiences can certainly be as beneficial to us as the good ones. There ya go, kids.

While the movie has plenty of originality in its story and humor, I heard in an interview somewhere that "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" takes some inspiration from an early Italian movie with a similar, though more dramatic, premise. I had to look up the title. 

"Ladri di Bicicleta" (1948), also known as "Bicycle Thieves" or "The Bicycle Thief" tells a story set in post- World War II Rome of an unemployed poor father who ends up finding a job that requires him to own a bike. 

However, his bike ends up stolen. He's forced to either find his bike or face losing his job leaving him unable to feed his family. While the film is available on YouTube, I haven't yet watched it. 

For those who don't know, "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" is director Tim Burton's first feature length film. Burton's dark surreal style comes through in small doses. In one scene, while Pee-Wee is in a hospital bed, he has a nightmare in which he finds his damaged bike. Doctors, dressed as evil clowns, haul it away in an ambulance. They wheel on a stretcher down a long corridor that's clearly Burton's far out style. As a surgeon tries to "repair" the bike, he shakes his head in defeat, pulls down his surgical mask, and has an evil grin painted on his face. 

I understand how much of an acquired taste Pee-Wee is. Either people love him, or don't care for his adolescent humor. 

My own love of satire and caricaturisation is definitely thanks in large part to Pee-Wee Herman. The "usual gang of idiots" over at "Mad Magazine," my other guilty pleasure, paid him quite the compliment at the height of his career. They depicted his significance in the satirical comedy world on the cover of "Mad" issue no. 273 from September 1987. It's one of my favorite covers as it equates Pee-Wee to their own humor by putting him on par with the magazine's mascot, Alfred E. Neuman.

Honestly, I can't name anyone else who made me laugh as hard as he did when I was just in single digits. 

Sometime in my youthful past, we obtained a copy of Pee-Wee's 1981 stage show "The Pee-Wee Herman Show" which aired on HBO. It would later become his Saturday morning program. Back then, the adult jokes went clear over my innocent head.
I just watched it on YouTube for the first time in nearly 30 years.

I remember talking about both "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" and "The Pee-Wee Herman Show" as far back as my days at Garner Preschool in Alameda.

Diane Salinger and Paul Reubens in "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure."

There's a part of the stage show that made me laugh to the point of tears when I was young.

In a segment called "Pen Pals From Around the World," Pee-Wee reads a letter from a kid in Israel.

They way he reads it out loud is hilarious.
"Shalam, Pee-Wee! My name is Shalomo." It makes me grin just hearing it in my head. Watching it as a kid, I would rewind that part over and over again.
Again, in my boyhood days, "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" was an established part of my Saturday morning routine. That, along with other programs such as "Garfield and Friends," "Beetlejuice," and my personal favorite "The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show" were all the reasons I needed to wake up early on Saturday morning.
"Now we've given you fair warnin'! It's gonna be that kind of mornin' -
For bein' wacky!
For getting nutty!
Golly, it's cuckoo!
At Pee-Wee's Playhouse!"
That's the last stanza of the theme before Pee-Wee gave his signature dorky laugh.

In fact, some actors from "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" have cameos in "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure." 

John Paragon, who plays Jambi, stars as a movie extra in red armor on the Warner Brothers backlot. Lynne Marie, who plays Miss. Yvonne on Pee-Wee's show, plays the nun on the movie set. 

It's also worth mentioning that Alice Nunn, who plays "Large Marge" also plays a truck driver in the so-totally 80s skateboarding movie "Thrashin'." 

And Diane Salinger (Simone) would star alongside Paul Reubens again in Tim Burton's 1992 Batman sequel "Batman Returns" as well as in "Pee-Wee's Big Holiday."

One subtle detail that might be unnoticed to some, but I doubt it, is the "Mrs. Gulch" theme from "The Wizard of Oz" that plays during the bicycle chase scene around the Warner Brothers studio. 

Speaking of which. the entire film score, composed by Danny Elfman, sounds a little similar to his score for Burton's 1988 comedy "Beetlejuice." They both have a fast-paced rhythm that intensifies. The score for "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" is whimsical like a children's show while "Beetlejuice" is spookier. 

But there's one story and that sticks out in my memory involving "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure."

'Mad Magazine' no. 273 from Sept. 1987

Once, sometime between kindergarten and second grade, my mom took me along with my older brothers and a friend or two of theirs to our local video store, California Video, after school. While my brothers planned to rent a movie, I wanted something for myself. I wasn't interested in whatever they were going to check out.

I knew before going in what I wanted to check out - "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure." Mom was waiting in our '86 Toyota van. I ran out to ask if I could rent it. 

She was certainly no fan of Pee-Wee. "He's too silly," she would say. So, she gave a staunch "no." I begged and pleaded, but mom being the Italian woman she is didn't move so easily in those days when it came to decisions. I walked back into the store and told my brothers a big feckkin' lie with bells and whistles hanging off. I told them mom said it was ok to rent Pee-Wee's movie.
They did. My inexperienced adolescent brain thought mom would never find out. Or, when she did, it would be too late to return in. I might be in trouble, but at least I'd get to watch Pee-Wee Herman. Of course, she saw the VHS tape the minute we got back to the van.
Needless to say, I didn't watch "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" that evening. The other guys got to rent their movie. I had to return mine right then and there and didn't get to rent anything. Shame on me.
No matter. I had seen it before, and many times after. "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" was, and still is, a movie I don't grow tired of watching. 

I've never written any kind of sendoff to a celebrity like this. It's my own little thought bubble in a huge pool of other fans making their own tributes, memories, and send-offs. 

Pee-Wee is different for me.

This is a movie that may strike someone who has never watched it as completely stupid and pointless simply because it stars Pee-Wee Herman. The movie, speaking as objectively as I can, really isn't as stupid as some might think. It's well structured. The story and flow are well done. The score is catchy. There's a lot for the eyes to take in. It's relatable. And it has a truly original style as I said before. 

Pee-Wee's typical goofy comedy is well paced, being heavy in the beginning and then scooting aside a little so as not to get in the story's way.

It's a movie among a handful that has left a big impression on me, along with "A Christmas Story," "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," "Ghostbusters," and Disney's "Pinocchio." 

I guess you can call me overly nostalgic, or too sentimental, or just weird and corny for being morose over Paul Reuban's passing.
All I have to say to scoffers out there is...I know you are, but what am I?
Farewell, Pee-Wee! I pray you're with God.

Superman Returns - Comic to Movie #19 (2006)

"You wrote that the world doesn't need a savior, but every day I hear people crying for one."

Director

Brian Singer

Cast

Brandon Routh - Clark Kent/ Superman

Kevin Spacey - Lex Luthor

Kate Bosworth - Lois Lane

James Marsden - Richard White

Frank Langella - Perry White

Parker Posey - Kitty Kowalski

Sam Huntington - Jimmy Olsen

Eva Marie Saint - Martha Kent

Tristan Lake Leabu - Jason White

Potential spoilers ahead

"Superman Returns" was the first Superman film in almost 20 years. It's a continuation, and the last installment, of the film series beginning with "Superman" (1978) through "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" (1987). The 2013 movie "Man of Steel," starring Henry Cavill and directed by Zack Snyder, is a reboot of the series. That's another review for another time - maybe.

In "Superman Returns," it has been about five or six years since the world has seen Superman (Brandon Routh). He hasn't been around since astronomers think they discovered pieces of his home planet, Krypton, floating out in space.

The story opens with Superman's infamous foe, Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) who has since been released from prison, married to an elderly rich widow who's on her deathbed. 

Moments before she passes on, she signs over her entire fortune and huge estate to him. 

Meanwhile, Superman returns to Earth after finding no signs of any surviving Kryptonians out in space. 

After crashlanding back on the Kent farm in Kansas, and visiting his Fortress of Solitude, Superman picks up as his alter ego Clark Kent and returns to his job at the Daily Planet. 

He finds that his old love interest, Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth), has hooked up with Daily Planet Editor Perry White's (Frank Langella) nephew, Richard White (James Marsden). The two are engaged to be married. She also has a young son named Jason (Tristan Lake Leabu). 

Also, much to Clark's chagrin, Lois previously won a Pulitzer Prize for an article she wrote entitled "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." Ouch!

While Clark is busy getting his old newspaper gig back, and getting reacquainted, Luthor uses the fortune the old lady left him to venture up to the Fortress of Solitude to steal some of the Kryptonian crystals that hold information regarding Superman's origins and instructions from his father, Jor-El.

He takes them back to the mansion, again left to him by the old lady, to conduct some experiments. 

It turns out when even the smallest specs of the crystals make contact with water, they grow into massive land formations. His initial experiment causes a huge power outage all over Metropolis. 

This power failure interrupts a space shuttle launch which is piggybacking on an airliner. Being that it is an initial launch, several members of the media are on board the plane covering the story, and Lois is one of them. 

Brandon Routh as Superman in "Superman Returns."

The engines and the unlocking mechanism fail after the shuttle rockets are dragging the plane into space. 

News quickly airs about both the unexplained power failure and the effected shuttle, catching Superman's attention. 

He rescues the plane, detaching it from the rocket and returning it safely to the ground placing right in the middle of a baseball stadium during a game. All the world sees that Superman is back. While the world rejoices, Lois probably feels like a major tool as she was just rescued by Superman. 

Luthor takes advantage of Superman's return. 

He stages a runaway car incident with his henchwoman, Kitty Kowalski (Parker Posey) to distract Superman while he steals kryptonite from the Metropolis Natural History Museum. 

Meanwhile, Perry gives Lois an assignment to interview Superman in regard to where he's been, and why he's back. However, she's more interested in covering the mysterious blackout that affected all of Metropolis, and the space shuttle. She discreetly covers the blackout, with leads that take her to Luthor's boat.  

Of course, she heads over to the docs to try and talk to Luthor by sneaking onto his boat. And, for some reason, she takes her son with her and has him wait in the car. Of course, he doesn't wait in the car. He also makes his way onto Luthor's boat. The boat sets sail to the middle of the Atlantic before anyone, including Luthor, knows there's uninvited company onboard. 

Luthor finds the two on board and there's not much he nor they can do about it. He doesn't intend to turn around. She links the blackout with whatever Luthor is plotting. And he reveals his plans to create huge landmasses out in the middle of the Atlantic using a mix of Kryptonian crystals and kryptonite. "You can print money, manufacture diamonds, and people are a dime a dozen, but they'll always need land," he says to Kitty. "It's the one thing they're not making any more of."

This landmass will destroy parts of the United States and kill millions. Luthor intends to be head of this new land, and Superman will be powerless to do anything about it, or so he thinks.

One of the film's major selling points at the time of its release, after the return of Superman onto the big screen, was the post humous appearance of Marlon Brando as Kal-El's (i.e. Superman) father, Jor-El, thanks to the use of CGI. Brando plays Superman's father in the first film.  

This continuing Superman story, which was hugely anticipated back in the early 2000s, should have been much more action packed. If only producers utilized the capabilities to throw in a lot more eye popping affects and a Superman story unlike what audiences have seen before, it may have been a great and unforgettable movie. As special effects came a long way in the 20 years between "Superman IV" and this story, the potential was there but was missed.

Superman hardly does a thing in this return of his. He rescues an airplane in the beginning. In one scene, he takes down a guy blasting him with a gatling gun. It's a cool scene. So much so, I once saw a collectible statue depicting this one particular scene in a comic shop. Aside from that, Superman lifts a huge kryptonite-filled island and hurls it into space. There's a rescue here and there, and that's about it. He doesn't do much. He's not utilized as much as he should be. 

The plot is decent but doesn't stand well enough amid the disappointing writing and lack of anything interesting for Superman to impress the audience with. 

Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor.

Good writing and great new affects (for the time) could have gone so well together and taken the story to new heights (no pun intended). Instead, we got a boring story with nothing much new than before. This movie is a wasted opportunity. The only thing that's unique is that Superman has a son - a plot point that's intriguing but goes nowhere. 

A good story mixed with comic book action are what make "Superman" and "Superman II" enjoyable films. Those are the two best movies in the series, in my opinion. 

In part two for instance, the whole friggin' world is threatened by three outsiders with the same powers and strength as Superman. And Superman loses his powers before he's aware of what's happening. What'll happen next? It's a great story that holds up well.

The decision to cast Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel, following the legendary Christopher Reeve, is a great decision. Routh captures the character impressively well. He even resembles Reeve. But he isn't given a lot to work with for a chance to really be an unforgettable Superman. What a shame. 

Unfortunately, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane isn't such a good casting call. Her version of Lois is boring and void of emotion unlike the late, great Margot Kidder from the original flicks. Kidder is spunky and lively. Bosworth is the opposite. She's brooding and depressing. And there's no chemistry between her Lois and Superman, unlike Kidder and Reeve. 

Kevin Spacey, despite the bad news currently surrounding him, makes a decent Lex Luthor. He's more intimidating in the role than Gene Hackman from the original films. Gene Hackman is great as Lex Luthor, don't get me wrong. Spacey, though, makes the character his own.

Noel Neill, who plays Lois Lane in the classic television series "Superman" from the 1940s as well as in "Atom Man vs. Superman" (1950) portrays the elderly rich widow whom Lex Luthor is swindling at the beginning of the film. 

Anyways, "Superman Returns" should have been a fantastic opportunity to bring Superman back to the big screen with a heroic bang strong enough to blow the audience away. Instead, Superman's return is an underwhelming one with a humdrum story that bores and certainly fails to impress. 

The Pirates of Penzance (1983)

"I can explain in two words: we propose to marry your daughters."

Director

Wilford Leach

Cast

Kevin Kline - The Pirate King

Rex Smith - Frederic

Angela Lansbury - Ruth

Linda Ronstadt - Mabel

George Rose - Major-General Stanley

Tony Azito - Police Sergeant 

I love satire! My cynical inside gets a grin when the more solemn parts of culture, formalities (the pointless ones especially), and today's social influencers receive a ribbing now and then. It doesn't need to be a hostile punch in the face or a hit below the belt (except maybe some thrown at today's social influencers out in the open on the intellectual wasteland that is Tik Tok). Just some playfully facetious humor told with innocent merriment is all it takes to get a laugh out of me. Satire is the sweet and sour candy of life. It's best when given in large doses while taken in small ones, with a grain of salt of course.
Some of the best in the art of satire comes from the comedic partnered minds of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan.
Gilbert and Sullivan wrote a substantial number of comedic operettas, or short operas, back in the Victorian era of England. Unlike an opera, and operetta generally has light-hearted and/or humorous themes with spoken language alongside singing.
Some of their works are still rather mainstream today, with their most noteworthy plays being "H.M.S. Pinafore," "The Mikado," "Patience," and "The Pirates of Penzance."
Gilbert and Sullivan are unique for writing satirical plots that are completely awry, with round-about resolutions. And it's all decorated with catchy music and very creative comedic libretto. 

It's impossible to watch a Gilbert and Sullivan performance and not have a song or two stuck in your head for days. That's true, even if you find yourself bored with whatever play of theirs you might be watching. Their stories generally involve tongue-in-cheek jabs at such things as unqualified leadership in the British Royal Navy, British law and order, the whimsical nature of poets and the aesthetic movement, English bureaucracy, and class distinctions found in England back in the day.
"Stick close to your desks and never go to sea, and you all may be rulers of the Queen's Navee," Sir Joseph sings in "H.M.S. Pinafore" as he recounts his beginnings in the Queen's Navy despite having no naval qualifications.
There's no real disdain for these things in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. It's pure light-hearted satire for a hearty laugh. Never mind the why and wherefore. 

My introduction to Gilbert and Sullivan was the "Cape Fear" episode of "The Simpsons" from the show's fifth season which aired back in 1993. In that episode, Sideshow Bob (voiced by Kelsey Grammer) sends Bart threatening letters from prison. After he's released on parole, the Simpsons enter a witness protection program, and live in a houseboat.

Rex Smith, Kevin Kline and
Angela Lansbury in "The Pirates of Penzance."

Sideshow Bob manages to follow them, and then attempts to kill Bart, but not before granting him a final request. So, Bart asks if they can sing the entire score to the "H.M.S. Pinafore."
"Very well, Bart. I shall send you to Heaven before I send you to Hell," Sideshow Bob replies.
It wasn't until my high school music class that I learned more about these Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, and the significance behind them. Of course, my initial thought that day in music class, when my teacher played the class portions from "H.M.S. Pinafore" was that episode of "The Simpsons."
I never knew there was an actual movie of "Pirates of Penzance" until a few days ago when I found a copy while shelving DVDs at the library I am employed with. At first, I assumed it was a filmed stage production. Nope. It's an actual feature film with Angela Lansbury, Kevin Kline, and Linda Ronstadt.
The story, set in the 1850s, centers on a young lad named Frederic (Rex Smith). Prior to the beginning, his youth was spent under the care of his nursemaid, Ruth, (Angela Lansbury). During his boyhood, Frederic was supposed to be sent to an apprenticeship with a pilot. However, as Ruth's hearing is less than adequate, she mistakenly sends him to an apprenticeship with the Pirate King (Kevin Kline) and his Pirates of Penzance.
The story begins with Frederic at age 21. His pirating apprenticeship has come to an end, and he wants to leave the dreaded Pirates of Penzance, all of whom were orphans in their youth.
On top of that, he wants to rid the world of pirates altogether. And Ruth, who also lives with the pirates, wants to go with him.
Within no time, Frederic runs into a group some gorgeous young maidens. Seeing them makes Frederic realize just how old, especially in her face, Ruth has become.
Mabel (Linda Ronstadt), on the maidens, wants to help Frederic free himself from the pirates and offers him her love. Frederic is smitten with her and accepts her assistance...and her love.
When his former fellow pirates catch up to him, they find him in the midst of all these young ladies. So, they take them into their custody with the intent to marry them.
Their father, Major-General Stanley (George Rose), arrives and isn't too keen on the situation.
"I object to pirates as sons-in-law," he says.
"We object to Major-Generals as fathers-in-law. But we waive that point. We do not press. We look over it," the Pirate King replies.
So, knowing full well that the pirates are orphans, he tricks them into thinking he, too, is an orphan as they certainly wouldn't attack one of their kind. And he's right. The Major-General fools them, and they let him and his daughters free.
Yet, the Major-General is a man of high morals and standards. He wrestles with his conscience for having told a lie, even to pirates.
Mabel and Frederic attempt to ease the pangs of his bad conscience. Frederic calls for the constabulary, along with their sergeant (Tony Azito) to assist in defeating the pirates. The police, however, are too timid and scared to be of any real use.
"When constabulary duty's to be done, a policeman's lot is not a happy one," they sing.
Both the Pirate King and Ruth discover within Frederic's apprenticeship indenture that as he was born on a leap year, he cannot be out of his indenture until he actually turns 21 sometime in the 1940s. With really no other option available, Mabel agrees to wait for him until then.
The police come back on scene as the pirates take the still guilt-ridden Major-General. Mabel encourages the police to take on the pirates once again.
Rather, the Police Sergeant persuades the pirates to surrender "in Queen Victoria's name." The pirates, filled with patriotic sentiment, do just that.
Ruth, meanwhile, is convinced that all the pirates are great men who have simply been led astray, So, the Major-General grants them all an official pardon and allows them to marry his daughters. And

Linda Ronstadt as Mabel.

everyone is happy in the end.
For a musical comedy from 1879, "The Pirates of Penzance" still entertains and remains catchy. 

The acting, singing, and energy in the movie are spot on. It's evident the actors are enjoying it presumably just as the audience is. They clearly put everything they have into creating something enjoyable. And the movie treats the source material with the respect it deserves. 
The orchestral soundtrack and set design, however, are a bit underwhelming. 

I was hoping to see a grander set, with a boisterous musical score. Maybe the bulk of the budget went towards the talented and big name cast, leaving little for the design and soundtrack. Neither are terrible. The music and atmosphere don't really pop out and grab the audience. And some of the lead singing is done by external singers off camera for the actors on camera.
Regardless, it's still an entertaining musical with actors who put forth a lot of energy and talent.
Director Wilford Leach had directed a made-for-TV production of "The Pirates of Penzance" in 1980. It, too, starred Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstadt, George Rose and Rex Smith in the same roles as this movie. However, Patricia Routledge ("Keeping Up Appearances") stars as Ruth in the television production.
Gilbert and Sullivan's story "H.M.S. Pinafore" satirizes the unqualified leadership in English rule, particularly the Navy. This theme is touched upon in "The Pirates of Penzance," particularly with the character of the Major-General. The sense of duty and obligation when it comes to family and society is knocked around a tad, along with the education of the day, and the formalities one is expected to practice in proper society. It's stretched so far to the point where it simply doesn't make much sense. And that's the comedy. It's pulled off beautifully in the movie.
I highly recommend this movie, and Gilbert and Sullivan in general. If it's not your cup of tea, well, then what can I say? There's lot of other movies out there - terrible ones to punish yourself with.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

"Heck yes! I'd vote for you."

Director

Jared Hess

Cast
Jon Heder - Napoleon Dynamite
Efren Ramirez - Pedro Sánchez
Tina Majorino - Deb
Aaron Ruell - Kip Dynamite
Jon Gries - Uncle Rico
Sandy Martin - Grandma

Shondrella Avery - LaFawnduh

Haylie Duff - Summer Wheatley
Emily Kennard - Trisha Stevens


It took me a long time to figure out why the 2004 comedy "Napoleon Dynamite" is as popular as it is. I'm still not certain if I know for sure. It has some funny bits, but is that enough to make a low budget flick like this so popular? Of course, I'm probably overthinking it. What I can say with certainty is that out of all the comedies I remember seeing, "Napoleon Dynamite" is the best example of lightening in a bottle. 

I first watched "Napoleon Dynamite" back in 2005 or 2006. I had no interest in it before that, and only knew about it because I had heard people often quoting it. I also kept seeing random people dawning those "Vote for Pedro" shirts out in public. I had no clue what that meant, or who "Pedro" was until I saw the movie. 

Back then. the sister of a friend of mine loved this movie! So, she had a movie night at their apartment and put "Napoleon Dynamite" on. 

Well, the penny dropped in regard to those Pedro t-shirts after watching it. 

I laughed and found some things about "Napoleon Dynamite" entertaining. It's innocent and certainly carries its own style that feels unique enough. But the one mystery that gripped my mind even upon my first viewing is the plot. What the hell is the plot? 

That was the first comment out of my mouth.

"Napoleon Dynamite" is among the movies I wanted to write about ever since starting this blog. To me, it's an enigma. 

The story begins on just another day in Napoleon's (Jon Heder) life as he waits for the school bus outside his house in Preston, Idaho. He lives with his brother Kip (Aaron Ruell), his grandma (Sandy Martin), and Tina the family llama...I guess? 

Napoleon's grandma ends up breaking her coccyx bone in a quadbike accident at the sand dunes. So, his Uncle Rico (Jon Gries) stays with Kip and Napoleon to watch over them while grandma is in the hospital. 

Uncle Rico, who lives out of his van, is stuck in his past as he constantly reminisces about his high school football days back in 1982. He often wishes he could go back in time to those glorious football days and somehow change the course of his life so he can fulfill his dream of playing in the NFL.

Kip spends his days in online chat rooms chatting with "babes." 

Rico talks Kip into joining his get-rich-quick scheme selling Tupperware door-to-door. Meanwhile, Kip has been trying to get his online sweetheart, LaFawnduh (Shondrella Avery), out to Preston so they can be together. 

Jon Heder as Napoleon Dynamite

At school, Napoleon becomes friends with new student Pedro Sánchez (Efren Ramirez). He also becomes pals with a shy girl named Deb (Tina Majorino) who stops by the Dynamite house early in the film to sell handmade tchotchkes in order to earn money for college. 

There's a bit of a romantic chemistry between Deb and Napoleon though Pedro asks her to the school dance. 

Napoleon ends up asking a random girl named Trisha Stevens (Emily Kennard) by drawing a portrait of her. Her mother forces her to go because Uncle Rico, while trying to sell Trisha's mom on his 24-piece food storage set, claims Napoleon gets beat up at school and still wets his bed. 

At the dance, Trisha ends up ditching Napoleon to go hang with her more popular friends. But Pedro lets him dance with Deb for a few songs. It's awkward for both, but the sparks are there.

Sometime later, Pedro decides to run for school president despite his lack of self-confidence. His opponent in the race is Summer Wheatley (Haylie Duff) - the attractive and popular girl at Preston High. 

So, Napoleon helps Pedro campaign around school, putting up posters and handing out tchotchkes Deb made. 

He even puts together a last-minute dance routine as Pedro is unaware that he needs to perform a skit following his campaign speech in front of the entire student body. Earlier in the movie, Napoleon finds a VHS tape called "D-Qwon's Dance Grooves" at a thrift store and teaches himself dancing. So, he puts this knowledge to good use for Pedro's sake despite whatever humiliation he could face at school. But the crowd loves his routine.

By the end, this helps Pedro win the students' vote. And everything simply wraps up with a post credit scene at Kip and LaFawnduh's wedding. 

The entire movie is like a section cut from Napoleon's life. Yet, the movie manages to have some character development. Or I'm overanalyzing it. 

The first half of the movie is insight into the Napoleon's world - his high school and social experiences alongside his eccentric family life. Evidently Napoleon helping Pedro get elected school president is the plot. If that's the case, it feels like it was thrown in last minute as if the producers realized more than halfway through production that they forgot to include a plot. So, they come up with something just so their flick could have one. The general plot seems to be, simply, the life of this socially awkward kid who lives among other socially awkward people. This actual plot point doesn't happen until the final act of the movie.

As for character development, Pedro is a character used to change Napoleon's attention off of himself and onto others.  

Napoleon initially comes across as clueless and taken in by slightly amusing things. He's a bit similar to Uncle Rico and Kip constantly focused on themselves. They're cluelessness is what passes at humor. Not only is Napoleon clueless, but he's also amateurish and socially awkward...unless you consider the outlandish lies he tells others about himself, which are blatantly ridiculous, to be a form of social activity.

I'm confused if this is supposed to make him endearing or stupid. Am I supposed to like him or feel sympathy for him? Or do I laugh at how awkward he is? Is he an unfortunate character, or just a weird kid at school who's trying to find a place to fit in, in the small town of Preston?  He's often bullied and is seen playing tetherball by himself on the school yard. That much makes Napoleon a sympathetic character. As for the rest, I don't know.

Efren Ramirez and Jon Heder.

Late in the film, Uncle Rico visit Deb for some headshots (Deb is into photography). But having gone from selling Tupperware to female breast enhancements, he lies and tells her that Napoleon thinks she would be interested in these enhancements.

Deb calls up Napoleon in anger and refers to him as a "shallow friend" for thinking such a thing about her. But when she sees his last-minute dance routine to help Pedro, she becomes the first friend the audience sees play him in tetherball.

He also catches her a "delicious bass" after her phone. It's an unusual gesture, but a selfless one none the less, in an attempt to mend their friendship. 

The opening credits with the title song "We're Going to Be Friends" by the White Stripes pulls the audience into the independent low budget feel of the film. It's creative and unique as though it was made by high school students for a school video project. The opening credits sets the film in the 2004-2005 school year. The overall appearance and style make the movie feel like its set in the 1980s or early 1990s sometime. The music by John Swihart that resembles dated waiting room music is the perfect touch to that atmosphere. I take it that is writers Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess's way of making the story autobiographical to whatever degree it might be so.

After seeing this movie at my friend's house, I ended up watching it again on my own a few days later. There's a scene that had me in tears. 

After Napoleon asks Trisha to the school dance, he gets a job at a chicken farm. During an unusual lunch break, one of the farmers named "Lyle" (Dale Critchlow) randomly blurts out something unintentionally incoherent. I had to turn on subtitles to figure out what he said. He says something about finding Shoshoni arrowheads over by a creek bed. It kills me each time! I kept rewinding that scene over and over again because it made me laugh so hard.  

If I could compare the style of "Napoleon Dynamite" to anyone else's style, it would be Wes Anderson. It reminds me of an Anderson movie as far as framing, use of symmetry, and monotone dialogue. But while Anderson's movies often have a hint of fantasy and imagination, "Napoleon Dynamite" is much more realistic, and sees the humor within everyday life. 

Aside from a variety of quotable lines, I think the movie's relatability makes it appealing to younger audiences. Napoleon's experiences in the awkward realm of high school as well as dealing with the strange quirks and idiosyncrasies of his family members speak to the movie's younger audience. Despite it's weird pacing and plot (if there is a plot), it somehow works thanks primarily to its familiar scenarios and the humor behind them.