Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers

If this image makes you think of guffawing at amazingly bad movies, then we are kindred spirits. Mystery Science Theater 3000 created a rift in time and space where it is alright to talk/provide a running commentary during movies. Anyone else who dares to speak during any other cinematic experience will surely go to the special hell. 

That reminds me of the worst date I've ever been on...but that's a tale for another time.

Here's a bit of background for the unfortunate souls who need to be educated: Mystery Science Theater 3000 takes the ridiculous premise of a guy and robots stuck in space, making fun of terrible movies they are forced to watch as part of a mind experiment, and creates comedy gold. It's a joy that must be experienced (I Accuse My Parents is an especially good episode, and MST3K: The Movie is the best. Ever.). 

I can still hear their voices, after all this time...

After MST3K was cancelled, the wisecracking kings (Kevin, Mike and Bill), unable to contain their awesome gift of gab, created a website named Rifftrax. This is movie nerd heaven. You watch a popular movie (such as Jurassic Park or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, two of my favorite Rifftrax...) on your own entertainment system, download the MP3 off the Rifftrax website and play that on your computer in tandem with the movie, and it's like having your own personal peanut gallery in your living room. A peanut gallery that makes you laugh so hard popcorn might shoot out of your nose.

These guys are the only reason I made it through all FIVE of the Twilight torture sessions.

But wait, that's not all! Rifftrax also riffs movies live, a performance which is beamed to audiences in movie theaters across the country. I was able to finally see these guys in action last month with their hilarious take on Starship Troopers. 

That is a REALLY BAD movie. The acting was bad. The 90's technology is so silly looking it's bad. The writing was bad. The storyline was bad (Ender's Game did this plot oh-so-much-better). Bad, bad, bad. Granted, the giant bug effects have held up wonderfully over time, and the idea of equality of the sexes in the future was a refreshing sight, but my goodness was this a BAD movie. Perfect fodder for Rifftrax.

The one joke I'll give away is that this smile gets made fun of. A lot.
And yes, that is a giant bug leg sticking through her shoulder.

There will be another showing of this grand event on the 12th of September, and I highly recommend it to anyone within 100 miles of a theater playing Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers. They are also doing a Halloween live recording of a riff on Night of the Living Dead on October 24th. 

My one complaint, and maybe they'll have fixed this for the second showing, is that the audio was hard to follow. At times, when both the actors of Starship Troopers and the Rifftrax guys are talking, I couldn't distinguish actual words, but that only happened a few times. Other than that, it is an experience worth the ticket price.

Find both of these in a theater near you, and you'll laugh the night away, I guarantee it.