Search

Search only in certain items:

Red Dawn (1984)
Red Dawn (1984)
1984 | Adventure, Drama
This movie was just not it for me. I know that the "gore" level is supposed to be for emphasis and drama but it just is so unrealistic, it's hard to stay with the story. I think the star in this film is Lea Thompson and her beauty radiates off the screen and her character is one I really loved.

I think the plot of the film is interesting, I like that it's set in Colorado as that's where I'm from, but I just couldn't believe that if the Soviets were going to attack the United States that they'd start in a rural Coloradan town. That just seems ridiculous and counterproductive.

Overall, I think I'm really stuck on the fundamentals of the film and that's what made this movie just not great for me.
  
Howard the Duck (1986)
Howard the Duck (1986)
1986 | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Not as bad as all that.
Before he was an upcoming maybe movie, maybe TV series and part of the Disney/Marvel juggernaut, he was a cheesy 80s movie with one of my serious 80s crushes, Lea Thompson (from Back to the Future).

When Howard is pulled through a "wormhole" from his duck planet to Earth, he has to try and not only figure out what is going on and how he came to know this extremely hot chick (and nerd Tim Robbins) but he also has to save the world from the "Dark Overlord of the universe" (Ferris Bueller and Beetlejuice alum, Jeffrey Jones).

I think the biggest problem with the film was filmmakers (George Lucas among them) didn't get the tone right. It was too racy to be for kids which was probably their target audience. The "duck out of water" element was my favorite part the ways his world was different than ours and how he tried to fit in.

It's a charming 80s romp I've probably seen too often.

  
Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future (1985)
1985 | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Amazing plot (3 more)
Fantastic cast
Lovable characters
Interesting take on a time machine
Some of the logic (0 more)
1 of my favourite movies of all time!
This is a masterpiece and a classic.

The writing is spot on, the acting and cast are perfect and could never be replaced if there was ever talk of a remake (please dont)

The idea to have the time machine as a car was genius. I know the initial idea was a refrigerator which would have been weird so I'm happy they changed their mind. The effects of going up to 88 miles per hour and see the light flash in front of the delorian before it speeds through time was impressive. They got the look of the 50s spot on.

Michael j fox and Christopher lloyd give excellent performances. Their characters are lovable, fun and just perfect. Crispin Glover is as weird as ever but great as George while lea Thompson was also great Lorraine but not as believable as an older version of herself.Tom Wilson was perfect as the bully biff and was shocked not to see him in more stuff afterwards.

The plot is great. Go back in time, make sure your parents get together to make sure your born. This was great chance for many funny scenes involving Marty and his parents. But this is where the logic didn't make sense. He went through all this so why don't his parents remember him from when they were younger.

If you ain't seen this before, where have you been? It's a classic and a must see for anyone. It's funny, it's charming and it's geeky at times.
  
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
1990 | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
By the time you get to Back to the Future 3, you have seen Marty go "Back to the Future" twice, and Doc and Marty save us from the world of Biff Tannen the casino boss, Lorraine's very large breasts, and Marty's family going down a tumultuous bad trail to a life of disappointments.

Marty discovers Doc will be murdered within a week of him receiving a letter from his friend in 1885 and decides it is worth the risk to go "back" one more time to save him.

Marty finds more relatives in the Old West, as well as that time's version of Biff, now called "Mad Dog" Tannen before eventually reuniting with Doc.



Unlike Back to the Future 2, this film really takes its time and slows the pace down. This element really let's the relationship between lifelong friends develop as well as introduce Doc to the one mystery he has yet to conquer in the universe, Women! Mary Steenburgen was a welcome addition to the cast, although I wish Lea Thompson would have been in this one more.

The climactic scene with the steam locomotive trying to push the DeLorean up to 88 mph to get the duo back to their own time is one of my favorite endings of all time. It is executed with precision and great music and editing to achieve the desired effect.

It is funny, when I was listening to the audio commentary after viewing the film, director Robert Zemeckis said when they finished shooting the film, the land owners who let them use the property while filming asked if they could leave the western town they had built as an homage to the production an filmmakers agreed. Years later they found out the entire town had been destroyed when it had been struck by lightning during a storm.

I thought that was a good end to the story.

  
Red Dawn (2012)
Red Dawn (2012)
2012 | Action
5
6.6 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Back in 1984 in the late stages of the Cold War, the movie named “Red Dawn” was released. It starred several young actors and actresses who went on to a variety of success including Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey, and Lea Thompson. The film follows a group of high school students who fight to defend their town, families, and country after an invasion of Soviet and Cuban forces occupies mainland America.

Despite being delayed for nearly 3 years due to financial issues, the new version of “Red Dawn” has arrived and also features an impressive young cast of future stars. Chris Hemsworth has gone on to find fame as Thor while Josh Hutcherson has found fame playing Peeta in “The Hunger Games”. The fact that this movie was filmed before either of those actors appeared in their signature roles allows the studio to now benefit from the increased name recognition of the cast.

Instead of a California town, the new film is set in Spokane, Washington where thanks to news clip segments at the beginning of the film, we understand that the country is involved in numerous conflicts around the globe and some question whether or not we have enough forces to secure our borders. Enter Jed Eckert (Hemsworth), who’s just returned home on leave after serving combat duty in the Middle East. His younger brother Matt (Josh Peck), is a quarterback at the local high school team and he bears resentment toward his brother for leaving shortly after the death of their mother. Their father is a well-respected member of the force and does his best to ensure harmony between the brothers as well as their local community.

The brothers are literally shaken awake by an airborne assault as North Korea lands troops throughout their community. Unsure what is happening, Jed, Matt, and several of their friends managed to escape into the wilderness and devise a plan for survival. Further complicating matters is the fact that Matt’s girlfriend Erica (Isabel Lucas), has been taken prisoner. Jed, with his military background quickly assumes control of the group, but Matt finds himself distracted from following orders and missions whenever he sees an opportunity to pursue Erica’s freedom.

The group calls itself “The Wolverines” after the local football team, and engages in a series of hit-and-run tactics against the invading forces. The plan is to make the occupation so costly that they will eventually give up. While they do have initial success, they soon realize that they are fighting against substantial odds not the least of which is their own internal conflicts and agendas as well as diminishing supplies.

When a recon group from the military under the command of Col. Andy Tanner (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), arrives and tells the Wolverines about a device that may hold the key to their victory. The two sides must team up in an all-out assault on enemy headquarters in an effort to save the day.

While the film has plenty of action, the leaps of logic and common sense it requires the audience to take are astronomical. I understand that for a film of this type you must suspend a lot of reality in order for it to work. I’m not supposed asked questions about the logistics of the enemy’s plan and their actions. Suffice it to say that I could think of at least a dozen factors that were not brought into play. While the enemy may indeed have the ability to shut down various electronics and defensive capabilities which enabled the invasion. That does not explain where the military outside of the combat zone is, why our allies and remaining military are not dropping bombs and nukes on North Korea in retaliation, and scores of other inconsistencies. It is essentially left to our imaginations as to why this is not happening and we’re just supposed to accept on blind faith that there’s a good reason for this even though the recon unit manages to infiltrate Spokane in a helicopter and makes mentions of Missouri to Arizona as being free of any enemy influence.

The best thing I can say about the film said if you are willing to overlook the abundance of plot holes and logic gaps, as well as some at times stiff acting and dialogue, there are some enjoyable action seems to be found. The young cast works well with one another and often gave a very energetic and physical performance.

If you are a fan of the original, you may enjoy this film from a nostalgia standpoint, otherwise leave your common sense behind, sit back and enjoy the ride.