(HORROR) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 - 1986 *

I'm not against sequels, in fact occasionally you can find one that is very good and sometimes (*shudder*) even better than the original. This is not better than the original, and in fact I'm deciding whether this might be one of the worst films I have seen this year. The acting is horrendous, almost funny in fact, the plot is as holey as a fishing net, and the characters are ghastly. Not really scary (as in the first film) but just really stupid. The main character, a girl called Stretch (for God's sake don't ask why!) runs around screaming and shrieking with a simplistic look on her face but doesn't seem to appreciate the basic fundamental do's and don'ts of running away from maniacs. She likes hovering around, shouting out 'who's there?' every thirty seconds, tripping herself up on virtually anything and generally making as much noise as possible so that she will be caught. (Do you ever notice in horror films how loudly the characters breathe when they are hiding from their captors? Well she sounds like a warthog with a cold).

Le Rayon Vert - 1986 ***

Eric Rohmer is a master at projecting the thoughts and feelings of characters going through different stages in their lives onto the screen. Here he does so with a gentle tenderness as we are introduced to a young woman named Delphine who has broken up with her fiance and is fed up with constantly being pitied by her friends and family. She has no one to go on holiday with after she is stood up by a friend and so bravely decides to go alone, encountering a variety of men and women along the way, all the time trying to rebuff the men's advances on her. I loved the imagery of the hot, French summer, but I found Delphine to be an infuriating wimp of a character. 

Ruthless People - 1986 ****

I must say the cover of the film was what put me off watching it for such a long time. It looked so dated and a bit tacky to be honest. But sooner or later I realised that I have seen the majority of 80s comedies and really needed to watch it to 'tick it off the list.' Well all I can say is I'm so glad I finally watched it. It was hilarious. Bette Midler is on top form and Danny DeVito made me chuckle almos constantly throughout the film.
DeVito plays a filthy rich businessman who has decided he wanted to get rid of his wife so that he can move his mistress in instead. However, luck seems to be changing for him when his wife is kidnapped by his ex-employee and girlfriend who then hold her for ransom. However, the kidnappers are meek, mild people who wouldn't hurt a fly and instead of killing her because DeVito refuses to pay the ransom they instead let her stay with them. Then the tables turn...
Hilarious. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this was one of the best comedies from that decade I have seen!

Heartburn - 1986 ****

I actually found Streep and Nicholson really good together. Nicholson plays Mark (Carl Bernstein's character) and Streep plays Rachel (Nora Ephron's character) who finds out about that her husband is having an affair only after they have married, bought a house and had two children. Nicholson is suitably sleazy and sexist and Streep clings to the initial 'pathetic woman' stance, moving swiftly on to the 'independant and single woman' vibe soon after the affair is aired. I thought the chemistry was good, and it was mildly funny, but at the same time incredibly painful to watch. You totally empathise with Rachel and how she feels and are willing her to make the right choice.

Back to School - 1986 *

A truly dire excuse for a movie. The main actor is really eerie as the father of a boy who doesn't want to go to college, but decides he will when his father agrees to enrol with him. His father ends up being the most popular and exciting student, throwing the most exciting parties etc but it doesn't help his son. Even Robert Downey Jnr couldn't save this.

Rodney Dangerfield is horrible, he looks like he's wearing a Halloween costume the whole year around.

Lady Jane - 1986 ****

Another film I've wanted to see for ages which I can tick off my list. And captivating it was too.

One of the things that is so upsetting about films like this is how utterly despicable the monarchy was in the 16th century. Putting innocent people to death to make a transaction easier for a new Royal, bullying people into taking the crown and then throwing it back in their face when they can's rule the country like their advisors want etc.

Jane Grey was a poor unfortunate girl, and she really was only a girl of 16 when she was ordered to take the crown despite being against the idea, and become married despite feeling that she was too young (there is a scene that shows her being whipped until nearly unconscious by her mother when she disagrees with the idea) and then was ultimately beheaded for treason on account of her being Queen (along with her husband Guildford) when she had never really wanted to be in the first place, hence her being known as the Nine Day Queen, and as her mother chillingly put it towards the end of the film 'If she is the Nine Day Queen then what happens to her on the Tenth?'. In these times it seems like people in the moarchy really couldn't trust anyone, even their family, and it was incredibly sad to watch Jane's world collapse as her parents ordered her to do more and more without a thought for her own feelings. Only being a child she didn't have a clue what ruling her country meant (her first wish when she became Queen was to have a batch of real shillings made for her!) and was forced into marrying someone that she didn't know (although in the film she eventually falls in love with him) yet again by her parents, whose plans of grandeur overtook the feelings of their own daughter.

A stunningly acted piece, both from Helena Bonham Carter and Cary Elwes who play the doomed lovers, with extra support from Patrick Stewart (again!) and Michael Horden. A masterpiece of a tragic event that could have been avoided, like so many other monarchy fatalities.

About Last Night... 1986 ****

As mentioned earlier with 'St Elmo's Fire' I'm trying to work my way through all brat pack related movies. Doing so involves watching movies that just one or two of the group have been present in and I thought who better to swat up on first that Demi Moore.

I actually really enjoyed this film. A film that's fairly close to real life and doesn't try to sugar-coat a relationship to make it something that it's not.

Moore and Lowe decide after a night of casual sex to start a relationship, believing that being with each other more and more (to the point where they actually move in together) is making their relationship closer and better. Their friends are totally against them being in a relationship and do and say anything they can to try to talk them out of it. However I must say that the 2 friends are dreadfully unsympathetic characters who seem to find it insulting that their friend has even dared to start a relationship with someone else and therefore push them to one side. This is very true to life and there are plenty of people out there who feel jealous or betrayed when a friend gets a new partner.

Anyway I thought both characters worked well together, and I love Demi Moore (I've seen her now in practically everything she has ever been in) so that was an added bonus. Added to which there is a great soundtrack to this movie. Another great reason to pay it some attention.