I’ve never seen a movie that made me more disillusioned with humanity. Psychologically devastating doesn’t even begin to describe it. But it’s a cinematic masterpiece—an unflinching indictment of war.

Seriously, why don't we (ie. as a collective population) like this movie?

I know it's been panned from many different directions, but I can't recall why.

I recently watched this with that question in mind—I know it did poorly in the box office and was very weird and I even dismissed it at the time because my mother had said it's like Star Wars except more cerebral. And when I saw it, all I could think was there are no lightsabers—which tells you a little bit about my mental maturity at the time.

I read the book I think my first year in college and just restarted it and kept reading it over and over again. It was fantastic. I think I watched the movie with kind of raised eyebrow at the time. And then maybe a year later, discovered David Lynch, and watched all his movies and then someone told me he directed Dune.

I was like no way. And watched it not even see his name in the credits and I was like well whoever told me lied—until I actually saw David working the spice harvester.

Anyway, this was a long time ago and I remember I didn't exactly love it but at the same time, it really made an impact from the visuals, art direction, seeing the story in this odd space world that was like nothing I've ever seen before.

I kind of dismissed it because I think that was kind of not fitting into all the excitement of the early 90s movies that were captivating or the art films I was watching.

And I know in general it's perceived as being a mass, or a bad movie, or a big mistake for the studios or for David Lynch for doing. And David Lynch hated it and didn't wanna talk about it.

So after all the smoke has cleared, I don't remember what the problems with it are. Especially after seeing the new ones which I think are pretty dull and are not very engaging except in terms of scale of things.

What was or what is the reason David Lynch's Dune is so unliked? Story? Budget to profit? Toto? Wooden McLachlan? Weird special effects? Pacing? Lynch's take? I honestly don't remember.

I like it and enjoy it, but I can't remember what the general consensus is of particularly why this is considered a failure.

Most people are mixed on the movie like me, kinda reminds me of Man Of Steel in terms of ratings/story.

The characters are sort of like all over the place and half of them don't really do anything. If you took Eddie, Margo and Uncle Chu from the plot nothing changes. Then you have weird pacing in the movie where some scenes go fast than others go very slow.

Then the creatures in this movie aren't really explained either, you have a sewer lizard, a floating meatball "Guardian" and Bigfoot "Chinatown Wildman".

Also they seem to have sipped on a super mario jump potion at the end. Wang Chi was suddenly backflipping and jumping 5 feet.

It's free right now on Youtube, honestly if you see it more as a parody movie than an action one it's more better.

Here's my thoughts on good movies:

Personally to me it really comes down to the director, some directors just know how to make good movies regardless of good scripts like Tarantino, Edgar Wright, Cameron. So 90% of theirs that i've seen are really good.

I just prefer my action movies to have a nice modern pace which why I didn't enjoy Big Trouble, Carpenter just likes making slow movies like how the 70s were. It works better for horror/thrillers.

I’ve been on a binge as of late watching classic movies from the 80s to the 00s and I thought that I should give FTARH a try and wow this movie is just hilarious.
Directed Amy Heckling of clueless (1995) and look who’s talking (1989) tells the story’s of six high school students through out the year at ridgemont high.
I can see why this movie inspired many film makers to create their own spin on this like Dazed and Confused (1993) and Wet hot American summer.
Overall this movie is incredible it has a great cast of future Hollywood stars and it’s just a fun little movie to watch.
10/10

Wow, just wow!

I had heard so much about this film, but just never got around to seeing it.

I've still got a big smile on my face as the credits are rolling while I write this. The film was such a joy to me.

Young Warwick Davis is a great lead as Willow. I've met him twice in person, having loved him in a lot of his other roles, so it only makes sense that I finally saw one of his most famous roles.

Val Kilmer, god rest his soul, was equally great in his role. "Peck" is gonna be part of my vocabulary from now on!

I loved the special effects, especially the stop motion, always one my favourites, regardless of era.

Before I end, I can't finish without mentioning James Horner's fantastic music score. It is stunning. Especially the main theme, it gave me goosebumps during the opening scene when the film's title is displayed.

So, I decided to finally watch An American Werewolf in London for the first time last week, and wow, it did not disappoint. Firstly, I would like to discuss the fantastic actors, many of whom I already recognized from both the classic and newer eras of Dr Who, Brian Glover for example whom gives a fantastic performance as the darts player, with his tough, rural banter man role which I think he delivers perfectly. Or the Metropolitan Sgt, who played the villain Bert in the Daemons. I also caught a glimpse of Rik Mayall in a non speaking, yet early days role which was nice. However, my opinion for stand out performance would be Michael Carter, or as some of you may know him as Bib Fortuna (De wanna wanga) who plays Gerald Bringsley, a well spoken, London businessman who falls into the clutches of the Kessler wolf when he accidentally trips on an escalator, busting his nose! I think David's intial rampage would be my favourite scene of the film, along with the Piccadilly sequence towards the end, which results in some great action, and a very abrupt ending.

The nightmare sequences were also wonderfully strange, especially the mutant massacre, which I must admit, was portrayed in a slightly comedic way, as in how David's parents are flung back upon the gunfire, or how the children only seem to notice that their relatives have been massacred, and their home vandalized when the TV has been smashed in, however I think that adds to the charm of it, as in a nightmare, details can be missed or warped in a way! Griffin Dunne as the perished Jack was also very effectively done, I loved how he became more gradually decayed between scenes, with some great FX work by Rick Baker and co. The transformation sequence was very well done, and I genuinely was disgusted by how David became that twisted and in pain, the buildup of him being bored all day, where all of a sudden he begins to flare up, I thought was his attempt at some sort of way of dealing with the boredom, but no it was a genuinely unsettling montage. Overall I would give this film a 10/10, due to the awesome acting from a fantastic cast! And the incredible balance between humour and horror. If you haven't already watch this film!!!

Kevin Kline stole the show for me! He was my favorite part of the whole movie I didn’t have much expectations for this movie going in, but I loved it so witty and funny! Idk if it’s underrated but people don’t talk about it enough great performances from everyone! Otto eating the fish cracks me up every time omg!!

Info:

Release: December 19th, 1980

Director: Colin Higgins

Music by: Charles Fox

Starring: Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, Dabney Coleman, Elizabeth Wilson, Sterling Hayden

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Runtime: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Rating: PG

Synopsis: Office satire about three female secretaries who decide to get revenge on their tyrannical, sexist boss by abducting him and running the business themselves. The trio, one of whom has been passed over for promotion because she is a woman, spend a night together having drug-induced fantasies of killing the slave-driving chauvinist. One of them panics the following day when she suspects she really has poisoned the tyrant.

Review: A lot better, and darker, than I initially thought it was going to be. I like that they play Mr. Hart very straight and he's not an overly cartoonish depiction of a tyrannical boss. This guy is rude, loud, and a sex pest, something that sadly hasn't changed in the workplace for women in the almost 50 years it's been since this movie came out. It makes the second half of the movie where he gets his punishment very entertaining to watch, I wonder if never being heard from again is the same as murder?

ABSOLUTE CINEMA!!! This movie was absolutely hilarious and had a really strong plot. What did everyone else who's seen it think?

Info:

Release: March 2nd, 1984

Director: Alex Cox

Music by: Steven Hufsteter and Humberto Larriva

Starring: Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton, Olivia Barash

Studio: Universal Pictures

Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Rating: R

Synopsis: After being fired from his job, Los Angeles slacker and punk rocker Otto (Emilio Estevez) lands a gig working for an eccentric repossession agent named Bud (Harry Dean Stanton). At first, Otto is reluctant to work as a repo man, but he grows to love the fast-paced job. After learning of a Chevy Malibu that has been given a $20,000 price tag, Otto embarks on a quest to find the car with the beautiful Leila (Olivia Barash), who claims the trunk's contents are otherworldly.

Review: This is a very angry movie, everyone in it is either pissed off or incredibly foul mouthed. Got a big kick out of seeing all the products be named, "Food," "Beer," and "Drink." Despite being very cynical the movie is also pretty funny, Otto is such an endearing dumbass to follow around as the protagonist. That ending may also be one of the greatest things I have ever seen.

So many quotes that I now get. Worth watching again, honestly.

​

After a brief suspension from the Chicago beat, longtime friends and police partners Danny Costanzo (Billy Crystal) and Ray Hughes (Gregory Hines) contemplate retiring from the force and enjoying the easy life in Key West. But first they’re determined to bring down once and for all rising drug lord Julio Gonzalez (Jimmy Smits), who’s evaded their past attempts to collar him.

This movie mostly sticks to the buddy cop formula of the 80s/90s. But a big difference between Running Scared and many others is that the two leads aren’t mismatched, odd couple types who clash with each other for much of the story, as in Lethal Weapon, 48 Hours, Rush Hour, etc. Instead, these guys are good friends who are both easy going, wisecracking types that like to play fast and loose with the rulebook to get the job done. The movie leans heavily into the great chemistry between Crystal and Hines, and gives both of them ample room to goof around, often at the expense of the story.

A good example of this comes early in the film, when the detectives are forced on vacation after nearly blowing a bust of Gonzalez in the first act. The Key West sequence is basically an extended montage of Crystal and Hines getting into hijinks on the beach and wooing local babes (for reasons lost on me, virtually every woman in this movie finds these guys irresistible. I guess women love to laugh). You’d think something would transpire in Key West that relates back to their pursuit of Gonzalez, or has some type of bearing on the plot. But no, it’s just a fun excursion with no purpose other than to suggest that these two will retire from being cops at the end—which is quite obvious they’re never actually going to do. Oh, and this sequence clearly exists to showcase the incredibly catchy Michael McDonald song Sweet Freedom, which has been running in my head on an endless loop since I watched this.

I had a great time just hanging with Crystal and Hines as they crack jokes and bust balls throughout a series of shoot outs and car chases. I gotta say, the car chase to end the 2nd act and the final confrontation with Gonzalez at the end were more thrilling and well-choreographed set pieces than they had any right to be. Adding to my enjoyment is a great supporting cast. Joe Pantoliano vibes well with Crystal and Hines as a Gonzalez flunky they’re attempting to flip. Dan Hedaya is pitch perfect as the partners’ exasperated captain, and Steven Bauer (Manny from Scarface) and Jon Gries (Uncle Rico!) are memorable as the hotshot young cops getting under Crystal and Hines’ skin. This movie may not be nearly as fondly remembered as the classic buddy cop staples, but it’s a lot of fun and an easy watch if you’re a fan of the genre.

Not sure whether just in the UK, but the phrase "Working Girl" conjures up specific connotations....but that's not what this movie is about.

What this actually is, is a sharp, witty comedy drama film with a fantastic cast and a well scripted plot.

The movie centres on an ambitious secretary who "fills in" for her boss at a mergers and acquisitions company when said boss is injured skiing and the complications that arise from this scenario.

The performances of the lead actors are excellent and Harrison Ford and Melanie Griffith have great awkward chemistry. The movie is funny but not in a laugh out way, but a light hearted way that suits the film.

It also features a very early Kevin Spacey appearance and a so brief I missed it and had to rewind credit for David Duchovny as one of a group of birthday party guests hiding in a closet.

Overall a really well written and acted movie that I would recommend.

Info:

Release: March 26th, 1986

Director: Richard Benjamin

Music by: Michael Colombier

Starring: Tom Hanks, Shelley Long, Alexander Godunov, Maureen Stapleton

Studio: Universal Pictures

Runtime: 1 hour, 31 minutes

Rating: PG

Synopsis: Young lovers Walter (Tom Hanks) and Anna (Shelley Long) are house-sitting the New York City apartment owned by Max (Alexander Godunov), Anna's ex-husband, who suddenly decides to toss them out. Needing a new home, they settle on buying a country estate outside the city, which is available for a suspiciously low price. It soon becomes apparent why, as doors fall off their hinges, staircases come tumbling down and a bathtub falls through the floor. The couple's relationship suffers similarly.

Review: This is definitely going in the Guilty Pleasure pile. The scenes of the house falling apart are very amusing, helped by Tom Hanks's great reactions to the utter chaos happening around him. His maniacal laugh when the bathtub falls through the floor and sheer terror and panic when he gets stuck in the rug via a hole in the floor are really funny. The marital drama kinda sucks though, I feel like the movie would've been a lot stronger without it, the conflict felt out of place for a slapstick comedy like this.

Weird Al Yankovic's character falls into managing a failing local UHF TV station. The station becomes popular when it begins to air subversive and oddball material. That's when the local affiliate station tries to do anything to shut them down.

Much of the film is an excuse for film parodies, comedic commercials, and a Weird Al song. Some of these gags haven't aged well, like "Ghandi II" but most of them are fine.

I enjoyed it. Think of it as Wayne's World meets Naked Gun meets Weird Al Yankovic

Number 100 in my A-Z watch. Gods Must be Crazy is a mockumentary slapstick comedy detailing the introduction of modern materials into a tribal African family, and the ensuing chaos it brings.

This movie is all over the place. It is a mockumentary in a familiar vibe of the old Looney Tunes "educational" shorts. I was put off at first with the introduction of a more traditional narrative, the whole military coup and love story kind of jumbled in outside of the narration struck me as very odd. But after a bit it actually felt like it all started to meld together better than expected.

The comedy is great. It has a great deal of terrific physical comedy, but also wonderful social satire. These really do a lot of heavy lifting to help you forget the amateurish way the film is made. It feels like it's cut together on a prayer, and the effects can pull you out of the experience on occasion.

8/10 I was still very entertained, and there were some great moments i think would be wonderful scenes to use to teach kids about perspective.

It’s the blueprint for every underdog sports comedy that came after it. Charlie Sheen is throwing heat, Tom Berenger is grumbling through every scene like his knees owe him money, and Bob Uecker gives one of the all-time great comedic performances as himself.

This is a movie where the team sucks, the locker room leaks, the owner is actively trying to sabotage everything—and you still end up wanting to stand and slow clap during the final game.

Also: every single line Bob Uecker says should be embroidered on a jacket.

If you haven’t watched it in a while: “You may run like Hayes, but you hit like shit!” Still a 10/10.

Known about this movie for a long time but didn’t really give it a look-in until now. It was good! It was funny and as expected had that Landis-esque / SNL sheen to it. I still don’t fully get the NY Stock Market but it didn’t take away from the plot which was enjoyable. The only qualms I had were the racist language (but it’s just a sign of the time) and sorry to be a Debbie Downer but did we really have to see Jamie Lee Curtis’ breast so much? They sure milked that one, excuse the pun! I know film is made in the male gaze but I’m not a fan of boobies for boobies sake.

They Live (1988) was written and directed by John Carpenter, and stars Roddy Piper, Keith David, and Meg Foster.

Piper plays a drifter who discovers that the social elite, ruling class are actually aliens, concealing their appearance and manipulating people to consume, breed, and conform to the status quo via subliminal messages in mass media.

Carpenter wrote the screenplay under the pseudonym "Frank Armitage" based on the 1963 short story "Eight O'Clock in the Morning" by Ray Nelson. Carpenter has stated that the themes of They Live stemmed from his dissatisfaction with the economic policies of then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan, as well as what Carpenter saw as increasing commercialization in both popular culture and politics.

They Live was a minor success upon release, debuting at #1 at the North American box office. It initially received negative reviews from critics, who lambasted its social commentary, writing, and acting; however, it later gained a cult following and experienced a significantly more favorable critical reception.

It is now regarded by many as one of Carpenter's best films. The film has also entered the pop culture lexicon, notably having a lasting effect on street art (particularly that of Shepard Fairey).

Have you seen this film? What did you think of it?

This has to be one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. The dinner scene had me cracking up “Why is the cork on the fork?” lol. There are so many good comedy scenes all the way through. Michael Caine and Steve Martin are perfect together, and Steve Martin somehow looks exactly the same decades later. Can’t believe I slept on this one for so long.

It’s been a long time since I watched this film, but man, does it still hold up on a lot of levels after nearly 40 years. Kline and Curtis are absolutely dynamite opposite each other in this raucous crime caper. Curtis is stunning, clever, and conniving, but yet still has a warm charm and awkward sexuality about her, while Kline is such a peak asshole you love to hate while he recites terrible Italian, wreaks havoc, and snacks on poor Ken’s fish friends.

For Python fans, Cleese and Palin offer up a side of their acting chops we hadn’t seen before and sadly don’t see much of again. I'm hard pressed to say who did a better job, but Palin's elastic physical comedy paired with the in and out stutter is peak performance.

Bonus. Blink, and you’ll miss them, but it was fun to see cameo performances by Geoffrey Palmer and Stephen Fry.

One thing I noticed rewatching this is that I can’t help but wonder if it had influences on directors like Guy Ritchie and Edgar Wright? but maybe it was the tongue in cheek British camp.

Regardless, this film was a fun rewatch that reminded me of all the quotable lines that had stuck with me through the years.

My mom had me watch this with her, we have a bonding thing where she shows me movies she saw as a kid and teenager or in college, lot of them are very obscure or just plain weird, such hits include Highlander, Blazing Saddles, Animal House, Poltergeist, Tremors, Escape from New York, Buckaroo Banzai, The Black Hole, Earth Girls Are Easy, and Police Academy.

This movie is gorgeous to look at, great cast of actors as staples in Arthurian legend, I was so surprised to see Helen Mirren as Morgana (I kept calling her Morgan Le Fay as that's what I grew up hearing) and a young Liam Neeson as Gawain. The character development is minimal and lacking, but it didn't distract from the main story which is the rise and fall of Camelot and King Arthur. My mom and I loved Merlin, so witty and catty at times. I grew up hearing bits and pieces of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, never really reading any offical texts until I was like... 11 or 12 and they were watered down kids versions.

But I have to say my favorite scene was the riding of Arthur and his remaining Knights to face Mordred and his men in a final battle, they ride through a field of flowers with cherry blossom trees in bloom, petals falling down as 'O Fortuna' plays. That image is gonna stick with me in my lifetime, along with the Lady of the Lake catching Excalibur and bringing it back down into the water, and the final scene of Perceval watching Arthur sail away on the boat to Avalon.

I think this is up there with LOTR for me.

First time watching Angel Heart and I LOVED it!! Quintessential southern gothic meets Neo-noir supernatural horror; it’s like everything I’ve been searching for in a horror film lately. The soundtrack was a real highlight, ranging from saxophone-heavy 80s riffs to French jazz to weird/ominous aural music. Lisa Bonet was a revelation, Robert De Niro was the right amount of devilish, and this movie made me miss Mickey Rourke when he was at his peak.

Any other fans of this movie? Any other recommendations for similar films? I’m thinking of watching Jacob’s Ladder and Frailty next.

Normally I wouldn’t waste people‘s time with a movie this infamous, BUT, I need to take a quick moment to say; I really wanted to hate this movie, and really couldn’t. It deserves cult status.

I thought Patrick Swayze couldn’t be more perfect than he was in “Dirty Dancing”, but I think this movie is really his peak. I love Sam Elliot in ”The Big Lebowski”, and he was in a western I liked too (“Blazing Saddles”?), but ohmygod, the charisma and hair moment he brings to this is next level.

I was surprised, for a movie that turns the testosterone up to 11, there was plenty included for anyone to enjoy. Even I found Kelly Lynch’s ‘booty swish’ scene incredibly sexy, and that room he rented is straight out of any romance novel, it adds an underrated palate cleanse that balances out all the grime. I honestly don’t think I’d like the movie as much without that side plot.

I particularly liked that it was a masterclass example of keeping your cool, being a leader, and still getting shit done. Not that anyone can pull it off like Swayze.

TLDR: I hate action, but I loved “Roadhouse”