UHF (1989)

AKA: The Vidiot from UHF

"Weird Al" Yankovic plays George Newman, a man with big dreams and a vivid imagination who lucks into managing a failing low-budget television station where he commissions a series of eclectic programming choices, including that of promoting the janitor (Michael Richards) to children's television host.

This movie is just plain fun and leans into the absurd and the extreme, as Al brings his parodic sensibilities to spoof everything from Gandhi to Conan the Barbarian. It's one of those films that grows with you over time, and follows in the tradition of over-the-top slapstick comedies like Airplane! and Top Secret!

3½ spatulas out of 5

Airheads (1994)

Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler play three dopey members of a struggling rock band who hijack a local radio station in an attempt to get their demo tape played on the air. The situation escalates quickly from there as hostages and cops add to the chaos. It's a decent enough set-up, but my main issue is that not much happens in the 90 minute runtime and the stakes feel low. Despite strong performances from all involved, it's neither clever nor memorable beyond the premise, while the overall execution is lacking.

2½ Beavis & Butt-Head cameos out of 5

Coneheads (1993)

Let's address the elephant in the room: Yeah, they look like butt plugs. Based on the popular SNL sketch, Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin reprise their roles as aliens from the planet Remulak who crash land on Earth and whose cover is that they're from France to explain their eccentricities. It's a one-note joke, but never short on creativity, and the practical effects are weird and cool. This one is an oddity, which makes it appealing to fans of bad media. It's the kind of bizarre approach that reminds me of The Addams Family at times. Jam-packed with so many bit parts from SNL alumni, I had to leave out half of the credits.

2½ rows of teeth out of 5