Innerspace (1987)

Film of 2012 #75


Starring Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan and Martin Short this film is from the family science fiction corner and has the premise of minaturising a test pilot to inject him into a Rabbit but something goes wrong and he ends up being injected in to Martin Short, who plays a Hypochondriac Jack Putter. Directed by Joe Dante this is a fun film that has a sense of danger and excitement as Jack Putter discovers his inner hero through helping Dennis Quaid as Lt Tuck Pendleton get safely resurrected and get Meg Ryan back. 

The effects in this film are for the time fantastic you do actually believe that Dennis Quaid has been shrunk and is floating around inside Martin Short. The danger posed by the evil corporation is while quite cartoonish fits in really well with the film. You have Victor Scrimshaw and Dr Margaret Canker played by Kevin McCarthy and Fiona Lewis ably supported by the ever imposing Mr Igoe played menacingly by Vernon Wells. Capers and comedy ensue and you have good old fashioned character development of Jack Putter to the realisation from Tuck Pendleton what is important. 

This film is great it is a bit dated with the styles of 1987 and they play loose with scientific possibility but overall this really is a fun and enjoyable film, I have seen it several times and will watch it again in the future. Overall this is a 4 star recommend from me go and see how a sneeze can save your life. 

Jaw 3 (1983)

Film of 2012 #52

The third film in the Jaws series, filmed in glorious 3D is a terribly produced, bad story, poor continuity enjoyable piece of entertainment. This is by no means a good film and without the 3D effects the film looks really poor with floating fish heads and arms looking really out of place as they are supposed to be sitting in front of your red and blue glasses. The story follows the Brody brothers Mike and Sean played by Dennis Quaid and John Putch. Their romantic interests Kate Morgan and Kelly Ann Bukowski played by Lea Thompson all work or are visiting the Florida Sea world run by Louis Gossett Jnr. Their man made sea world is invaded by a 35ft Shark and it's offspring.

This film is a monster movie that plays on the popularity of the Steven Spielberg original and the brothers while carrying the names and having a few after effects are not the emotional wrecks you would imagine after they went through what they did when they were children. Apart from the name there really is very little correlation between this and the original 2 films other than it is a shark attack film. The most surprising thing to me is the fact that Richard Matheson actually helped write this story, you can see glimpses of what they were trying to get with the story but they really needed to do their research on sharks.

I enjoy this film when I watch it, it really is one of the most guilty of pleasures and I think it actually get's an easy ride as the 4th film is terrible so people remember this film more fondly. I give this film 3 stars knowing full well that many people will not enjoy watching it.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)

The Stephen Sommers blockbuster live action version of the 1985 cartoon, I was never a fan of the TV series which is based more around the US military system as the UK had Action Man. I have heard many many complaints from fans of the original series and characters most of them are due to the fact that Marlon Wayans plays Ripcord. The story follows Ripcord and Duke who are escorting some new military weapons when they are ambushed and then Joes swoop in and rescue them and then they get recruited, surprise surprise.
There is nothing that surprising about this film on the whole, but I have to admit that I had a really good time watching it, Marlon Wayans plays the funny man as he is want to do but I thought that he brought a reality to the comedy and was not that bothered by him or any of the rest of the cast as they did what was required to vanquish the bad guys.

The biggest flaw for me was that it was an origin film and it is so left open for a sequel I enjoyed it and I will go and see that when it comes out next year, 3 stars for me.