June "I Love the 80's & 90's" 2013 challenge (1 Viewer)

[JohnS]

Sorry this is late, but I got busy.This is your chance to watch our favorite movies from the 80's & 90's whatever it may be. Any kind of movie.

 

[JohnS]

Placeholder 80's moviesHeathers (1988)90's moviesGia (1998)So, I married an Axe Murderer (1993) Quick Change (1990)

 

[Michael Elliott]

Major League (1989)**** (out of 4)Wonderful crowd-pleaser about a group of misfit baseball players who are thrown together by an owner who hopes they're bad enough so that she can relocate the team to a new city in the off season. The players of the Cleveland Indians find out about this and decide to give it their all to become winners. MAJOR LEAGUE really isn't anything that we haven't seen before in countless sports movies. We have the typical stereotypes and the clichéd story and we all know how it's going to end. With that said, who says you can't take something old and make it fresh and exciting? This here is without question one of the best comedies of the 80s and I really think it keeps getting better with age. The movie really has one terrific scene after another as one can't help but fall in love with these losers, their situation and of course you want to see them win. What works so well is that we're given a terrific cast with Tom Berenger and Charlie Sheen leading the way as the wise vet and the wild rookie. The two of them work perfectly well together and certainly help keep the film going at a fast pace. The supporting cast gives us wonderful work by Corbin Bernsen, Margaret Whitton, James Gammon, Wesley Snipes, Charles Cyphers, Dennis Haysbert, Chelcie Ross and Rene Russo. We also have the priceless Bob Uecker who turns in one of the memorable roles in sports film history. The film is perfectly directed by David Ward who perfectly plays up the various comedy routines but he also manages to packs some wonderful tension during the final ballgame as the Indians go up against the Yankees. MAJOR LEAGUE has non-stop laughs from start to finish but we even get a little side romance and of course plenty of dirty jokes. The R-rating really helps this film because it just seems like one of those macho movies where guys talk dirty and it's all wonderfully funny.

Major League II (1994)** (out of 4)Lame sequel finds most of the original cast members back as the Cleveland Indians try to improve on their previous season. The only problem is that most of them now have "bigger" things in their lives, which puts baseball on the back burner and they find themselves back to being losers. To call MAJOR LEAGUE II a disappointment would be an understatement especially when you consider how great the original was. There was a five year difference between the two films so you can't really say that the first one made money so they just rushed this one into production without giving it a chance. I mean, they did have five years to come up with something better than what we got. There's been a lot of debate on how they took a R-rated, profanity full film and trimmed this one down to a kids movie. This here really bothered me the first time I saw this but after this second viewing I realized that it's not the clean-cut nature of this film that hurts it. It's the fact that it's pretty much nothing more than a remake of the first film only not nearly as funny. Each of the characters find themselves spoofing their characters in the first film. Wild Thing Vaughn goes from wild child to clean cut. Pedro Cerrrano goes from a crazed hitter to a peaceful sweetheart. You even have Willie Mays Hayes who goes from his fast self to a wannabe power hitter. None of this stuff is funny and neither are any of the supporting characters this time out. Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen and Corbin Bernsen all return but are just a shell of themselves. Dennis Haysbert, James Gammon, Omar Epps and Margaret Whitton just don't have the same magic and even Rene Russo's quick cameo does nothing. Randy Quaid is wasted in his role as an obsessed fan and even Bob Uecker isn't given anything good to do. David Keith is the most entertaining person in his villain role. MAJOR LEAGUE II isn't a complete disaster but it's certainly DOA.

Major League: Back to the Minors (1998)BOMB (out of 4)The third and to date final film in the series is without question just a poor attempt to make some cash on a popular film. This time out a washed up pitcher (Scott Bakula) is hired as a AAA coach to try and turn some losers into winners. They eventually get their chance when they get an exhibition game against the Minnesota Twins. MAJOR LEAGUE: BACK TO THE MINORS is without question one of the worst sequels in the history of sequels. Throughout the 100-minute running time there wasn't a single time that I laughed and even worse is that there wasn't a single smile on my face at any point during this disaster. Most sequels are just watered down or poorly-written versions of an original that makes money but this here even gives those types of films a bad name. There's really not a fresh or original idea to be found here and what's worse is that the film simply runs so long for no reason. Every single thing that happens here is nothing more than a cliché of a cliché and to make matters worse is that you'll see every predictable moment coming from a mile away. Bakula has had a few decent moments in his career but this here isn't one of them. Clearly this was a paycheck as he walks through the role without much energy. Corbin Bernsen and Dennis Haysbert are on hand for a connection to the previous films but they do nothing in their roles. Even Bob Uecker is wasted in his bit. Ted McGinley of 'Married...With Children' fame is given nothing to do as the Twins head coach. This film here really had no reason to be made unless the goal was to become one of the worst films ever made.

 

[PatW]

I'm in.80's Movies01 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) (bluray) 5/502 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) (bluray) 3/5
03 Mad Max 2 aka The Road Warrior (1981) (bluray) 5/5
04 Star Trek 3: In Search of Spock (1984) (bluray) 4/5
05 Brubaker (1980) (bluray) 4/5
06 2010 (1984) (bluray) 3.5/5
07 Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989) (bluray) 4/5
08 Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) 4/5 90's Movies01 The Big Lebowski (1998) (bluray) 4/502 Vegas Vacation (1997) (m-time) 2/503 Pretty Woman (1990) (bluray) 4/504 Terminator 2 (1991) (bluray) 4/505 Goldeneye (1995) (M-time) 3.5/506 Mrs Doubtfire (1993) (dvd) 3.5/507 Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) (M-time) 3/5
08 World is Not Enough (1999) (bluray) 3.5/5
09 Persuasion (1995) (dvd) 4/5

 

[John Stell]

Well, since I'm doing my "Summer of 1983" viewings during June I guess I'm in. First-time viewings in bold.

06/03/2013 The Return of the Jedi (1983) 4.0
06/04/2013 Psycho II (1983) 3.0
06/04/2013 Psycho III (1986) 3.0
06/05/2013 The Man With Two Brains (1983) 3.0
06/05/2013 Roxanne (1987) 3.5
06/06/2013 Trading Places (1983) 3.0
06/07/2013 Octopussy (1983) 3.0
06/07/2013 The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) 3.0
06/08/2013 Scanners (1981) 3.5
06/10/2013 Superman III (1983) 1.0
06/10/2013 The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) 2.5
06/11/2013 Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) 3.0
06/11/2013 Top Secret! (1984) 3.0
06/12/2013 The Creature Wasn't Nice (1983) 1.0
06/12/2013 Hot Shots! (1991) 3.0
06/13/2013 Zelig (1983) 3.5
06/13/2013 Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993) 2.5
06/14/2013 Jaws 3 (1983) 2.0
06/14/2013 Airplane! (1980) 3.0
06/17/2013 National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) 3.0

 

[John Stell]

The Return of the Jedi (1983) 4.0

What can I say? I love this film, not as much as Empire Strikes Back (1980) but probably as much as the original Star Wars (1977). It's certainly better than any film in the prequel trilogy. The film starts out with the rousing rescue of Han Solo from the slimy clutches of Jabba the Hutt, and then moves on to what will prove to be final confrontations with the evil empire and Darth Vader. Luke Skywalker is no longer a whiny little Jedi wannabe but a confident, kick-ass knight. Princess Leia has never been more lovely. The Ewoks ticked some people off but I think they offered a nice balance of humor with the intensity of Luke's showdown with the Emperor and Vader. It still packs the emotional punch it did for me back in May of 1983 when I saw it in the theater. (But I hasten to add I really hate that George Lucas added some "No!"s to Darth Vaders dialogue during the scene when Luke is getting zapped by the Emperor. It was much more powerful when Vader suddenly does what he does.)

 

[TravisR]

The Return of the Jedi (1983) 4.0

It's certainly better than any film in the prequel trilogy.

I think Revenge Of The Sith is much better than Return Of The Jedi. I love all the Star Wars movies but if I had to pick the weakest of the six, it would be Return Of The Jedi. No doubt that The Phantom Menace and Attack Of The Clones aren't perfect but overall, I think they're better than Jedi. Jabba's palace has some cool creatures and the space battle and the scenes with the Emperor are excellent but the rest of the movie is just dull. If that movie got released when the internet- with all of its bitterness- was around, it would have been eviscerated but since it's a part of the OT and its associated nostalgia, it gets a huge pass from fans.

 

[PatW]

The Big Lebowski (1998) (bluray) 4/5

I wasn't a big fan of this movie when it first came out, but as I became more familiar with Cohen brothers movies, it grew to be one of my top favourites. How can you resist the Dude and his colourful collection of bowling buddies. There is so many classic scenes and dialogue that it's no wonder it has reached Cult status.

 

[PatW]

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) (bluray) 5/5

My favourite of all the Star Trek movies. Nothing beats Kirk and company for sheer entertainment. The writer was a genius when he decided to dig up an obscure character from Season 1 and fashion a credible script. Great movie from beginning to end.

02 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) (bluray) 3/5

My least favourite of the Indy movies and I think a lot of it has to due with Kate Capshaw. I found her so completely annoying that it ruined a lot of the story for me.
The character Short Round also strode the line between loveable and irritating for me. Harrison Ford though was his usual charming self and the musical score was kick ass.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Groundhog Day (1993)** 1/2 (out of 4)Bill Murray turns in a wonderful performance as an obnoxious jerk weatherman who finds himself covering some Groundhog Day events but at the end of the day he finds himself waking up having to repeat the day over and over again. GROUNDHOG DAY appears to have become one of the biggest classics of the decade but I remember watching it in 1993 and not caring too much for it. This here was my first time revisiting the title and I'll admit that I liked it a tad bit more but at the same time I still don't see what everyone else sees in it. There's no question that there are some funny moments and there's no question that Murray does a fantastic job but at the same time the film just doesn't work for me. I think the biggest reason it just doesn't work is because I don't find it all that funny. This is especially true for various scenes that are constantly getting replayed over and over, although they're obviously done in different ways as Murray starts to realize what's going on. It's weird but I really like the concept here of the same thing being repeated but at the same time it's just not all that funny to me. I think what comedy does work is due to Murray's performance. I think what works so well with the performance is that we can believe him as the jerk as well as the transformation into the nice guy. Murray gets to play many different sides to this character and he really nails all of them. As the jerk you can't stand him but he slowly makes you care for the guy and especially towards the end. I think the character development here is actually a lot better than many dramas out there. Andie MacDowell makes for a good love interest and we get nice support from the likes of Chris Elliott and Brian Doyle-Murray. Again, I understand that this film is loved by many. To me it's a flawed film with one great performance and a few nice laughs.


The Bridges of Madison County (1995)**** (out of 4)Clint Eastwood does a masterful job adapting the Robert James Waller novel about a lonely Iowa housewife (Meryl Streep) who has a week-long love affair with a photographer (Eastwood) while her family is away. Even though I was just fifteen-years-old, I still remember the confusion when it was announced that a tough guy like Eastwood would be not only acting but directing in what many people considered a woman's film. Whether it was that first viewing or this one, some might be offended that their action star hero would do such a film but it remains one of the greatest works of his career and I think a strong case could be made that a couple scenes are the best directing job he's ever done. I think the film works on many levels but it's certainly a film that deals with regret and I guess a moral question of what's right and wrong is also asked. I thought Eastwood did a terrific job throughout the picture. The first hour of the film is pretty much all dialogue but this is where the two strong lead performances really help. Throughout all the talking you never once get bored because the two actors are simply so great at what they're doing. I think this remains one of the Streep's strongest performances and it's not just for the emotions that she brings to the part. There's also that terrific Italian accent, which remains one of the greatest I've ever heard. The actress just really puts herself into this role and there's no a single second that you don't believe everything you're seeing. Eastwood is also very good in the part and manages to show that he did have a softer side and it's something some of his fans might not like but it proves what a wide range of talent he actually has. The film certainly has some very memorable scenes but there's one in particular, which to me has Eastwood's greatest job at a director and it's towards the end of the film in the rain. There's a sequence at a stop light that I won't ruin but just the emotional impact of this is something I've never forgotten from that first time viewing the film. I think the stuff dealing with the children could have been left on the editing room floor but other than this the film remains every bit as powerful as one would hope for.

 

[Bryan^H]

I think Revenge Of The Sith is much better than Return Of The Jedi. I love all the Star Wars movies but if I had to pick the weakest of the six, it would be Return Of The Jedi. No doubt that The Phantom Menace and Attack Of The Clones aren't perfect but overall, I think they're better than Jedi. Jabba's palace has some cool creatures and the space battle and the scenes with the Emperor are excellent but the rest of the movie is just dull. If that movie got released when the internet- with all of its bitterness- was around, it would have been eviscerated but since it's a part of the OT and its associated nostalgia, it gets a huge pass from fans.

Oh Trav your killing me! "JEDI" is my favorite of the bunch. Nostalgia does play a part for me, but even since the first time I saw it at 10 years old, I knew the final showdown between Vader, and Luke in the Emperor's lair was pretty bad ass. My opinion hasn't changed on that to this day. Great space battle.....Forest moon of Endor, not so great. I liked the Ewoks a lot more at 10 than at 39.



80's, and 90's Challenge:


1.An Officer and a Gentlemen-Great film I watched just recently on Blu-ray. Debra Winger is a stunner. Grade-A

2.Red Dawn-Watched this on Blu-Ray also. Fantastic. Whatever happened to John Milius? Such a great, and gritty screenwriter. Patrick Swayze shines in this as does Lea Thompson. Charlie Sheen is a bit stiff in the acting department here, but overall it is a really good film. Grade-B+

 

[PatW]

Vegas Vacation (1997) (m-time) 2/5Not a really big fan of the Vacation movies except for Christmas Vacation which I adore. Vegas Vacation isn't as bad as I thought it would be and did provide some laughs. I do get tired of Randy Quaid though after awhile.Pretty Woman (1990) (bluray) 4/5Never get tired of this charming tale of a hooker with a heart of gold that finds true love. Fairytale come true indeed. Never was a big fan of Gere's earlier stuff but this won me over.

 

[Michael Elliott]

1990 was the year I started going to the movies on my own. Getting dropped off every Friday, Saturday and it didn't take long until I talked my parents into Sunday as well. My friends and I skipped PRETTY WOMAN when it was first released thinking it was just a chick flick but I eventually went to see it because I liked Gere from AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN. Well, I really liked PW and eventually went back three more times to see it. I had to talk my friends into it and promised them "nudity," which of course there's only a half second of but after the first viewing they eventually agreed it was a good film. I still enjoy checking it out ever so often.

I guess if I had been thinking I could have used this challenge to re-live some of those films I watched from 1990.


The Evil Dead (1981) ***Sam Raimi's groundbreaking horror film about a group of friends who go to a cabin in the woods only to have their fun turned to pure horror when they uncover an evil book. THE EVIL DEAD has become one of the most loved and worshiped films of the genre and while my love for it doesn't go that high, there's still no question that it's a rather marvelous achievement considering what the filmmakers had to work with. What impresses me so much about the film is the fact that Raimi could have just delivered another slasher film set in the woods but instead of that he went for something different. That something different turned out to be a way to mix scares with humor and for the most part it works. I think there are some very funny moments here and not all of them are directly in your face. One of my favorites is when they're going over the dangerous bridge, momentarily get stuck and we see Bruce Campbell stick his head out and his reaction is just priceless. Once the horror elements kick in the viewer is in for a bigger treat. Raimi does a very good job at building up a terrific, creepy atmosphere and this here really carries the film. Once the possessions come into play I think the film loses some of its scary impact but that's not to say these scenes aren't effective because they certainly are. All five of the cast members are decent in their roles but there's no question that the real stand out is Campbell. He would certainly go onto much better performances but even at this early stage of his career that comic timing is still here. THE EVIL DEAD is quite a unique little picture and even after all these years there's still a freshness about it.

Class of Nuke 'Em High (1986) **Troma tries to re-capture the magic of THE TOXIC AVENGER but doesn't quite come close. The film takes place at Tromaville High School where several students get contaminated by a nuclear power plant located nearby. Soon these kids are turning into mutants and doing all sorts of perverted and gory things. CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH isn't a good movie but I doubt anyone walking into a Troma movie is expecting one. For the most part the film delivers everything a Troma fan would want but it just doesn't quite reach the levels of the studio's best work, which is of course THE TOXIC AVENGER. That film was released a couple years before this one and you can tell that they basically took the toxic waste from that film, applied it to a high school and ended up with this thing. For the most part the first half of the film is extremely fun as we get the typical group of teenagers doing all sorts of crazy and rude things. I should say these are Troma teens and not your typical teens next door. Once a nuclear joint gets smoked by the virgin lovers (Janelle Brady, Gil Brenton) things start to pick up in the gore department. The monster here certainly isn't scary but I really don't think it was meant to be. Apparently the entire costume was never completed, which explains why we only see its upper half throughout the picture. If you're a fan of gory, over-the-top violence then you're going to get plenty of that here as countless heads are ripped off and various other body parts are fractured and torn apart as well. The performances are exactly what you'd expect from a "C" picture but I will admit that Brady and Brenton at least kept you entertained in the events going on. CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH isn't the work of John Ford but for a low-budget flick from the 80s there are enough campy moments to make it worth watching.

The Toxic Avenger (1984) ***Cult classic from Troma about a weak nerd who falls into some toxic waste and comes out as a giant superhero who goes up against the evil and crooked people in his town of Tromaville. THE TOXIC AVENGER is never going to be mistaken for the work of Orson Welles but there's no question that it's one of the most memorable films of its type and if you're a fan of trash and camp then this here offers enough of both. I've seen this film countless times over the years and it really never grows boring because of how over-the-top and politically incorrect it is. There's really no race, politics or person that isn't discriminated against but of course all of this is done in a rather charming but offensive way. The film pretty much features one wild scene after another but there are a few that really stand out. One of course is poor Melvin being picked up until he jumps into the toxic waste. Another involves a rather hilarious robbery at a taco store. We even get one of the most bizarre (and effective) hit and run sequences in film history. If one is easily offended then this here obviously isn't going to be for them. All sorts of crazy things are said and done but for fans of camp it's just downright irresistible. As you'd expect, pretty much everything on a technical level is pretty bad. The cinematography, editing, lighting and just about everything else isn't very memorable. The performances get the job done, although it's easy to say that no one here was going for an Oscar. Mitch Cohen is fun in his role as the Toxic Avenger and Mark Torgl is hilarious in his bit as Melvin. Gary Schneider is also memorable as the psycho Bozo and Pat Ryan really stands out as the crooked Mayor. THE TOXIC AVENGER is about as trashy as one can get without crossing the line of bad taste but it remains a cult classic and for good reason.

Exterminator 2 (1984) * 1/2In 1980 the low-budget THE EXTERMINATOR hit theaters and become a rather big hit so four years later this sequel followed. Robert Ginty returns as John Eastland and this time out he's dealing with more bad guys including the leader of the pack who is known as X (Mario Van Peebles). This sequel certainly has production companies Cannon's signature all over it and in fact I think this film owes more to DEATH WISH II than the actual first film. I say that because the exploitation factor is a lot higher here for a number of reasons. I think director-producer Mark Buntzman probably saw that Charles Bronson hit and decided to do like that film and just deliver what people wanted. Part of what people wanted from the first film was the flame-thrower, which was pretty much shown on the poster of the first film but here it becomes a major character. Whereas in the first film it was only used once or twice, here it is the main killing force as we see countless people set on fire and burned to a crisp. This effect is put to great use throughout the picture and one has to tip their hat to the stunt men were were doing these dangerous stunts on a low-budget. The biggest problem with EXTERMINATOR 2 is that the pacing is so incredibly bad that the 90-minute running time feels three times as long. At one point I thought the film was almost over and my boredom turned to shock when I realized we were only thirty-minutes into the picture. There are a few good points along the way including the silly violence, which is certainly over-the-top at times and this is especially true of the garbage truck hunting. I thought Ginty was good in his wooden way. Van Peebles is certainly a lot of fun in his own way and you've got to love the various wild outfits he wears. Is this better than the first film? Considering I wasn't a fan of either, I'd say this one here manages to be a tad bit sillier and contain some campier, wilder moments that somewhat make it more entertaining. It's just too bad that the pacing wasn't better.

 

[MayM]

My list:

Pretty Woman (1990)
Ghost (1990)
Sister Act (1992)
My Fellow Americans (1996)

 

[John Stell]

06/04/2013 Psycho II (1983) 3.0

Good sequel to Hitchcock's classic finds Norman Bates released and again living in the house behind the motel. Anthony Perkins performance is the main reason to see the film, which starts to get a little silly in the plotting department before it's all over.

06/04/2013 Psycho III (1986) 3.0

Mother's back and Norman promises to put up a fight this time. Perkins makes his directing debut and he does a fine job, helming an atmospheric thriller with comedic moments. The "ice-box" scene is terrific, as is Carter Burwell's haunting score. No big surprises but an interesting continuation of the Norman saga.

06/05/2013 The Man With Two Brains (1983) 3.0

Steve Martin plays renowned brain surgeon who falls in love with a brain kept alive by fellow scientist David Warner. Martin's unfaithful but greedy wife (Kathleen Turner) doesn't approve. Plenty of laughs makes this one of the wild and crazy guy's best.

06/05/2013 Roxanne (1987) 3.5

Steve Martin adapted "Cyrano de Bergerac" into this winning romantic comedy. Martin plays fire chief C.D. Bales who's smitten with the new scientist (Daryl Hannah) in town. But she's more interested in new good looking fireman Chris. Sweet-natured film has laughs a-plenty but also a lot of heart, which is why it works so well. The entire cast is excellent, but it's Martin's movie all the way.

06/06/2013 Trading Places (1983) 3.0

Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy find their fortunes reversed when they become guinea pigs for wall street goons' social experiment. Lots of laughs and a naughty turn by Jamie Lee Curtis overcome familiar,.predictable story.

06/07/2013 Octopussy (1983) 3.0

Fine James Bond outing has the super spy involved with jewel smugglers, circus performers, and a power-mad Russian. Louis Jordan makes a fine villain, Maud Adams a lovely leading lady. Finale aboard a small aircraft is a hair-raiser.

06/07/2013 The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) 3.0

Funny sequel to even funnier original has Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) of Police Squad foil a plan by energy big wigs who are trying to prevent the U.S. from going green. Nielsen is the perfect straight man to all the loonacy.

06/08/2013 Scanners (1981) 3.5

Excellent sci-fi/horror from writer-director David Cronenberg. Telepathic individuals called scanners are congregating under the leadership of power mad Revok (Michael Ironside). Scientist Dr. Paul Ruth (Patrick McGoohan) finds a scanner (Stephen Lack) who Revok hasn't turned - yet. Full of imaginative ideas, great visuals, and icky special effects.

06/10/2013 Superman III (1983) 1.0

Good Lord what were they thinking? The makers of this third Christopher Reeve Superman entry attempt a deliberately campy film with goofy humor and over-the-top performances. But it fails miserably. Richard Pryor is a less-than-honest computer programmer who gets caught up in Robert Vaughn's schemes to corner the coffee and oil markets. Of course they first must try to put Superman out of commission. Absolutely painful.

06/10/2013 The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) 2.5

While not as funny as its predecessors this final Police Squad movie still has its moments of hilarity. Retired from the force Frank Drebin nevertheless becomes involved with plot to sabotage the Academy Awards. Perhaps notable as O.J. Simpson's final film.

 

[Michael Elliott]

I decided to have a Superman marathon with the four Reeve's films last night to get ready for the new one. I guess I should watch SUPERGIRL and the alternate version of part two at some point this month.


Superman II (1980) *** 1/2Very good sequel has Superman (Christpher Reeve) giving up his powers so that he can be with Lois (Margot Kidder) but once he does this the planet comes under attack by three Kryptonian bad guys. I might be the only person in the world to think so but to me this sequel actually surpasses the original film and I think by a rather large margin. Everything that was good in the original is pretty much carried over to this film where it's done even better. I think the big benefit here over the original is that this sequel doesn't run too long and instead it has a much better pacing to it. However, what really makes the film tick are some incredibly action sequences, which includes a hilarious one at Niagra Falls where Lois plans to test Clark to try and see whether he's really Superman or not. The way this entire scene plays out is incredibly funny but also contains some great action. Humor is something that is also much better this time around and especially during the scene where the three aliens wreck havoc on a small redneck town. This here is a pretty long sequence but the laughs really don't stop at any point. I think another major plus with this sequel is that we're given not only a great villain in Luthor (Gene Hackman) but the aliens are also a lot of fun. The three of them make for a great group to root against but at the same time you really love to hate them. As with the previous film, the performance are all extremely good with Reeve once again leading the way in his dual role as both the superhero and the nerd with glasses. I think it's safe to say that the actor really just had something special in him that allowed him to perfectly fit into both roles. Both Kidder and Hackman are good in their parts as is Jackie Cooper, E.G. Marshall and Ned Beatty in his one but funny scene. The action scenes are all extremely good and the special effects this time out are even better. SUPERMAN II is a rare case where the sequel is actually better than the original.

Superman III (1983) * 1/2A computer programmer (Richard Pryor) starts working for the evil Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn) and soon the two manage to use a weather tracking device to actually control the weather. Soon Superman (Christopher Reeve) is on the case until he is given a poison, which turns him into a bad guy. Every negative thing that has been said about SUPERMAN III is pretty much true because this thing is a real stinker but what's worse is the fact that it's a real head-scratcher in regards to what they were trying to do. The opening sequence alone is without question one of the worst moments of the first three films as we just get some slapstick situations that would have been better in a Buster Keaton movie, not with Superman. The entire comic tone of this opening is just so weird and "off" that you can't help but wonder what the filmmakers were trying to do. Even worse is that Richard Pryor is given a major part and does nothing with it. Pryor is one of my favorite comedians if not my very favorite but he's is just so wrong here on so many levels. I'm guessing his introduction at the unemployment office was meant to say something about the times but it's just stupid. The comedy he tries to bring to the film just doesn't work and you have to wonder why the producers wanted him so bad if he couldn't be Richard Pryor. Robert Vaughn doesn't come off any better as he's rather bland and boring as the villain. Annette O'Toole is good in her part but Jackie Cooper and Marc McClure are pretty much wasted. As for Reeve, he actually turns in another very good performance. As with the first two films he does a very good job playing good and nerdy but this one also allows him to play bad and he does a very good job with it. There are some good action scenes like the one at the chemical warehouse but there just aren't enough of these to keep the film entertaining. SUPERMAN III is an incredibly disappointing movie considering how good the first two were.

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) **The death nail in the series finds Superman (Christopher Reeve) having to once again go up against Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) who has now wants to use Nuclear Man for his wild schemes. SUPERMAN IV turned out to be a huge bomb with critics, fans and the box office and it's really easy to see why. The first three movies were "A" productions and even though the third movie was awful, it at least was a "Superman movie." This film here is in no way, shape or form an "A" production and in fact it's closer to a "C." With that in mind, I think the film can be slightly entertaining as long as you don't take it too serious and are willing to laugh a bit. I say laugh because there's no question that Cannon slashed the budget as there are some pretty laughable effects throughout this thing. The "C" production also meant that this thing really did feel like those silly and campy sci-fi movies from the 1950s that people would be watching at a drive-in. I think on this level the movie can be somewhat entertaining but again, I realize that fans of the series don't want this type of movie and that's why they continue to hate it and probably just pretend that it was never made. The film's story is incredibly sloppy and bounces all over the place but I'm going to guess that this here is mainly due to thirty-plus minutes being cut off the running time. While that certainly hurt the story I must think that most viewers are happy they didn't have to sit through more than 90-minutes. The shorter running time certainly helps because the campy charm would be gone had this been longer. Reeve is still good in the lead roles but there's no question that everyone else seems bored. This includes Hackman who believe it or not was just coming off HOOSIERS. Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure and Margot Kidder are all just collecting paychecks but Mariel Hemingway does come off pretty good. Mark Pillow as Nuclear Man is a real hoot if you know what I mean. SUPERMAN IV will always be remembered as a complete and utter disaster but one really shouldn't take it too serious today.

 

[davidHartzog]

Cutter's Way, 1981, and Carlito's Way, 1993. Terrific films, underrated at the time.

 

[Chuck Anstey]

The Shadow 1994. Finally got to see this in OAR at home. A comic book movie before its time. It might do decent business now as an alternative to the big name superheroes.

 

[JohnS]

I watched not only one of my favorite 80's movies, It's also one of my favorite movies of all times. Heathers (1988) I also watched a great comedy from the 90's Quick Change (1990)

 

[Michael Elliott]

The Falling (1985) *Three American teens (Dennis Christopher, Martin Hewitt, Lynn-Holly Johnson) are traveling through Spain in their RV when they cross paths with an evil alien or something meant to be an alien. Producer Carlos Aured began his career as a director doing a number of Paul Naschy films but he turned to a producer in 1984 with MONSTER DOG and this here turned out to be his second and last job. Apparently the bad production of this made him walk away from producing and it's easy to see why. This entire film is a pretty big, worthless mess that has very little going for it. In fact, the only reason this thing doesn't get a BOMB rating is that there are thankfully some really bad moments that are so bad that you can't help but laugh at them. A perfect example of this comes from the performance of Johnson who clearly wasn't meant for this role. She's a very cute girl but sadly her acting is just downright awful and especially during a sequence where she freaks out after one of the guys say something sexual towards her. I'm really not sure what was going on during this scene but it seems like Johnson was trying get show "anger" by doing some sort of karate moves with her hands. Both Christopher and Hewitt aren't much better as the two of them pretty much sleepwalk through their roles. The entire film is incredibly boring thanks in large part to a screenplay that simply doesn't have anything going. There's no excitement, no energy and there's certainly no tension during the horror scenes. The only thing this has going for it outside the unintentional laughs are some mild gore effects but once the creature shows up you'll be asking yourself WTF. THE FALLING is a bad movie from start to finish and one that most are going to want to skip.

Wayne's World (1992) ***

Highly entertaining big-screen version of the Saturday Night Live skit has best buds Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) partying and doing their public television show without much stress in their lives. This all changes once they meet up with a crooked producer (Rob Lowe) who decides to exploit their show. WAYNE'S WORLD isn't one of the greatest movies ever made but it's certainly charming and funny enough for what it is. I'd also say it's safe to say that this is one of the better SNL transitions to the movies and a lot of the credit has to go to its two stars. I think both Wayne and Garth would be downright annoying characters had the performances been off in any way but both Myers and Carvey really took these guys and made them, at times, stupid but also very charming and just the type of people you'd want to hang out with. There are all sorts of funny moments throughout the picture but the real highlights deal with the boys and their interactions with other people. Lara Lynn Boyle as Wayne's ex-girlfriend gets all sorts of funny moments as does Brian Doyle-Murray who ends up being a sponsor who gets on the wrong side of Wayne. There's also Ed O'Neill in a small role as well as Meat Loaf and Chris Farley. Also on hand is a terrific bit from Alice Cooper who nearly steals the film with the performance of "Feed My Frankenstein" and the hilarious backstage access where he talks about Milwaukee. Lowe also deserves a lot of credit with his comedy here as he's perfect as the snake in the grass. Even Tia Carrere does a nice job. Director Penelope Spheeris does a very good job at keeping the film moving at a very good pace and there's no question that she knows how to stage the various bits of classic rock music throughout. Fans of the SNL material are certainly going to eat this up as its as fresh today as it was when it was first released.

The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989) * 1/2Incredibly disappointing sequel finds Tromaville at peace with crime now gone but this doesn't last long when a group of thugs blow up a house full of blind people. The Toxic Avenger takes care of these guys but he also must go to Japan to try and locate his long-lost father. THE TOXIC AVENGER PART II is an incredibly bad movie from start to finish but if you do decide to sit through it then it's best you view the uncut version, which will at least give you all sorts of gore. If you go with the "cut" version of this then you might as well take a complete star away from my rating. In its uncut form we're treated to some pretty wild gore scenes that manage to be just as disgusting as the ones in the first flick. Most of the action takes place after the home for the blind has been blown up and various thugs take their shots at the Toxic Avenger. He rips them apart in countless ways, turns a midget into a basketball and one poor guy gets smashed to where his guts are falling out all over the place. All that gore is good but sadly there's a lot of bad here. For starters, this thing clocks in at 103-minutes which is at least twenty-minutes too long and in all honesty I'd argue it's about forty-minutes too long. THe film's story is a pretty weak one even by Troma standards and they simply don't do anything with it. The stuff at Tromaville is just boring and the stuff in Japan dealing with the father simply goes no where. There's also a real lack of any comedy, which is something that made the original film work so well. Performances are pretty much what you'd expect from a movie like this. Sadly, everything that made the original so good is missing here so if you must you can fast forward to all the gore scenes and just leave everything else alone.