Tag: 1983

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Movie Review

Superman III (1983) Movie Review

Superman 3 – ABC Film Challenge – Comic Book Movies – S – Superman 3 – Movie Review

Superman III

Director: Richard Lester

Writer: David Newman, Leslie Newman (Screenplay)

Writer: Jerry Sigel, Joe Shuster (Characters)

Cast

Plot: Synthetic kryptonite laced with tar splits Superman in two: good Clark Kent and bad Man of Steel.

Runtime: 2 Hours 5 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Superman III starts as Clark Kent (Reeve) has continued to keep saving people in danger as Superman. Elsewhere, Gus Gorman (Pryor) has been struggling to find employment and ends up learning about billionaire Ross Webster’s (Vaughn) plan.

Ross wants to eliminate his competition for his business and uses Gus to eliminate Superman. However, this has strange side effects as a bad version of the hero is born from their plan, leading to Superman facing his deadliest foe yet, himself.

Verdict on Superman III

Superman III is the third instalment of the Superman movies. It follows Clark Kent as he deals with a lot of calmer problems in the world. Another rich person trying to take control of the world, feeling more like a Bond villain than a threat to a superhero.

This instalment of Superman does feel flat, despite giving us an evil Superman, there seems to be no threat to him. The whole plot feels like it could have just been a Bond movie. With the plot being weak, you would hope the action would be better, it is not. This ends up being a weak entry into the comic book heroes’ world.

Final Thoughts – Superman III is a flat sequel in the Superman world.

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Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nominations – E – Educating Rita (1983) Movie Review

Director: Lewis Gilbert

Writer: Willy Russell (Screenplay) Willy Russell (Stage Play)

Starring: Michael Caine, Julie Walters, Michael Williams, Maureen Lipman, Jeananne Crowley, Malcolm Douglas

Plot: An alcoholic professor has been hired by a working-class girl for higher education.


Tagline – A comedy about a teacher and a very memorable student

Runtime: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Educating Rita starts when hairdresser Susan who prefers to be called Rita (Walters) takes up an open university course with Dr Frank Bryant (Caine) who isn’t used to working with the working-class students, used to dealing with the young and ambitious.

As Frank is dealing with his own alcohol addiction, he starts to find hope in seeing Rita desire to learn, seeing her breaking from traditions her husband wants her to follow.

Thoughts on Educating Rita

Characters & Performances – Dr Frank Bryant is an alcoholic professor of English that is getting tired of teaching the students, he has lost his inspiration to write his own work and in his person life, things don’t seem to be going well, once he starts helping Rita, he starts finding a new love for teaching, a new high that is more dangerous than he thought. Michael Caine is brilliant in this role, showing the teaching side with the tortured soul side with ease. Rita is a hairdresser that wants to find more in her life, she turns to education in hopes of this, despite her husband looking to stop her chasing her dreams of a better future, she finds herself moving away from the Rita nickname, taking back her own name of Susan, where she will finally get to chase her dreams. Julie Walters is brilliant as the common working class woman who wants more, this feels like one of the most natural performances you will ever see.

Story – The story here follows an alcoholic professor that takes on an open university student who is desperate to find new inspiration from her life instead of just getting married and having a family, where the two end up helping each other discover more about life. This is a story that will look to break and end the traditions which have become outdated, where we get to see how someone can give time to someone to improve them, even if people in their lives can hold them back. It also gets the message across that only you can drive the change in your own life, no matter how much time it takes to make it happened. While certain parts of what could happen have changed, it is still one that will give hope to everyone who has ever dreamed of more.

Themes – Educating Rita is a comedy drama that will show the different lifestyles Rita and John live, showing us just how much can change when extra effort is put in. We see just how trapped Rita is with her married life, that looks like it is going nowhere. The comedy is more from how Rita looks up at the stuck up mentality of the education system.

 

Educating Rita is a delightful film that will give inspiration, with two of the best performances from Caine and Walters.

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Movie Review

All in Good Taste (1983) Movie Review

Director: Anthony Kramreither

Writer: Rick Green, Anthony Kramreither (Screenplay)

Starring: Jonathan Welsh, Harvey, Jack Creley, Jim Carrey, Linda Rennhofer, James B Douglas, Joanne Kirwan-Clarke

Plot: A filmmaker is upset to find out that his wholesome script about an orphan and his dog has been warped into a film about … strippers?!!


Tagline – Their FIRST ENCOUNTER in a NUDIST CAMP!

Runtime: 1 Hour 25 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Flat Out Dreadful

Story: All in Good Taste starts when screenwriter Timothy (Welsh) is trying to get his script sold, only for the studio boss Cochrane (Atkin) wanting him to write a more raunchy script for a film that could sell on sex and nudity, wanting him to write a film about strippers.

The more producers Timothy meets, the more he spirals down the hole of being pushed into writing a nudity sex sold movie, which only frustrates him.

Thoughts on All in Good Taste

Final Thoughts – This is bar far one of the worst movies I have ever seen, the poster does have Jim Carrey’s face plastered all over it, yet he is barely in it and made this before he was a famous comedian, let alone actor. We spend most of this film just having cut flash sequences which are just women dancing around in different states of undress, while it might have the bigger message that Hollywood is only interested in making sex sell, but it was one of the hardest movies to get through, just because of how obsessed with sex it wants to be.

Overall: Beyond Awful

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Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – 80’s Movies – R – Risky Business (1983) Movie Review

Director: Paul Brickman

Writer: Paul Brickman (Screenplay)

Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Panoliano, Richard Masur, Bronson Pichot, Curtis Armstrong

Plot: A Chicago teenager is looking for fun at home while his parents are away, but the situation quickly gets out of hand.

Runtime: 1 Hour 39 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Fun Teen Comedy

Story: Risky Business starts as we meet teenager Joel (Cruise) who is preparing for his college entry exams, feeling the pressure of not passing them, when he gets left home alone, his friends push him into having some more fun in his teenage life.

Joel ends up calling for an escort in Lana (De Mornay) who does give him the night of his life, only he finds himself in a bigger problem, when it turns out she is trying to escape her pimp Guido (Pantoliano), leading to him trying to clean up the mess before his parents get home.

Thoughts on Risky Business

Characters – Joel is a shy teenager worrying about his future and where he will end up going next for college, the pressure of the exams is showing on him, until his friends push him into having some fun, which starts with just having a call girl, only for him becoming more confident in his actions. Lana is the call girl that arrives, gives Joel the night of his life only to leave him in the middle of a world he never knew about, she helps him fix the money problems he might be facing as well as showing him his first love. Guido is the pimp that Lana works for, he seems like he has been mistreating her before she escapes from him, only to keep popping up when Joel least expects it.

Performances – Tom Cruise does grow into this role with ease, he does start by looking awkward, but once he can be the confident character he shines. Rebecca De Mornay is great as the call girl with a heart, we keeps her character filled with mystery about if she is honest or not well through the film. The rest of the cast are great filling in the for the typical 80’s stereotypes.

Story – The story here followers a teenager that finds himself getting caught up in not worrying anymore about his college, after a call girl introduces him to a world of making money overnight. In the 80s we did see the building of teenagers getting caught up in something out that would get out of control, while trying to keep it secret from their parents. This does follow that idea, well, it shows the change in character when it comes to facing the real world too.

Comedy – The comedy in this film comes from seeing all the different situations Joel finds himself in and how he tries to get out of them, even if they continue to spiral out of control.

Settings – The film uses Joel’s home as the main setting, it shows how he is meant to keep things normal, only to need to fix the problems that arise.


Scene of the Movie – Catch.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – That first night together, please, come on.

Final Thoughts – This is a fun 80s comedy that has stood the test of time better than most, Cruise does shine once he gets going and by the end of the film everything works out well.

Overall: Easy Watch.

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Movie Review

Al Pacino Weekend – Scarface (1983) Movie Review

Director: Brian De Palma

Writer: Oliver Stone (Screenplay)

Starring: Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit), Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, Miriam Colon, F Murray Abraham

Plot: In 1980 Miami, a determined Cuban immigrant takes over a drug cartel and succumbs to greed.


Tagline – He was Tony Montana. The world will remember him by another name…SCARFACE.

Runtime: 2 Horus 50 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Gangster 101

Story: Scarface starts when Cuban immigrant Tony Montana (Pacino) leave Cuba to start a life in America, he isn’t happy by starting with the everyday labour jobs, before getting a chance to work with his friend Manny (Bauer) who draws him into the world of drugs, a place where Tony thrives.

As Tony learns the business, he looks to make his move to become the biggest drug lord in the country, with deals everywhere, taking out the competition if they ever get in his way.

Thoughts on Scarface

Characters – Tony Montana is a Cuban immigrant that went to Miami to start a new life, though he didn’t want to work for it, well not in the legal way, he gets put an entry into the drug world and he gets turn by the power he could get by becoming a drug lord, being straight with the people he deals with and going above the people he doesn’t trust heads. Manny is the best friend of Tony who has always helped him in Miami, he is always by his side as he rises up the industry never questioning him until he starts getting out of control with his decisions. Elvira is the beautiful woman that is with a drug lord that Tony eliminates, she is being forced to stay with Tony, where she is drawn to the drugs that he is suppling, which is the main reason she stays around. Gina is the little sister of Tony’s she is always being protected by him, as he doesn’t like anybody getting close to her.

Performances – Al Pacino is wonderful in the leading role, showing how easily he can morph into any gangster figure and make a huge impact on screen. We do see most of the supporting cast working very well through the film, getting their moment to shine opposite Pacino.

Story – The story here follows Tony Montana as he goes from Cuban immigrant to drug lord in Miami, slowly starting to lose control of the situation as more enemies appear looking to take the throne he has taken. When it comes to the drug lord films, we do always know how they go, somebody gets in at the bottom and finds a way to rise to the top, to become one of the most dangerous men in the business, even if this means that the police and other enemies have come out of the woodwork to take his position. The way that Tony slowly becomes more corrupt with power is the highlight of the storytelling process in this film.

Crime – The crime world we enter shows how Tony would do anything to get the power in the world, he gets put through a traumatic experience with his first visit to the world and after that he doesn’t care about the violence he leaves behind him.

Settings – The film shows us the different times that Tony has had, from his first arrival to his mansion he claims as his own after he gets all the money in the world.


Scene of the Movie – Say Hello, to my little friend.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is too long, we have a lot that we don’t need to see.

Final Thoughts – This is one of the strongest gangster movies, showing the drug lords rise to power and just how much it changes him on the way up.

Overall: One of the Best.