80s

Brazil

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Brazil, Embassy International Pictures/Universal, 1985.

Before watching the movie:

This is a film I’m not so much looking forward to seeing as having seen. I’ve read summaries of the plot before, and the only thing that made sense was how bleak and depressing it is.

I know Terry Gilliam makes weird, often bleak films, so I can’t say I expect to be proven wrong, but at least it should be funny, or else darkly satirical.

Why else did I choose this film? Well, I needed a 1985 movie for related reasons I can’t disclose at this time, and this was very handy.

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RoboCop

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RoboCop. Orion Pictures Corporation 1987.

Before watching the movie:

Robocop probably isn’t in the Canon, but it’s big enough that it at least gets a “How Did You Miss It?”

What I understand of this film before seeing it is that there’s a policeman who gets the nightmare version of the Lee Majors/Inspector Gadget treatment. From what I understand, when he gets blown up and put back together with bionics, he’s more machine than human, and dishes out harsh justice unstoppably. Also the future looks like 1982.

From what I can tell, the appeal is violence and explosions, which aren’t my thing. Then again, I probably don’t have that great a grasp on the story, so we’ll see.

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Conan the Barbarian

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Conan the Barbarian. Dino de Laurentiis Company 1982

Before watching the movie:

I always thought this was an action movie. I expected Arnold Schwarzenegger to basically just run around all buff and kill people and there would be a plot that facilitates that. Looking at the box, it seems this is more of a fantasy, and it’s apparently based off a comic book, which from my experience with non-spandex comics means this is going to be much deeper than Mortal Kombat with Austrian accents.

More ways I was wrong on the other side of the link.

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Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

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Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Cannon Films 1987.

Before watching the movie:

If you’ve heard of this film (and if you haven’t, this thing in front of you is called a computer and the blue thing above you that isn’t made of rock is called the sky), you’ve probably heard its reputation. It’s the movie that almost killed the Superman movie franchise, the last one with Christopher Reeve, and it has a heavy-handed disarmament message, as referenced by its subtitle (the only Superman movie subtitle that isn’t “The Movie,” I might add).

Beyond that, I don’t know what to expect out of it, other than finally having seen every Superman theatrical film. I liked Superman III well enough, but I can agree it was a bad film. From what the entire internet says, this is more of the same, plus an overbearing moral.

After the break, I watch more of the same.

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Adventures in Babysitting

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Adventures in Babysitting. Touchstone/Silver Screen Partners III 1987

(Starting this month, Yesterday’s Movies updates on a weekly schedule)

Before watching the movie:

This is one of those movies that always looked interesting, but I just never committed to before. I’ve seen it around here and there, but it never really called out to me before I started looking for films to blog about.

The blurb on the back doesn’t tell me much more about what to expect than the title and cover do, so I don’t know what I’m getting into, other than a wacky, implausible adventure starring young protagonists. Let’s see how this goes. Continue reading →

The Naked Gun

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The Naked Gun poster
The Naked Gun, Paramount Pictures 1988

Before watching the movie:

In a new blog, it is inevitable there will be firsts. And perhaps this is the first week I’m reviewing a movie you have already seen. It will probably not be the last either. It is my hope that you find my first-time reviews interesting as a look back, and maybe even remind you of the first time you watched it.

I’m a big fan of classic Leslie Nielsen comedy. Airplane! will always be a favorite of mine. After going through some of the Movie Movie series, I’m looking forward to enjoying him at his best again.
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