American Splendor

American Splendor, the comic, was based on the life and experiences of Harvey Pekar, a lonely curmudgeon from Cleveland. American Splendor, the movie, is a biopic of sorts about Harvey Pekar and the American Splendor comics, starring Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar. The actual real-life Harvey Pekar also appears in the movie, narrating parts of the story and commenting on the film itself. On paper, it sounds like it shouldn't work but it does. It's a charming comedic drama that occasionally breaks the fourth wall with documentary-style moments featuring the real people being depicted in the film. Paul Giamatti, in an early leading role, gives a memorable performance.

Rating: 80%

(Image from Wikipedia)

Jennifer's Home for Christmas

Everyone at the station seems to have big plans for Christmas, except for Jennifer. So, after she gets upset when the Christmas party is cut short, they all decide to go down to her apartment to cheer her up. Warm, festive comedy ensues. I watched a lot of WKRP in Cincinnati reruns when I was a kid. I think it holds up pretty well to this day, if you can get past the theatrical style of older sitcoms. The cast is great and they play off of each other very well. It's a classic workplace sitcom filled with wacky characters. What's not to like?

Rating: Another TV%

Fun Fact: George Gaynes, who played Commandant Lassard in all of the Police Academy movies, appears in the episode as one of the many people dropping gifts off at Jennifer's apartment.

Howard the Duck

Howard the Duck is just minding his own business, perusing pornography, when he's sucked through a portal in space and transported to Earth. He lands in Cleveland, Ohio, where he's immediately attacked by punks. The setup is very similar to what happened to Supergirl when she arrived on Earth, just without Matt Frewer and the threat of sexual violence. Howard eventually meets up with Beverly and becomes the manager of her band, Cherry Bomb. Then things take a turn and it becomes a race to stop an evil alien from bringing the Dark Overlords of the Universe to Earth. Howard the Duck is all over the place. It's a comedy. It's an adventure movie. It's sci-fi. It's a half-assed mishmash of all those things and more. It was neither successful nor well received at the time. Some still consider it one of the worst movies of all time. I wouldn't say it's that bad. It's definitely muddled and misguided but it also has an absorbing appeal that keeps me coming back to it every so often.

Rating: 65%

(Image from Wikipedia)

Fun Fact: David Paymer played a scientist in the movie. He also played a scientist in Night of the Creeps, which came out around the same time as Howard the Duck.

Jolly Old St. Dick

I definitely watched 3rd Rock from the Sun for a chunk of its six season run back in the day, but very little of it has stayed with me in the years since. I've actually tried to revisit the series after seeing it pop up on various streaming services, but I found the show's aggressive laugh track to be distracting. However, while watching "Jolly Old St. Dick," I couldn't help but appreciate the show's pacing and jokes per minute ratio. With the four main characters each getting a plot thread, plus appearances from half a dozen supporting characters, it's a wonder that the show wasn't a jumbled mess. As a youngster, I was in a school play about aliens coming to Earth and learning the true meaning of Christmas, so it was especially nostalgic for me to watch this episode where the alien leads get to be confused, excited, frustrated and ultimately delighted by the whole Christmas experience.

Rating: Travel Mug%