Fluke_Skywalker Reviews

The Avengers (2012)

Remains the pinnacle of the MCU

[8/10 · 12 May 2024]

The Marvel brand used to be the standard bearer. Today it's on the verge of needing a pallbearer. After a decade spent meticulously building a cohesive cinematic world, Disney released "Avengers End Game". It's a bit bloated, as you might expect for a story that had to tie together a nearly infinite number of plot and character threads, but it triumphantly sticks the landing on the so-called Infinity Saga and brings to a close one of cinema's grandest experiments.

In the five years since "End Game", Disney has lost sight of what made their Marvel brand so successful in the first place. Sure, the over-saturation of the superhero/comic book genre hasn't helped. I get the sense that the genre, like the Roman Empire before it, is in its last days. But if Disney wants to recapture their momentum, they need to rediscover their purpose and return to what made the MCU great in the first place. And they need look no further than the first "Avengers"

Well written, expertly made and featuring excellent performances by all of the major actors, it remains the gold standard for the MCU, and the blueprint for how Disney can stop the rotting decay of their brand and return it to its former glory.

Oh, and this goes for Star Wars, too.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

A new appreciation, but problems remain

[6/10 · 4 May 2024]

In 1999, I walked out of the Phantom Menace in a bit of a daze. It didn't seem real. After 16 years of dreaming about a new SW film, it was finally here... and I didn't think that it was very good. It had its moments to be sure, but the bad far outweighed the good for me.

Naturally I revisited it over the years, but my opinion never changed. But having been dragged by some friends to see it for its 25th anniversary/May the 4th release, I gained a somewhat new appreciation for the film as a whole, and a few things specifically.

Let's start with what still doesn't work.

• Jar Jar. Enough said about that.

• The Gungans in general.

• The Neimoidians and their comical battle droids.

• Natalie Portman's stilted performances as both handmaiden and queen.

• A very dull first act paired with a protracted second one.

• A pretty generic and forgettable score by John Williams beyond the iconic "Duel of the Fates".

• Massive plot holes.

Now for what I came to appreciate with this new viewing

• Jake Lloyd isn't bad in this film. In fact, he's pretty darn good. Oh there are a few bumps here and there, but he does a very solid job as young Anakin. He runs circles around Portman, that's for sure.

• It's a well made film. It looks great. The location work is good, helping the whole thing to feel more tactile than the two prequel-sequels to come. And it's skillfully directed by George Lucas, who shows some flair and solid instincts.

• The dialog isn't nearly as bad as I remembered. Yeah, the formalities and exposition are a bit stiff, but there are several memorable lines here.

• As much as I hate CGI, the f/x stand up remarkably well. In fact, a lot of it is light-years ahead of many contemporary films. The Pod Race and the final space battle are especially impressive.

Overall, the Phantom Menace is a better movie than I gave it credit for these last 25 years. I can't say that I'm itching to revisit it anytime soon, but when I do eventually get around to watching it again, it will be with more enthusiasm than I had going in this time.

Knight Rider: Knight in Retreat (1985) Season 3, Episode 20

Paging Dr. Hasselhoff

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

The only thing that stretches credibility more than a talking super car is David Hasselhoff as a physicist. Okay, so his character is only pretending to be a physicist, but still.

This is a pretty boilerplate and ultimately middling episode, but it does have its pluses. The best of which is guest villainess Ann Turkel. Ms. Turkel is an unconventionally attractive woman, with a sort of boss babe thing that kinda makes you want to do bad things for her. She's particularly good here as the genuinely cold and ruthless Bianca Morgan. Backing her up is Randi Brooks, who makes for a fun henchwoman, her questionable karate skills aside.

As usual the 'Hoff is the MVP, bringing his energy, enthusiasm and unfaltering likeability to his role as pop culture's most likable hero.

Knight Rider: Knight of the Phoenix: Part 1 (1982) Season 1, Episode 1

Still had a few kinks to work out

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

*- Note. This review is for the entire pilot, not merely "Part 1".

Even without the obvious nostalgia, Knight Rider may just be my favorite television series of all-time. A fact confirmed the last few months as I've cherry picked my way through various episodes. But I'd yet to revisit the pilot. Something that I rectified today.

Like many pilot episodes, "Knight of the Phoenix" still had some kinks to work out. The biggest here is that K. I. T. T. doesn't feel like the one that we know. He's very cold and clinical here. You expect going in that it will take some time for he and Michael to bond, but had K. I. T. T. remained as he does here, the chemistry between he and Michael would never have developed and the series would've sank as a result.

The 'Hoff on the other hand more or less has Michael down cold. He's a tinge less easy going here, not yet possessing what I've dubbed the "Cheerful heroics" which would come to define the character. But he's already a likable protagonist and carries this first episode on his Member's Only clad shoulders.

One of the other highlights is that the episode is a cavalcade of 70's/80's guest actor players. There's go-to baddie Lance LeGault, Richard Anderson, Bert Rosario, Charles Napier, Michael D. Roberts. Even Battlestar Galactica's Herbert Jefferson Jr. Shows up! But it's the impossibly beautiful, stunning, sexy, awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, make you believe that there is a God Phyllis Davis who steals the show. This woman could've made me do terrible things and I'd have thanked her for it.

Overall "Knight of the Phoenix" is a reasonably entertaining start, but grading on a curve. It just doesn't match the series at its best.

Robotech: Boobytrap (1985) Season 1, Episode 1

Robodreck

[5/10 · 30 April 2024]

I came to the animated Robotech series via the saga in novelized form as a high school student back in the late 80's. Even then, I found the novels to be vastly superior, but I still enjoyed the cartoon as well.

In recent years I've revisited the First Generation novels and found that they hold up pretty well. I can't say the same for the cartoon.

The animation is very 80's Anime, and that will either work for you or it won't. Personally I'm not a fan of that genre and its style in general, but it works well enough here; particularly with the various ships and mecha.

The voice acting is quite suspect, as are the writing and dialog. They each serve to undermine the very intriguing premise, and nearly succeed.

Ultimately this is a very clunky opener, though the story is such that I'm inclined to move on to episode 2 just to see if it improves as the action ramps up.

G.I. Joe: Primordial Plot (1985) Season 1, Episode 42

Was Michael Crichton a G.I. Joe fan?

[5/10 · 21 April 2024]

Four years before "Jurassic Park", Donald F. Glut wrote this G. I. Joe episode about cloning dinosaurs on a remote island.

"Mr. Crichton? Mr. Glut's lawyer on line one."

Unfortunately for any viewer of "Primordial Plot", Donald F. Glut is no Michael Crichton.

The basic, um, bones of a fun story are here, but somehow Glut makes Cobra controlling an army of cloned dinosaurs about as exciting as a wet fart. It's one of those episodes that I found myself rewriting in my head as I was watching along. How they blew this layup I have no idea.

Few things are more frustrating than wasted potential, and nothing describes "Primordial Plot" better than that. Here, it's fun that's extinct.

Rambo (1986)

80's af

[5/10 · 21 April 2024]

John Rambo's journey from an alienated and disillusioned Vietnam vet with PTSD to a flag-waving G. I. Joe knockoff is a fascinating one, but for the purposes of this review I'll stick to the series at hand.

I grew up as a boy in the 80's devouring cartoons like this one, but by 1986 I'd begun to ease away from toys and 'toons in favor of girls. If I ever watched an episode of "Rambo", I sure don't remember it. So, on a whim, I decided to dumpster dive into the series and see what I missed. As it turns out not much.

This is a straight "G. I. Joe: A Real American Hero" clone. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but because it apes the latter you can't help but compare the two and "Rambo" comes up short.

Rambo here is a monosyllabic alpha Gary Stu leading a bland team of good guys (and girls) against a bad Cobra tribute band. It's action packed, I'll give it that, but it plays more like the writers kept trying to one up each other for who could come up with the most absurd set piece. That sort of thing can be fun when it's done right, but here it's just not.

Rambo: S.A.V.A.G.E. Island (1986) Season 1, Episode 8

Rambore

[5/10 · 21 April 2024]

John Rambo's journey from an alienated and disillusioned Vietnam vet with PTSD to a flag-waving G. I. Joe knockoff ls a fascinating one, but for the purposes of this review I'll stick to the episode at hand.

I grew up as a boy in the 80's devouring cartoons like this one, but by 1986 I'd begun to ease away from toys and 'toons in favor of girls. If I ever watched an episode of "Rambo", I sure don't remember it. So, on a whim, I decided to pick an episode at random and see what I missed. As it turns out not much.

This is a straight "G. I. Joe: A Real American Hero" clone. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but because it apes the latter you can't help but compare the two and "Rambo" comes up short.

Rambo here is a monosyllabic alpha Gary Stu leading a bland team of good guys (and girls) against a bad Cobra tribute band. It's action packed, I'll give it that, but it plays more like the writers kept trying to one up each other for who could come up with the most absurd set piece. That sort of thing can be fun when it's done right, but here it's just not.

G.I. Joe: Sins of Our Fathers (1986) Season 2, Episode 28

A very weird episode

[5/10 · 15 April 2024]

The thumbnail premise of this episode--Dial Tone being discharged from the Joes for his performance--has a ton of possibilities. Pathos. Perseverance. Redemption. None of these are included here, however.

What follows instead is an extremely convoluted story that undermines all of that with ham-fisted plot mechanics and a reveal that's absurd even by G. I. Joe standards. Look, I'm not expecting, or even wanting, sophisticated storytelling, but the goofiness on display here takes the taco,

Dial Tone isn't exactly an A-list Joe, and this episode is an example of why they should have just left him on the bench,

G.I. Joe: The Spy Who Rooked Me (1986) Season 2, Episode 16

007 gets a 006

[6/10 · 13 April 2024]

Like most G. I. Joe episodes, Cobra is after some dangerous MacGuffin and the Joes are the only thing standing in their way. But this time they have the assistance of a suave British secret agent who bares absolutely no resemblance to James Bond. Just kidding, he's totally modeled after 007.

The pairing of the red-blooded Joes and a refined British agent is fun in theory, and kinda fun in practice, and for sure the only redeeming quality of this otherwise middling episode.

With a little more effort this could've been a memorable and upper-tier episode. As it stands, "The Spy who Rooked Me" is Thunderbland.

G.I. Joe: Raise the Flagg! (1986) Season 2, Episode 20

Raises the bar

[7/10 · 7 April 2024]

This is a very quirky and unique episode propelled by some relatively clever writing and endearing voice performances. To be sure you have your standard MacGuffin that can do bad things if it falls into the wrong hands blah, blah, blah, but the execution here is what causes it to, ahem, rise above the average G. I. Joe episode.

One of the things that I've always loved about G. I. Joe is that the various characters all have distinct personalities, and when they're mixed just right (as they are here), it really adds an extra little zip to things. The de facto villain of the episode is a lot of fun and the standard good guys/bad guys teaming up to defeat a common foe stuff is also executed pretty well.

In short, "Raise the Flagg!" is an entertaining, second-tier episode well worth seeking out.

Thundercats (1985–1989)

No nostalgia required

[8/10 · 6 April 2024]

Thundercats is often compared to Masters of the Universe, and to be sure there are many similarities, but I've always found Thundercats to be the superior show (that's not to say that I don't love MOTU by the way).

Along with better animation, stronger voice acting and a richer soundtrack, the tone and storytelling are more mature and sophisticated. Thankfully, none of that detracts from the sense of fun that's the ultimate goal of shows like these.

Like many cartoons from this era, there are no shades of gray. The heroes are noble and incorruptible, and the villains are greedy, power hungry and bent on destruction for the sake of it. That's not a criticism, though. There's something uplifting about seeing the good guys charging into battle with a clear sense of right and wrong. And while it doesn't always happen this way in real life, they always win.

Nostalgia is often a grease that lubes up rusty gears, but in this case, Thundercats runs just fine on its own.

Thundercats: Return to Thundera (1985) Season 1, Episode 20

No one can change history. We can only learn from it

[7/10 · 6 April 2024]

"Return to Thundera" is a premise ripe with possibilities. The kind that really need at least a two-part episode to fully exploit. Unfortunately we only get one episode here, and the result is a 10 lb story in a 5 lb sack.

We needed to see more of Lion-O on Thundera. For him to explore a planet and society he barely knew. To be with his Father. To have him struggle to not change history. In short; he needed more time.

Meanwhile, the threat to the Thundercats in the present, on Third Earth, should have seen the Thundercats grapple with the mystery of what happened to Lion-O. That plot needed more time to bake before the giant death-dealing robot showed up.

All that said, "Return to Thundera" certainly doesn't wast any motion. It's a fast paced episode with all of the elements that we love about the series. I just wish that it had a little more meat on its bones.

The Six Million Dollar Man: Run, Steve, Run (1974) Season 1, Episode 13

Run, viewer, run

[5/10 · 31 March 2024]

Several years ago, I bought the S1 DVD set (kids, ask your parents) of "The Six Million Dollar Man". Thus far I've only watched the pilot movie and a handful of the episodes, but I got a random itch to dive back in and so I pulled the set out and searched for an episode that sounded promising. IMBd's thumbnail described "Run, Steve, run" as "infamous robot maker has been hired to build a team of robots to rob Fort Knox.". Sold! So what if it's the lowest rated episode from season 1, right? I shoulda listened.

"Run, Steve, run" calls back to the much better "Day of the Robot", with that episode's Dr. Dolenz returning here. World building! But the promise of the nefarious Doctor and his plans to build a team of robots charged with robbing Fort Knox is not fulfilled. Instead we get Steve on vacation at a friend's ranch while Dolenz and his team scout Steve from afar, trying to assess his abilities before they kidnap him. 'Cuz, you know you couldn't do that by taking him apart or anything.

A good %10-15 of this episode consists of flashbacks to previous episodes, and the rest involve Steve and a... romance? With a young woman who works on the ranch. She may be the niece of Steve's friend, I can't remember. And it was only an hour ago. But I do remember the performance of the young actress, and it is quite possibly the worst that I've ever seen this side of a grade school play. Forget Bigfoot, Steve's greatest foe thus far is acting against Melissa Greene.

There is absolutely nothing redeeming about "Run, Steve, run". Take a cue from the title and stay far away.

Super Force: Battle Cry (1990) Season 1, Episode 5

Super Snores

[3/10 · 25 March 2024]

Even though it was released at a time when this sort of show would've really appealed to me, I have absolutely no memory of "Super Force". The early 90's saw an explosion of first-run syndicated series, with the action/sci-fi genre making up the bulk of it. Some, like "Star Trek: The Next Generation", were well produced and highly regarded. Most, however, were low rent padding sandwiched in between your local news and a block of infomercials. "Super Force" is most certainly the latter.

The problem here isn't that the production values are low, even though they definitely are. It's that the entire thing is painfully boring. I've seen episodes of "The Golden Girls" with more action. I can forgive cheese. Heck, I was even hoping for some 90's comfort food. But I can't forgive boring, and "Super Force" is just that.

Starship Troopers (1997)

Terrible adaptation. Witless satire. Decent action flick

[5/10 · 11 March 2024]

If you love author Robert Heinlein's novel, you're going to be sorely disappointed... scratch that. If you love Robert Heinlein's novel, you're going to be infuriated by this adaptation in name only of Starship Troopers. On the other hand, if you loathe that novel, or at least what you perceive or have heard about the ideals and principles that it presents, then you're likely also going to be let down by the brainless and ham-fisted satire it attempts. But if you simply like 90's sci-fi action movies, it's kind of entertaining.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier, they attempt to port the formula they used to great effect with RoboCop over to Starship Troopers, but the magic just isn't there. I never agreed, at least as an adult, with RoboCop's heavy handed (and hypocritical) anti-corporate take, but at least there it felt organic (no pun intended) and never overwhelmed the story. Maybe that's because it was an original story and not an "adaptation".

But, for all of its many faults, the handling of the action in Starship Troopers (1997) isn't one of them. Set to the militaristic bombast of the late, great composer Basil Poledouris and led by a cast of beautiful actors, many of whom are gloriously awful at their craft, it's actually quite fun so long as the alien bugs are swarming.

Rating Starship Troopers (1997) was difficult. I love the novel, and so this dimwitted butchering rates as a one. But I do appreciate smart satire, even at the expense of the things I believe in, so I would be willing to go higher if the movie was more intelligent, which if you've managed to read this far, you know that I feel it is not. But as a 90's action movie, I'd probably give it a 6. Maybe even a 7 on a good day. So ultimately I settled on a five and I hope this rambling review at least gives that rating some context.

Battlestar Galactica (1978–1979)

Gone too soon

[8/10 · 10 March 2024]

Battlestar Galactica has a unique history. It burst onto the scene and became an instant success, but like a bottle rocket it soon fizzled out and fell back down to Earth. With too few episodes for proper syndication, it became fodder for the occasional marathon, but otherwise was doomed to live among the pop culture flotsam and jetsam in the minds of Gen-Xers.

Flash forward nearly three decades and it was re-imagined to great critical acclaim and far longer and more sustained commercial success than its predecessor. I've never watched the rebooted version. It looked too self-serious and post 9/11 for my tastes. Lacking the space opera elements that defined the original. This may be unfair because, as I said I've never watched it. But what I do know for sure is that the original sits in the shadow of the re-imagined Galactica and is regarded as outdated, disposable and silly. But is this fair?

To be sure the original Battlestar Galactica is, in some ways, a product of its time. Beyond the hair and Starbuck's now frowned upon cigar chomping and womanizing, you will know that you're firmly in the zeitgeist of the late 70's. But no genre series of that decade, or perhaps the next two decades, felt as cinematic as Battlestar Galactica.

The special effects work here is stunning. Sure, there's a fair share of recycling, but that's just practical reality. Combined with an actual orchestrated score (also recycled in many places, I'm sure), the best episodes often feel like mini-movies.

Another notable feather in its cap is its mythology. Too often genre series of this era had a razor thin logic and backstory that was rarely if ever revisited and subject to change to serve the story of that week's episode. But Battlestar Galactica engaged in actual world building that carried over across the series. This was particularly true in the series' many two-part episodes, which were its strength. Played as one "episode", they were actually a good step or two above many of the era's theatrically released Star Wars knock-offs. Speaking of which, Battlestar Galactica isn't a straight rip-off of the former, despite many aesthetic similarities.

Battlestar Galactica is very different from the previous decade's defining sci-fi series, Star Trek. While Star Trek was about a sort of secular-humanistic utopia where humankind had moved beyond its many "flaws" and set out to explore the universe, Battlestar Galactica has very strong religious and mythological undertones. There is no moral relativism and war and mankind's fight to survive is at the heart of the story.

I'll let others decide which approach they enjoy more. But I'll submit that people shouldn't dismiss the original Battlestar Galactica the way so many seem to have over the last 40 plus years.

Knight Rider: A Good Knight's Work (1984) Season 2, Episode 20

The bear affair

[6/10 · 3 March 2024]

Even using the very loose constraints of 'Knight Rider' logic, very little makes sense in this episode. Michael is recognized by one of the baddie's henchmen as his previous identity of Michael Long because he shares a similar gait and voice (the fact that the baddie just happens to have a connection to the woman Michael is currently protecting is a whole 'nother matter). Later, the woman Michael is supposed to be protecting is revealed to be in cahoots with the baddie, but because she's pretty she gets to have a change of heart and get a second chance. John Vernon really outta work on his makeup and come hither stare.

And speaking of John Vernon, he's our villain here, because if John Vernon is in your movie or series he's gonna be the bad guy. He doesn't get much screen time, but what he does get allows him to be suitably menacing in a way only John Vernon can.

The action, including a Samurai sword fight between Vernon and the 'Hoff (and the 'Hoff's stunt double) is middling stuff, but a few running gags about a slimy used car salesman and a smart mouthed talking teddy bear are pretty amusing and help lift an otherwise fairly middling episode just above meh.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: Vegas in Space (1979) Season 1, Episode 3

Buck, babes and bad guys

[6/10 · 3 March 2024]

The basic plot of "Vegas in Space" is rather dull and forgettable, and its weak story is supplemented by some ham-fisted action. To make matters worse, the lovely Erin Grey barely appears (though when she does, it's thankfully in a skin-tight purple jump suit). And guest star Cesar Romero only appears briefly at the beginning and end of the episode. Ahh, but there are a few lovely ladies to admire in the form of Juanin Clay, Ana Alicia and Pamela Susan Shoop.

As usual, star Gil Gerard squeezes his beefy form into the tightest outfits in the galaxy and charms his way to victory over the bad guys. In what is a lost art with contemporary heroes, Gerard and his alter ego are likable and easy to root for, and thus even mediocre shows like "Buck Rogers" are more fun than they have any right to be.

Knight Rider: Knightmares (1983) Season 2, Episode 11

Hasselwho?

[7/10 · 2 March 2024]

Any time you find yourself questioning the logic of this show, just remember that premise involves a sentient, crime fighting car. With that said...

There are several go-to tropes baked into 'Knight Rider' with Michael's past and identity, and "Knightmares" pulls the 'ol memory loss card from the deck. Very little of the plot mechanics here make any sense, but please see above for why that really doesn't matter. What matters is if the show is fun, and more often than not, 'Knight Rider' is.

The 'Hoff isn't one of our great thespians, but I sincerely believe that he's the reason this show works. His Michael Knight might just be the most likable protagonist of 80's TV, if not all-time, and Hasselhoff is why. This role would not work as well with any other actor. Period. His chemistry with William Daniels as K. I. T. T. makes the show really zoom. So seeing Michael not knowing who K. I. T. T. is, makes for a fresh spin on their well oiled teamwork.

The 'Hoff digs deep into his dramatic well for his role as the disoriented Michael Long and finds that well is quite dry, but thankfully by episode's end Michael Knight is back and all is well once again.

Knight Rider: Halloween Knight (1984) Season 3, Episode 5

Frightrider

[7/10 · 25 February 2024]

This is one of the more popular and fondly remembered episodes of the series, and it's certainly one of the most unique. The usual Michael and KITT room-a-zoom-zoom stuff is replaced by Halloween hijinks and a Bonnie-centric plot with a VERY on the nose nod to 'Psycho'. The "mystery" is all 'Scooby-Doo' level stuff, but 'Knight Rider' never did pretend to be 'Hill Street Blues'.

Eschewing the series' standard action, stunts and stakes approach, "Halloween Knight" is a fun and refreshing change of pace.

As a funny side note, actor Kurt Paul, who plays the Norman Bates-like Norman Baines here, apparently made a living off of his resemblance to Anthony Perkins. Aside from "Halloween Knight", he appeared in the 1987 made-for-TV movie "Bates Motel", the 80's TV series "Sledge Hammer!" as Norman Blates, and he's listed in "Psycho II" and "Psycho III" as "Stunts" (Presumably as a stand-in for Anthony Perkins). Oddly he appears in "Psycho IV", but as character named Raymond Linette.

Knight Rider: Goliath: Part 1 (1983) Season 2, Episode 1

David (Hasselhoff) vs. Goliath

[8/10 · 24 February 2024]

Like the "KARR" episodes, "Goliath" (and its sequel) seeks to give KITT a supervillain to come up against. I really wish that the series had continued this trend and given KITT and full rogues gallery, but the contrast between the two auto-baddies is stark. Goliath is huge, and while it lacks the sentient personality of KARR, it has something perhaps even more sinister. Garthe Knight!

David Hasselhoff plays a dual role as the evil son of former FLAG and Knight Foundation founder Wilton Knight, and he sinks his gleaming white chompers into it like it's a Big Mac. He's dreadful, but not in a bad way. But damn I love The 'Hoff as Michael Knight. To me, he's the best thing about the series. He's so unapologetically likable in the role that he's probably the easiest protagonist to root for in television history. Modern Hollywood should take note.

This is a really fun 1 hr. 37 min. Of 80's action genre TV. The kind that they just don't make anymore. Sigh.

Knight Rider (1982–1986)

Hasselhoff is the MVP

[7/10 · 24 February 2024]

David Hasselhoff should have won an Emmy for Knight Rider. Okay, okay. If not an Emmy, then at least some recognition and credit for his performance and his importance to the success of the series.

First of all, the man was acting against nothing. We hear the dulcet tones of William Daniels, but Hasselhoff was likely hearing some stage hand reading the lines to him between bites of a cheeseburger. But he still manages to hold a believable conversation--well, as believable as you can when the subject involves giant, indestructible semi trucks and the like. But what Hasselhoff brings to the show that really makes it work is his likability. He and his character Michael Knight exemplify an almost uniquely 80's quality that I call "Cheerful heroics".

Michael Knight goes about his job with a good natured zest. He takes on his missions with glee. There's no gray area. No naval gazing. He's the good guy, and the good guys do good things because they're the good guys and that's what the good guys do.

"Knight Rider" is a product of its time. Make of that what you will, but for me, that is its greatest strength.

Defenders of the Earth: Terror in Time (1986) Season 1, Episode 26

A "Valiant" effort

[6/10 · 5 February 2024]

By 1986 I was 12 years old, and had started to grow out of cartoons and the toys that they often promoted, so I'd never watched an episode of 'Defenders of the earth' before now. I was of course familiar with Flash Gordon, have become somewhat recently enamored with The Phantom, and have heard of Mandrake the Magician in passing, but as for the cartoon, I knew zilch. For all I knew, it was based on an actual property where they were already teamed up. Hint; it's not.

I chose this episode because it was the highest rated here on IMDb, and figured that was as good a guide as any. The premise, plot mechanics and execution are standard 80's cartoon level stuff. As is the animation. However the voice acting is more generic than store brand cornflakes.

This was an interesting bit of 80's cartoon archaeology, but nothing I'd put in a museum.

Rad (1986)

The Citizen Kane of BMX films

[7/10 · 28 January 2024]

'Rad' is more 80's than Ronald Reagan sitting on Arnold Schwarzenegger's shoulders while playing Pac-Man and singing "Beat it". That is not meant as a criticism by the way.

True to the "Can do" zeitgeist of the decade, 'Rad' is an underdog story about a kid who overcomes the odds. Oops, spoiler alert. But come on, you know how these things turn out. It's all about how we get there and how satisfying it is to see our hero succeed.

Said hero is Cru Jones, a likeably bland character who is easy to root for. The villains are all card stock, which is more than okay in these kinds of movies. Again, you want shade, go sit under a tree.

Director Hal Needham ('Smokey and the Bandit') does a good job of capturing all of the BMX action, and the soundtrack--as many 80's soundtrack do--acts as an emotional desktop shortcut for the drama.

This isn't quite 'Karate Kid' on a bike, but if you like that sort of feel good 80's underdog tale, 'Rad' is aptly titled.