The Movie Journal

Enemy Mine (1985) To be frank, I did not think 1985’s Enemy Mine would be anything special. Based on the trailer, it looked like to be one of those forgettable 80’s sci-fi flicks with cheesy special effects and no story. Ironically, the movie is nearly forgotten as time pass, but it really is not that bad of a film. I think the movie is a little dated (in terms of special effects), but the message behind the film is not. Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. carry the film as two completely opposite beings as enemies but eventually form a bond with one another. The film had a long production road- a costly one that nearly got the film shuttered by 20 th Century Fox. The film was originally helmed by Richard Loncraine. His work on the film was received negatively. It was so bad, he actually got fired. His shooting in Iceland looked nothing remotely science-fiction and Gossett’s makeup was atrocious. With the negative dailies received, the executives needed to do something. They hi...

Out of Africa (1985) Sydney Pollack’s Out of Africa is a very interesting case study. On paper, it has the makings of an amazing film; an old-fashioned, lengthy drama that mimics epics of old, an excellent director in Pollack, and two leading stars with high pedigree: Robert Redford and Meryl Streep. Sadly, the finished product does not reach the dazzling heights it could have been. I did thoroughly enjoy the film, but one couldn’t help expressing disappointment. Looking back, how on earth did this film win Best Picture over the likes of The Color Purple or Witness ? It does not even have a fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. Even though I mostly liked it, I can completely sympathize and understand why people would not. Let’s focus on the positives first. Sydney Pollack previously worked with Robert Redford in the excellent 1972 film Jeremiah Johnson . Together, they continued a strong collaboration. Pollack’s direction is sure-handed and competent. Redford, who played a charact...

The Color Purple (1985) Steven Spielberg is probably the world’s most gifted storyteller. As children, he enlightened our minds and made us feel emotions in gems like E.T and Raiders of the Lost Ark. He terrified our souls with that one shark film we all know as Jaws. Up until 1985, Spielberg used science-fiction or fantasy to develop his incredible gift of storytelling. Just like any excellent filmmaker would, he made us cry tears of sadness and tears of laughter. With his first attempt at serious filmmaking, he does the same thing except within the framework of a serious topic. This movie had me grinning and bawling my eyes out. With eleven Oscar nominations (and sadly no wins) it shows that Spielberg has a hand for this kind of material. I was not expecting much, but Spielberg delivered an amazing film. The film, written by Menno Meyjes, is based off the literary classic by Alice Walker. Many people thought the story, about a young black girl suffering from men most of ...

Brazil (1985) Terry Gilliam, the creative genius behind Monty Python , is back with a very weird dystopian drama, Brazil . The film is clever, visually creative, and did I mention weird? Yeah, the film is really weird which is normal for Gilliam. Still, the film is an effective retelling of George Orwell’s 1984. Gilliam created a film about a failing society that operates under bureaucratic nonsense. The film could have been super serious, but Gilliam uses dark comedy and his style of strangeness to elevate the story. It is not to everyone’s taste I need to warn. Some people may think the film goes nowhere or would not understand what is going on. Not even I am sure if I fully understand what was happening, but I was down for it. The film had a checkered past. The studio Universal was very hesitant to release the movie the way Gilliam wanted. The film ended on a dark note, but the studio wanted to give it a happy ending to make it more accessible for consumers a la Blade Runner...

Clue (1985) I have seen 1985’s Clue several times now. Prior to watching it, my friends boasted how it is one of the greatest comedies and mystery films ever made? My initial reaction when the credits rolled was, “Uhhhhhhh…..seriously!?!” I have a blasted headache no thanks to the film. But on subsequent rewatching, while still holding true to my initial thought, I did think the film is a fun if not forgettable 80’s flick. Jonathan Lynn’s script is super-thin and barely holds together, but the excellent cast is the glue that holds the film together. Tim Curry absolutely knocks it out of the park, and I would not hesitate to say this is his finest role despite being in better movies. I remember playing the hit Hasbro board game as a kid. Yay for family nights! It is nuts to think that a feature film, a watchable film that is, was made from the board game. Paramount somehow succeeded! The script eventually came together from producer John Landis when he got the likes of Anthon...

After Hours (1985) The 1980’s was an interesting decade for Martin Scorsese. After Raging Bull , the director made quite a few films this decade-including After Hours . These films are, sometimes unfairly, categorized as minor Scorsese films. They are not Taxi Driver or Raging Bull , but they are still solid-to-great films. It took me some time to get my head wrapped around this film, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Just like 1983’s King of Comedy , Scorsese attempted to blend dark comedy and satire with his features and did so with relative success. Like all of his pictures, Scorsese continues to tell tales about New York City. As a New Yorker, he is the right man for such authenticity. Is there any city in the world other than New York which would allow a mob to form over a simple act of thievery? Most likely not! Still, we are treated to a very angry ice cream truck lady. Are you one of those people who believe that you have such bad luck and what could go wrong, does go w...

Weird Science (1985) Coming off huge commercial hits such as Sixteen Candles and his most popular work, The Breakfast Club , John Hughes returns with his second film of 1985; Weird Science. His new movie turned out to be a solid hit, especially with the teenage audience group. Written in two days, Hughes created another movie about dweeby students trying to find their way in high school. Unfortunately, I felt this is Hughes’s weakest film. He uses more special effects than his previous films and I felt his work on the film’s characters could have been more fleshed out. As I said, the teenage people will adore the film. The adults may find it a little pandering and annoying. That said, the film turned out to be a cult classic. It is not the Hughes movie I would recommend, but there is still some fun to be had mainly thanks to Kelly LeBrock’s magnetic performance. This film is the combination of your basic teen film formula and Frankenstein. “It’s Alive!” is one of the mo...

Back to the Future (1985) If you were having discussions about what is the most popular film from the 1980’s, I can guarantee that 1985’s massively popular Back to the Future will be one of the names floated around. Not only was it a massive hit with critics and audiences alike, I absolutely adore the movie. Directed by Robert Zemeckis ( Romancing the Stone ) and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, this film is a near-perfect blend of science-fiction, comedy, romance, and action. It is also one of those rare films that children and adults will love. I fell in love with the movie as a wee child, and my father loves this movie himself. Maybe it is the intense charm and chemistry of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, or the excellent set design of what the town looks like in 1955, or perhaps that famous Johnny B. Goode scene-but whatever it is, this movie never grows old no matter how many times you watch it. Zemeckis and producer Bob Gale came up with this film’s i...

Cocoon (1985) 1985’s Cocoon is a fine science-fiction movie, if not a little on the sentimental side. The main players are all elderly characters, so this movie appeals to the older crowd. As a younger person, I enjoyed the Spielbergian science fiction and charm you come to expect out of a Spielberg production. There is no frenetic pacing or any complicated plot mechanics. Ron Howard’s direction is laidback, smooth, and often goes with the flow. The film was originally going to be helmed by Robert Zemeckis. Twentieth Century Fox, the studio behind the film, was also behind Zemeckis’s first big-budget adventure, Romancing with the Stone. The studio hated that movie and fired him (and that film turned out to be a big critical and commercial success) and hired Ron Howard to take his place. Howard previously directed the fast-paced comedy The Night Shift and the magical Splash . After what he did with the mermaid movie, the studio believed Howard was the right man for this fil...

The Goonies (1985) As a child, I loved The Goonies . The movie seemed to be a rite of passage for every kid growing up in the 80’s, 90’s, and even today. The movie appealed to me because it has treasure hunts! I mean, what kid does not want to go on a treasure hunt? As an adult, I was ready to dive back into the world of nostalgia. The end result? In terms of Spielberg-produced adventures, I did like Gremlins more. That does not mean I disliked this particular movie or anything. It is a fun, highly-energized adventure film with all of those Spielbergian trademarks we all come to know and love. I think I outgrew the main characters. They had wonderful chemistry and acted like normal children, but perhaps I was a little annoyed with them. Steven Spielberg did not direct the movie, only merely produced it. He oversaw the production, however. Spielberg was one of those innovators who introduced “horror films for children”, the trend that grew massive starting in the 1980’s....

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) Eh…..can we just skip Rambo: First Blood Part II and keep watching First Blood on repeat? Okay, maybe this action-packed sequel is not the most awful movie out there, but the 1985 flick is definitely subpar when compared to the first film. The first film was an excellent character study about a Vietnam veteran prone to violence. This film, while exploring some interesting ideas, turns into the run-of-the-mill action flick. The “returning to Vietnam” plot has been done to death by this point, so I did lose interest. Funny enough, this film was a major hit. Major enough to keep the story of John Rambo going into current day. The screenplay was written by Sylvester Stallone…and James Cameron. Yup, you read that right. The James Cameron that introduced himself with a bang in 1984’s The Terminator. This was an eclectic pairing, and it definitely shows. Cameron has seen better days with screenwriting. According to Stallone, his draft included...

The Sure Thing (1985) Rob Reiner’s The Sure Thing may not be an original coming-of-age story like The Breakfast Club , but we still are treated to an irresistible and charming flick that will grow on you. The movie may not be overly original, and you can predict the ending from light-years away, but that does not matter too much when you’re given a good time. There are no gratuitous sex scenes (which actually surprised me) or anything similar. You are given an old-fashioned movie that focuses on what it is like to fall in love. And yes, this “teen” film also doubles as a fun road trip movie where the film is at it’s best. The film is directed by Rob Reiner, the son of legendary actor/director Carl Reiner. Reiner carved himself a very nice career, which of course includes this film. He understands teen/coming-of-age flicks incredibly well. If you do not believe me check out 1987’s Stand by Me . That is a classic. This film, while not a classic, is Reiner at his sweetest....

The Breakfast Club (1985) When people talk about teen movies, most minds stray to John Hughes’s 1985 classic, The Breakfast Club . Like his previous feature Sixteen Candles , Hughes attempts to explore the teenage mind. Just like that film, this film is a relatable teenage character study. Each of the main characters are vastly different in terms of image and personality, but they eventually share a common interest; a seething anger for adults, mainly their Principal Vernon. The film is a little on the talky, philosophical side but John Hughes made every word count with his screenplay and style of direction. Hughes made each one of the characters relatable for the people who have been through high school, even downright likable at times. Believe it or not, Universal was highly skeptical of the film. When shooting began, Sixteen Candles was not released yet, so the studio was still dealing with an unproven director. Hughes was able to calm the film’s investors. After all...

Witness (1985) Peter Weir’s Witness is a movie that literally took my breath away. The film was marketed as a tense thriller set within the Amish community. The ads failed to show the film for what it really is: an intelligent love story confined in a thriller. The first half is a tense thriller, but it slowly leads into a believable romance story before turning on the thriller button again. Both parts of the film are excellent! Harrison Ford, who earned an Academy Award nomination, is at his very best here. Trust me, this film is not your typical police thriller. Earl Wallace’s and William Kelley’s sensitive, endearing script was circling around Hollywood for a few years before being picked up. The script went out of its way to show the Amish culture as real as it can be within the thriller setting. After the film’s release, the Amish were very concerned about tourists invading their land. They were also somewhat critical of the script. That said, I loved how the film ...

Blood Simple (1985) Joel and Ethan Coen deserve a huge round of applause for the way they stormed the cinematic world with their debut Blood Simple. The Coen Brothers are currently a Hollywood wonder, but their debut back in 1984 was simply unforgettable. They proved themselves master storytellers with their complicated plot. They also proved that they can effectively use visuals to tell they story they want to tell. Yes, this story is bloody, gory, twisty, and incredibly fun. I love the story how the Coen Brothers got their film made. They made a trailer themselves. It was a short trailer about a man dragging a shovel on a road to a man he was going to kill. It was brief and to the point. These unknown men went door-to-door looking for financing so they can make their movie. They succeeded. They were able to raise the million or so dollars needed to make their film. The film then was made in a short time and premiered at the 1984 Sundance Festival where it was well-rec...