13 random movies

movies i remember for different reasons
On
January 23, 2009
I have seen a lot of movie lists but as others have noticed, a lot of the movies repeat. I think we can all agree that The Goonies and The Never Ending Story both rock, cuz they do. This list is not any of my favorites, but some are in my top 5. These movies I remember for different reasons, ones I watched on my VCR a lot, movies I remember from the drive-in, that sort of thing. I only give a slight summary of the movies themselves. It's more about the nostalgia for me. I don't give actors names or anything like that. If you are really interested in any of these movies though, simply Google the name and you'll find it no problem.


1. The Cheap Detective
This movie was made in 1978. It's about Lou Peckinpaugh; the cheap detective has entered a world that is half Casablanca and half Maltese Falcon. A parody of Bogart's films in which Lou goes through a series of scenes from the two movies trying to keep ahead of the police who think he killed his partner and find the black bird. To be honest, I've never seen either of those Bogart films, but I still liked this movie as a kid. My dad taped it off HBO or something and this tape would go into our VCR more than other movies on a rainy day. The main character is played by Peter Falk who we all know as the grandpa for The Princess Bride. You could either take or leave this movie, just one I remembered from my childhood.


2. Flight of the Navigator
This is a Disney film made in 1986. This was one of my favorites as a kid, and I highly recommend watching this film if you have not seen it. It's about a 12 year old boy named David. Chasing his brother home, David falls down a steep hill in the forest on the way to his house. He is unconscious for a few hours, but when he gets home, he realizes that eight years have gone by but he himself has not changed. At the same time, a UFO has crashed into some power lines and is taken into custody by NASA. David also ends up going to NASA for tests but becomes more of a guinea pig. I don't want to say too much more, but he ends up joining with the ship and you learn the connection between the two. This movie has some great lines. And because the spaceship talks like Peewee Herman, it's all the better. When they are underwater and David asks the ship, "Do you leak?" The ship responds, "I do not leak, you leak" after witnessing David go to the bathroom. This is a great light hearted family movie that can be enjoyed by all.


3. Space Camp
If you can't tell by now, I have a soft spot for outer space movies. When I was a kid I longed to be an astronaut. Made in 1986, this movie is about young attendees of a space camp that find themselves in space for real when their shuttle is accidentally launched into orbit. I actually did go to a space camp when I was in fifth grade as a birthday present (thanks Mom and Dad!!!) and was super excited. The movie has different classes depending on your level of training and scores on various tests. With a little help from a robot friend these kids and one instructor get to really experience their dream of going into space. This is such a great movie because I think we all wanted this, or something like this. An opportunity to show everyone how great we can be. For those of you that still imagine yourself in difficult situations just so you can fight your way out of them, or if you like space, this movie is for you.


4. Glory
I first heard about this movie from a friend in 7th grade. He was always very interested in wars, and when we started learning about the Civil War in school, he convinced the teacher to let us watch this movie. Made in 1989, this movie is based on the letters of Colonel Robert G. Shaw. Shaw was an officer in the Federal Army during the American Civil War who volunteered to lead the first company of black soldiers. He has troubles both from other whites in the army and connecting with his black soldiers. A very powerful movie with a not so happy ending. There are some big names in this movie and wonderful acting, I would put this in my top 3 best war movies.


5. Bloodsport
I know I said I don't really mention actor's names but, Van Damme! He was hands-down my favorite actor as a kid. Any movie with him was guaranteed fighting. I have this movie on DVD now, don't get quite as pumped as when I was a kid, but I'm excited when I watch it. About the movie, Frank Dux is a good kid with bad friends. They go to a Japanese house to steal things when they hear someone coming. Dropping a katana, Frank's friends leave him there while he puts the sword back in its proper place. Tanaka's (owner of the house) son kicks him in the gut. Thus starts the relationship of training for Frank. When Tanaka's son dies, Frank becomes his honorary son to learn all the martial arts passed down from generations. Frank then goes to Hong Kong to fight in the Kumite, the ultimate martial arts tournament. I'm sure most of you have seen this one, but if you haven't, watch it! It's kind of cheesy but still a great flick if you like fighter movies. Best line, "You Jackson? You look like a Jackson."


6. Dragon Ball Z- The Return of Cooler
Ok, this is a Dragon Ball Z movie, but still one of my favorites. Dragon Ball Z is the show that got me started watching anime. I'm a huge fan now and I owe that to this show. This may be a bit hard to follow if you don't know the story, but I'll try. Cooler was an evil alien that wanted to destroy life. He was defeated by a character named Goku. He is also an alien, but lived as a human. Cooler resurrects himself as a robot. He controls a machine that looks a lot like the Death Star. But of instead of shooting lasers to destroy planets, it wraps around it with huge metallic tentacles and sucks the energy from a planet before destroying it. When New Namek (a planet for a peaceful race of aliens called Nameks) is under attack, Goku and his friends go to stop it. This movie is pretty much non-stop action and a great idea concept. It's also very creative. That's what I love about anime, is the entirely new worlds, and new ways of looking at things. If you watch this movie, I suggest watching it with subtitles. Something is lost when it's converted to English. This movie was remade and put onto DVD in 1996. Pretty sure a lot of people won't agree with me on this one, but if you like anime or action movies, this a great place to start.

7. Cool World
This movie isn't really on any of my favorite lists, but it made it to this list because I saw this movie at the drive-in. Why I remember seeing this movie, I don't know. Perhaps because I was becoming an adolescent and I thought it was weird that I was being turned on by a cartoon. Holli Would is the name of the cartoon hottie in this film. Picture a blonde horny Jessica Rabbit. Cool World is a real place but "creator" Jack Deebs (comic strip writer) thinks it came from his imagination. Holli (a doodle) wants to make it into the real world by making it with a Norm (human being). This movie is interesting and I'll certainly watch it again, but there is nothing special about it. Just possibly a forgotten film that is worth watching again. By the way this was made in 1992.


8. Stay Tuned
I remember this movie from a babysitting gig. I was watching two kids that I didn't really know, and asked them what tape they wanted to watch. They picked Stay Tuned. It really is more of an adult movie, but it has cartoons mixed in with the live action, which may be while they liked it so much. This is a good movie. The husband of a family is obsessed with tv. He and his wife are sucked into a new hellish TV he buys and they have to survive a gauntlet of twisted versions of TV shows. Made in 1992, if you haven't seen this one, it's worth a watch.


9. Meet The Feebles
This movie is messed up bad. I remember it because it is hands down the most disgusting movie I have ever seen, ever. I was staying the night at a buddies house in high school and a friend told him how nasty this movie was. He didn't believe him, just like you won't believe me and we watched it for ourselves. Trust me, it's mega gross. It's all done in muppets and it's about a show that must go on. But all the characters run into one problem or another. The lead bunny gets and STD and gets horribly sick. The contortionist gets his head stuck up his ass. The knife thrower is a junkie nam vet, and so on. Directed by Peter Jackson in 1989, the man did marvels for upping the revolting bar for movies everywhere.


10. The Stoned Age
While many people can relate to Dazed and Confused my high school days were more like this movie. Made in 1994, pretty much the entire plot of this movie is that two stoners are trying to get messed up and laid for the night. The have run ins with different types of characters familiar with high school, and some that are not. It's just a stoner movie that is fun to watch when you are stoned.


11. The Thief and the Cobbler
This movie has a history. Beginning the work in 1964, Richard Williams intended for the film to be his masterpiece, and a milestone in the art of animation. The Thief and the Cobbler was in and out of production for over two decades, until Williams, buoyed by his success as animation director on Who Framed Roger Rabbit, signed a deal in 1990 to have Warner Bros. finance and distribute the film. This deal fell through when Williams was unable to complete the film on time. As Warners pulled out, The Completion Bond Company assumed control of the project and had it finished by producer Fred Calvert without Williams. Two versions of Calvert's completed The Thief and the Cobbler were released; one was issued in Australia and South Africa in 1993 as The Princess and the Cobbler and the other in the United States in 1995 as Arabian Knight, distributed by Miramax Family Films. As the last one was a stoner movie, this movie is super trippy. A fairly entertaining story, but the backgrounds of this movie are insane. Even if you are not into drugs but like visually stimulating animated movies, this is for you.


12. Weekend at Bernie's
Made in 1989, this is actually one of my favorite comedies, but not number one. It's about these two guys trying to get ahead in their company by finding some fraud in the books. One worker is the guy from the show Herman's Head and the other is the dude from Mannequin. Well, they find out something illegal and take it to their boss, Bernie. But it turns out that Bernie is the bad guy and wants the two men killed. So he goes to the mob he's dealing with to order the hit. But the mob is tired with Bernie and kills him instead. But the two guys invited for the weekend don't know this and believe they are still the targets. The only way to be safe is to always have Bernie (that is now dead) with them. The killer can't believe that Bernie is still alive and all out hilarity ensues. My favorite part is when the killer moves Bernie's leg out of way, and it kicks him in the nuts, so he shoots him like three times. I am laughing my ass off while writing this. If you have not seen this movie, go rent it tonight.


13. One Crazy Summer
Made in 1986 this is my favorite John Cusack movie. Okay I lied, some of my favorites are on this list. A bunch of losers and a young hot Demi Moore are out of school and spending the summer in Nantucket. Demi's character Cassandra needs to raise money to save her grandpa's house from the dickhole Beckerstead family. Your average evil rich guy 80's villains. Cusack's character is named Hoops, and all he wants to do is make an animated love story. But with all the wackiness that happens through the movie, will he have time? Bobcat Goldthwait is awesome in this movie and my favorite character. This is definitely a must watch if you have not seen.


Well, I hope this was a bit different from what's already out there. I know I'm not much for summaries, I just wanted to give you enough to help you remember the movie, or want to see it. These movies all stick out in my mind for different reasons and I would watch any of these again, so it may be worth your time if you missed any of these. Hope you liked my pics.
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