National Lampoon's Vacation

The wacky Griswold family is out on a cross-country road trip to Walley World. Let's just say this, the trip does not go exactly as planned! To start off, Clark and his son Russ go to the car dealership to pick up their new car, but the new car they ordered wasn't here, their old car is crushed, and they have to settle for an atrocious "Wagon Queen family truckster." Clark promises the best trip ever, but it proves to be anything but! The problems start right at home as they are pulling out of the garage, and all of their luggage comes off the top of their roof! They set off to St. Louis from Chicago and get lost in St. Louis ending up in the wrong neighborhood. After the family truckster is trashed in the wrong neighborhood in St. Louie, they set off to Cousin Eddie's! This has to be one of the funniest scenes of this hilarious movie, Aunt Edna is cranky, Eddie asks for a large amount of money, and they leave with a new pair of white slippers and a vicious dog! The rest of the trip with Aunt Edna and the vicious dog is hilarious, along with the scenes where Clark tries to imprees the beautiful blonde driving the Ferrari by demonstrating the family truckster's horsepower. Anyway, then the dog dies, followed by Aunt Edna (who they put on the top of the car, and then left in the back porch of a home where the family is on vacation!), they go to the Grand Canyon, and Clark steals the money in the register! So they make it to Walley World, and guess what? IT'S CLOSED! But since they have had such a troubled time getting here, Clark is on the edge and buys a pellet gun and forces his way into Walley World.

Overall, the Griswold's adventure is absolutely hilarious because everything imaginable and more goes wrong! The characters are perfect, Clark is an absolute goofball, and Aunt Edna could not be any more cranky and whiny. For a great comedy, go grab this movie for some classic jokes!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085995/

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark

In the first of the Indiana Jones series is Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford plays "Indy" the confident and courageous adventurer. It is very interesting when looking at the very first scene of this film, because it really sets the tone for the movie and the character and reputation of Indiana Jones. In this first scene, Indiana Jones is seen forcing his way through the jungle with his team following him. You actually don't get to see Indy's face until he whips the gun out of a man about to shoot him. This demonstrates Indy's "badassness." Even after he whips the pistol out of the man's hand, he continues to show how tough and smart he is, as he manages to go through the booby-trapped temple unscathed as many others have failed here.

Raiders is set in 1936, as Indiana tries to retrieve a golden idol in an Aztecan temple, and as he achieves this, the idol is taken from him and he has to run from tribes people running after him to kill him. He escapes from a seaplane, and is soon back to his teaching job. Indy then sets out to discover the lost Ark of the Covenant, and the Nazis are also after this biblical piece. He then sets out to Nepal to meet an old aquaintance named Marion who holds a very important artifact and will accompany him on the rest of his journey. They then go to Cairo and wrestle with Belloq and the Nazis over the Ark, but Indiana Jones comes through adversity and settles this and the location and safety of the ark.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is definitely a fun movie, one thing that is great about it is that it makes you think of the possibilities. What if the Ark really is real? What if the Nazis really did set out to gain control of it and its power? Another thing that makes Raiders great is the action, and it is full of it. But the film is a bit overdone in that Indiana is the glorified hero, and always saves the day in sometimes overdone ways.

For more info on Raiders:


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters (1984)

I remember when I was younger, I used to watch “Ghostbusters” all the time, and I still get a rood thrill even when I watch it today. An action packed film with a stellar cast including Bill Murray as Dr. Peter Venkman, Dan Aykroyd as Dr. Raymond Stantz, Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett, Harold Ramis as Dr. Egon Spengler, and more, gives this film a good combination of action, drama, and comedy all in one.

In “Ghostbusters,” three unemployed professors start their own business which specializes in getting rid of ghosts. All of their missions are whacky, intriguing, and exciting. The humor in this movie comes from the fact that these people are chasing ghosts, creatures that are supposedly scary, and they do it with smiles on their faces, cracking jokes and staying loose the whole time.

The special effects of the film are also very impressive for its time. Nobody can forget the almighty enormous Marshmellow Man as well as the green goblin ghost, both of which came from the old “Ghostbuster” cartoons. Also, it is a great movie to show to your kids… something fun, a pure good guy verses the bad guy film where the good guys have to fight hard but prevail in the end.

“Ghostbusters” is a timeless film, as people in generations to come will most likely be showing it their kids. Films that include a good mix of drama, comedy, and action will usually be remembered, because it is rare that a combination like that is successfully made. For this reason, you must see “Ghostbusters”… no questions asked!

Coming To America

Coming To America (1988)

A comedy/drama, “Coming To America” is a great film that is very fun to watch. Starring Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem (and a few other characters), he travels from his throne in Africa to Queens, New York to find the love of his life, whoever it may be. While he is in America, he indulges in their society and is amazed at all of the cultural differences.

Most of all, this is a film dominated by blacks, ranging from Africans to African Americans. What makes this movie so fun and entertaining to watch is the humor that Murphy’s character provides. Throughout the film, his oblivion to American society as well as his generosity to strangers in a bad, foreign neighborhood is funny in itself, and not to mention the delightful pleasure of watching an Eddie Murphy comedy, one of his originals at that.

This movie is not strictly a comedy; it is also a light hearted love story at the same time. However, it never is too serious, as it is constantly on the humorous side of things. The film also includes other well known actors such as Arsenio Hall as Semmi (and a few other characters), James Earl Jones as King Jaffe Joffer, and a cameo appearance by Samuel L. Jackson in his first Hollywood movie.

Eddie Murphy gives a deliberate goofy side to all of his characters which makes this movie very humorous. If you are looking for a good laugh but something not too intense to watch on a random night in which you have nothing to do, head to the movie store and rent “Coming To America” if you have not already seen it.

Cocktail (1988)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094889/

Tom Cruise fits easily into the character of Brian Flanagan, a young, charming, ambitioius, and sometimes cocky bartendar who becomes the protege of restaurant-bar guru Bryan Brown. The music in this film is very catchy with your typical feel good 80's songs. Tom Cruise plays the character well and makes you think he has done this before because he has a certain charm and sex appeal. You can tell that the actors had a lot of fun making this film with all of the impressive bar tending tecniques.

Brian Flanagan, a young man recently out of the service decides to go to school for a business degree. To make extra money on the side he works at a cheap restaurant as a bartender (since his family was in the business.) His boss, Doug Couglin, becomes somewhat of a role model to Cruise and teaches Cruise everything he knows about bartending and how to make money off of it through his good looks and charm. After spending time on the Manhattan bar scene with Doug they have a fallout and Flanagan moves to Jamaica to become a bartender there. While there he meets Jordan Mooney, played by Elizabeth Shue. She is on vacation while her friend is passed out from drinking too much. After a while they become madly in love and she extends her vacation. After a while he gets scared of how much he likes her and has an affair with an older woman that visits Jamaica. When Doug commits suicide Flanagan has a change in heart and realizes that life is too short to be alone. Meanwhile Jordan is back home in New York and pregnant with his child. Flanagan goes to apologize to her and her father freaks out and says he cannot be with her. Finally she decides she loves him and goes with him even though her family disowns her. The couple ends up having a thrown together at a bar he opens for Doug called Cocktails and Dreams. After this, Jordan tells Flanagan she is going to have twins.

This movie is like a late day Romeo and Juliet because Jordans family disowns her for going with Flanagan. You can tell from watching the film that Cruise and Shue have a lot of on screen chemistry and their romance is very believeable. It is a very feel good romantic 80's comedy that is mainly directed toward adults.

Evil Dead II

So if you're wise, you took my advice and saw the face melting brilliance that is Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead". If you havn't taken a moment to readjust all the furniture that has no doubt been thrown around the room in an orgy of cinematic awsomeness, then do so now because Ash is coming back at you in his equally brilliant sequal, "Dead by Dawn".

The story picks up where the last one left off--well--almost where it left off. You see, the five minutes that Raimi takes at the beginning of the film to explain what happened isn't exactly accurate. But that tends not matter because Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell do what they want and no one will tell them otherwise! After the brief moments of lies and deceit, Ashley J. Williams (played by the aforementioned Campbell) proceeds to chop off his hand, shoot it, get drenched in a tidal wave of blood, attach a chainsaw to his bloody stump, and finally get sent back in time.

I would venture to say that this is the best film in the trilogy. It has a good balance of horror and comedy which lays the groundwork for the dry, one-liner sense of humor that Ash developes in the third installement entitled "Army of Darkness". Also, a corpse ballet in the pale moonlight! Does it get any better? I think not. See it or suffer the consequences!

Dirty Dancing: Fun Film

Every girl has seen this movie, at least all of my girlfriends have. This is a great movie to watch when you're feeling down. It's fun, light and easy without boring you. Summer love is the best. For me, the best part of the film is the narration in the beginning, it gets the movie going with a nostalgic tone. Baby is adorable and Johnny Castle is dreamy. I love Baby's relationship with her family, being the more liberal, progressive one. Is this movie quality? No. That being said, the dancing is really quite good and the soundtrack is a lot of fun. This movie touches on what it is like to disobey your family, and beat the odds(as Baby does by dancing as well as does). It also reflects on the importance of selflessness, love, friendship and acceptance. I love at the end of the film when you see Baby's parents in the audience, smiling at how proud they are of their daughter, who, may I add, they spent the majority of the movie disagreeing with. A lot of people find Patrick Swayze very dreamy in this movie, but I can't laughing at him. He IS a great dancer, but it’s just hard to keep a straight face—boys who dance make me laugh, I don’t know. The movie is generally uplifting and leaves you wishing you could dance like they do. It also leaves you wishing you could get back to 1963! On that note, the greatest quote from the film is… “That was the summer of 1963 - when everybody called me Baby, and it didn't occur to me to mind. That was before President Kennedy was shot, before the Beatles came, when I couldn't wait to join the Peace Corps, and I thought I'd never find a guy as great as my dad. That was the summer we went to Kellerman's.”

buy the movie: amazon.com/dirtydancing

Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089208/

Girls Just Want to Have Fun is the crappier version of Dirty Dancing that includes a lot of dancing, a good girl- bad boy character combination, strained family relationships, and bitchy girl drama. Sarah Jessica Parker and Lee Montgomery star in this bad dancing chick flick.

Janey is new to Chicago. She and her new best friend Lynn have a love for dancing and when they hear about a dance contest on Dance TV they immediately go to town and try out. Janey is ecstatic when she finds out that she is a finalist, but hides this from her father whom she has a strained relationship with. She is given her dance partner, Jeff whose evil ex girlfriend will do anything in order for Janey and Jeff to fail. She tries to eliminate the competition by inviting Jeff to her debutante ball at her fathers country club. To get back at Natalie, Janey and her friends make copies of the invitations so transvestites and body builders could attend her ball. After this, Natalie's father agrees that he will do anything in his power to make sure that his daughter wins. He tries to threaten Jeff by telling him that if he danced his father would be fired from his job (his father worked for Mr. Sands). After speaking with his father, Jeff decides to enter the contest anyway. Even though Janey is grounded for sneaking out of the house, she still goes to the contest. At the finals there is a dance off between Janey and Jeff and Natalie and her partner. In the end, Janey and Jeff win and are named the new DTV regulars.

Whereas Dirty Dancing is actually interesting and keeps your attention, after watching this film you are wondering why it was so bad. Was it Sarah Jessica Parkers frizzy hair or the fact that the dancing and acting was terrible? Of all the roles that Helen Hunt played, this is probably the worst. This movie is so predictable and at the same time you are laughing at how bitchy girls can be to each other, especially when it comes to boys.

This movies definitely does not stick in my head as one of the better 80's dance movies. If you want to see good dancing rent Flashdance or Dirty Dancing, not this knock off high school beginners stuff.

another woman

This Woody Allen film is fantastic. Allen truly channels depression in this film, and shows viewers a realistic look at what its like to be on a mental downfall. Gena Rowlands character. Marion, is a very intelligent professor. She has an apartment where she writes, or attempts to, until interrupted by sounds coming through a vent on one wall of the room. She initially puts a pull over this to drown out the sound, but soon realizes that the sounds she hears are sessions with a physciatrist. This part of the movie confused me. She continues to overhear a pregnant woman (Mia Farrow) talk about her morbid depression and life. I was unsure for a good deal of the film as to whether or not this was a figment of her imagination. In keeping with Woody Allen's films, this one is set in New York. I find that Woody Allen manages more so than any other director to depict New York City in a light that resonates with New Yorkers. Back to Marion's eavesdropping; she uses these overheard sessions to reevaluate her own existence, ultimately leading her to realize many things about love's lost and her estranged relationship with her husband. She comes to find that her professional achievements and seemingly nice life simply serve as a facade to cover up her own feelings of loss and failure. The film has a cold air to it, there is some disconnect between the film and its viewers. This film isn't one to sit back and watch when you’re trying to get your mind off of things. It will make you think about your life and how you relate to these ever so complex characters. I love Woody Allen!

check out what other people thought about the film! imdb.com

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

Last night, Comedy Central aired the 1988 classic comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine. Steve Martin is not as funny as he is in some of his other films but he still does a good job of providing comedy to a well developed and clever plot. Martin plays an amateur conman named Freddie Benson who has much to learn about the game of swindling wealthy women out of hefty bundles of cash. He falls into becoming an apprentice of Lawrence Jamieson (Caine) who teaches him the trade of conning as they team up to fool upper class women in Europe. Soon Freddie grows tired of being the apprentice, thinking he can do the job better than the master Jamieson himself, and they take opposing sides in double-crossing one particular woman to see who has become the better thief. In the end a series of twists and turns lands Freddie and Lawrence in a tight spot, but I won’t ruin that for you… This was one of the few 80’s in which I did not cringe in embarrassment thinking that it did not translate well to a time some two decades later when I was watching it. This con type of film was later used with female con artists in a 90’s adaptation called Heartbreakers with Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt. I have seen both movies now and I can say the original is much better from most aspects. From a comedy standpoint I would have to say that this film falls short for me, however, the turns in the plot kept me interested and entertained. Personally I’d rather see Steve Martin in The Jerk or Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, but that’s just me.

Think you might want to see this one...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095031/trailers-screenplay-E17638-10-2

Classic Quotes:

“I know someone here. Oh yes? Who?... Lawrence Jesterton-- Lester Johnston--Jester Lawerenceton--Jamesss LLlllllllaa… Lawrence Jamieson? YES that’s it!”