***Silly satire based on Star Wars*** Released in 1987, Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs” parodies the Star Wars flicks and includes jokes based on Star Trek, “Lawrence of Arabia,” “Alien” and “Planet of the Apes.” Some people hate this film, but it works for what it is: a totally goofy spoof. It’s consistently amusing with several laugh-out-loud bits and memorable lines. The cast is notable, highlighted by John Candy as Barf, Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa, Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet, Brooks as Yogurt, and Joan Rivers’ voice as Dot Matrix. The rest are good too (Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, George Wyner as Colonel Sandurz, etc.). The film runs 1 hour, 36 minutes. GRADE: B

Go to full review