Tuff Turf is a picture book of eighties clichés featuring gangs of troubled youngsters, and a movie that takes itself amusingly seriously – thus earning our 80s blog recommendation!
Month: May 2015
#198 Dead Calm (1989)
Dead Calm does tons of stuff right in setting up a top notch nautical thriller, but is ultimately watered down by some bland dramaturgic choices and one disappointing antagonist.
#197 Malibu Express (1985)
A collection of titty scenes loosely tied together by random events. Malibu Express – like all of Sidaris’ films – is truly an experience, but doesn’t quite yet reach the sheer epicness of his later work.
#196 High Spirits (1988)
20% a movie and 80% a Disney World theme park ride, High Spirits is saved from total oblivion mostly by its amazing all-star cast who manage keep the movie afloat to the end.
#195 Any Which Way You Can (1980)
A sequel to the original 1978 action comedy, Any Way Which You Can looks and feels like a child of the 70s, and is only worth your while if you’re a fan of Eastwood.
#194 Vampire’s Kiss (1988)
One of the weirdest movies ever, Vampire’s Kiss is interesting study about plunging deep into schizophrenia, but as a comedy it feels like a prolonged one-time joke.
#193 The Midnight Hour (1985)
What could be the best quality TV movie of the eighties, The Midnight Hour plays like a horror music video; never scary or original, but always entertaining.
#192 So Fine (1981)
Starts a little slow, gets disoriented fast, wonders around without direction for an hour and desperately tries to fill the remaining 30 minutes with whatever nonsense.
#191 Prince of Darkness
Unrelenting, eery and above all entertaining, John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness is heads and shoulders above the slasher horror movies of the era.
#190 White Water Summer (1987)
A wilderness instructor takes a bunch of kids too far in a adventure film that, although a bit eventless, manages to bring something new to the genre.
#189 Who’s That Girl (1987)
A totally underappreciated comedy gem with Madonna’s amazing soundtrack, some great action, wonderfully crafted characters and electric chemistry between the two leads.
#188 Deathtrap (1982)
A play within a play wrapped in a movie, Deathtrap throws in a plot twist after another and manages to do it all in an original way, holding the suspense until the end.
#187 See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)
Pryor and Wilder did a lot of misses and some outright tired performances in 80s, but here in See No Evil, Hear No Evil they both get it all absolutely right.
#186 The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988)
Often hilariously bad, the shoelace budgeted, made-for-tv superhero movie features a paper thin plot, a hulk with a mullet and – unexpectedly – lots of strange charm.
#185 Hot Pursuit (1987)
Hot Pursuit takes half an hour to really take off, but once it does, it provides some great tropical settings, adventure, romance and comedy in one tight and cheesy 80s package.
#184 Creature aka Titan Find (1985)
Sure, this Creature thing resembles far too much of Ridley Scott’s Alien, but the movie itself – even with its flaws – stands firmly on its own.
#183 Tender Mercies (1983)
Robert Duvall excels as a drunken retired country singer in a modern cowboy drama that does everything in its own beautiful, slow-paced, subtle and non-underlining way.