#12: The Rocketeer (1991)

 

You ever have that one movie that you're surprised didn't succeed as you would have expected? Like, all the signs were there, but it just didn't happen? There's a bunch to consider but for me the most shocking one is The Rocketeer. The comic book superhero that should have had everything but suffered from a failure to launch. It's been a long time since I've watched this movie and I remember really liking it. So,  with this blog being a good excuse, I'm ready to rewatch it. And what are my thoughts after over a decade? Honestly, still pretty positive. But let's talk about why I still enjoy The Rocketeer.

#11: Fright Night Part 2 (1988)

So, when it comes to most of these movies I watch for the blog, my intent is to go as semi-blind as possible, form my opinions of it, then see the overall consensus and history surrounding it. Helps in my situation. So, I had known that this movie was a direct sequel to the original Fright Night from 1985. I knew that William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowell returned. I watched it and, honestly, I think it worked more for me than the original did even if the plot has a bunch of very cliche sequel stuff involved. What I wasn't aware of was what happened shortly after the film's release. But we'll get to why there was no Fright Night Part 3 in a bit. Let's talk about the movie first.

#10: Fright Night (1985)

So, funny story to start this blog off. I have never watched the original 1985 movie Fright Night before my recent viewing. Yet, I was aware of the movie's story beats. See, in 2011, in the still yonder days of Youtube, I was a frequent watcher of the Youtube account Legolambs. Comprised of John and Al Kaplan, the duo released musical parodies of 80s films. Perhaps the most famous one being Predator: The Musical. But the one that always stuck with me was Fright Night: The Musical. Now, I was aware of the original movie and this was just around the time the remake was released. So even watching this would spoil a 26 year old film for me, but I figured, heck with it. I think of all the musical parodies, this one (and the Rocky IV one) stuck with me ever since. Yet, I still took over another decade to sit down and watch the film. And what did I think of it? I liked it. Is it my favorite movie I've covered so far? Probably not. But did I still enjoy it? Oh, definitely.

#09: Pinocchio (1940)

Every few years or so, it seems that we get a metric ton of movies based on one particular fairy tale or classic story. We got a bunch of Robin Hood movies a few times, a bunch of Snow White movies, Cinderella is another example. I guess given that the material is often timeless and in the public domain you get these weird years of just a bunch of movies based on one story. And boy, was 2022 the case for Pinocchio for some reason. From that weird direct to video one with Pauly Shore as the voice in the English dub, to Guillermo Del Toro's take, to Disney pulling another of its classic films out to dance for money. 2022 was the weird Pinocchio year. I'll likely get to some of those, but for now it's time to continue my run through the Disney animated films. Started this blog with Snow White, so stands to reason we continue with Disney's second animated masterpiece. How does the original Pinocchio hold up?

#08: The Princess Bride (1987)

 

I've said before that the main reason for this blog was to finally give me the motivation to watch the movies I've wanted to watch but didn't put in the energy to actually watch. I don't think any one movie so far fits that description better than The Princess Bride. A movie that has always been within my radar, but for one reason or the other, I've never put in the effort to actually sit down and watch. I think it boils down to just being my ADHD and focus more on video games and other media. Because I knew that it would be a movie I'd love when I finally watched it. And, lo and behold, after finally watching it, I hate it.

...I hate it that I waited so long to finally watch it because yep, that may be one of my favorite movies ever. 

#07: Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future (1985)

 

We're in this current timeline where, seemingly now more than ever, there's been a focus on artificial intelligence. Mostly through art, which of course is mostly theft, which I've been trying not to support. It seems like we're in this weird push for and against AI as a replacement for human effort. So, of course with a lot of this happening just as I'm about to start a blog, of course I could use this to my advantage. And my choice was to go with probably one of the best examples of the "AI" future, involving one of the more bizarre creations from the 1980s. Let's talk about Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future.

#06: The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999)

Last time on the blog, I covered Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird. From 1985, it was Sesame Street's first attempt at a big theatrical film. And while it was well received, it underwhelmed at the box office. Yet despite that, it still holds up as an excellent piece of Sesame Street history and as a good film in its own right. I call it a pivotal piece of Sesame Street's best era. Is that fair to say though? What about the 90s? Was that a good era for Sesame Street? Yes, and kind of no? Because by the end of the decade, the show went from the show with Big Bird to the Elmo show. Elmo, the furry red monster who started as an extra Muppet before becoming a staple character, gained increased popularity throughout the 90s. And in 1996, one could say that led to the most defining era of Elmo and the harbinger of things to come. Three words that bring forth the trauma of parents who survived the Black Fridays of the 90s. 

Tickle. Me. Elmo.