Change Your Image
chris-683
Reviews
The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
Not Quite The Movie I Remember
I remember watching this movie not long after it came out and really liking it. Then I watched it about ten years ago and still liked it. Watching it still again today...doesn't quite do for me what it did for me in the past.
I still find the movie entertaining, as the plot is actually just the first movie and even some of the second movie, again.
You've got Larusso and Miyagi back from Okinawa but you've got Kreese back as well, but this time with some heavy ammunition. What I liked was, we finally find out why he's been such a prick in the first place. Look who he's been hanging out with for twenty plus years, the true driving force, Terry Silver! Silver is like Sato from the second movie, only more over the top than you could possibly imagine. Although, again, being that this is the Karate Kid world, I can imagine. Like Sato, he's really revenge driven, despite seemingly having it all. He's rich, he's great at martial arts and he's a genius. He sets about trying to hurt Daniel in every conceivable way, which in turn will hurt Miyagi. Again, it's like what Sato wants in the second movie: revenge at all costs.
Silver doesn't have a powerful relative to do his thing for him, he's got more than that: Mike Barnes, the film's version of Johhny and Choozen. And that's not it: he's got a trainer and, don't know what to call him, also Snake.
Okay, so what's this all for? It's to get Daniel to enter (again) in the tournament he won last year. Miyagi doesn't approve and won't train him, which opens the door for Terry to train him! This is probably for me the best part(s) of the movie. You have Daniel learning martial arts the mean-spirited way. Silver drives home the point on how to win, each lesson getting more and more "dirty" than the previous one. And Daniel, by the third lesson, not only masters it but then, as we can all can figure out, uses it when he shouldn't have. So we do get a question answered: How would Daniel have turned out if he was a Cobra Kai instead of Miyagi Kai? But Daniel eventually comes to his senses and realizes (Again, with Miyagi's help. Where would Daniel be without Miyagi, eh?) that he doesn't need it. What he does need to do is enter the All Valley Tournament, as finally Miyagi agrees to train him. And of course, you'd bet the farm on who wins, right? And all of that is fine and good within the Karate Kid franchise. The problems I had with this movie? Remember, I said I thought it was still entertaining, so boring it isn't. The problems are in that this movie feels like that table that you buy that has nothing but rough edges. There are a lot of plot developments (and it could even be argued that the main plot element of Daniel regaining his title) that didn't end the right way, or never got resolved at all.
Daniel helps Miyagi by giving up all of his college money to open a bonsai store. But, get this, about forty minutes left in the movie, the store is never seen or even mentioned again. Which is odd considering that it's all Miyagi is going to have to cling to. Shouldn't there have been a scene where we see that it is finally taking off financially? Daniel, for the third time, has a new girlfriend. But she never really becomes more than a friend to Daniel, and then her character leaves with still about twenty minutes to go in the movie and still so much more to tell. Again, she's never seen or mentioned again. So two very important plot elements end very unsatisfying.
Then there is Daniel's winning the tournament, which is fine. But he gets a bye to the final! That's not fine. Then you have Daniel win the finale, but not really showing off any martial arts skills! Again, I find that odd considering HE'S the Karate Kid, isn't he? Daniel himself has become a bit of a problem to me in this movie. Although, this was also a problem in the second movie, so I had better include that to be fair. The whole second and third movies, except in the final 5 minutes and despite all the training he got in the first movie, he get manhandled by BOTH Choozen and Mike. You really come away thinking that THEY are the true Karate Kid(s), but Daniel always gets the last laugh, or kick or punch, whatever. One movie of "Daniel, The Karate Master", getting his comeuppance would have been enough. Throwing two down our throats is a bit too hard to swallow.
Some here have pointed out that Daniel looks too old for this movie. He's playing a teenager when, as pointed out by some, looks like (and is in real life) more like 30 or 35. Actually, Ralph Macchio would have been about 26 or 27 at the time. He looks about 23 or 25 in this movie. That's still too old. And when he's not getting beaten up, Daniel's either whining or being overly exuberant. And that certainly doesn't help, either. It's as if some scenes he's trying too hard and others he isn't trying enough.
As mentioned before, I still find this movie entertaining, and all things considered, has anyone here ever thought about where this movie would compare to say, Halloween 3, Howling 3, Jaws 3, Alien 3, Critters 3, Rambo 3, RoboCop 3, and Batman Forever (That's Batman 3)?
A Christmas Story (1983)
For this time of year, you can't do better!
Every time I need to make Christmas more "Christmas like" I pop this one in, sit back and...
LAUGH! LAUGH! and LAUGH!
I mean, the part where he envisions taking out Black Bart, The Leg Lamp, Scut, The Furnace...it just goes on and on!
Not to mention the Red Ryder!
You got so many side stories that you can attach to in this movie. And the way the all play out, you just know they're gonna end in hysterics.
So if you feel like your Christmas doesn't have enough entertainment, sit down, alone or with friends, and watch this!
BraveStarr (1987)
Worth any "Price"
...and I think every BraveStarr fans know what I mean by "price". Or should I say, The Price. THAT episode. Spin! BraveStarr is a cartoon series from the mid 1980s that many have forgotten, or worse, never watched. It was made by Filmation, who as we all know did He-Man (The debate over THAT series being better than Transformers is a matter of taste) and She-ra. Like those series and others from Filmation, every episode ended with a moral. The moral consisted of a character from the series, usually it was BraveStarr himself, delivering a message of what we all learned.
I was a He-Man fan myself, and BraveStarr could be looked on as He-Man of the wild west. The setting was a distant time, and far away place. The planet of New Texas, deep in space. Sky had...sorry got to stop the theme song.
BraveStarr was easy to like, since I was a fan of He-Man, the similarities of the characters in both series is staggering. You've got the Shaman (he knows everything, just like the Sorceress), you've got Tex Hex (Evil, just like Skeletor), you've got Thirty - Thirty, BraveStarr's steed (he complained less than Cringer when he wasn't Battlecat), you've got the sidekick, and you've got the main man.
Bravestarr himself had FOUR incredible abilities. 1) He could see almost everything (Eyes of a Hawk). He could hear everything (Ears of a wolf). He was strong (Strength of a bear), and fast (Speed of a puma).
The episodes themselves were actually far more serious than anything Filmation had ever made. At least two episodes (including the series best known episode) that stand tall in my memory, deal with some real important matters.
One episode, BraveStarr remembers his old trainer, Jingles. Tough, fair, and good. BraveStarr's idol, his hero. He relates all the good in him, only to later discover that he has become a wanted criminal. Wanted for murder!
The other episode deals with the issue of drugs. A deadly drug comes the way of New Texas, and a boy of about ten becomes addicted to the drug (The drug was called spin). He goes from the friend you always want to a hallucinating, stealing, wacko! I still remember the first time I watched that episode, all time thinking he'll pull through at the end. Was I ever in for a SHOCK!
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Just get everybody you know in the area to watch this movie...
...right now! This is my favorite Arnold movie. It's got it all, and it still as great today as it was back in 1991.
I still remember the first time I watched it, when the T - 1000 got plugged 5 straight times by shotgun blasts, falls over...the "wounds" heal, gets up...
And the two terminators themselves? Robert Patrick will always be "Mr T - 1000, liquid metal reforming man" to me forever. And Arnold is always be Arnold.
Should you watch this movie? Well, we have rules concerning watching two machines. One to destroy the future. One to protect it. I actually think this is a better movie than the original. I need written authori-
I INSIST!
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
D'oh(n't) miss this movie!
This is the second time that I've watched a cartoon movie based on a TV show. The other was this movie about robots back in '86, you get the idea.
Well, almost everyone in the series makes an appearance in this movie. And that includes my all time favourite, Reiner Wolfcastle. You have got to see his part.
Anyways, Homer does something that he has done about 350 times in the series, wreck Springfield. And yes, in a funny way. But I shouldn't say exactly.
The entire city of Springfield becomes, how should we say, doomed. Anctually, just glass encased! Now you can imagine what member of the Simpsons' family actually outsmarts everyone, including Professor Frink. Actually, you can't imagine who. But it will make you laugh, will make you think. Will make you think and then the...person.
Homer and co. make it out and move...north. But think about the time they moved to Capital City...you know they're coming back, and they do.
Now, things to look out for: 1) Bart's clever handwork on sketches.
2) Martin Prince having the ultimate moment of truth, completely unexpected.
3) Homer meeting up with...I don't know what to say, but them trees know how to make Homer say the right things.
I think fans of the Simpsons will like this movie. And the way this movie is presented, even if you don't like the Simpsons, you'll find plenty of laughs here.
The Running Man (1987)
Doesn't Run Out Of Action
I'm surprised to find a lot of users saying that this movie is no good. Obviously, they didn't watch this film too closely, because let me tell you, it is.
(Spoiler)Even while we are enjoying Arnold defeating the high tech gladiators with lines of "How about a light?", "He had to split", etc., this movie has a great message about how the media can influence our decision and judgment. The speech given by Damon Killian at the end of movie, about how the audience craves violence, is so true.
As for what some users say about how there are no entertaining fight scenes, give it up. That fight with Buzzaw was entertaining! So was the escape from the prison at the beginning. How can anyone say this is another typical Arnold movie with lots of action but little else. In Raw Deal, maybe, but not in this.
One final thing, I've just finished reading the Steven King novel that this movie was based on. The movie and the book are completely different, but that doesn't mean that the movie is bad. The movie isn't as good as the book, but the book isn't as entertaining as the movie.
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
What More Needs To Be Said?
Oh, the mere mention of this movie brings a wide grin to my face. I like the way Eddie Murphy is always talking so fast. When I was younger, I would always try to imitate that.
(Spoiler) It seems every time he talks to someone he says something real funny like:"Chief, you still got your whole ass there", "Are you security around here? Then YOUR the f**king problem!", "Phil, hey man, what's happening Phil? I know that was you, he told me that you wasn't come here no more, hey Phil!".
That last line is enhanced since Foley is faking being drunk. But my favorite parts are the truck chase, Inspector Todd/Axel Foley conversation (Todd just keeps saying f**k), Foley getting thrown out of the window, strip bar scene...I mean the list just goes on and on. If you don't find this movie funny, you don't find anything funny.
RoboCop (1987)
I LIKE it!
Next to Terminator, Robocop is the best "indestructible robot" live action movie. This movie is never dull, which is what you might expect from a movie like this.
The good thing about this movie is instead of showing Robo killing people for an hour, you see how he comes to be, and still has some human qualities. The robot suddenly remembers having a wife and kid, and is curious to learn more. There are good action sequences, which shows how Robocop processes and reacts(like his targeting systems, modes, even the dreaded violations, which results in shutdowns). But by the end of the movie, the "machine" is more human than ever, knowing what not to do, and naming itself after the officer who "it" once was.
Think about it, good movies is where you find this.
Masters of the Universe (1987)
Very Good
I actually saw this movie when it was in theaters, way back when I was just a kid in '87. I remember liking it then, and I still do now. Yes, I know, it is a bit of a rip off of Star Wars, but keep these two things in mind: 1) This takes place primarily on Earth 2) It was based on the cartoon TV show.
The movie is without question on of the best TV show-movie conversions ever. Considering the disasters of late (Batman & Robin, The Avengers) this movie turned out real well. The reason is the cast, it was great. Dolph Lundgren earned my admiration after this movie, and so did Frank Langella(recently seen in Roman Polanski's ninth gate). These to guys acted so good. Skeletor comes across as a cunning, evil bad guy who will stop at nothing to achieve what he wants. I love that line "I am not in a giving vein", after Blade says "Give me one more chance". Courtney Cox does a very good job in this movie, and so does Chesela Field (Remember her from The Last Boy Scout, "I don't hate you Joe, you're the one that hates you"). There are a lot of good one-liners in this movie too, but I don't want to ruin it for you.
One thing good about this movie is it is NOT just for fans of the show, because it is presented in a form that allows those unfamiliar with it to enjoy it (and trust me, you will).
The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
After All Is Said And Done, This Movie Is Is #1 (Animation)
No two ways about it, this movie is the best animation movie there is, the best animation movie there was, and the best animation movie there ever will be. Here's why:
1) Emotion: (Spoiler) Even in the show there was never this much emotion, because there was no deaths, just "next time". This movie changed that. So many great Autobots die, like Prowl and Ironhide. To make it even, great Decepticons (Starscream) die as well. Painful to me, and other Trans-fans, but it had to happen to make it real. Then, of course, THE DEATH. You know who I'm talking about! And yes I cried like a lost sheep when IT happend.
2) Soundtrack: Too good to be put in words. Still available, everywhere. Which goes to show you how great it is.
3) Memories: Great movies ALWAYS bring back memories because you associate great movies with the time it came out. I always remember on the school playground talking to my friends about Transformers. I mean, those were the days.
4) Availability: The movie has been re-released in my country two years ago. That just goes to show you that the movie is still sought out to be bought, nearly 14 years after it came out in theatres. And why not? After all, it is a must for ANY Transformers/Beast Wars etc fan.
Until the day
8/10