The Spirit of '76 (1990)

Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

In 2176, futuristic America needs to "Rebuild!" after a magnetic storm. Unfortunately, they have no idea what liberty is, what freedom is, so three time-travelers are chosen to go back to the year 1776 to retrieve the nation's heritage--with only 12 hours on the clock. Even more unfortunately, they don't go back far enough due to a malfunction with the time machine's digital clock, and unknowingly find themselves in groovy 1976 instead. Talents from second-generation Hollywood were involved (including Carl Reiner's son Lucas Reiner acting as director and Roman Coppola, Francis Ford Coppola's son, co-writing the script with Reiner), but the shallow sense of humor displayed here is strictly bush league. Results are amateurish in conception, design and handling, though the cast has some game players. The prologue with an aged Carl Reiner reciting part of the U.S. Constitution is probably the film's brightest moment--after that, this totally obvious movie conceit runs out of have-a-nice-day sunshine. *1/2 from ****

The Spirit of '76 is adventure. Its also a movie were three teens can make rocket fuel make from 7-up and Pop Rocks. Then in future plays music of the 1970's like the song Age of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In. The teens also bring back clothing to the future in addition to music. In one part of the movie Chanel-6 and guy do the Hustle. Then the Cops get Kung Fu'd to Carl Douglas's Kung Fu Fighting. I nearly pee'd at that funny moment. I was searching google with keywords like Time machine fueled by 7-up and Pop Rocks. But, nothing came up. I only found this due to remembering that David Cassidy was in this movie. I loved this movie. But, I guess I loved many duds as some say.

I never got to experience the 70's myself (I was born in '84), but this movie really makes me long for that bygone era. The first time I saw this film, I was just a kid, maybe 5 or 6, and I loved it from the start. Now that I'm older, I realize this movie is about the campiest thing I've ever seen, but it's still just as fun to watch. The platform shoes, 8-track cassettes, AMC Pacers, and bicentennial bongs will all serve to transport you into that beloved decade of excess and extravagance. This movie is packed with nutty, over-the-top characters who serve as caricatures for all of the diverse lifeforms the 70's produced. Smarmy science fare nerds, early mallrats, happy stoners, middle-aged yuppies seeking self-improvement, and those poor, restless creatures perpetually afflicted with Boogie Fever. This is a movie John Waters could have and should have had a hand in. A clever, skewed portrait of life in the 70's. Gee, I REALLY missed out on a lot!!!

ONLY if you grew up during the 1970s.David Cassidy (looking great), Olivia d'Abo (with English accent intact) and Geoff Hoyle (WHO???) travel from 2176 to 1976 by mistake. While there totally predictable "hilarity" ensures.The jokes are horribly bad (there's not one good one!) and the story and dialogue are truly abysmal. Also it contains a character called Snodgrass (ho ho) who gives one of the worst performances in comedy history--his idea of acting is SCREAMING every line full force. Still, I (sort of) enjoyed it.They caught the 70s dead on--as a child of the 70s I can attest to that! The fashions, the music, the cars, the horrible furniture and carpets--all perfect! For me it was a trip back to the past. Also, the cast gives their all to the awful script. And the movie does come to life in one sequence in which d'Abo and Leif Garrett (another 70s icon) do the Hustle! Boy, did that bring me back!Worth seeing only for those who remember or lived through the 70s. All others--beware!