My Favorite Movies

My favorite movie. Ever. Of any genre. "Killers are coming, killers are coming!" Classic. It's that time of the year, all of the teens are getting ready for prom, so this is the perfect nostalgic slasher flick to settle back and enjoy. Four seniors (who look well into their early 20s) at Hamilton High - Nick, Wendy, Jude and Kelly - are looking forward to prom night, and the theme is 'Disco Madness' (hey, it was filmed in 1979). Unfortunately, they receive menacing phone calls and yearbook pictures laced with shards of glass - a warning of what's to come. Somebody knows a childhood secret that the four share, and on Prom Night, it's time for revenge. Fans of scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis should note that she is not victimized by the killer here as she was in her previous horror films. Anne-Marie Martin steals Jamie's thunder as Wendy, the rich, nasty girl. Wendy's chase scene with the masked, axe-wielding killer through the darkened halls and rooms of the school is a classic. The younger, more jaded audiences of today may find this movie slow-going, as it actually takes the time to build suspense and establish characters. It's also one of the few horror films that has a final scene that packs an emotional punch rather than a cheap last scare. "It's not who you go with, honey. It's who takes you home."

This classic is what 'Jawbreaker' and 'Mean Girls' only wish they could be. The 'Heathers' in question are three popular girls who rule their high school - namely the leader, the wonderfully nasty Heather Chandler (the late Kim Walker). For some reason, Veronica (Winona Ryder) wants to become a Heather, but she grows disillusioned at the girls' mean pranks and selective socialization. Things get deadly when she hooks up with transfer student J.D. (Christian Slater), who devises a plan to rid the school of The Heathers. "What's your damage?" Everything about this movie is brilliant, especially the dialogue and late '80s trend and fashion. While Ryder and Slater are good, Walker is the scene-stealer here, gorgeous with a knack for spewing some of the best lines (and corn nuts) in teen movie history.

This fun movie had such an effect on me when it was constantly shown on HBO in the 1980s that my friends and I used to have little mini scavenger hunts! Five teams of college students go on a wild all-night scavenger hunt in L.A. and lunacy ensues. Stephen Furst and Patricia Alice Albrecht steal the show from the leads as Harold and Lucille, the nasty leaders of The Blue Team. Of The Red Team, Robyn Petty is hilarious as Berle, a tiny but feisty sorority girl. B-movie girls Kirsten Baker and Debi Richter show up, roller-skating across campus. There are lots of familiar faces you'll see in this guilty pleasure, and of course you know which team is going to win, but it's a whole lot of fun getting there!

Rich Beverly Hills teen Terry Barkley (Linda Blair) is a musical genius on her way to Juilliard, but all she really wants to do is win a roller boogie contest at Venice Beach with local hot shot Bobby James (Jim Bray). Come on, people, this isn't meant to be taken seriously. Lots of fun roller skating scenes and catchy disco tunes (there's even one by Cher called "Hell On Wheels!"), plus so-bad-it's-good dialogue. "So what! I'm a musical genius! What a drag, what a bummer!" Just sit back and take a trip back in time to 1979 when things were a lot more innocent and fun.

If I could go back in time, I'd go back to 1983 and hang with the characters of this totally bitchin' movie, fer sure. Deborah Foreman is great as Julie, a valley girl who breaks up with her boyfriend and starts falling for Randy (Nicolas Cage), a guy from Hollywood. Of course, this doesn't sit well with Julie's gal pals, who are horrified she'd date anybody from seedy Hollyweird. An amazing soundtrack, gnarly clothes and hair, and a surprisingly intelligent script for a teen comedy. Colleen Camp is a riot as Julie's mother, and Cameron Dye is (in my opinion) the best male character in the movie; as Fred, his pursuit of the snobby Stacey (Heidi Holicker) is so cute. Makes you wish that The Sherman Oaks Galleria was still a major shopping center, and that the biggest worries in life were who you were going to take to the prom and what outfit you were going to wear. "It's trippindicular!"

Poor Dawn Davenport - turning to a life of crime after her parents didn't get her the black cha cha heels she wanted for Christmas (mom ends up under the tree). Watch in awe as Dawn must deal with her retarded daughter Taffy, her philandering husband Gator, and his fat Aunt Ida Nelson (she ends up in a birdcage). Things only get better when beauty experts Donald and Donna Dasher recruit Dawn to be their special "crime model" - tasteless insanity that must be seen! Even when her face is disfigured by acid at a dinner party, Dawn is still the most stunning criminal in all of Baltimore!

Classic horror that is a must-see for all film buffs. John Carpenter spins a tale of terror that still holds up after 30 years. The plot is quite simple: an escaped killer stalks three teen babysitters on Halloween night. But Carpenter's classic score and the excellent cinemaphotography by Dean Cundey make this a visual treat, casting eerie shadows throughout as 'Michael Myers' watches his prey. Jamie Lee Curtis, PJ Soles and especially Nancy Loomis are all very likable as the young women in peril, and of course, Donald Pleasence is great as the obsessed Dr. Loomis. There is no graphic violence or gore in this movie - it works on everybody's fears of the dark and of the boogeyman. You'll still get chills watching this every time with the lights out. Jamie Lee deservedly became a 'scream queen' after the amazing success of this masterpiece of suspense and scares.

By all means, this IS a slasher film, but it is also a psychological mystery directed with style by veteran J. Lee Thompson. Plucky Melissa Sue Anderson plays Ginny, a member of Crawford Academy's exclusive Top 10. They're young, they're spoiled, they're popular and they're rich. However, as Ginny's birthday nears, her friends end up missing one by one. The climactic 'party' is a wonderfully macabre setup. As noted by other reviewers, be sure to watch this on VHS as the DVD version has a totally new soundtrack which literally ruins the film. The original score is haunting and adds so much dread to the proceedings, as characters are offed in some startling ways. Anderson is supported by an attractive cast of talented Canadian players, including personal faves Lisa Langlois, Lesleh Donaldson and Lenore Zann. Just when you think you know who the killer is, this movies throws you for a loop - it's a little hard to buy but it still works. Guys, beware of the weight-lifting scene (ouch!).

Tad Hilgenbrinck is delightful as the title character in this funny and touching story of a gay high school exchange student in the 1980s. Chance Marquis knows he is 'different' from the rest of the student body, but instead of hiding who he is, he bravely embraces it, winning over some and of course giving the school jocks reasons to pick on him. There are nicely done sub-plots involving Chance's relationship with his Army Dad and younger sister, and his fascination with a handsome student who lives nextdoor. Hilgenbrinck is a discovery - he went from being obnoxious and hysterical in "American Pie Presents Band Camp" to the polar opposite, of a smart, adorable and intelligent young man doing his best to fit in. "High school is like Darwinism - survival of the fittest." And indeed, Chance does survive.

Classic 1980s horror flick, all big-hair, with an MTV-style rock video opening, a cast of genre favorites, and a bunch of sorority pledges and frat guys being sauteed at an April Fool's masquerade bash.

FINAL EXAM is a fun slasher flick that was released after HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13TH became box-office gold. It's exam week at isolated Lanier College, and a hulking psychopath is lurking on campus. The ditzy sorority girl, the preppy guy, the frat pledge, the bookworm, the geek, the obnoxious jock, the jezebel sleeping with her professor - will any of them survive the night? Of course from the get go you know who will live, but what makes FINAL EXAM different from other films of it's ilk is that it takes a long time before the carnage starts. Before that, it's a lot of character build-up, hazings and co-ed banter - some people don't care for that, they just want the killings and the gore to come fast and furious. FINAL EXAM is quite the opposite - the kills are brutal but not graphic nor bloody - so if you're looking for graphic violence, this isn't the movie for you.

Hilarious!

Just watched this again after not having seen it for a while, it really is a unique and enjoyable slasher that will appeal to fans of "Friday The 13th." The small Louisiana town makes for a creepy setting, there's some voodoo thrown in, and the cast is especially impressive for this genre. The only thing that keeps it from getting five stars is a rushed and uneventful finale.