Rarely do we actually get to sit down and review special re-releases.  When paramount released their I Love the 80's collections, I just had to beg.  

So without further delay, let's rock this motha out!

Some Kind of Wonderful

Hmmm.... how does one describe this movie.  The best way to describe it is to simply say it's the most relaxed, tension filled, film in some time.   Featuring an all-star cast of young up-and-comers, you've got Eric Stoltz leading the pack as the loser/main character Keith, who has fallen head-over-heels for prom-queen-esque Amanda, played by Lea Thompson.  In the background, Keith's best friend Watts (it was cool to be named after power in the 80's), played by Mary Stuart Masterson, is supports and envies his plight for Amanda's love.  As you would expect, especially in a John Huges film, love just isn't that easy.  In between Amanda and Keith stands pretty-boy, seducer Hardy, played by Craig Sheffer (ice, ice, baby! love that hair).   Keith will do anything to get Amanda, while Watts wants nothing more than to make her best friend happy, even if it means sacrificing her feelings.  

First, this movie would not work now.  It just wouldn't. While it was accepted in the 80's, in some degree, stalking is no longer a very accepted practice.  Keith pretty much stalks Amanda, obsesses over her until she's his.  The opening scene of the film shows him walking by her house and staring.  There are three instances where this occurs in the film.  It just wouldn't fly, he would be arrested by that point.  Seriously speaking (or typing), Eric Stoltz nails the character of Keith.  He just nails it like a hammer.  He's a very likable character, one that certainly deserves a chance at the prom queen, but what makes him especially likable is that he's down to earth.  He knows more than anybody in the film that his chances of maintaining a relationship with one of the nicest (in the sexy sense) girls in his school is remote at best.  His character shows that taking a chance sometimes works out and sometimes doesn't, end the end it still is a valuable situation to have gotten in because a lesson is learned. 

John Huges has always been, and always will be, the master of the 80's and capturing the moment.  He knows teen films and what it's like growing up.  This is the man who did Sixteen Candles, which is the ultimate teen movie of all-time (yes, I have seen it, I love Long Duck Dong!).  He captures the perfect essence of a teenage transitioning to a young man through the Stoltz's character.  It's frightening to see how well it goes.   If only kids could learn from such a role model.  What he has also done is presented the way women get treated by men, which is always a sensitive subject.  Amanda's unhappy with her relationship with Hardy, and rightfully so, but continues to see him/want him only because of the social pressures of high school life.  Watts is the complete opposite, she doesn't get involved with Keith because she doesn't want to get hurt and she wants the best for him, which in her opinion apparently isn't her.  She's an independent character not willing to put herself in the situation to be hurt, which she has had enough in her personal life.  Each character, even the a-hole Hardy, is so incredibly well-defined that you have to commend Hughes for once again making normal characters into something greater.  

All great stories are character driven, this is a great example of that. 

So sorry, but it's going to be okay

Outside of the great movie, the DVD contains no features.  Forgive them for this, it's a cheap (cost-wise) DVD and it's simply better to adore the film than the features. 

Still, what could you lose? Do it for Keith

You're going to hear this repeated a lot in the next couple reviews, but what could you lose by adding this DVD to your library.  It's a re-mastered film (audio and video) and it's cheap.  Good movies don't come cheap, but this one breaks that rule.  It truly is Some Kind of Wonderful. 

Pretty in Pink

Dude.... Duckie?  You won't believe this, but I actually knew someone in high school (not going to name the year) that actually was referred to by that name.  Just know that it was nearly a decade after the film was made (D'OH! You mathematical geniuses!).  My point?  That's how popular this film was. 

This is the first time I have had the pleasure of watching Pretty in Pink and I will be honest with you it just wasn't the movie I was expecting.  Here's the gist if you need the skinny on this film.  Andie Walsh is a single child who is being raised by a single parent, who struggles with finding work.  She busts her ass making a living and fitting in with her small group in high school.  Her co-worker/friend is Iona (played by Annie Potts -- Designing Women and Ghostbusters), who is way out of her age group to be hanging with a high school girl.  Andie best friend from high school is a obsessed stalker (he should meet with Keith and talk through things), and eccentric individual, named Duckie.  Duckie's big issue is that he's very much in love with Andie, but she doesn't take him seriously.  When Andie falls for a rich fellow named Blane (what a rich name!), they struggle in perfect Romeo & Juliet fashion to keep their love away from the people around them.   With so many good people, like any 80's film, there has to be an a-hole and who would it happen to be.... wait for it.... James Spader's Steff.  I'm not a huge fan of Spader, I always feel that he ruins films.  I don't know why, but he just has that 'thing' about him where practically every movie he's in is a dud.  Sorry, Mr. Spader, I mean no offense by this.  I blame the filmmakers before I blame you.  Anyway, I digress, Spader is the perfect jerk! He's got that sway about him that will eat you up alive, which makes his role in this film perfect. 

Again, John Hughes looks at a more serious side of a love triangle, not as light-hearted as Some Kind of Wonderful, but still very relatable for most teens.  If you minus the hair, the awful clothes than you'll find one great John Huges film lying underneath.  It's an instant classic, but still a bit creepy with Duckie.  Jon Cryer has those eyes that just scare the beejebus out of you! They worked great in Hot Shots! though.  

So is this simple movie an 80's classic?  Many people say it is.   For me, I think that it serves a purpose on many levels (self-discovery, coming-of-age, stalking issues), but I still think that Sixteen Candles is a much better film.  It still lies on top of the Hughes classics, and rightfully so.  I didn't see the particularly big deal with Pretty in Punk, but it is worth the price of admission.  It's a wonderful edition to an already cool set of 80's films. 

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ha! You wish you were alive when this film came out.  You would have felt like the greatest teenager in the whole damn world!  If you have been living under a rock or not allowed to watch movies about PG-13, than allow me to explain this film. 

Ferris Bueller is a suffering rich kid.  His sister hates him, his parents don't get him, he doesn't own a car, he has a girlfriend who will do anything for him (except marry him), he has a hypochondriac friend named Cameron and, most of all, he's got a principal who will stop at nothing to catch him in the act of doing anything wrong.   Ferris concocts a plan one day to act sick, meet up with his friends and spend a wonderful day in Chicago.  Faking the death of his girlfriend's grandmother and taking Cameron, and his father's car, with him for the day, Ferris Bueller truly has himself a day off.  The catch?  Principal Ed Rooney suspects his plan and goes after Bueller.  The secondary catch? His sister Jeanie also runs parallel with Rooney in catching Ferris in the act of skipping school and faking sickness. 

My God! If you haven't seen this film than you cannot fathom how great it is.  Forgive that Ferris is a rich kid with privileges.  Forgive him that he only cares about the moment rather than the consequences.  Forgive him of all these things.  Matthew Broderick redefined what a teenager should be doing during school and John Hughes helped him bring this Bueller kid to life.   You get to see the serious side of things in this movie, but mostly you get to just have some great fun.  No Pretty in Pink or Some Kind of Wonderful dilemmas.  No, my friend you are just set-up for a great time in this film.  From beginning to end, even while Broderick is breaking the fourth wall, you'll find so much fun in here that you'll watch this classic over and over again. 

Imagine this for only $14. What a deal! This is why the I Love the 80's DVD releases are so good.  Movies like this really make it worth your while.  It's classic!  I know it was made in 1986, but you'll still be jamming to the Beatles song during the parade scene.  Trust me, you will.  You'll also fall in love with Ben Stein, who delivers one of the most classic lines... Bueller... Bueller....

Love it! That's all you can do. 

Hey! There's something extra to this day off...

Extras certainly are scarce in this set of DVD releases, but you get great commentary from John Hughes on the Bueller DVD.  It's small, but still great. 

Top Gun (written by Beth Barnes, who adores the volleyball scene)

This edition of Top Gun is part of an “I love the 80s” set issued by Paramount and VH-1.  Like the other DVDs in this grouping, it includes a music CD with four 1980s hits.

Top Gun was released in 1986, so it definitely fits the 80s category.  It was a big part of creating Tom Cruise’s action hero persona, and also featured big performances by Kelly McGillis and Anthony Edwards.  

As Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Cruise experienced both triumph (selection to the elite Top Gun training program at Miramar), tragedy (the death of his RIO and best friend, Anthony Edwards’ Goose, in an accident that Maverick feels responsible for), and redemption, big time.  There was also romance along with the action, as Maverick hooked up with McGillis’ Charlie, a civilian contractor.

Director Tony Scott and producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer got great cooperation from the U.S. Navy, making it possible to get terrific fighter jet footage and access to technical advisers who knew how the selection and training process actually worked.  Much of the filming was done at the Miramar naval base in San Diego and on an actual Navy aircraft carrier.

The performances are all solid.  Cruise shines in this one, and it’s a role he’s still closely identified with.  (Bet this is one that factored into Katie Holmes’ dreams when she was growing up!)  Edwards and Meg Ryan as Goose’s wife give warm performances that help to smooth Maverick’s rough edges.

Val Kilmer, Rick Rossovich, Tom Skerritt and Michael Ironsides are among the other pilots and trainers.  Kilmer and Rossovich get special props from me for their contribution to the best skins vs. skins volleyball game ever put on film.

This series is light on special features.  Here, there’s a commentary track with Bruckheimer, Scott and several of the advisers on the film that I’m pretty sure is the same one included on the 2004 Special Collector’s Edition release.  For a fun touch, there are four music videos – “Take My Breath Away” (Berlin), “Danger Zone” (Kenny Loggins), “Heaven in Your Eyes” (Loverboy) and “Top Gun Anthem” (Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens) that are all seriously 80s.  The film itself doesn’t seem all that dated, but these videos sure are.  In particular, check out all the teased hair in the Loverboy video (mostly concert footage), and Steve Stevens’ own tonsorial exuberance.  Finally, there are a number of TV trailers for the film, which are kind of interesting just to see the different ways Paramount positioned the movie.  (Well, if you’re into marketing like I am, it’s interesting. If not, probably not worth watching.)

Two quibbles on this.  First, if this is a VH-1 deal, why can’t we have the “Pop-Up Video” versions of the music videos?  That would be great, and might explain just what the heck’s going on in Berlin’s video.  And, the music CD that comes with the movies in this collection is the same in every movie.  If you want us to buy all of them, how about different songs on each CD?  That would be a nice extra incentive to pony up the $15 or so per DVD that Paramount wants for this.

Still, it’s Cruise at his cocky, smoldering best, and McGillis matching him stare for stare.  C’mon, you know you feel the need, the need for speed!

Again, like I said at the very beginning of this review, we rarely get to do re-releases when it comes to reviewing material.  When I saw that Paramount had nearly its entire 80's library out in this new category of DVDs, I couldn't wait to see them.  The cost is cheap, the re-mastering of the DVD is beautiful, and if you can forgive the lack of features... you'll be happy! 

Wicked good stuff.