The Movie Journal

Sophie's Choice (1982) Have you ever heard of someone use the term “Sophie’s Choice” before? If so, have you thought about what it meant, or where the term comes from? According to Dictionary.com, “Sophie’s choice refers to an extremely difficult decision a person has to make. It describes a situation where no outcome is preferable over the other.” That term comes from the heartbreaking choice the main character, Sophie had to make in the novel by William Styron and the 1982 Alan J. Pakula film, Sophie’s Choice . When this scene appeared in the movie, all my emotional defenses collapsed and I weeped. This scene, where poor Sophie had to give in to the Nazis, tore me apart and is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in any movie that appeared on a giant screen. I really need to talk about this film’s acting because this film is such a character-driven film. Meryl Streep absolutely owns this role as Sophie, and it shows why she is the greatest actress of any generatio...

Tootsie (1982) Tootsie is a gem of a movie and is way better than I completely thought it would be. This film is more than just Dustin Hoffman dressing up in drag. It is a story that has many things to say. Even more ironic is the movie speaks positively towards the side of feminism-something you would not expect a movie about cross-dressing to do. Like many comedies of the 1980’s, we get a story that goes from Point A to Point B. This is not a comedy that provides belly-roll laughing, but it is a thought-provoking story that will make you think while making you laugh. When a comedy film is able to effectively tell a story without sacrificing the laughs, then the filmmakers have succeeded into making comedy gold! This movie harkens back to the golden age of Hollywood-where comedies would be absurd but would also be dramatic and a little tender. That is the main reason why I was able to smile so hard after the completion of this movie. Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) is a...

Gandhi (1982) “I am a Muslim and a Hindu and a Christian and a Jew and so are all of you.”-Ben Kingsley. The above quote, spoken by Ben Kingsley in the 1982 drama Gandhi, shows what kind of man Mahatma Gandhi was. In a harsh world filled with violence and racism, this one man became a prophet, a messiah if you will. He wanted to change the world for the better using non-violent tactics. He wanted to use nonviolence to end segregation against Indians in South Africa, to end British rule in India, to create a peaceful country for Muslims in a country today known as Pakistan. Through his methods, Gandhi achieved what only most people dream of achieving in their lifetimes. He was a man for the people and no matter who the person is or what kind of religion that person believes in, he loved you no matter what. In this long, sprawling epic, you will become a believer of this spiritual man. At least I did. This is the kind of man that we need in our world today. A man full of h...

First Blood (1982) In 1982, First Blood introduced audiences from all over the world the man we know as John Rambo, played by Sylvester Stallone. This is an action film, but the movie is not seen as an action film, but more of a “survival wilderness” movie that allows for ripe characterization. Unlike the sequels that follow which depict Rambo as a cold-blooded killing machine, we get a man dehumanized by his exploits in the Vietnam War and someone we can sympathize with because of the events that occur. It is because we have such a character, is why we have an above-average action film. The film itself explores nothing new, but the themes remain powerful and provoking all the same. The Vietnam War took a lot out of the military and the people of the United States in general, and films from the 1970’s and 1980’s take these issues to heart. This is also what elevates the movie above average action fare. Stallone portrays John Rambo, a former Green Beret. He wanders to a town...

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) After viewing Fast Times at Ridgemont High , my first thought was “Why are all history teachers portrayed in media evil?” Such an odd thought, but a worthy thought given my own experience. All of my history teachers/professors were cool, but I guess Hollywood has a thing against history. That said, I did like Mr. Hand and his paranoia of everyone being high on dope. Anyhow, this 1982 film is essentially the American Graffiti of the 1980’s. It is a realistic, honest portrayal of how high school life was like back then. My high school life was a good twenty-five years after the film, but I can relate to the themes, because all generations go through the same thing. Love, betrayal, abortion, poor jobs-well, everyone knows how that is like. This decade is well-known for its teen comedies, so Amy Heckerling’s film was the one to kick everything off. The movie was written by future filmmaker Cameron Crowe based on his adventures of growing ...

Night Shift (1982) 1982’s Night Shift is Ron Howard’s directorial film debut. We may know him as the orange-haired kid from American Graffiti , but he begins his impressive film debut with this amusing romantic comedy/buddy film. I thought the movie excels in some areas, while falling below standards in others. For example, the interaction between Michael Keaton and Henry Winkler is the reason to see the movie. However, when the film tries to act as a romcom, things get somewhat weak. That said, this is the movie that launched the career of Michael Keaton’s. That has to amount for something, right? Chuck Lumley (Henry Winkler) works at the city’s morgue. He suffered a panic attack amidst the Wall Street workers and decided it would be better for him to work the night shift away from the hustle and bustle. His life is turned upside down when he meets the strange, fast-talking Bill Blazejowksi (Michael Keaton). His obnoxious partner has these ideas to “get rich quick.” Aft...

Blade Runner (1982) I remember my first viewing of 1982’s Blade Runner . From the director of Alien , the guy who starred in Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark , and a science fiction setting that was marketed as some sort of sci-fi adventure in the vein of Star Wars , this couldn’t go wrong, right? My young teenage self was in for utter disappointment. I did not expect a deep, thoughtful movie that explores what it means to be human. With hardly any action scenes, I was pretty disappointed. More than ten years later, I gave the film a chance with a more mature pair of eyes. I certainly was able to appreciate the wonders of the movie a lot more. This is one of those films that is always misunderstood at first, but people come back to appreciate it later on. Like this one particular viewer! Ridley Scott, coming off his highly successful horror sci-fi Alien wanted to direct something with more meaning and lyrical, so he was given Hampton Fancher’s script to read. Based on ...

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) 1982’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is a movie for the ages and an instant classic. Watching this movie again gave me the feels of nostalgia. This film was an important part of my childhood and now as an adult, this movie is still nothing but exceptional filmmaking. This is a movie that is perfect for the entire family and it is a story that both adults and children can relate to. The central theme is about a lonely child finding a new friend. By the time the credits roll on your screen, there will not be a dry eye in the house. This is the kind of enchanting and magical film we have here. E.T was directed by the great Steven Spielberg whom we know as the director of famed films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Raiders of the Lost Ark. He ventured into more family-friendly territory with this movie. He made the movie a parallel to his own childhood. As a child in 1960, Spielberg’s parents divorced thus leaving him quite lonely...

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1982) Mad Max 2 or The Road Warrior known in the United States, is a bigger and more exhilarating action film that expands on the lore set with 1980’s Mad Max. After watching the movie, I was left deafened by the louder, crazier action sequences. And I mean that in a good way. This movie would be the kind of movie that modern-day director Michael Bay would have made if he did not insist on dumbing down his action movies, but I guess he never took good notes. The movie sets aside any rapid characterization or plot to focus on the impressive action sequences that we see in the last half of the movie. Through this relentless action, I can definitely see why people find this to be one of the best action films of all time. I am not the biggest Mad Max fan. I do appreciate the action and the apocalyptic themes, but the original trilogy does not appeal to me as it does to others, and that is quite okay! The first film in the series was not a success ...