Munchie

I learned of Jim Wynorski when I happened to rent his "Chopping Mall" from my neighborhood video store in summer 2001 (the people who only knew Blockbuster have no idea what they missed by not going to neighborhood video stores). I saw a number of his other movies over the years, and have now seen his utterly bizarre "Munchie", about a boy who befriends a doglike being who has unlimited powers and delights in mischief.

For the most part, it was an "E. T." ripoff, complete with a divorced mom. I will say that unlike the beyond-atrocious "Mac and Me", this one at least wasn't a giant commercial, and had some authentically funny scenes (Munchie's gag in the principal's office, and then the party). For the most part, it was nothing that I hadn't seen before.

Well guess what? "Mystery Science Theater 3000" riffed it. This was definitely a movie that set itself up to get mocked. Among the famous people whom Jonah and the 'bots mentioned were Wallace Shawn and Judy Tenuta. They also said that Dom DeLuise voiced Munchie because Don Bluth wasn't making a movie at the time, and that Loni Anderson (as the mom) must've gotten this movie in her divorce from Burt Reynolds.

The rest of the cast includes Andrew Stevens (Stella's son), Arte Johnson and Jennifer Love Hewitt in her debut.

While the film Munchie is on it's surface a below average practical effects driven family comedy and allegory for acceptance and overcoming the challenges of puberty, below one veil lies a heart of darkness, and an interesting dissertation on the esoteric. Trying to stab at this moving target with one pithy summation is difficult, but as a reviewer, it is my duty. Essentially the bizarre and repulsive "Munchie" shows us the true meaning of 'monstrous.' Rather than recognize his freakishness and retreat in to some dark faery land of seclusion, Munchie parades himself about, attempting to use a thin layer of humor as a social lubricant. More grotesquely still, Munchie seeks the company of children.

How sinister this practice is lies in the viewpoint of the err... viewer. My personal take, is that highlighting how 'ugly' society is using his own ugliness is Munchie's attempt at destroying the juvenile leads' innocence. This psychic affront disturbs me more than any banal, physical transgressions that are / were to occur, being that we are all blinded gray whales crashing about in the pitch seas of the cosmos.

Munchie really likes pizza. ;-)

Do you remember Steven Spielberg's classic story of an alien creature who interacts with a lonely kid who just needs a friend?

This is like that, if you take out the joy, sense of awe, and all the heart - and heap on alllll the campy over the top schlock of a low budget movie.

Is it "so bad it's good?" Yeah, I laughed quite a bit at some of the ridiculous situations that were super problematic for a movie aimed at kids. I'm not sure how they managed to get Loni Anderson and Dom DeLuise for this, but would have loved to be a fly on the wall when those negotiations were going on.

All in all, it deserves a spot in the, "what did I just experience?" list of movies.

The release of Spielberg's masterpiece E. T. created a trend of movies that tried to ride on its coattails that stretched well into the early 90s. Munchie may not be the worst one of all, but it's still bad.

Some kid named Gage (Jamie McEnnan) stumbles into an abandoned mine shaft and discovers a leather jacket clad, wise cracking, greaser monster named Munchie locked in a chest. After releasing him, Gang befriends Munchie and promises to help him with typical problems for a kid in a thousand other films, like impressing his crush, Andrea (Jennifer Love Hewitt, amazingly) and dealing with bullies. But instead, Munchie just unleashes all kinds of hell.

There isn't really any story besides Munchies shenanigans. Half the cast is unlikeable, like the hostile Principal Thornton (Ace Mask) who has it out for Gage, his mother Cathy's (Loni Anderson) slimy new boyfriend, Elliott (Andrew Stevens), a couple of bullies; that's it. All the acting is awful, especially from the child actors; the best acting we see here comes from the kids performing Romeo and Juliet during a school play. Some of Muchys one-liners and Gages frequent day dreaming might make you snicker here and there, but that's about the only humor you can hope to find here.

Munchy is one of the most uncanny and disturbing looking puppets I've ever seen, like a horrifying combination of Bubsy Bobcat and Fonzie. His lip-syncing doesn't match up at all and his constant wise cracking and corny jokes make him really annoying, even with Dom DeLuise (RIP) voicing him. It's no wonder he was locked in a trunk and thrown off a cliff by some guy in the intro. And he's not the only cheap looking thing in this flick; he summons and levitates a plastic pizza through the air, and his magic powers are made with bright, unimpressive green sparkle effects.

While not quite as bad as Nukie (then again, what movie is?), this was still a trashy ET rip-off, Dom DeLuise' voice talent was wasted on it and I'm pretty sure it sure that it ruined Jamie McEnnan's career, but luckily not Jennifer Love Hewitts.

Bobhoperocks is right that this is not a sequel...but it does state on the cover box that Munchie is a sequel to Munchies. And if you liked Munchies, you won't like Munchie because it sucks. Plain and simple. The two have nothing to do with each other. I know I'm repeating myself here, but come on...I mean, come on...!!