6. Cape Feare
Season Five
1993
Sideshow Bob had plenty of appearances fighting Bart and his cohort Lisa. He even teamed with his brother Cecil, in a hilarious guest spot from David Hyde Pierce. But the best and pure quintessential battle that defined the immortal feud between Sideshow Bob and Bart begins and ends with “Cape Feare.”
Say what you want about Seduction Cinema productions. Their films are cheap and flimsy, but they’re just never boring. The budget for “Ironbabe” was probably less than the budget for the opening animated sequence, and boy does it show. One of the few films from Seduction Cinema I’ve seen that didn’t star Misty Mundae, “The Insatiable Ironbabe” tackles the “Iron Man” craze of 2008 with about the level of humor and soft core sex you’d expect.
In a movie directed by Aaron Norris, younger brother of Chuck Norris comes “Sidekicks,” a movie about Chuck Norris, co-starring Chuck Norris who plays none other than Chuck Norris. Did I mention Chuck Norris is God? “Sidekicks” is one of the many goofy “Karate Kid” knock offs of the nineties, where Chuck Norris is given a virtual platform to show everyone in America how utterly amazing he is. So amazing is he, he even stars in a young man’s homoerotic fantasies so frequently, it borders on creepy. Bow to Chuck Norris’s Norrisness.
Daniel Witkins short dramedy about a boarding school and a group of unruly young boys is a film that definitely has potential for a feature length treatment, should Witkins ever decide to re-work the premise. While it works well within the confines of its short length, it could also be an entertaining coming of age indie for audiences that can appreciate this type of entertainment.
The “Christmas with Carol” DVD from Time Life isn’t much of a visit to the show’s best comedy offerings, as it’s mainly a singing and dancing compilation, but it definitely puts on display why Carol Burnett is such a wonderful comedian with a humongous fan base. This compilation of two “Carol Burnett Show” Christmas specials, along with chosen holiday segments in the extras features really isn’t based around the comedy of the show, so much as the whimsy. Carol Burnett has a love for Christmas, and doesn’t partake in the classic segment comedy, but fills her two episodes with musical numbers and sweet comedy skits.
One thing I can say about “Zone Troopers,” is that it definitely wasn’t what I expected. Judging from the film’s poster, you’d probably go in thinking you’re going to see another “Bad Taste.” In reality, “Zone Troopers” is very much like “ET” except with soldiers in place of children. And it’s also directed like a television mini-series, with goofy fade outs, very limited violence, and colorful characters that paint this PG rated story about a group of American soldiers that befriend an abandoned alien.
7. Itchy & Scratchy Land
Season Six
1994
The writers on “The Simpsons” pull off one of their many excellent satires of classic films with “Itchy & Scratchy Land,” this time spoofing “West World,” and “Jurassic Park.” Much in the realm of “The Shinning,” the episode doesn’t so much mock the films as they twist the conventions of the narrative to fit the comic elements of the series. With summer now on its way, Bart and Lisa are convinced by Krusty the Klown to go to Itchy and Scratchy Land. Bart and Lisa do whatever it takes to go there, even convincing them that Bart’s dead. Dead serious about going to Itchy and Scratchy Land.