A Look Back At Porky's

The 1980's gave us a number of films which are today considered by many to be cinematic classics. Films like Ghostbusters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Raging Bull, Back to the Future, Blade Runner, Scarface, and Full Metal Jacket... There was also the 1981 film Porky's

Porky's was one of those films that came out during the post-Animal House, sex-comedy wave along with things like 1983's Screwballs and 1984's Revenge of the Nerds. I like Porky's overall and I'm not ashamed to admit that I get a bunch laughs out of its lowbrow humor whenever I watch it but, like a lot of 80's movies, it hasn't aged all that well. If you've never seen the film, the plot is pretty thin. Set in Florida in the 1950's, it centers around a group of sex-obsessed high schoolers who get into a bunch of wacky shenanigans and that's pretty much the foundation upon which the movie is built. The "Porky's" of which the movie is named after, is a nightclub deep in the Florida everglades. The boys get thrown out of the club one night, and seek to get revenge on Porky, the club's owner. 

While it does have it's funny moments, and features a memorable scene involving a peephole in the girl's locker room shower, it isn't a movie I'd really recommend to anyone in 2018. If you're looking for a fun, even if dated, comedy about some high school-age guys trying to get laid I'd recommend going back to the 'American Pie' films over Porky's. However, if you've never seen this one and you want to check it out, it's harmless dumb-fun.

2.5 out of 5

10 Tom Cruise Movies Everyone Should See

With Tom Cruise's latest film having just come out recently (You can check out my review of that here: 'The Mummy' 2017) it seemed like a good time to add a new entry to my '10 Movies Everyone Should See' series. I have previously written similar posts about Sean Connery, Tom Hanks, Alfred Hitchcock, and others and I'll leave links to those at the bottom of this one. If you're not familiar with how I make these lists, they aren't necessarily a 'Best Of' or 'Top 10', It's merely 10 films that I feel would be the best representation of someone's total career.


#10 Knight and Day (2010)

'Knight and Day' isn't a fantastic movie, in fact parts of it are kinda dumb. However, I think the goal the filmmakers were shooting for was to make a fun, action-filled, romp with a couple bankable movie stars. That is exactly what they achieved.

#9 The Last Samurai (2003)

If you like war movies then this one has some pretty good battle scenes between those who still practice the ways of the ancient Samurai and a Japanese military that is trying to adapt to the type of weaponry the U.S. was using at the time. I thinks it's also one of Tom's more complex performances.

#8 Risky Business (1983)

The oldest movie to make this list, 'Risky Business' was a breakout film for Cruise and it's still a pretty entertaining watch.

#7 Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

You won't find many sequels on Tom Cruise's filmography but, the 'Mission: Impossible' series has been going strong since '96 and this one is certainly in the discussion for best 'Mission: Impossible' film.

#6 Far and Away (1992)

The plot is a little thin and Tom's attempt at an Irish accent is a bit dodgy but, it's directed by Ron Howard, there's some really good cinematography, a solid John Williams score, and great chemistry between the two leads.

#5 Days of Thunder (1990)

If you've ever seen Top Gun and thought "I'd like to see a version of this, but with race cars instead of fighter jets" then you'll probably enjoy Days of Thunder.

#4 Rain Man (1988)

Even though most people associate Cruise with action movies, he is capable of putting in solid performances in critically acclaimed films as well. The best example of this is the multi-Oscar winning film 'Rain Man' (winner of the 1989 Oscars for Best Picture, best Screenplay, Best Leading Actor: Dustin Hoffman, and Best Director: Barry Levinson).

#3 Mission: Impossible (1996)

The first film in the 'Mission Impossible' franchise may not have as much over the top action as some of the later entries in the series but, its still a really enjoyable flick.

#2 Top Gun (1986)

If I were just ranking film quality, then 'Top Gun' wouldn't have landed as high as #2. However, it is one of Tom Cruise's most iconic roles. Yes, parts of it are dumb and cheesy but it's also just an overall fun movie.

#1 Minority Report (2002)

It was a bit of a close call on some of these and there were a few films that I went back and forth on. That was not the case with the #1 spot. I think this one is hands down the best film starring Cruise.


Honorable Mentions: A Few Good Men (1992), Jerry Maguire (1996), Jack Reacher (2012), and Edge of Tomorrow (2014)


 If you have a suggestion for another "10 Movies Everyone Should See" leave it in the comments below.

Also, check out these other entries:
 10 Sean Connery Movies Everyone Should See
10 James Stewart Movies Everyone Should See
10 Alfred Hitchcock Movies Everyone Should See
10 John Travolta Movies Everyone Should See
10 Tom Hanks Movies Everyone Should See
10 Chuck Norris Movies Everyone Should See 
10 Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies Everyone Should See

Western Wednesday: Young Guns

Another Wednesday, Another Western!

Young Guns is not great movie, but there is a lot to like about 1988 Western. It has, what was considered at the time to be, a strong cast and the movie is fun.

John Tunstall (played by Terence Stamp) is a rancher in New Mexico, who hires young troublemakers to live and work on his property, and he acts as a sort of father-figure. this group consists of Doc Scurlock (played by Kiefer Sutherland), Jose Chavez (played by Lou Diamond Phillips), Richard  Brewer (played by Charlie Sheen), Steve Stephens (played by Dermot Mulroney), Charlie Bowdre (played by Casey Siemaszko) and newcomer William Bonney (played by Emilio Estevez) who later in the film will be dubbed "Billy the Kid".

Pretty early on in the film Tunstall is murdered by the men of his competitor Lawrence Murphy (played by the legendary Jack Palance). Shortly after Tunstall's death a lawyer/friend of his, Alex McSween, manages to get the group deputized and gives them warrants for the arrest of Murphy's henchmen. The group calls themselves 'The Regulators' and it isn't long before Billy's hot-headed nature causes problems. After he kills a couple guys rather than arresting them, Billy and the team are stripped of their badges and become fugitives themselves. It's around this point in the film when Billy adopts the name "Billy the Kid" given to him by a local newspaper.
The gang eventually becomes infamous and pretty soon the U.S. Army is out for them. But, they can't run forever and, as in so many Westerns, the film ends in a big shootout.

As stated at the beginning, it's not a great Western. There are a few scenes that could've been cut out completely, but for the most part it's entertaining. 

I give it a 3 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a 'Western Wednesday' Review?

Leave it in the comments below, and be sure to check out some of my previous 'Western Wednesday' entries.

River of No Return
True Grit

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 
The Big Trail 
Shalako
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Today's Movie: The Verdict

I've never been the biggest fan of courtroom drama films, so I had put off watching 1982's The Verdict for a while despite it being recommended to me several times.

In this one Paul Newman plays attorney Frank Galvin, a washed-up, alcoholic, ambulance-chaser who has only has only had 4 cases in the last 3 years and he's lost them all. One day a friend and former teacher Mickey Morrissey (played by Jack Warden) hands him a case that should result in a quick, easy, out of court settlement. Two well respected doctors, working for a Catholic hospital, accidentally gave a woman the wrong anesthesia during surgery leaving the woman in a permanent coma. If it were to go to trial it could look badly on the church and permanently damage the reputation of the two doctors, so they want to settle it and sweep the whole thing under the rug. However, once Galvin visits the hospital to take some photos of the woman on life support, he realizes that this may be his chance do the right thing for the first time in a long time. 

From a plot standpoint, this isn't going to offer up anything you probably haven't seen before. The church has an army of top-notch, well-respected lawyers working on their behalf and a solid case. Frank and Mickey on the other hand, have a hard time even getting a credible witness. So, it's the classic in-over-his-head attorney, fighting for justice for the common man story and it plays out mostly how you'd expect.

However, the film does largely overcome this predictable, paint-by-numbers plot with some solid writing, decent tension, and good performances throughout, particularly by Paul Newman. Overall, I thought it was a really good film, and I give it a 4 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a review?
leave it in the comments below.

A Look Back At: Beetlejuice (1988)

Released in 1988, Beetlejuice is a comedy Directed by Tim Burton and stars Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, and Micheal Keaton. Like many Burton films, this is a strange but fun watch. That being said, every time I see it I always seem to have similar thoughts by the time I reach the end credits. But first, let's take a quick look at the plot:

Barbara and Adam (played by Davis and Baldwin respectively) are spending their vacation decorating their country home but one day as the two are driving, Barbara swerves to avoid a dog and their car plunges into a river. After they return home, they discover a book titled 'Handbook for the Recently Deceased', and they then begin to realize that they did not survive the car accident.
Well, the house is soon sold to the Deetz family and that's where the films main conflict comes into play:

Delia Deetz and an interior designer named Otho transform the house into a bizarre modern-art project. Hating the changes to their home, Barbara and Adam consult the handbook, and soon learn that if they want the Deetzes out of the house, it is up to them to scare them away. Unfortunately for them, their attempts at scaring the Deetz family off prove to be ineffective as the only person who is able to see them is the Deetz's daughter Lydia. 

Desperate to get their house back, Barbara and Adam try to scare the Deetz's odd  but when that doesn't seem  work they seek out the help of a "bio-exorcist" ghost named Betelgeuse (played by Keaton), to get rid the Deetz family. At first, they are unaware that "Betelgeuse" is pronounced "Beetlejuice", and so they initially have trouble summoning him. But once they do the force of nature that is Micheal Keaton takes over the film as the crude troublemaker and, without spoiling the second half of the movie, I'll just say that it's a wild ride.

So, what are the conclusions I always seem to come to? Micheal Keaton is awesome, Geena Davis is solid, Winona Ryder is OK, and Alec Baldwin's performance is unimpressive. The plot is OK, some of the effects haven't aged well at all and not all of the comedy sticks the landing, but Danny Elfman's score, particularly the main theme, is great.

 Is it one of the all-time great movies? No, but overall it is fun and entertaining. I give it a 3 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below.

A Look Back At: The Untouchables

"You can get further with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word."

The Untouchables is a 1987 crime film Directed by Brian De Palma, and featuring a strong cast consisting of Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia, Charles Martian Smith, and Sean Connery. Speaking of Connery, he nabbed a Oscar for 'Best Supporting Actor' for his role in the film, and in a movie with solid acting, a really good score, and top-notch cinematography, he still manages to steal every scene he's in.

The film takes place during Prohibition with Al Capone (played by Robert De Niro) running nearly the entire city of Chicago and, opposite him is a Treasury agent named Eliot Ness (played by Kevin Costner) who has sent to stop him. Ness soon builds a team consisting of a beat cop named Jimmy Malone (played by Connery), a rookie fresh out of the Police Academy named George Stone (played by Andy Garcia), and an accountant named Oscar Wallace (played by Charles Martian Smith).
 Early on they successfully raid a Post office warehouse full liquor owned by Capone, who later kills the henchman in charge of the warehouse with a baseball bat as a warning to the other top men working for him. After that initial raid, Wallace discovers that Capone has not filed an income tax return for several years and suggests that Ness try to build a tax evasion case against him, as they likely won't be able to directly tie him to any other crimes. It isn't long before Malone learns of an incoming liquor shipment and, seeing an opportunity to hurt Capone again, the team heads to the U.S.- Canadian border to intercept it. After a shootout with some of Capone's men, they convince a bookkeeper to testify against Capone. But, once they arrive back in Chicago, one of Capone's henchmen kills the informant, as well as, Wallace.

 After realizing that it was the police chief who tipped of Capone, Malone forces him to reveal the whereabouts of Capone's top bookkeeper, Walter Payne. The stakes are further raised that night, when Malone is shot by the same guy who killed Wallace. Luckily, before he dies Malone is able to tell Ness which train Payne will take out of town. Later, at the train station, Ness and Stone find Payne being escorted by several gangsters. Then, a gunfight breaks out resulting in arguably the best scene in the entire film and when all is said and done all of the henchmen have been killed and Payne is taken alive. 
  Payne then testifies at Capone's trial, Ness kills the guy who killed Malone, and Capone is sentenced to 11 years in prison. The film ends with a reporter asking Ness what he'll do if Prohibition is repealed, and he replies, "I think I'll have a drink."

Overall, this one is really entertaining from the opening scene to the very end. For me, everything in this movie just clicks, it's up there with some of my favorite movies about organized crime and I highly recommend it. I give it a 5 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below.

...and don't forget to check out my '10 Sean Connery Movies Everyone Should See' list by clicking here.

A Look Back At ‘Field of Dreams’ (1989)

Well, we’re coming up on the World Series, so why not look back at one of my favorite baseball movies?

If you’ve seen this one, then you probably don’t need a detailed recap. However if you haven’t seen this film then I won’t spoil it, because it really is an enjoyable journey. I’ll just offer the setup and some overall thoughts.

Released in 1989, the film stars Kevin Costner as an Iowa corn farmer named Ray Kinsella. One Evening while walking through his cornfield, he hears a voice whisper "If you build it, he will come." After eventually seeing a vision of a baseball diamond in the field, he decides that he has plow down his crops and build a baseball field. Finally one night, after a couple of months pass without anything happening, a mysterious man in a Baseball uniform appears. It turns out that the man is deceased baseball player Shoeless Joe Jackson (played by Ray Liotta). He asks Ray if it’s ok to bring others to the field to play, and returns the next night with other deceased players. 

As the film moves along Ray receives other cryptic clues like “ease his pain”, “go the distance” and even the statistics for a player named Archibald Graham, who played one game for the Giants in 1922, on a scoreboard. This takes him from Iowa to Massachusetts to Minnesota and back to Iowa in search for the ultimate meaning to it all. As stated earlier, it’s all about the journey. There’s some good drama, a few surprises, and a really satisfying ending.

It’s a solid, enjoyable movie and I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a review?

Leave it in the comments below.

10 Tom Hanks Movies Everyone Should See

Here it is, my latest ’10 Movies Everyone Should See’ List. This one is a look at the quintessential everyman of modern American cinema, Tom Hanks. Like all previous entries this isn’t necessarily a ‘Top 10’ list but rather a list of films that best represent the person’s career.

1)      Forrest Gump -1994

It’s the story of a kind of dumb guy with a heart of gold that accomplishes more than any regular guy ever would. Tom Hanks would go on to win his 2^nd Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in this film and it’s a nice blend of comedy, drama.

2)      Cast Away -2000

It's still kind of surprising how good this movie is. 2hrs of Tom Hanks alone on an island, talking to volleyball doesn't sound all that great, but 'Cast Away' is enjoyable start to finish. It says a lot about Hanks’ ability to single-handedly carry a film.

3)      Apollo 13 -1995

After an oxygen tank explosion, the Apollo 13 astronauts soon find that their spacecraft is low oxygen, experiencing power failure, and the mission is no longer to land on the moon but to make it back to Earth alive. This movie is tense, exciting, and one of Tom Hanks’ best performances.

4)      Big -1988

A kid wants to be an adult and by way of a magical fortune teller machine his wish comes true and hilarity ensues. This could've been a really dumb movie, but instead it turned out to be one of Tom Hanks' best.

5)      Bridge of Spies -2015

The 4^th pairing of Director Steven Spielberg and Actor Tom Hanks (the previous three films being ‘Saving Private Ryan’, ‘Catch Me If You Can’ and ‘The Terminal’) may actually be there best. It’s a pretty outstanding Cold War, espionage movie.

6)      Road to Perdition – 2002

Tom Hanks stars alongside screen legend Paul Newman in this exciting crime film set in the 1930’s. In addition to Tom Hanks’ solid performance, the cinematography in this film is great, and this would also end up being one of Paul Newman’s final big-screen roles.

7)      Toy Story -1995

Every so often a movie comes along that is a complete game-changer for the industry. This is one of those films. Tom Hanks voices a toy cowboy named Woody who is jealous of new toy, Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen) in this computer animated, comedy. Pretty much every animated movie since has strived to be the next ’Toy Story’.

8)      Splash -1984

Over the years Tom Hanks has been in some great and memorable movies. So it's easy to forget the one where he falls in love with a mermaid... It's not great or his best, but it is fun, light-hearted entertainment.

9)      Philadelphia -1993

Up until this film Tom Hanks had best been known for his comedic roles in film like ‘Big’, ‘Bachelor Party’, ‘The Money Pit’, etc. However, this movie about HIV, homosexuality, and homophobia proved that Hanks could tackle some heavy dramatic roles too.

10)   Saving Mr. Banks -2013

The film is about Walt Disney’s desire to obtain the film rights ‘Mary Poppins’ from author P.L. Travers. The dynamic between Tom Hanks (Disney) and Emma Thompson (Travers) is really entertaining. Also, Paul Giamatti is in the film, so that’s a plus.

Honorable Mentions: Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Green Mile (1999), Catch Me If You Can (2002)

For more like this one, I’ve also previously posted ’10 Movies Everyone Should See’ lists focusing on the films of Sean Connery, John Travolta, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alfred Hitchcock and Chuck Norris.

Have a suggestion for a review or a ’10 Movies Everyone Should See’ list?

Leave it in the comments below.

A Look Back At RoboCop (1987)

This is one of those movies that is way better than it needs to be (Hell, just the title alone would make most people curious enough to watch it). 

The film has spawned two sequals, a reboot in 2012, an animated series, a live-action mini-series, video games, toys, and comic books. I doubt anyone foresaw that kind of an impact.

So, for those who aren't familiar with it, here's the basic story:

Detroit is a crime-filled dystopian city, (maybe the easiest setup in film history) and a company named Omni Consumer Products that has made a deal with the mayor to privatize the ineffective and underfunded the police force in exchange for the rights to tear down old sections of Detroit and build a new, safe city named 'Delta City' in it's place. One of OCP's plans for Delta City is to have a police force of robots.

Also early on we meet Alex Murphy (played by Peter Weller) who is a cop that just transfered to a South Detroit precinct. And wouldn't you know it, on his first day he gets brutally blown apart by a barrage of bullets while pursuing a gang led by Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith). But of course, he was the perfect candidate/murder victim for OCP's experimental program, and as a result RoboCop is born.

The rest of the film's plot involves corruption within OCP, the police threatening to go on strike, Boddicker's gang being funded by OCP vice president Dick Jones, RoboCop taking down criminals, another robot named ED-209... It's a ton of fun and near perfect blend of action, sci-fi, and comedy. 

This is a personal favorite of mine and one I highly recommend. 

4.5 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a review? 

Leave it in the comments below.

10 Chuck Norris Movies Everyone Should See

While sitting in my screen room, drinking my coffee during a hurricane, I thought to myself “Today’s blog entry should be about a true force of nature: Chuck Norris”. 

So, like my previous ‘10 Movies Everyone Should See’ lists (the others being Sean Connery, John Travolta, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Alfred Hitchcock), this list will focus on 10 films that I think best represent the person’s career.

1)      Lone Wolf McQuade -1983

This always made my think of a sort of alternate universe version of the TV show ‘Walker Texas Ranger’. Chuck Norris still plays a Texas Ranger, except this one he is more violent, drinks heavily, and is a total badass. This one is also my personal favorite of all his films

2)      Missing In Action -1984

Norris plays a Vietnam vet who goes back into Vietnam to rescue some prisoners of war. The 1980’s were full of action flicks set in Vietnam, but I’d put this one up there as one of best. Its two sequels ‘Missing in Action 2: The Beginning’ and ‘Braddock: Missing in Action III’ are also good movies for any 80’s action fan.

3)      Forced Vengeance -1982

Chuck plays the Head of Security for a casino named ‘Lucky Dragon’. One day some mobsters kill the casino’s owner, but the head of mob didn’t realize that Chuck Norris would be looking for revenge.

4)      The Delta Force -1986

When terrorist hijack a plane, the Delta Force is called in take care of things… that’s uh, pretty much the whole plot. It’s as much of a hostage drama as it is an action movie, but it is one of Chuck Norris’ most well know films and so it deserves a place one this list.

5)      Top Dog -1995

It’s a pretty standard buddy cop action/comedy except it’s Chuck Norris and a dog. I’m not gonna lie and tell you that it’s a good movie. It’s dumb, but fun-dumb and entertaining.

6)      The President’s Man -2000

A simple but enjoyable movie about a Secret Service agent (Chuck Norris) that is ready to retire but needs to train his replacement.  And here’s a Fun Fact: Chuck’s son Eric Norris actually co-Directed the film.

7)      Good Guys Wear Black -1977

Though generally not thought to be one of his best films, it’s entertaining to watch Chuck Norris roundhouse kick his way through this action/thriller. At one point he even jump kicks his way through a car windshield to kill the driver, you just don’t get that in every movie.

8)      The Way of the Dragon –1972

This movie has Bruce Lee fighting Chuck Norris in the Roman Coliseum. That alone makes this one worth watching at least once.

9)      The Hitman -1991

Chuck Norris plays a cop who gets shot and is believed to be dead. And since everyone thinks he’s dead, it seems like a perfect opportunity to give him a new identity and send him in to infiltrate the mob. 90’s Norris movies generally are not as memorable as his films from the 80’s but this one is still enjoyable.

10)   Hero and the Terror – 1988

 After a serial killer breaks out of prison and goes back to killing in L.A. there is only one man who can stop him. That man is, you guessed it, Chuck Norris!

Honorable Mentions: Invasion USA (1985), Hellbound (1994), A Force of One (1979)


Have a recommendation for a review or '10 Movies Everyone Should See' list?
Leave it in the comments below.

also, check out this podcast:


https://youtu.be/Dh79XDvzQXg