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johncordamusic
Reviews
Cheers: Diane's Nightmare (1985)
One of the most intricate and clever and wild (for a Cheers episode)
I have been rewatching Cheers in its entirety to take in the full story and character arcs and of course the great situation comedy gold, that although dated at times, still holds up fantastically. I watched much if not most of the show when I was growing up through the 80s.
This one is one of those all-out wacky sitcom episodes where anything goes, and the clever moments and twists are truly special here. Brings back the Andy character from Season 1, and in general kinda mind f$#% you overall the way the episode carries out. Very fun.
I don't plan to review too many more individual Cheers episodes, so I will just add that I wish there was some kind of Coach retrospective or a little more written into the season where he is no longer, at least more than "you didn't hear? Oh yea he died."
And finally that a documentary about the show's more than decade run and with cast and creator input would have been a treat, but I don't believe it has happened, nor is it likely that it will. There is an hour long feature with the show's creators and George Wendt however. I think, I'm waiting to watch that.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
I love this film as a kid
It was one of my favorites to watch, along with Empire Strikes Back.
I remember thinking Raiders of the Lost Ark was too slow in comparison, and of less interest to me. I was younger when that one came out and I eventually watched it on video with my sister and I just kind of didn't get it.
Temple of Doom was more gripping, and had more action, at least in my eyes. The darker tone to the story fascinated me, as well as the gross out dinner scene, but not as much as the mine cart action sequence at the end.
I recently rewatched the first two films in the Indiana Jones saga. And wow did I have it backwards.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a stunningly great film, equal to the best of the Star Wars series, Empire Strikes Back, just under some of the greatest films created during those decades, like Bladerunner (Of which all three starred the same actor, man did he have a great agent) and Repo Man (Ok personal preference is weighing in here).
But I digress. All of the action scenes in Raiders (of which there are many) are convincing, not too over the top, and just very well created. The dialog, the villains, the acting, the sweeping cinematography that only 70's to very early 80's films produced, are all top notch.
I'm sure most film aficionados agree that Raiders is the best of the series, or at least better than Temple of Doom. Most will also agree I'm being too harsh, but the action scenes in this movie, and specifically the special effects, do not hold up after all these years. The curtain gets pulled back too far in HD viewing compared to an average sized TV in the 80s with VHS, and the warts come through too much for me. Look at the mine cart scene I referenced earlier; you will see the puppets version of the three main characters flopping around awkwardly in a little cart from time to time. Other special effects scenes don't stand the test of time either. When the film that started the franchise three years prior did it BETTER and the spectacle, even the stop motion melting faces, holds up better over time, then this movie gets a pass for future viewers. Or, watch it once, and Raiders multiple times.
I haven't watched The Last Crusade in quite a while so I have no comment there, but I will be viewing that one soon.
I think they tried to do too much with this movie, before CGI was available to make their visions more realistic.