Eric "Sparky" Edwards Movies

In this over-the-top comedy, a group of rowdy high-school students -- whose idea of a good time is throwing a wild party at the home of Principal Moss (Matt Frewer) while he's busy at school -- winds up in detention. As punishment, they're instructed to write an essay on what's wrong with America's educational system. The class brain, stuck in detention with the partiers, comes up with a well-written piece that's sent to the president of the U.S. The president is so impressed that he invites the students to Washington, D.C., to speak before Congress. Sen. John Lerman (Lawrence Z. Dane), one of the president's chief rivals, knows the truth about the students, and he seconds the idea of bringing them to Washington, certain that their behavior will embarrass the president. Principal Moss, sex-starved teacher Tracy Milford (Valerie Mahaffey), and drug-addled bus driver Red (Tommy Chong) load the troublemakers onto a bus and hit the road for the nation's capitol -- and mayhem ensues. National Lampoon's Senior Trip was helmed by Kelly Makin, who also directed the TV series Kids in the Hall; Kevin McDonald, a former Kid in the Hall, has a small part as a deranged crossing guard. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, and the other characters made famous in the Our Gang shorts of the 1920s and 1930s are brought back to life in this nostalgic children's comedy. Although the setting is the present day, the characters remain much the same, down to their old-fashioned clothing and their membership in the "He-man Womun Haters Club." When Alfalfa (Bug Hall) starts to question his devotion to the club's principles after falling for the beautiful nine-year old Darla (Brittany Ashton Holmes), the rest of the gang sets out to keep them apart. An attempt to win the grand prize in a go-cart race also comes into play, providing opportunities for physical comedy, while Darla's and Alfalfa's story trades on the humor of innocent puppy love. Most critics found the film less a tribute to the original series of shorts than a blatant attempt to capitalize on the familiar name, though younger audiences may be entertained by the simple gags and child-like attitude. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide