80s Movie of the Week - The Colour Purple

Week 4

Her Choice: The Colour Purple, 1985

What's it all about: Well, I have tried and tried to write you a short synopsis of this amazing film, but I have found it an impossible task. If you haven't seen it and want to know more about 'The Color Purple', there is a good (but lengthy) description here. If you have seen it, you will understand the difficulties I'm having!

Who's in it: Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey

The Upshot: This film is a heart wrenching and uplifting tale of the triumph of the human spirit. I laughed, I despaired, I wept, I hoped, I was filled with joy. If you haven't seen it, you must.

His Rating: 9/10 Violet Crumbles

Her Rating: 9/10 West Coast Coolers

80s Movie of the Week Roadhouse

Week 3

His Choice: Roadhouse, 1989

What's it all about: A tough bouncer is hired to tame a dirty bar. And it stars the late great Patrick Swayze - need I say more?

Who's in it: Patrick Swayze, Kelly Lynch, Sam Elliot, Jeff Healy

The Upshot: It was awesome. Totally awesome. One of my favourite 80s flicks ever! I loved it every time I watched it in the 80s and it has only got better with age. It has a bit of everything, action, drama, romance, Patrick Swayze almost naked, philosophy, a happy ending, did I mention Patrick Swayze au natural?

Love it, love it, love it. Might watch it again. If you haven't seen it, you totally should.

His Rating: 9/10 Violet Crumbles

Her Rating: 9/10 West Coast Coolers

ps. I thought you'd be bigger...

80s Movie of The Week - The Breakfast Club

Week 2

The Bloke bought us a couple of trendy drinks to bring us right back to 1985, so we could sit back and enjoy:

Her Choice: The Breakfast Club, 1985

What's it all about: Five high school students, all different stereotypes, meet in detention, where they pour their hearts out to each other, and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought.

Who's in it: Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheady

The Upshot: The cast is a who's who of the 80s, and The Breakfast Club is one of the quintessential films of the decade. I found the film a lot more believable when I watch it as a teenager, and I remember clearly being shocked at bad boy John Bender getting together with prim and proper Claire at the end of the film. This time round I can't believe how naive I was back then not to see something so predictable happening!

Also notable for fans of The Simpsons and Futurama, this movie contains the line "Eat my shorts!" delivered by bad boy John Bender. Coincidence? Nope. Matt Groening has admitted in an official US Playstation Magazine that he named the robot 'Bender' in Futurama after The Breakfast Club character John Bender, and the movie is almost certainly where he got Bart Simpson's "Eat my shorts" catchphrase from.

I loved the film, but not as much as the first time around.

His Rating: 9/10 Violet Crumbles

Her Rating: 7/10 West Coast Coolers

Have you seen it? Did you love it?

80s Movie Of The Week - Bladerunner

The Bloke Who Lives At My Place has established a new Date Night ritual at our place. Each week we will be reliving and reviewing the awesome 1980s through the medium of Interpretive Dance. No, not really! Instead, we are taking turns choosing an 80s DVD to watch each week, and will be trying hard to outdo and impress each other with our choices.

I have compiled an impressive list of 80s movies I would like to watch, and The Bloke has done the same, so each week I will be bringing you a review of our 80s Movie Of The Week.

I should probably point out that my reviews will contain plot spoilers. Just in case it's an 80s flick you haven't managed to see sometime over the last 30 years, and think you might like to, you have been warned!

Popcorn and some 80s snacks to set the mood:

Week 1

His Choice: Bladerunner 1982

What's it all about: Deckard, a blade runner, has to track down and terminate 4 replicants who hijacked a ship in space and have returned to earth seeking their maker.

Who's in it: Harrison Ford, Darryl Hannah, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young.

The Upshot: I was seriously impressed by The Bloke's choice for opening night. I'm not a big Sci-Fi fan, but I loved Bladerunner in the 80s, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it again. It's a Sci-Fi action flick but it's also a beautiful love story, and of course it stars a young and dangerously good looking Harrison Ford.
Although Blade Runner was originally released in 1982, we actually watch the Director's Cut (1990). The directors cut omits Deckard's voiceover, which didn't bother me at all, but also cuts my favourite scene of the movie: the final scene where Deckard and Rachel fly off into the sunset toward an uncertain future but together and in love. I did not like the movie ending at the preceding scene with Deckard and Rachel getting into the elevator, and implication that Gaff would be after them, denying them a happy ending. What can I say, I'm a sucker for a happy ending!

His Rating: 8/10 Violet Crumbles

Her Rating: 7/10 West Coast Coolers

Have you seen it? What did you think?