Assault on precinct 13 (1976) original

This is John Carpenter (legendary horror director)'s second film, he still hasn't made a horror movie at this point yet. His first film was a Sci-fi comedy (Dark Star [1974]), and this one is an action/crime-thriller. The movie does feel like a horror movie at times though. The film is about a police precinct that is being moved across town in L.A. California. The film takes place on the precinct's last day of operation. A police officer on his first day on the job is assigned to watch over the precinct for its final 24 hours. The trouble begins however when a gang who recently had several of its members killed/arrested by cops from precinct 13, decide to get revenge, and attack the precinct. There are only five people trapped inside left to fend off the seemingly endless hordes of criminals trying to get in and kill them all.  The movie is really similar to Night of the Living Dead (1968). The protagonist in both films is black, there are only four to five people trapped inside trying to fend off seemingly endless hordes of inhuman monsters (the criminals in Precinct are completely dehumanized and never talk while they are attacking, and the audience is completely disconnected from them), and the trapped people in both have an argument about retreating to the basement. The movie also has a stellar 80s-esque score (composed by Carpenter) that helps intensify the mood. I really did enjoy this one, pretty much everyone knows John Carpenter for his horror movies (Halloween, The Thing, etc.) but this was the first of his action movies (Big Trouble in Little China, Escape

 from New York, They Live) and it's good, but what is most striking about it to me is how 

funny it is. People tend to overlook the comedy element of Carpenter's movies but so many of them are so funny, and in my opinion this is his funniest; Here's an example: A secretary in the station is pouring the new police officer a cup of coffee and asks "Black?" meaning "would you like your coffee black?" and the African American officer responds smiling "Have been for over 30 years!" This being an early film of Carpenter's, there are no big name stars (but the little girl from Escape to Witch Mountain [1975] is in it) in it. Apparently this film was remade in 2005 with Ethan Hawke and Laurence Fishburne. This is an all around great thriller, looks great, sounds great, is written great and acted great. The only thing it could have done better to make a full-fledged action flick instead of one with a horror vibe, would have been to develop the enemy's character more, instead of them being faceless and nameless. I give it a 4.5/5. This film is available to stream instantly on Netflix. You can view the trailer below:

Child's Play 2 (1990)

I've been meaning to write a review of this one for quite a while, I saw it a while ago and just never got around to it because I didn't feel as strong of an urge to write about this one as I did Black Christmas, or the original Child's Play, or Fright Night, or Badlands, or any of the other movies I really loved. This one was ok, better than the average horror movie sequel, but still on par to some of the other movies I've reviewed (or have seen but have yet to write about) is just ok. I liked that they kept the kid and Chucky as the same actors from the first movie. I also liked how this one was more humorous than the first (the sequels seem to get progressively funnier as they go). The plot is that the toy company who made the Good Guy dolls rebuilt the insidious Chucky to try aid their defense in court against the mother the police officers and the child, but they realize the error of their ways too late when Chucky kills some of the workers and escapes to go back to pursuing Andy from the first movie. This one is less believable than the first, and a little less scary than the first, but this one does have its moments.

The highlight of the film for me is no question the last 20 minutes or so when Chucky is chasing the kids through the maze of Good Guy dolls in the toy factory. Nothing is quite as scary as running away from a killer through a maze that has his face all over the walls. I also liked how this movie picked up right after the first Child's Play, just like Halloween 2, so that the sequel isn't a different story with one same character, but a continuation of the first story. Overall I give this a 3.75/5, it's better than most horror sequels, but I wouldn't classify it as one of the better sequels in the horror genre either. The movie is available to be streamed on Netflix, and you can watch the trailer below (You can also listen to the cheesy novelty song  they made to promote the series "The Chucky Rap", that I recently discovered, here):

Rollerball (1975) original

I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did/do. The movie starts off by really showcasing the futuristic sport that it's about: Rollerball, which is like a combination of a roller derby, a chariot race and football. I'm not a sports guy, so the fact that the first 10-20 minutes of the film are nothing but coverage of the Rollerball game made me lose interest pretty quick. Don't get me wrong I enjoy the action of the game and those scenes later on in the film (they get more and more violent each time they play, and I read somewhere that this film contains some of the more violent stunts ever put to film), but those scenes are more enjoyable as we learn more about the main character (played by James Caan) and are emotionally invested in the character and what happens to him, the first scene is basically just designed to showcase what the game is and how it's played. Though the action is great and the visuals are dated something fierce, the true appeal of this film lies in the realm of the philosophical. Rollerball is set in a futuristic dystopian society where corporations rule the world and control the masses. The corporations designed the sport of rollerball to demonstrate the futility of the individual and thus keep people living, acting and thinking in herds because groups are much easier to control than individuals. So in other words one team might be better than another, but no individual  player should be idolized (example: The Broncos vs. Peyton Manning), problems occur however when one Jonathan E. of the Houston team starts setting and breaking all records in the game. The fans become

obsessed with Jonathan and the corporations consequently want him to retire, when Jonathan refuses however the corporations keep changing the rules of the game to decrease the likelihood of Jonathan's survival in the game, even if it means killing all the other players in the process as well. In a world where the super bowl is as big of an event as it is (and considering that it is also controlled by the corporations who sponsor it), it's very easy to see some of the dangers of Rollerball paralleled in real life. One thing that is also illustrated in the film is "the man" trying to keep the people "down" and under control by taking away their education and ability to learn (all books have been processed into computers and nobody has access to them, or cares about them anymore) because sport is valued above knowledge. Some of the issues hit very close to home with current problems in society. Rollerball can also be taken deeper too in the sense that Jonathan goes on a sort of moral/spiritual/personal quest to find meaning in his life and "what's it all about?" by asking one of the future's super computers (think Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Another interesting way to look at Rollerball is that it is a futuristic commentary on communism/socialism. Ultimately though Rollerball is about the triumph of the human spirit/will in adverse circumstances. A surprisingly intellectual film under the guise of an action movie, and enjoyable as both, it is interesting that Rollerball has become the cult classic that it is. The acting is top notch from supporting actors John Houseman (in one of his best known roles) and knighted English actor Sir Ralph Richardson, not to mention James Caan giving one of the best performances of his career. As I mentioned before though, the visuals have dated, and the film does drag a little at times, but it is relatively easy to follow, and though it is deep it is not verbose. It is also worth mentioning this is one of the many sci-fi stories that influenced the ever so popular Hunger Games series, and that the film was remade in 2002.  I give this one a 4.5/5, you can view the trailer below:

Ravenous (1999)

Make no mistake, this film is messed up. Ravenous takes place in the 1800s during the Mexican-American war. The story is set at a military outpost in the mountains of northern California. A man who has been wandering through the wilderness for 3 days arrives at the outpost telling the men about the misfortune he has suffered since embarking with his family to California. He and the rest of his party got stuck in the mountains ran out of food, ate all their horses and oxen, and then eventually started eating each other (based on true story of the donner party). The man then tells the soldiers that there are still two people alive trapped in the cave and he begs them to go look for them, the soldiers comply and follow the man to the cave only to realize no one was left alive and that they just walked into a trap. This film is very different, it is a period piece, but because of its quick editing and Tarantino-esque grittyness ( as well as a semi rock soundtrack and a very high David Arquette, and Guy Pearce in the lead role) this film has a definite distinct 90s feel. The formula for the film is two parts horror, one part morality tale, and one part black comedy (this is the darkest of dark humor). The tagline for the film: "You are who you eat" pretty much says it all, of all the films out there about cannibalism that I know of though, I would have to say this is the most well made of them all (from a technical aspect). The film also has some really good twists in it and it is very psychological, but in a way that challenges everything you've ever been taught about what's right and wrong, and I didn't really like that to say the least. If cannibal movies are your thing though by all means give this one a watch, but it was a bit too disturbing for my taste (no pun intended), so much so that I found myself still disturbed by it days after seeing it. I give it a 5/5 for how well made it is, but weighing my actual enjoyment of the film a give it a 3.5/5; You can view the trailer below:

Pet Sematary (1989)

I had heard mixed reviews about this one for a long time, and I thought the story had strong ties to witchcraft or the occult ( I love horror movies but I tend to stay away from that subject matter, that's the only stuff that really spooks me too bad) so it took me a while to get around to it. That all being said though, the film deals with ancient Native American burial grounds (always a great start for a horror movie), it fits into the "killer kid" sub-genre of horror, has Stephen King appear as a priest, Fred Gwynne (the actor most known for being Herman Munster from the tv series The Munsters) is a main character, and The Ramones contribute a couple songs to the soundtrack (including the title theme which was their highest charting single ever on The Billboard charts). Also the story is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, but it is influenced by the classic horror folk tale "The Monkey's Paw". That all should make the movie sound great because it is, I loved every minute of it. The acting was terrific by everyone involved ( I should also mention the child actor who played the son is probably best known for his roles as a friend of Michelle Tanner on the classic 90s sitcom Full House, and Kindergarten Cop[1990]), the cinematography and special effects are great, it's a terrific drama for a lot of the film, but it is also funny and definitely freaky in parts. The story is about a family moving to New England and shortly after they arrive their cat dies. The family's neighbor then shows the dad of the family a place where he can bury his cat so that it will come back to life. Shortly after tragedy strikes the family, the husband is tempted to use the magic of the secret burial ground again. There are a lot of King's trademarks here, a New England setting, a psychic connection with the young girl, and strong dramatic overtones. This is also the movie that made Mary Lambert (the director of the film whose other claim to fame is directing some of the most famous music videos of the 80s)'s career. The film is listed on Bravo's list of  100 Scariest Movie Moments, but I would advise to not watch the segment about the movie until after you see it. I give it a 5/5, you can view the trailer below:

The Ward (2010)

The Ward is the latest film directed by one of my favorite directors, John Carpenter. It is a story about four or five girls in their teens/early 20s, living in a special security ward in an insane asylum during the 1960s. A new girl arrives and quickly learns this ward is no normal place. The film has wonderful cinematography, wonderful creepy hospital atmosphere, as well as a really nice 60s feel to it at times (a highlight is a dance scene in the ward set to a sixties vinyl single playing on the phonograph). The acting is also really good, but this movie is far from perfect. A lot of the scares in the film are given away by the musical score, or are just really predictable/cliche at times. The movie's mystery does remain a mystery for most of the movie, but I felt the ending was fairly anticlimactic as well as fairly predictable. This movie goes from an interesting compelling unique story to almost a "cop out" of a psychological thriller. The film turns out to be similar to another film I've reviewed on this blog called Identity (2003). There aren't any big name stars in this one, but all of the girls are fairly recognizable from various movies and TV shows made within the last ten years. This film is available to stream on Netlfix, and  I give this one a 3.25/5, you can view the trailer below:

Repo Man (1984)

This is a wacky cult film in the same vibe as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas or the Big Lebowski. Emilio Estevez plays an angsty rebellious punk youth dissatisfied with society who finds himself on the inside of the seedy world of Repo Men. A lot of the movie is just kind of like an episode of Seinfeld or a more eventful version Dazed and Confused; The movie jumps back and forth switching its focus from Estevez to the other repo men, to a bunch of criminals. a mysterious government agency, and a strange man driving a Chevy malibu which all the character slowly become focused on and in search of. The Chevy malibu contains a strange energy source in its trunk which emits a bright light that vaporizes anyone who opens the trunk.The movie slowly becomes more and more about aliens and has an apropriately wacky climax sequence with a flying car. This film can either be taken at face value as just a fun wacky viewing, but it can be analyzed as something deeper than that too. This film contains a lot of social commentary about youth and teen angst, as well as political commentary on the US in the 80s, the economy, and a message of anti-conformity, in my mind justifying why this one's a part of the Criterion Collection. This is a good one and the director received a lot of acclaim and praise for this film in which he showed great potential of things to come, but though he did the acclaimed Sid and Nancy (1986) and Walker (1987), this director never achieved the level of fame he deserved. Cox would go on to write and direct a film called Straight to Hell (1987), which was a western starring The Irish rock legends The Pogues, Joe Strummer (lead singer of The Clash), Courtney Love, Elvis Costello, Dennis Hopper Grace Jones, and Jim Jarmusch, as well as writing an unused screenplay for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), and he was also originally considered to direct the original Robocop (see here). Even though I didn't love it and some of its logic was a bit too unbelievable, it fit with the weirdness of the film.  It also has a great punk rock soundtrack featuring the likes of Iggy Pop and The Circle Jerks. I give it a 4.5/5. P.S. you also never find out what's in the trunk, which in my mind is what I think Pulp Fiction was referencing with its briefcase, but I've heard other theories about the briefcase so it's just a hunch. You can view the trailer below:

Pacific Heights (1990)

I thought I had heard of every movie on Bravo's list of 100 Scariest Movie Moments and thought I had seen all of Michael Keaton's best movies, turns out I missed this gem on both counts. It's a virtually perfect thriller on all counts and it would be a perfect movie if not for some overacting on Matthew Modine's part early on. Michael Keaton is a perfect creepy sociopath and San Francisco is such a beautiful city, and this film does a good job showing both those things. The film shows parts of San Francisco and the Pacific Heights neighborhood you don't normally see, as well as some different angles of the Golden Gate Bridge. Michael Keaton is this creepy neighbor who rents an apartment then locks himself in refusing to pay rent, leave or communicate with anyone 98% of the time, and he's ruining his landlords' lives and there's nothing they can do to stop him. Melanie Griffith did a very good job as well in this film, and oscar winning great director John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy, Marathon Man) adds another classic to his roster. I give it a 4.75/5 (the full movie's on youtube for those interested in it) you can view the trailer below:

Looker (1981)

I always enjoy Michael Crichton's films, he's one of my favorite sci-fi writers, and this film is written and directed by him. This movie stars Albert Finney (Big Fish, Murder on the Orient Express) and academy award winner James Coburn (The Great Escape, Monsters Inc.). The film is a futuristic dystopian thriller (like a lot of Crichton's work), where a plastic surgeon (Finney) learns that the last four patients he operated on have all died mysteriously, so tries to find a connection btween the deaths, and it leads him to a shady corporation.   This film deals with such

themes as the media's concept of what the perfect woman looks like, and some women's obsession with wanting to look perfect. The film also deals with the concept of computers eventually replacing people (in this film they do so just in TV commercials), hypnotism through electronic signals sent out through commercials, and a gun that causes "invisibility" with a seemingly plausible explanation (something to do with the gun shooting beams of light that are part of the light/color spectrum that we humans can't see, that block certain

receptors in your eyes for a short period of time). There is a great scene where Finney gets beat up by an invisible assailant. The film is a really great thriller with great acting, music, special effects and is marvelously well written and so believable (like all of Crichtons work) that part of it has become actuality today.The only thing that might bother people is that the aspect of the story where a computer can make a replica of a person, or measure one's exact eye movements has already come true, so that may make the film seem dated to some, but to me it's a reminder of how crazy the technology we have nowadays, and that maybe the invisibility and hypnosis aspects of the story aren't too far away from becoming reality. I give the film a 5/5 and highly recommend it. You can find the full movie on youtube here, and the trailer is below:

Communion (1989)

Only Christopher Walken could be completely incoherent when he's supposed to be sane and nearly completely understandable when his character's supposed to be batshit crazy, in other words, as his character gets progressively crazy, walken in his portrayal of the character becomes more coherent. This story is unique and very interesting, it's about an entire family (and group of friends) who were abducted by aliens at the same time only to think it was all a dream til much later when they realize it was real. The film is based on a book which is based on a true story but in the "true story" only Walken's character was abducted. The embellishment was an

improvement however, and the film does a marvelous job using no post-editing special effects whatsoever and is one of the last films ever to do so (meaning no CG, and whatever effects you see, happened live in front of the camera). The film is really confusing and I mainly give it a lower rating just because of that, it didn't really have much of a flow to it. Walken's acting when his character starts to "go crazy" was arguably one of his most unhinged roles and was largely improvised (there are dancing scenes with the aliens people!), but his time being "sane" is completely overacted IMO. If you like alien movies I recommend it, otherwise I just recomend reading about it. By the way, this is also the origin of the classic "tearshaped-bug-eyed-alien" look, this film was the first time they were ever depicted as such. The aliens may look fake and rubbery at times, but I felt overall this film did well with the budget they had. I give the film a 3.5/5, this film is featured in Rue Morgue Magazine's 200 Alternative Horror Films You Need to See, and the trailer is below:

The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)

The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) the first really truly crazy spoof movie aside from the works of Mel Brooks. This was the first film by the people who brought you the Airplane! and Naked Gun series, so same kind of humor. The movie is made up of all skits and fake movie trailers, while the film quality is low (really low budget) the jokes are grade A. Definitely worth a watch or looking at select scenes. If you don't offend easily the best scene in the movie is "Catholic High School Girls in Trouble" by far, otherwise "feel around" is great too. This is also the second movie by big name director John Landis (Animal House, Blues Brothers, American Werewolf in London, the Thriller music Video). There is some gross humor here, some racial, and a lot of sexual humor.  I give it a 3.75/5 
I couldn't find a trailer so here's the "feel a-round" scene (as in, "this film is brought to you in 'Feel a-round'"):

Candyman (1992)

I'm really beginning to love Clive Barker's writing. Candyman had wonderful social commentary and actually scared me in some parts (that doesn't normally happen). The story is wonderfully interesting and I think I will have to see one of the sequels now. It's refreshing to see a Black character as a horror villain and especially a complex one who not only makes you afraid of him but simultaneously endears you to him as well. The music was designed not to give away any of the jump scares the movie featured, unlike a typical horror movie. It's also refreshing to see a horror movie set in such an urban environment as the Chicago projects (filmed in a real project) where so much real horror and sadness actually takes place. also the actress in the film was under hypnosis for a lot of scenes, that was really effective, and if you think Wicker Man when you think "not the bees!" think again, It's also a wonderful psychological study of people and urban legends. Phillip Glass's scores tend to get on my nerves at times though, and it was a bit too bloody for me at times, so I give it a 4.75/5, view trailer below:

Child's Play (1988)

Believe it or not there were actually a lot of killer doll movies before this one even though this is the most famous, so I had seen a lot of the same scares and "tricks" before, but it was still really good. The scenes that scared me the most were when the doll wasn't doing anything. Another thing that scared me though was when I was watching the movie I noticed that I owned the birthday banner that's in andy's apartment, and that it was hanging in the room next to me as I watched the film. Also It was surprising to see Oscar nominated actor Brad Dourif (Grima Wormtongue from The LOTR Two Towers, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest) as the killer that becomes Chucky, and I guess he voiced Chucky for all the sequels too. This film was written and directed by Tom Holland, the same guy who wrote and directed another cult classic horror film two years before Child's Play: Fright Night. Chris Sarandon (the vampire from Fright Night) is the main cop in this one. I also really loved the aesthetic of the apartment building the kid lives in, it strikes me as a mix between the apartment and building from Ghostbusters II (1989) and the apartment from Look Who's Talking (1989). I give it a 4.75/5, view trailer below:

Inferno (1980)

The sequel to Suspiria (1977) and the 2nd of Dario Argento's Three Mothers trilogy, Inferno, was also a collaboration between him and the other creator of Giallo cinema, Mario Bava. The involvement of Bava meant wonderful gothic imagery (candelabras cats and gothic architecture) the special effects were great and actually endangered the crew in many different ways (being burnt to death, clawed to death by cats, or eaten by rats). The film also had a pretty cool soundtrack, by one of my favorite musicians, Keith Emerson of Emerson Lake and Palmer. The sets and cinematography also resemble that of Suspiria a bit, and the acting is good, BUT there are some big logic and plot holes in it, and that is why I do not give it a higher rating. Argento loves to throw in crazy stuff to confuse the audience so they won't get bored with the film, or know what's coming next; while Hitchcock or Agatha Christie may be able to due that to their audience while maintaining logic, continuity and context, Argento just throws in red herrings without necessarily having any explanation for them. I give it a 3.75/5. The film is available to stream for free on Hulu, view the trailer below:

Mystery Train (1989)

This is the third film by Jim Jarmusch that I've seen, and I found it spectacular. The film is a series of three vignettes that all occur in Memphis during the same night and eventually all the characters' stories overlap. The film mainly centers around two japanese teens who make a pilgrimage to Memphis to visit Graceland and Sun Studios where Elvis and so many early rock greats recorded. The film is a great late night viewing, it shows what goes on during the wee hours of the morning in the city of Elvis, and as a night owl it's always nice to watch a good "late night movie" every now and then. It's heartwarming at times, hilarious throughout, serious, and a good portrayal of some of life's confusions, struggles and hardships. At times shocking and surprising, but fun throughout. Listen to this cast: Tom Waits, Steve Buscemi, Screamin' Jay Hawkins (of I Put a Spell on You fame), Joe Strummer (lead singer of the Clash), and soul legend Rufus Thomas ("Do the Funky Chicken" and "Walk the Dog") Tom Noonan (Heat, the bad guy in The Last Action Hero) and Rick Aviles (the bad guy from Ghost), and with such a great cast of musicians you can bet the soundtrack is good too. I'm really beginning to love Jarmusch's stuff, this film is also on Criterion. I give it a 5/5, and I highly recommend it.

P.S. instead of showing the trailer here I will instead include one of my favorite scenes with Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Context for this scene: one of the japanese tourists gave the bellboy a special Japanese plum as a tip (they do not understand the concept of "tipping" in Japan):

Inside Moves (1980)

This is a ridiculously underrated film that is one of the most inspirational films I've ever seen and is now one of my favorites. The film is about Roary a man who is crippled (he has a bum leg) from a failed suicide attempt and how he finds meaning in his life through meeting other "cripples" at the local bar, a veteran with no hands (played by academy award winning real life veteran Harold Russell), a blind man, a man in a wheelchair, a woman who is a druggie and prostitute, and his bestfriend Jerry (emmy nominated actor David Morse) who also has a leg problem and dreams of becoming a professional basketball player. If you are depressed this film is a great cure for it, this film is a great reminder that no matter who you are not only could things always be worse, but dreams can and do come true with hope and hard work and perseverance. The movie is so much more than what I'm saying here, but you'll just have to watch it for yourself to find out. The film was directed by Richard Donner (Superman II, The Goonies, The Omen, Lethal Weapons 1-4) and he said this is probably the film he holds most dear. The musical score is wonderful and understated most of the time, the music was composed by legendary five time Oscar winning composer John Barry (most known for Out of Africa, Born Free and the James Bond theme). There aren't any big name stars but the entire cast is terrific, one of the actresses was nominated for an Oscar (Diana Scarwid) but this whole film should have been nominated for a bunch of oscars. I give it a most definite 5/5;

Critters (1986)

Not much to say about this one, it was ok but I don't see why it had 3 sequels. Special effects were good but there are better 80s creature horror comedies out there like Gremlins (1984). I give it a 3-3.5/5 (trivia: Leonardo Dicaprio's first movie was Critters 3). Trailer is below: 

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

For the holidays this year I watched a Christmas horror movie last night, Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) It was pretty good, the movie is in Finnish and English, and the premise is some people dig up the REAL santa claus from all the scary old German fairy tales where he actually ate kids, and it's up to a kid and three adults to take him down. It has really good special effects, was funny at times and was overall very enjoyable. I give it a 4.5/5: The film is available for instant streaming on Netflix. Trailer below:

Stephen King's The Dead Zone (1983) original

 This one was really good, the story is very compelling and I can see why the novel was successful, as well as why both a remake and TV series (of the same name, lasted from 2002-06) were successful based off of this story. Everyone says it's one of Christopher Walken's best roles and I have to agree, plus I love movies/TV shows about psychics or psychic powers and connecting to "the other side" or predicting/altering the future. It's also nice to see Cronenberg direct a movie that doesn't have to be SO violent (unlike his other films), although it does have one very violent moment. I give the film a 4.75/5, (my ratings also take into consideration the genre of the film, so while the Funhouse I gave a 5/5 that's because it'a a perfect horror film to me, The Dead Zone is more of a mix of genres but overall a drama I'd have to say and not deserving of the highest ranked of dramas, even though it's still good, IMO). This film (along with several others I've reviewed) is on the list of Bravo's 100 Scariest Moments, as well as featured in the book Horror! by Kim Newman. Trailer below: 

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) AKA Buckaroo Banzai

 This is classic 80s cinema at its best. If you like the best 80s movies like Back to The Future, Top Gun etc., this is for you, great humor (always straight-faced even with ridiculous dialogue), cheap but effective effects, great 80s soundtrack and more. The main character is a martial arts studying brain surgeon, physicist, all around genius and leader of his very own rock band and star of video games comic books and more in his universe. This is the type of movie every six year old boy dreams of making.This movie helped launch the careers of Jeff Goldblum (as Buckaroo's cowboy brain surgeon sidekick lol), Peter Weller (Robocop), Jon Lithgow (3rd rock from the sun, Shrek), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future, The Pagemaster), Ellen Barkin (Diner, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), Billy Vera (of Billy Vera & the Beaters, an 80s one hit wonder band with the song "At This Moment"), and Clancey Brown (the bad guard from Shawshank Redemption and the frickin voice of Mr. Krabs from Spongebob).  This movie was tailor made for tons of spinoffs merchandise and sequels, but it never got ANY and I will never understand why, My only dissappointment with the film was the characters never went to outer space, or at least never showed it for lack of a bigger budget, even though the film deals strongly with aliens and stuff. Definitely quotable and a no brainer as far as why it has a cult following. I will give it 4.5/5 and say no more, cept watch the end scene of the movie SO good: