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80's Comedy Sub-Genres : Film for thought.

1/28/2015

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Last week was a fun topic and I got a lot of great feed back from people about different films they would have included and why I suck. (teehee) Anyway, I wanted to make a list w/ some of the great films I didn't have on my straight forward 80's comedy list from last week. I call these 80's Comedy Sub -Genres because to me they are not just about the comedy. They have action and in some cases Sci-fi/ Mystery and are even a little more serious at times. Here are some of the ones that I personally don't consider all comedy... They are very funny and definitely mostly comedy, but not all comedy!

1.) Ghostbuster : I feel like this is pretty clear... Yes it is very funny and has lots of comedy present in the film, but this film to me transcends the comedy genre. It is simply a great film. It has action, comedy, questions about life and death and it is at times a bit creepy. Even the music has a looming quality as if something like the end of the world is going to happen in the film. And these are some of the reasons it wasn't on my Comedy list.

2.) Beverly Hills Cop : Hilarious film... But plain and simple it is an Action Comedy! Many people die and are beaten up and the main story is about a cop trying to find the people who killed his friend. Pretty cut and dry.

3.) The Breakfast Club : This is a Dramedy! In my opinion this is a film genre John Hughes perfected and basically created! No one has managed to capture the feeling a movie like The Breakfast Club gives you! Funny and intense all at the same time!

4.) Uncle Buck : I love this film! It is a great movie! It is so funny and perhaps John Candy's finest role! But it is another John Hughes Dramedy! It is in many ways as sad as it is funny and that is why I love it! It has such a great balance. Hughes was great at walking the line between comedy and tragedy! 

5.) Planes, Trains and Automobiles : Sure this film is over the top at times, but again... Dramedy! Both Steve Martin and John Candy play their parts perfectly! Classic straight man and the song and dance man... But both of them are so vulnerable have scenes that will definitely tug at your heart strings and making the people in your life even more. The Hughes Dramedy is a very special genre in film and we should respect it by not writing it off as just a comedy... They are so much more! 

6.) Fletch : This a classic. Very funny plays to Chevy Chase's strengths, but it isn't a straight comedy film. There's mystery and action as well! It really is silly at times, but over all it is just a cool film similar in tone to Beverly Hills Cop.

7.) Stripes : This movie is hilarious and definitely mostly a comedy... But if you watch It again and really pay attention you will notice that it is masterfully split into two types of film... comedy and war/action! The first part of the film is mostly one gag or one-liner after the other, but the relationship and even hatred between Sgt Hulka and John (Bill Murray) is very uncomfortable at times and not very funny. Then by the end of the film they have stolen the military's secret weapon and are basically at war killing people left and right. Yeah there is comic relief, but it is all pretty intense when you think of the first part of the film. War-Comedy seems pretty fitting. And honesty I think just calling Stripes a comedy is selling it a little short as a film. 

8.) The Money Pit : This film falls into a the category of NOT FUNNY Comedy genres because it isn't funny. That is all. ;)

So those are a few films that were mentioned on the FB page or throughout this past week when people have tried to fight me. I hope this clears up why some of these didn't make my list or why others I didn't name didn't make it either. Either way at the end of the day it is all just opinion... that is the fun of being a film fan! Be kind to each other!

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The 80's Comedy : Top 10

1/21/2015

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ENJOY!

1.) Airplane
2.) Caddyshack
3.) Naked Gun
4.) National Lampoon's Vacaction
5.) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
6.) Animal House (This film is 78... always Google to be sure... My mistake)
7.) Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
8.) Ferris Bueller's Day Off
9.) Weird Science
10.) Who's Harry Crumb
11.) Better off Dead
12.) Spaceballs


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Anti- Heroes: Top Ten

1/6/2015

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I thought I would continue to explore the world of heroes this week. I had some very interesting comments about peoples favorites in regards to the last post. I did have a few people even give some of their favorites as well! The word hero can mean many things as can the character of the hero associated w/ the word. When I was creating last weeks list I was thinking about this weeks list as my follow up. The Anti- Hero is such and cool concept and it gets thrown in w/ your everyday heroes sometimes, which I believe needs clarification. Basically, lets call an Anti-Hero a person who works out side normal moral code or goes against the classic hero concept... so he maybe walks the line between good and evil. Lets make the word hero easy... A good guy who pretty much always does the right thing! Lets make a list!

1.) Preacher/ Jesse Custer : Jesse is a man who goes on a mission to find out why God has turned his back on us! He is very much an every man type of character, but he isn't afraid to get down in the mud and get dirty. He is mean as hell, drinks hard and doesn't act much like a preacher! Sure he believes there's right and wrong and he uses his power sparingly throughout the series but at times he gets pretty nasty. This guy definitely lives by a code, but it might be a little bit morally off to average person. ( Jesse is my hero )

2.) The Punisher : This dude is one of the original Anti- Heroes. Basically, he wears a superhero type suit w/ a skull on the chest and murders anyone he that believes is living a life of crime or evil. No judge, no jury and no trial! He murders people to avenge his family. To a hero two wrongs never make a right. Frank Castle is serial Murderer plan a simple. Sure the people he kills might be considered bad or evil, but what gives anyone the right to take a life in vengance?

3.) Swamp- Thing : Okay, I love Swamp- Thing, but he isn't he hero... He isn't even really a man. He is a Plant w/ the memory a man who died in the swamp. In many ways he is a work in progress... a new form of life making up his own rules based a dead man's thoughts and ideas. He only really cares about the "green" and will do anything to protect it... even if it means holding human cities hostage to get what he wants... His humanity is selective and this is why he can't really be a full hero... he is always walking the line.

4.) Dead Pool : This a no brainer. If you think this guy is a hero then you are probably as crazy as he is! He may think himself a superhero but his methods of being a mercenary for hire and an assassin are definitely questionable. Dead Pool has probably killed as many people as the Punisher and laughs and jokes about it constantly! Here is the kicker... He maybe imagining the life that we read about. He could very well be sitting in a rubber room somewhere surrounded by Marvel Comics! So I ask you, can a dude who murders people for the right price who might just be mentally ill be a hero? I say NO! 

5.) Magneto : I think people are too quick to call Magneto a straight bad guy... He does things that many might perceive as bad, but lets break this down... Lets think of the time period the Xmen and Magneto were created... It was during civil rights. lets think of Professor X as having a more liberal and peaceful approach to mutants and humans co existing, much like Martin Luther King during the civil rights movement... So lets think of Magneto as the Malcolm X of the mutant world... meaning two things. One Magneto like (early) Malcolm X believes in "by any means necessary." Defend yourself and your people at any cost... Use your powers and don't hide. Two, he also believes in the separation of humans and mutants. Professor X and Magnetos methods may differ, but their message is actually quite similar... Mutants should have the same rights as any human- being. One side is more peaceful and other is more violent, but is does not mean that because Magneto is more on the extreme side that he is evil or wrong? After all many humans hate mutants... I don't always agree w/ what Magneto does, but he has proven himself to be a man of honor through out the comics... He walks the line and he sometimes does the right thing... He is pretty Anti- Hero if you ask me. 

6.) Negan : Negan is a character from The Walking Dead I believe he is Ricks ultimate Nemesis! And the reason is because Negan and Rick are good leaders that command respect. One rules through inspiration while the other rules through intimidation. Negan is hard man who believes his way is the right way, and who can blame him? He has kept his people alive and survived himself since the dead started eating people! He maybe a dick w/ one of the filthiest mouths in the history of comics, but in his mind he believes he is doing what's best for everyone... just like Rick! In fact i could even argue that Rick is also and Anti-Hero, but I will spare you. So Negan In many ways the ultimate Anti-hero!

7.) Darth Vader : I think Vader's story is really a great heroes journey, but of course he is really just an Anti-Hero! He starts out pretty good... Whinny but good and wanting to do the right thing... Then he gets in w/ the wrong crowd and the next thing you know he's committing mass genocide. You know what... he could have killed Luke several times but he doesn't... he even manipulates the Emperor into turning Luke instead of destroying him. He was steering himself into a position to do the right thing from that moment on. He even lets Luke, Han and Leia onto Endor w/ that old ass code that checks out! And of course after many years of being a dick he saves his son, redeems himself and helps his son bring balance back to the force! He chose the quick and easy path, but ended up doing the right thing in the end!

8.) The Hulk : Speaking of quick and easy... the Hulk's whole thing is losing his temper, destroying everything in his path and then eventually fighting w/ the good guys. Yeah sure, he is good in a fight and nice enough sometimes, but over all he is the loosest of canons! 

9.) Black Cat/ Catwoman : These two are pretty much the same character and both sexy as hell! They both steel pretty things and work w/ the good guys when it suits them. You never really know if you can trust them, hence Anti-Heroes!!!

10.) Spawn : This guy is the 90s Anti-Hero at it's finest! In life he was a mercenary who did everything for his family and because he was good at killing. He dies makes a pact w/ the devil and comes back as a Hell-Spawn! He has the power of hell and decides to turn his back on hell's evil plan and try to use his power for good. The problem is that he was sort of bad in life and is a trained killer. He is a pretty extreme version of the Anti-Hero because he is basically a demon from hell trying to be good but is very bad and willing to get his hand dirty. He is a shadow of Batman w/ the a very vague moral code! You never really know what he's is going to do! A perfect Anti-Hero.

So there it is... get pissed, throw things! CURSE me! It had to be done. Now I invite you to comment and share some Anti-Heroes of your own! Everyone be safe and kind to each other! 

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    Matthew M. Skillern

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