Stripes

Year: 1981
Directed By: Ivan Reitman
Written By: Len Blum, Daniel Goldberg, and Harold Ramis

RYAN’S REVIEW

When you got this core of Ivan Reitman, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis together in the 80s they were going to make some magic. The men behind Ghostbusters had a specific quality that transitioned onto the screen and you can see it in this movie. Originally written to be Cheech and Chong join the army this movie worked far better than it ever had any business doing so. These guys took a bombed idea and turned it into a comedy classic.

This is one of my favorite examples of how funny Bill Murray is. I think the thing for Bill Murray is that he has to be paired with a director who will just let him do his thing. Bill Murray is notoriously weird and can be hard for some to work with. Harold Ramis had a great ability to work with Bill Murray that lasted for a long time. Up until their last collaboration, Groundhog Day, they had a fruitful relationship. Don’t know what happened to dissolve that relationship but it’s really unfortunate.

I think this movie runs a bit too long. I think if they had stretched out boot camp a little bit more and not been deployed into their protection detail it would have been better. There are plenty of scenes in this movie that look like hold overs from the Cheech and Chong intended script. With a deep cast of funny people including John Candy and Judge Reinhold they managed to make it there own.

This is a movie that speaks for itself. It’s a classic comedy like Caddyshack and it simply doesn’t need my stamp of approval. For me it takes me back to middle school when I was first introduced to it. I thought it was a really funny movie then and I still enjoy watching it today. It’s easily worth your time but like most people you have long since discovered that on your own.

NEXT MOVIE: Suicide Kings (1997)

 

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Year:1982
Directed By: Amy Heckerling
Written By: Cameron Crowe

RYAN’S REVIEW

I have written in several other posts about what it is that makes us love high school movies likes this one and all of that applies to this film.  This is a great movie that I always enjoy watching.  It is a good insight into life in the early 80s and it sports an awesome soundtrack with lots of music from the time period. What I find most interesting about all movies like this is that no matter what time period it comes out of the kids are always doing the same things.  They are doing the same things now only they have headphones in their ears and cell phones in their hands.  The great high school films are timeless despite being a product of their time period.  This movie came out before I was born but it has always spoken to me despite my growing up in a completely different time.

I think this was the best of all Amy Heckerling‘s films by far. I like that certain songs are used multiple times to express the mood of the character on screen. I also really like how she incorporates graffiti from so many locations.  I love when Judge Reinhold is practicing what he will say to his girlfriend in front of a mirror with “BIG HAIRY PUSSY” written on it in giant letters.  I have always liked Reinhold and I think he is really great in this movie.  He is just one part of a great cast though.  Phoebe Cates is great here too, and she has such an awesome topless scene set to “Moving in Stereo” by The Cars. Jennifer Jason Leigh is very much the main character in the film and I think she does a great job but she scares the shit out of me because I have daughters. Sean Penn is so classic in this film, he has gone on to have such a great career but I think many of us will always remember him most as the stoner Jeff Spicoli. Ray Walston is great as Mr. Hand, playing a teacher that reminds us all of a teacher we had ourselves.   Forest Whitaker has a small role as the star football player at Ridgemont.  Also taking an important career step in this film is Nicolas Cage before he was Cage.  He was credited as Nicolas Coppola in this film and was only cast as an extra.  Before his career took off he changed his name to Cage to distance himself from his famous relative Francis Ford Coppola.

There is a lot to like about this 80’s high school flick and it is really fun to watch.  It is a great depiction of life in 1982 and I think that makes it special. They are wearing the crazy 80’s clothes and smoking everywhere. The movie did lead to a television show that ran for a while and Amy Heckerling directed it.  I have never seen it though and don’t know much else about it.  If you haven’t seen this film and have the opportunity I would recommend to anyone.  It is an awesome movie that is more than worth your time.

AMBER’S REVIEW

I totally love this movie. It is a classic movie about teens during a certain time period much like Dazed and Confused. There are so many famous actors in this movie that weren’t yet super famous at the time. The amazing Sean Penn plays the stoner that has pizza delivered to class. This movie is a great one because it takes you back to your own high school days and makes you reminisce. I definitely recommend this one. It is light-hearted and fun; a movie that doesn’t make you think too hard about it.

NEXT MOVIE: Fearless (2006)

Beverly Hills Cop II

Year: 1987
Directed By: Tony Scott
Written By: Danilo Bach

RYAN’S REVIEW

This movie fits the formula for a good sequel to an extent,  It’s a bigger version of the original but it’s not a better version.  I like the story, I love the giant hot blonde enforcer chick, and I think it’s a good movie.  I think Murphy was better in the first, and his performance is what fails to make this a better movie.  I liked the Axel Foley from the first movie better. That Axel lived on the edge of poverty, he is different in the sequel.  Not to mention how ridiculous and obvious he looks walking around L.A. wearing such a loud Lions jacket.  He should have worn a hat that said “hey I’m that cop from Detroit!”

Judge Reinhold, Ronny Cox, and John Ashton all returned to their respective roles and played them well.  I think Reinhold had a better role the second time around. Brigitte Nielsen is the giant hot blonde enforcer chick. I remember watching her as Red Sonja as a kid and think very fondly of her. There is also a good cameo from a really young Chris Rock and another from the ever annoying and occasionally funny Gilbert Godfrey.  This movie is fun and it’s worth watching but it is nothing special.

AMBER’S REVIEW

I watched this movie, but I can still only remember bits and pieces, and I’m not quite sure what it is about. Sure, Eddie Murphy is hilarious as always, but honestly his laugh with make me laugh every time. The big blond chick that Ryan mentioned, is a perfect symbol of the 80s. Her silver earrings are out of control and honestly, it is about the only thing that I remember about this movie. I say see the first one and if you want to watch the second one, but if you miss it then it’s not a big deal. You aren’t really missing out on anything special.

NEXT MOVIE: Big Fish (2003)

Beverly Hills Cop

Year: 1984
Directed By: Martin Brest
Written By: Danilo Bach

RYAN’S REVIEW

This is a movie that has been emulated so many times over the years we get tired of the theme.  What’s important is that this was once a good idea, and it was this movie that did it for the first time. Originally Sylvester Stallone was set to star in this film, can you imagine how different of a film that would have been.  He apparently took some of the story ideas from the script and made it into the movie Cobra, a film long since forgotten. I might be wrong but I think there was some dispute over what kind of orange juice would be supplied to Stallone’s trailer on the set and he dropped out before filming started.  Maybe there is a lack of variety in the Detroit orange juice market, they are very far north.  It was all for the better though because this movie then became Eddie Murphy’s platform to become a superstar.

This movie serves as one of many examples to show us how funny Eddie Murphy was capable of being.  He has had such an up and down career. I have always been disappointed with Murphy’s recreated family man image because let’s be honest, Axel Foley died when Eddie Murphy became Dr. Doolittle.  I guess that’s the kind of thing you have to do to continue your career when you are caught by the cops with a tranny hooker.  I remember this hilarious skit SNL did making fun of Murphy after that incident.  No wonder he has never joined the show for any reunions.

Beverly Hills Cop is a great movie that is definitely worth your time.  Eddie Murphy is really funny and he is surrounded by a good cast.  Judge Reinhold is nothing special in this movie, but I like him alot and wish his career could have lasted past the 80s. All Breaking Bad  fans need to see this movie to catch a very young Jonathon Banks playing a very similar role over 25 years before the show started.  Ronny Cox is great, as he was in most of his films in this era.  He really came into his own in his later years

All in all this is a great movie and alot of fun.  The jokes are funny, the music is catchy, and the action is satisfying.  Great cop action comedy film that I would recommend to anybody.  Not for you kids, but any adult should enjoy it.

AMBER’S REVIEW

This is a fun movie. I am really sorry, I know that my posts are usually short and concise already, but this one is going to be even shorter. I do like this film, but it is one of those old cheesy movies that everyone has seen. I love Eddie Murphy in it. He is absolutely hilarious, and even though this was probably the millionth time we watched it, I still found myself laughing. If you haven’t seen this one, honestly I don’t know where you have been  the past 26 years, but you should definitely watch it. It’s a classic.

NEXT MOVIE: Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)