Willow (1988) Dir. by Ron Howard Starring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley and Jean Marsh Synopsis Willow is a farmer and amateur stage magician from a small village of hobbit-like Nelwyn. One day, his children find a human baby in the river. When soldiers attack the village looking for the baby, Willow must leave on a … Continue reading Willow
1980s
Big Trouble in Little China
Big Trouble in Little China (1986) Dir. by John Carpenter Starring Kurt Russell, Dennis Dun, Kim Cattrall, James Hong and Victor Wong Synopsis After a night of drinking and gambling, trucker driver Jack Burton accompanies his friend Wang Chi, a San Francisco Chinatown restauranteur, to the airport to pick up his fiancée. When she is abducted by … Continue reading Big Trouble in Little China
Romancing the Stone
Romancing the Stone (1984) Dir. by Robert Zemeckis Starring Kathleen Turner, Michael Douglas, Danny DeVito and Manuel Ojeda Plot After her sister is kidnapped, successful yet timid romance author Joan Wilder must travel to Columbia with the ransom demand, a treasure map formerly belonging to her now-deceased brother-in-law. However multiple factions, including her brother-in-law’s killer, are all … Continue reading Romancing the Stone
Remo Williams
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) Dir. by Guy Hamilton Starring Fred Ward, Wilford Brimley, Joel Grey and Kate Mulgrew Plot A New York cop is recruited against his will for the secret spy organization CURE. His death having been faked, he is given the new identity of “Remo Williams,” and is sent to train with a … Continue reading Remo Williams
The Beastmaster
The Beastmaster (1982) Dir. by Don Coscarelli Starring Marc Singer, Tanya Roberts, Rip Torn and John Amos [content warning: sexual assault, animal cruelty] The Plot A prophecy states that the son of the king of the Bronze Age kingdom of Aruk will kill the evil high priest Maax (pronounced MAY-AXE). To prevent this, the priest’s witches use … Continue reading The Beastmaster
Adventures in Babysitting
Adventures in Babysitting (1987) Dir. by Chris Columbus (His first movie) Starring Elisabeth Shue, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp and Maia Brewton Plot A high school senior is stuck babysitting on a Friday night after getting dumped by her boyfriend. When her best friend calls her for help, stranded at the downtown Chicago bus terminal, she drags … Continue reading Adventures in Babysitting
Innerspace
Innerspace (1987) Dir. by Joe Dante Starring Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan and Martin Short Plot An experiment in miniaturization is interrupted by a gang of corporate raiders attempting to steal the technology. One scientist escapes, and ends up injecting the test pilot, intended for a rabbit, into the body of a grocery store clerk. The pilot is … Continue reading Innerspace
Short Circuit
Short Circuit (1986) Dir. by John Badham Starring Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens and Austin Pendleton Plot An experimental military robot gains sapience when it is struck by lightning after a demonstration of its fighting capabilities. Escaping from the compound of the tech contractors who created it, it befriends a food truck owner, who begins … Continue reading Short Circuit
The Last Starfighter
The Last Starfighter (1984) Directed by Nick Castle Starring: Lance Guest as Alex RoganRobert Preston as CentauriDan O'Herlihy as GrigCatherine Marie Stewart as Maggie Plot Synopsis Alex Rogan, a teenager in Middle-O-Nowhere, California, spends the summer after graduating high school doing odd jobs around the trailer park where he lives, and playing way too much … Continue reading The Last Starfighter
Cinematic Nostalgia 