13) Explorers (1985)

(2out of 5)

"We're going where no man has gone before."

Director

Joe Dante

Cast
Ethan Hawke - Ben Crandall
River Phoenix - Wolfgang Müller
Jason Presson - Darren Woods
Amanda Peterson - Lori Swenson
Bobby Fite - Steve Jackson
Dana Ivey - Mrs. Müller
James Cromwell - Mr. Müller
Robert Picardo - Starkiller, Wak, and Wak and Neek's Father
Dick Miller - Charlie Drake

A sizeable handful of 80s and 90s movies have Joe Dante's name attached to them.

His movies have passed on through the tunnel of pop culture with seemingly flying colors, landing gracefully into modern times where they're enjoyed with nostalgic glee.

Dante directed "Gremlins" and "Gremlins 2: The New Batch," as well as "The Howling" "InnerSpace" (which I'm trying to get my hands on so I can comment on it here), and "Small Soldiers" among other popular titles. 

But his movie 1985 sci-fi adventure "Explorers" doesn't quite seem to reach the same lofty nostalgic heights of wide-range appreciation as some of his other movies. 

I only remember "Explorers" from seeing it on the rental shelf of my childhood video rental store, "California Video" back in the 90s. I've never watched it until a few days ago. 

Ethan Hawke, in his first big screen role, plays Ben Crandall - a teenage boy who is having a reoccurring dream where he's flying around in the sky until he's flying over a circuit board that resembles a city like something out of "TRON." 

He wakes up as the TV in his bedroom is still on, playing "War of the Worlds" from 1953. Classic! 

Right away, he scribbles the circuit board image he saw in his dream into his notebook..  

He can't wait to tell his friend, Wolfgang Muller (River Phoenix) about his vision. This is also Phoenix's first big screen appearance, by the way.

Wolfgang is a young genius who's interested in computers and science. You know... smart stuff.
Ben also has the hots for a girl in his class named Lori Swenson (Amanda Peterson). Like most boyhood crushes, Ben is preoccupied with the uncertainty of whether Lori likes him or not. Other than that, she serves no real purpose to the story outside of being the object of the main character's affection. 

Wolfgang and Ben invite Darren Woods (Jason Presson), a kid from their school, into their clique. 

Like most other 80s movies with child cliques, the boys are often bullied by the worst bullies imaginable. Darren helps Ben get out of near beating by the school bully, so he's in. 

River Phoenix, Ethan Hawke, and Jason Presson in "Explorers."

Once Ben shares his vision, Wolfgang jumps right into building some kind of computer microchip based on Ben's sketches. 

This newfound tech somehow generates a solid floating electromagnetic bubble. This zany bubble of his has the capability of travelling great distances at high rates of speed. 

Wolfgang observes that it's unhindered by inertia. The possibilities are limitless as to what they can do with this free-floating bubble technology. It can surely take them places where they otherwise can never get to...like outer space!

Darren manages to sneak Wolfgang and Ben into a junk yard where the boys help themselves to parts, including a car from a carnival ride. 

Together, they build a space craft which they name "Thunder Road" after Bruce Springsteen's song. 

Later, Ben has more dreams about flying through the sky towards a massive circuit board. And Wolfgang meanwhile creates a device to produce unlimited oxygen. 

With all these amazing scientific breakthroughs, the three boys come up with a plan to explore space and search for alien life. 

Their test flights take them all around above their town. Of course, they crash into things like the local drive-in. They're also spotted by police flying in a police helicopter. One of these local officers in the copter, Charlie Drake (Dick Miller), sees one of the child-pilots and thinks he's an alien. 

This close encounter spurs Drake to investigate this "UFO." He finds their ship hidden in a ravine and realizes it's clearly the work of kids. This somehow means something to him, reminding him of something from his past. 

The boys finally launch their ship into space - the final frontier. 

While cruising around in space, their picked up by an alien ship somewhere far away from Earth. After exploring the unusual spaceship, they meet some of the aliens who inform them that everything they know about Earth, they've picked up through television signals. 

There are some well-known names in this movie. To begin with, it stars Dick Miller and Robert Picardo. These two have appeared together in some of Dante's other movies. Both are in "Gremlins 2," "InnerSpace," and "The Burbs" which stars Tom Hanks. 

Dick Miller, a veteran actor, was also in the first "Gremlins" as well as "Matinee," "Small Soldiers" and several more recent Dante movies. 

There's even a 2014 documentary about him called "That Guy Dick Miller." He's been in a large number of Roger Corman movies as well, including "Little Shop of Horrors." Miller is an absolute legend in my book. 

Aside from these guys, and not to mention the young River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke, there's more big

names associated with this picture. Composer Jerry Goldsmith does the score. His tunes can be found in a ton of well-known movies and TV programs. 

Voice actor Frank Welker adds some voices in this movie. And my personal favorite detail, the name of the school in this movie is Charles M. Jones Junior High. Charles, as in Chuck, as in Chuck Jones, the animator. Looney Tunes fans know who he is! 

Chuck Jones has a cameo in "Gremlins" by the way. Otherwise, he's one of my favorite artists. In my book, he's as iconic as Norman Rockwell. And I love his work as much as that of Mort Drucker, Al Jaffee, Jack Davis, Angelo Torres, Sergio Aragonés and the eternally ever popular Don Martin. You know... the "usual gang of idiots!" 

Alright, enough fan boy-ing.

"Explorers" is a love letter to the sci-fi genre. It feels like a mix of "E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial," TRON," "The Goonies," and a hint of "The NeverEnding Story" mostly because of Ben's flying dream sequences. It also reminds me a little...just a little... of "Ghostbusters." The kids' personalities are similar to the personalities of the three initial ghostbusters from the first movie, which came out the year before. 

Wolfgang is a scientific whiz like Dr. Egon Spengler. Ben has a happy-go-lucky spunk and eagerness like Dr. Ray Stantz. And Darren has an unimpressed temperament like Dr. Peter Venkman.

"Explorers" came out the same year as another masterpiece of science fiction cinema, "Back to the Future." So, it had some rough competition in the theaters. Another popular sci-fi movie also came out that same year. I'll get to that one in my next review. 

There are dozens of science fiction movie references throughout this movie - "It Came from Outer Space," "This Island Earth," "War of the Worlds," "Star Trek" and of course the mother of all sci-fi flicks, "Star Wars." 

"Explorers" is a fun imaginative family adventure movie. It moves along nicely... until the kids make contact with aliens. And then it crash-lands from there. It goes from imaginative and fun to absurdly cartoonish, obnoxious, and irritating. 

The aliens they meet think earthlings communicate like way people present themselves on television - in cartoons, in gameshows, in news programs, and so on. Their nerve grinding contact with these absurd looking aliens drags out well past its welcome. 

And then the movie ends on an underwhelming note. 

At a screening of "Explorers" at the New Beverly Theater back in 2008, Dante said, "The problem for me is that the movie you'll see is not the movie I wanted to make. It's the movie I got to make up to a certain point and then had to stop. It's hard for me to look at it, cause it's not the film I quite had in mind." 

I can see that! It really shows. 

There must have been more backstory to Dick Miller's character. Unfortunately, it's built up and then remains unvisited. That subplot is a bit of a letdown.

Generally, Dante's movies are imaginative and relatable. They're creative and often have a lasting power. The fun Dante must have in making his movies shines through them. His stories are often adventurous without leaving the backyard (except for this, of course, since the kids are leaving their backyards for outer space). He manages to keep the elements simple though the stories have some complexities within. 

Still, "Explorers" is what it is. And what it is, is enjoyable...to a point. Watching it, my thoughts went from "this is pretty good" to "what the hell am I watching?" That's no exaggeration. 

I'm really curious to know what kind of movie Dante wanted to make. I know I've said this before about other movies, but if there's a movie that should get a remake, it's this one. And if that were to happen, I really hope Dante directs, and makes the "Explorers" he initially wanted to make. 

12) Rollerball (1975)

(3's out of 5)

"Understand it!"

Director

Norman Jewison

Cast
James Caan - Jonathan
John Houseman - Mr. Bartholomew
Maud Adams - Ella
John Beck - Moonpie
Moses Gunn - Cletus
Pamela Hensley - Mackie
Barbara Trentham - Daphne
John Normington - Ballard
Shane Rimmer - Rusty

Before there was "The Hunger Games," "The Maze Runner," "Squid Games" and even before Arnold Schwarzenegger was "The Running Man," there was "Rollerball." 

In fact, in the realm of dystopian sports movies, there's not too many before "Rollerball." The movie is based on the short story, "Roller Ball Murder" by William Harrison which was published in "Esquire" back in 1973. Harrison wrote the screenplay for this movie, which came out in 1975 - the same year another dystopian sports movie called "Death Race 2000" starring Sylvester Stallone and produced by Roger Corman was released. "Rollerball" is older by a few months. 

There were a few survival sports movies released before the 1970s. The earliest one I can think of is 1932's "The Most Dangerous Game." That was remade in 1942 with the title "A Game of Death." The 1961 horror movie "Bloodlust" about a young couple who's hunted by a deranged lunatic on a desert island has a similar premise. But these movies aren't really futuristic dystopian films like "Rollerball." 

Honestly, I never heard of "Rollerball" until I bought a copy of "Top 100 Sci-Fi Movies" by Gary Gerani. It's a wonderful companion for this blog, and the last book of his I needed to complete my set that includes, "Top 100 Fantasy Movies," "Top 100 Comic Book Movies," and my personal favorite, "Top 100 Horror Movies." 

In this movie, the future took place six years ago in 2018. James Caan plays Jonathan E., the captain and star player for the Houston rollerball team. In this movie's version of 2018, large corporations control society. So, that's not too far-fetched from current reality. Corporations have some much dominance that, before a rollerball game, fans stand to sing the corporate anthem instead of the National Anthem. 

Rollerball is a savage contact sport that looks like roller derby but involves beating opponents while trying to chase a metal ball around a rink, capturing it, and then throwing it into a hole for points. Anyways, Energy Corporation is one of those said ruling corporations, with Mr. Bartholomew (John Houseman) as acting chairman. Energy Corporation also sponsors the Houston team. 

Mr. Bartholomew tells Jonathan to announce his departure from rollerball. In return, he offers Jonathan a cushy lavish retirement. He instructs Jonathan to make this announcement during a televised special about his career in rollerball. 

It sounds like a sweet deal, but Jonathan refuses. Before the story begins, the corporation took his wife, Ella (Maud Adams) because one of the scummy executives wanted her for himself. 

So, obviously Jonathan is weary of the corporations. 

His friend and former coach, Cletus (Moses Gunn), who now works as an executive, is convinced that the powers-that-be within Energy Corporation are scared of Jonathan. But Cletus doesn't understand why that's the case. 

John Beck and James Caan in "Rollerball."

Meanwhile, the rules for rollerball are changed to make the game much more senseless and violent. The corporate execs make it that way as an attempt to get Jonathan to retire. These new rules are to be implemented immediately at the next game between Houston and Tokyo. This time, there will be limited substitutions and no penalties. 

The violence that's allowed in the game is turned up several notches as well. That way, the chance of Jonathan getting seriously hurt to the point of no return is greater than before. Jonathan isn't deterred. 

The violence is so bad that some of Jonathan's teammates are beaten to the point of death. His buddy, "Moonpie" (John Beck), is beaten on the cranium by three opponents during the game and left in a coma. 

After the Tokyo game, a bunch of unsympathetic executives along with Bartholomew decide the next game will be played with no penalties, substitutions or limits whatsoever. The idea is that this'll be Jonathan's final match as he'll surely die during the game. 

The executive powers think if Jonathan keeps playing, and continues exciting the fans, the greater the risk he poses in arousing thoughts of individuality among the controlled masses. 

As Bartholomew says, "The game was created to demonstrate the futility of individual effort."

Ella returns to Jonathan and tries to convince him to retire. She tells him that the next game against New York will be played to the death. Obviously, the executives set him up and are using Ella to get him to leave the game.

Regardless, Jonathan decides to play anyways. The game is an all-out free for all where anything goes. Jonathan just needs to play until the end. 

"Rollerball" has some Stanley Kubrick vibes to it. Thanks to its soundtrack, particularly Bach's "Toccata and Fugue" played in the opening, it feels a little like Kubrick's dystopian crime movie, "A Clockwork Orange." 

The dystopian feels are there with the deep corporate influence over society that demands allegiance while cramming the notion that individualism is a futile way of thinking. 

The story boils down to one man, disenchanted with the system, up against that system and then getting the better of it. 

It's eerily similar to our modern society. And it gets that point across with such ease.

There are so many lines of dialogue to consider. 

In a scene after the game at the beginning of the movie, Bartholomew and his hoard of suited up execs visit the locker room. Bartholomew, stiff necked and strutting his dominance, focuses some attention on Moonpie as he reclines. 

"Sweet dreams, Moonpie. That's a bad habit you've got there. You know what that habit will make you dream, Moonpie? You'll dream you're an executive. You'll have your hands on all the controls, and you will wear a gray suit, and you will make decisions. But you know what, Moonpie? You know what those executives dream about out there behind their desks? They dream they're great rollerballers. They dream they're Jonathan. They have muscles, they bash in faces."

One depiction that's particularly relevant is the corporate bosses attempts to erase history. This happens when Jonathan goes to a library to access a supercomputer known as "Zero" which stores digitized copies all books - heavily edited in accordance with executive ideologies. It's also a global source of all human knowledge. 

However, it turns out "Zero's" memory has mysteriously become corrupted. 

"The whole of the 13th century. Misplaced the computers, several conventional computers," the librarian tells Jonathan. "We can't find them. We're always moving things around, getting organized, my assistants and I. This - this is Zero's fault - Zero, he's the world's file cabinet. Pity, poor old 13th century....Now, we've lost those computers with all of the 13th century in them. Not much in the century, just Dante and a few corrupt Popes, but it's so distracting and annoying!"

Even with the overall decent writing, the only exciting parts of "Rollerball" are the actual rollerball scenes. There's barely any emotion in the talking scenes. It gets dull after a while, especially when sandwiched in between the high energy full-force sports scenes. 

James Caan, who was a fantastic actor with many memorable performances, and who is greatly missed, does well with what he's given. He delivers a character the audience can get behind and rally for. John Houseman, who's an actor that deserves much appreciation, also delivers a great performance and carries a lot of this movie on his shoulders. Houseman is like a poor man's Alfred Hitchcock. He has the voice and mannerisms for horror movies, and can use that same talent to be funny. 

Moses Gunn deserves recognition here. His name tends to randomly pop up in movies and television, and it gets my attention each time. No two of his performances are alike. It's no exception here in "Rollerball." 

Gunn has been in some of my favorite movies such as "The NeverEnding Story" and "Firestarter." I've seen him on "The Cosby Show" and on my favorite horror anthology series, "Tales from the Crypt." I've mentioned him before in a review I wrote on the TV movie "Bates Motel." I've never seen a performance from Gunn I didn't like. He also plays Booker T. Washington in the 1981 movie, "Ragtime" which I've been trying to get my hands on for a while as it's directed by "Amadeus" director, Miloš Forman.

Before I forget, Richard LeParmentier (Admiral Motti from "Star Wars" and Lt. Santino in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit") is in this movie, too. So, there's that. 

I'm being generous with my rating of 3 out of 5 flaming roller skates because of its cast, some of the dialogue, and John Houseman's performance 

Director Norman Jewison has directed some respected films such as "The Thomas Crown Affair," "Fiddler on the Roof," and "Moonstruck." Sadly, he passed away in January, 2024.

"Rollerball" tries to be a true thought-provoking flick, hoping to be taken seriously as a 'one man against the system' story. It has been a trope repeated so many times before and after. It works to some extent. Like I said, this movie is really only worthwhile when the actual game is on.

"Rollerball" was remade in 2022, which the Los Angeles Times called one of the most expensive box office flops of all time. I have no desire to watch it. Seeing the original film was good enough for me. As far as Gary Gerani's book...I guess "Rollerball" is among the top 100 sci-fi movies.  

11) SpaceCamp (1986)

(2.5 's out of 5)

"There's no room for mistakes. Every 'i' dotted, every 't' crossed. That's the way I learned it. That's the way you'll learn it."

Director

Harry Winer

Cast

Lea Thompson - Kathryn Fairly
Tate Donovan - Kevin Donaldson

Larry B. Scott - Rudy Tyler

Kelly Preston - Tish Ambrose

Leaf Phoenix - Max Graham

Kate Capshaw - Andie Bergstrom

Tom Skerritt - Zach Bergstrom

In the crowded halls of 1980s cinema where nostalgia reigns supreme, some films are more fondly remembered than others. 

In the case of the 1986 sci-fi adventure movie, "SpaceCamp," it's just not talked about much, if ever. I'm unsure how fondly remembered it is. Does it have any kind of following? It just doesn't get the same attention as other movies from the same period - not even as a unique thing that happened once upon a time.

It's based on an actual space camp operated by NASA in Huntsville, Alabama, which I think is still in operation today. 

"SpaceCamp's" June of 1986 theatrical release was bad timing at its worst. Just a few months before it hit theaters, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded killing all seven crewmembers on board. I don't think NASA has been a bastion of appreciation and American pride since. But that's another topic for another time. While that tragic event isn't mentioned in the movie, I've heard it's referenced in the movie novelization. 

Anyhow, I've heard more about much worse movies from the eighties such as "The Garbage Pail Kids Movie" and "Howard the Duck" than I have about "SpaceCamp" from all the nostalgia fiends I subscribe to. Then again, "SpaceCamp" probably has redeemable qualities about it compared to those movies, but who cares about that? It's way more fun to point out the worst of the worst.

In this movie, a bunch of kids are attending NASA's summer space camp in Huntsville. 

For a few weeks, they'll learn about space travel and all that other NASA stuff. 
The movie follows teenagers Kathryn Fairly (Lea Thompson), Kevin Donaldson (Tate Donovan), Rudy Tyler (Larry B. Scott), Tish Ambrose (Kelly Preston) and 12-year-old Max Graham (Joaquin Phoenix - credited as Leaf Phoenix). 

Max is obsessed with "Star Wars" and often plays out his tasks like something out of the movie. So, he naturally gravitates towards, and becomes pals with, an intelligent but faulty robot named Jinx. 

The robot was originally designed to perform work out in

space. Thanks to its consistent overheating, and the way it takes voice commands too literally, it's decommissioned and doomed to roam the halls of space camp. Naturally, Jinx and Max declare themselves to be best friends forever. 

The camp instructor is astronaut Andie Bergstrom (Kate Capshaw) who isn't very enthusiastic about being an instructor. She's frustrated that she hasn't yet been assigned to a space shuttle mission. Instead, she has to train a bunch of teenagers, and Max, how to fly around in space. 

She's married to an astronaut and the camp's director, Zach Bergstrom (Tom Skerritt), who has walked on the moon. 

Meanwhile, Kathryn has a dream to be the first female space shuttle commander. 

Kevin also has a dream which involves Kathryn. That dream only started at the beginning of the movie. So, he hits on her as soon as he arrives. 

Kathryn's dreams are put on hold for a bit when Andie makes Kevin the shuttle commander in their simulated space flights. Kevin lacks maturity and responsibility, so he gets to be commander. 

Rudy, by the way, hopes to open a fast-food restaurant out in space. And Tish has a photographic memory though she's a tried-and-true Valley girl.

The usual camp hijinks ensue, like Kevin and Kathryn sneaking out after curfew for some "star gazing."

However, Jinx the literal robot, gives them away to Andie as they're breaking curfew.

Kevin blames Max for ratting him out, though it was Jinx's fault. He snaps at Max, who takes it pretty hard. While alone pouting over Kevin being a jerk, Max wishes he could fly in space. 

Jinx overhears this and works his magic.

The campers are allowed to sit on board the Space Shuttle Atlantis with Andie during a standard engine test. Jinx goes into NASA's computer room and intentionally causes some sort of malfunction. 

This causes the shuttle engine to ignite while the teens (and Max) are on board. So as not to cause a major catastrophe, launch control is forced to ignite the other boosters and launch the shuttle into space. 

The shuttle isn't ready for space flight. It doesn't have the necessary radio power to operate in space. And the oxygen supply is limited. There's no way it'll last until re-entry. Regardless, up they go and use whatever knowledge they have to get back to earth.

When they're out in space, Andie maneuvers the shuttle towards the space station which has a supply of stored oxygen. 

Meanwhile, the kids in the shuttle try using telemetry to communicate with ground control. And Tish tries to send Morse code which ground control doesn't pick up. 

Andie exits the shuttle and tries to reach the cannisters of liquid oxygen attached to the space station. Unfortunately, she can't reach them. 

The crew need someone small enough to maneuver through the tight spaces of the station to reach the cannisters. So, they send Max. 

He almost winds up floating aimlessly in space away from the shuttle. 

After Andie saves him, Max panics at first as he tries to get the cannisters. Kevin uses the old Jedi mind trick to boost Max's confidence. This proves to be helpful, and Max obtains the oxygen. It also helps Max and Kevin bury the hatchet and be friends again.

Leaf Phoenix as Max in "SpaceCamp."

Jinx overhears this exchange between Kevin and Max, and gets really super robot-jealous. 

Distraught with a broken robot heart, he barricades himself in the computer lab and threatens to press his self-destruct button that was, for reasons perhaps explained in a deleted scene, built into his system. 

Jinx contacts the ground control crew through the computer system threatening to do himself in while expressing his undying love (or what his robot circuitry thinks is undying love) for Max. 

Jinx also tries to contact Max to tell him how much he loves him. Since communication is limited, his message can't reach Max who's floating around in space, tethered to the shuttle, trying to get some extra oxygen. 

So, Jinx pushes his self-destruct button. Fortunately, there's a malfunction...because it's NASA.

Jinx is arrested by the robot police and immediately sentenced for robot crimes against human emotion. Max hears about this while out in space and can't stand being apart from Jinx at a time he needs his buddy most. In a moment of absolute despair, Max untethers himself from the shuttle, and floats away into the abyss of space. He's surprisingly rescued by a race of aliens calling themselves Starthulians from a planet known as Drxxyisius VI. 

Their leader, Kleeborp, explains that on their planet, they have no concept of love. So, Max has to explain this and all the other outlandish, silly ways of earth. And hilarity ensues.  

Ok...I made all that up about Jinx, Max, and Kleeborp because the rest of the movie is ridiculously predictable. What really happens is that the kids are accidentally sent into space. There are problems. Death and doom are imminent. Ground control nearly locks out Max in space as they take over the shuttle by autopilot. Kevin ends up maturing real fast which lasts for about five minutes, and overrides the autopilot to save Max.

Tish's Morse code finally reaches ground control. Though the shuttle missed the window of opportunity to land at Edwards Air Force Base, Kathryn thinks they can make it by landing at White Sands in New Mexico. They're going to land there no matter what. And they do. 

"SpaceCamp" is a summer camp comedy mixed with the drama that could have easily popped out of the head of someone like John Hughes and be a space version of something like "The Breakfast Club" or some other 80s teen movie. It tries to be advanced, maybe sophisticated, as it's completely wrapped within a promotional plug for NASA. 

"SpaceCamp" wants to be taken seriously. It has a slight hint of sci-fi fantasy thanks to the inclusion of Jinx. It's also an adventure thriller, and a kid's movie, and a teen flick. 

There was a lot of potential for "SpaceCamp" but thanks to lousy dialogue and a boringly predictable premise, it takes a nosedive into the heap of seldom spoken of 80s movies. It's a story seen over and over again. 

Even with the music composed by the legend himself, John Williams, nothing really stands out in this movie except Lea Thompson from "Back to the Future" simply because she's Lea Thompson from "Back to the Future." And it's Joaquin Phoenix's second film. So, there's that.

I'm sure science and astronomy fans might find this movie interesting in some way or another. 

Tate Donovan, Lea Thompson, and Kelly Preston.

And maybe 80s nostalgia buffs fawn a little more over "SpaceCamp" than the rest of us as it has all the typical tropes of the decade. 

Lea Thompson is the cute intelligent overachiever who's there to actually be an astronaut someday. In other words, she takes her time at the camp seriously. 

Then there's the cool hot guy, Kevin, who doesn't take much seriously and has the hots for Lea Thompson.  

There's the Valley girl who's cute but not cute enough to take the lead. She's there to help make science look hip and fun, as though anybody can take on science. She spouts lines like, "Well I did this audit at GPL on Radio Astronomy; it was unbelievable! I mean can you imagine an extra-terrestrial disc jockey? I mean like listening to radio waves from space? I mean like waiting for signs of intelligence?"

Yeah! Like... total Valley girl!

Rudy is the token black guy. And Max is the dorky kid who just wants to be a part of the team while living in his own little Star Wars world. 

Finally, there's the adorable sidekick robot who becomes "friends" with that kid.

"Max and Jinx... Friends... For-e-ver."

Content-wise, there's really nothing wrong with "SpaceCamp." It has its appeal as a family movie. 

I feel like it wants to be a crazy hijinks-filled kids camp movie but also wants to tread on a more intelligent level because NASA is part of the equation. It's NASA trying to appeal to the "new generation" - totally rad and awesome science, man - while trying to be above that. 

With its timing amidst harsh opinions about NASA, there's no chance "SpaceCamp" could have been a success back in 1986. And whether it managed to gain a cult following or not since then, I honestly don't know. 

The movie just sort of exists out there as this thing that has since come and gone. 

It feels like you'd watch as part of an attraction at EPCOT Center rather than a feature film.  

At the bare minimum, it has an entertaining innocence about it as soon as the crew makes it out to space. And the actors do as good a job as they can with what they're working with. 

Otherwise, it's a dry "adventure" that doesn't offer much except a sales pitch for NASA's camp. Even that is done rather poorly and without much thought. The last thing NASA needed to attach its name to shortly after a horrific shuttle disaster is a movie about a shuttle disaster in which the lives of youth are threatened thanks to a faulty NASA robot. Well done, NASA. Wasn't there enough egg on your face already?

10) Meteor (1979)

(2.5 's out of 5)

"Shit! Five miles!"

Director
Ronald Neame

Cast
Sean Connery - Dr. Paul Bradley
Natalie Wood - Tatiana Donskaya
Karl Malden - Harry Sherwood
Brian Keith - Dr. Alexei Dubov
Martin Landau - Gen. Adlon

Henry Fonda - The President
Trevor Howard - Sir Michael Hughes
Richard Dysart - Secretary of Defense

I've been busy most of April and some of May with moving from one state to another. And now that I'm in a new state, I'm busy establishing a new life and adjusting to a new job. To make a boring personal story shorter but still just as boring, my sci-fi DVDs along with, well, all the rest of my DVDs are all packed in storage. So, I'm veering off my lineup of movies for this blog and my horror blog, 1000daysofhorror.blogspot.com. 

In the meantime, I have to take potluck...cinematically speaking. 

Case and point - "Meteor." 

This 1979 star studded sci-fi flick isn't much reminisced about in the sci-fi flick world. 

Clearly attempting to piggyback off the impressive visual effects of "Star Wars" released two years early, that's where "Meteor" strives to make a big impact of its own (no pun intended).

And when I say star-studded (again, no pun... nevermind) I mean it. Sean Connery takes the lead role as Dr. Paul Bradley. He shares the screen with Natalie Wood, Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Martin Landau, Henry Fonda, and Trevor Howard. 

"Meteor" is the "Airport" of science fiction disaster movies. 

A meteor measuring five miles long is hurdling towards Earth. 

The huge meteor is a splinter created when the asteroid Orpheus is struck by a comet. Smaller fragments are also heading to Earth and are expected to cause some devastation in certain parts of the globe. But the meteor is going to make impact in just a few days. It's expected to bring about mass extinction so someone on Earth better do something or...it's all over. 

The United States does have a super-duper secret weapon - a satellite missile called "Hercules." It was created by Dr. Paul Bradley (Sean Connary) who designed it for such a global threat like a meteor. 

However, U.S. Armed Forces took over the Hercules and pointed it at the U.S.S.R. which really wasn't a smart move, all things considered. 

Unfortunately, when the meteor is discovered, and scientists start working out the calculations and details, the missiles on the Hercules won't be enough to stop it. 

The Soviet Union happens to have a weapons satellite called "Peter the Great" equipped with 16 nuclear warheads. And their satellite is pointing right at the U.S. 

Turnabout is fair play!

So, the President (Henry Fonda) goes on television and tells the nation about Orpheus and Hercules, and asks the U.S.S.R. for a joint effort in destroying the meteor before it makes impact. 

To make that happen, Dr. Bradley specifically requests Soviet scientist Dr. Alexei Dubov (Brian Keith) to head Russia's side of the effort. 

Bradley and NASA worker Harry Sherwood (Karl Malden) lead the United States' side of the plan. 

Dubov brings his interpreter, Tatiana Donskaya (Natalie Wood) to assist and create a bridge of trust among all involved. Of course, she also captures Bradley's attention. 

Once the fragments start impacting the earth, time is of the essence to destroy the huge meteor. And all the world is praying that the planet's only way out of global extinction will work. 

When it comes to disaster movies between the 1950s into the late 1970s, they normally don't involve a scenario that'll lead to global chaos and death.

Rather, they involve chaos on a smaller scale like a capsized cruise ship in "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972), or a massive fire in a high-rise office building like in "The Towering Inferno" (1974). In fact, it's worth mentioning that "Meteor" director Ronald Neame also directed the latter. 

The 1973 movie "The Crazies" centers around a man-made virus that causes permanent insanity and ultimately death, but even that is only within the confines of a small Pennsylvania town. 

Outside of Godzilla movies, and anything involving alien invasions, "Meteor" is the only movie I can think of between 1950 to 1980 where the entire earth is at risk thanks to a natural phenomenon.

"Meteor" manages to be entertaining to a point, but it's gruelingly slow and laughable at times when it clearly doesn't intend to be. The majority of the film is dialogue mixed with overly intense shots of the meteor slowly floating in space.

I'll get this remark out of the way. The effects are mostly laughable. There's no other way to put it without beating around the green screened bush. They're a mix of colored filters, stock footage (or what looks like stock footage), models, and on-set special effects.  

Fragments hit the World Trade Center, destroying it and a lot of New York City in general. When the fragments destroy the NASA facility everyone is working in to monitor the meteor, which forces survivors into the New York City subway just as the East River begins flooding it, the impact of the meteor is still 15 minutes away. The Russian and U.S. missiles are slowly making their way towards the meteor, taking their sweet time as though they're taking inspiration from Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey."

"Meteor" is heavy in the scary apocalyptic dialogue against an imposing musical score. The audience is treated to a variety of different angles of the same meteor floating towards earth in order to really drive the point home to the audience that this is the meteor of all meteors. 

The funniest parts, whether it's intended or not, occur each time Sean Connary swears. I mean it when I say Sean Connary's swearing is music to my ears. Normally, I don't care for excessive swearing for swearing's sake in movies. However, coming out of Connary's mouth makes me grin from ear to ear. In fact, I'm calling it. Connary's swearing is the best part of this movie! 
"Why don't you stick a broom up my ass? I can sweep the carpet on the way out," he says in one scene. 

The best swear scene occurs when Harry Sherwood briefs Bradley on the situation. Sherwood tells him, "That meteor is five miles wide, and it's definitely gonna hit us."

Bradley's reply is a swift and natural, "Shit!' 

It is, without a doubt, the most perfect utterance on screen of that one word in the history of film profanity. The timing and promptness behind the way Connery says it is nothing but pure, Connary-an genius! Pardon me while I wipe a single tear from my eye. 

Anyway, how about this exchange that occurs later in the film?

"I just wondered if you had taken time to eat," Tatiana asks Dr. Bradley.

"Yes, I had some coffee," he replies. 

The dialogue is something you just have to hear for yourself. 

The movie has a lot of buildup. That buildup is followed by more buildup, which is followed by even more buildup. All that buildup is so overly dramatic, it's almost entrancing. 

Sean Connary and Karl Malden in "Meteor." 

There's one colossal scene, music and all, with characters glued to their monitors as the Russian and U.S. satellites turn towards the meteor. It's not only amazingly dramatic, it's impressively silly as well. I wish I had timed how long that particular scene is.

After what seemed like 10 to 15 minutes of the most epic satellite turning I've ever seen, it just ends. The story shifts (finally) to some destruction as a splinter meteor strikes the side of a mountain at some Swiss ski town which causes a massive avalanche.

The final destruction of the five-mile-long meteor has the longest explosion and close-up of an explosion I've ever seen. It's almost hilarious.

All the realism behind the completely out-of-touch airheaded government leadership is more real than the special effects. They bumble their way around the issue completely unable to cover their hypocrisy and everyone else but themselves recognize it, particularly the Russians.  

"Meteor" is a mix of serious intensity, randomness, and very dramatic effects that I'm sure the producers must have been really proud of. It takes itself way too seriously. 

It wants to be a dramatic sci-fi spectacle. Honestly, I can't tell if it actually accomplished being the huge spectacle it intended to be or not. I laughed at all the wrong parts. And several times I uttered, "what the hell am I watching?" 

The movie does manage to entertain with all its seriousness and Connary swearing. It really tries to be a monumental sci-fi disaster movie. If it succeeds in the end, it definitely does so for completely different reasons than what the producers likely intended. Getting through it was one hell of a trip. 

9) Galaxy Quest (1999)

(4 's out of 5)

"Whoever wrote this episode should die." 

Director
Dean Parisot

Cast
Tim Allen - Jason Nesmith
Sigourney Weaver - Gwen DeMarco
Alan Rickman - Alexander Dane
Tony Shalhoub - Fred Kwan
Daryl Mitchell - Tommy Webber
Sam Rockwell - Guy Fleegman
Enrico Colantoni - Mathesar
Robin Sachs - Roth'h'ar Sarris

Missi Pyle - Laliari
Rainn Wilson - Lahnk
Justin Long - Brandon


In the world of sci-fi comedies, "Galaxy Quest" is among the top of the list along with classics like "Spaceballs," "Back to the Future," "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," "Guardians of the Galaxy vols. 1 and 2," and "Men in Black." 

It's tongue-in-cheek humor mixes well with the satire thrown at "Star Trek" and fans of Star Trek, commonly known as "Trekkies." I'm completely on board with it. Not that I have anything against Star Trek or Trekkies. 

I've enjoyed a lot of the Trek movies and used to watch "Star Trek: The Next Generation" fairly regularly when it aired on television. I just love satire much more. And this movie hits the spot!

It surrounds a fictional 1980s TV show called "Galaxy Quest." The actors from the show have been reduced to making convention and small promotional appearances like the opening of a new grocery store. 

During these appearances, they're thrown dorky unimportant questions about show details from obsessed fans and asked to repeat old catchphrases again and again. 
Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen), who was the star of the show, Commander Peter Quincy Taggart, loves the attention. His former co-stars, Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver), Fred Kwan (Tony Shalhoub), and Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell) simply put up with it for an easy paycheck. His other co-star, Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman) doesn't enjoy it anymore. He goes through the motions of unenthusiastically signing picture after picture, and even more unenthusiastically repeating the same catchphrases over and over again. 

During a convention appearance, a group of aliens called Thermians show up and ask Jason if he'd be willing to help them and their people. 

Jason thinks they're just fans of show in cosplay inquiring about another promotional appearance, which he nonchalantly agrees to. 

The Thermians stop by his house the next morning, only to find Jason hung over. He doesn't realize that they're really aliens from another planet, and they want him and the rest of the Galaxy Quest crew to help them defeat Roth'h'ar Sarris (Robin Sachs), an alien general leading an army of reptilian humanoids hellbent on destroying the Thermians.

Tim Allen, Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver in "Galaxy Quest."

The Thermians beam Jason abord their ship, which is designed to look exactly like the starship NSEA Protector - the ship from "Galaxy Quest."

While onboard, Jason thinks it's all a set and puts on another performance as Commander Taggart facing off agains Sarris. 

Sarris demands the Thermians hand over the "Omega 13", a secret super weapon with unknown capabilities referenced in the show's finale. 

Jason does whatever Taggart would do, and temporarily saves the Thermians from Sarris's attack. 

When the Thermians thank Jason and transport him back to earth by shooting him through space, he realizes that wasn't a promotion he experienced. 

He's shocked at the reality that the Thermians are actually aliens, that he was just on-board an actual spaceship made up to look exactly like the set of "Galaxy Quest." What's worse is that he just pissed off a deadly group of aliens who are going to for sure kill the Thermians. What's even more insane is that the Thermians think the "Galaxy Quest" episodes from Earth are actually historical documents in Earth's space exploration. 

So, they've modelled their own space efforts to mimic these "documents." Fiction is not something they're familiar with. 

Jason tries to convince the rest of his former co-stars to help these aliens. Of course, they think he's insane until the Thermians show back up asking Jason for more help. 

The entire cast are taken aboard their ship to fight against Sarris and his troops. 

What's really impressive is how well the entire cast works together. The chemistry is clearly present. I am almost convinced that they all actually worked together on a science fiction TV show before the movie. 

It's Alan Rickman as Alexander Dane, who played Dr. Lazarus along with Tony Shalhoub as Fred Kwan, who played Tech Sergeant Chen, that steal the show for me. Their comedic timing and performance had me laughing the most. 

The humor works because the logic of the television series is outlandish. The actors and audience know that brains need to be left at the door when watching "Galaxy Quest." But they're forced to go along with the Thermians and take it seriously and use it that way. 

For instance, in one scene when Sarris and his buddies seize the Thermian ship, Jason and Gwen run through the ship trying to figure out a way to conquer them and save the Thermians as Sarris's troops are chasing them. 

They reach a part of the ship where giant metal chompers are in their way. 

"What is this thing? I mean, it serves no useful purpose for there to be a bunch of chompy, crushy things in the middle of a hallway. No, I mean we shouldn't have to do this, it makes no logical sense, why is it here," Gwen says.
"'Cause it's on the television show," Jason replies. 

"Well forget it! I'm not doing it! This episode was badly written!" 

Like the supernatural comedy "Ghostbusters," what makes "Galaxy Quest" hilarious is premise that no one knows what they're doing in this outrageous plot even though they all (technically) did this for a living. They just act like they know what they're doing. And they still manage to come out as the heroes. 

I find the plot greatly enjoyable and original. The way it plays out is great. The comedy is gold and fits perfectly within the story. It's subtle and not obnoxious.

The cast is as perfect as it gets. The stellar cast playing characters with only one thing in common, and all with different personalities, blend impressively well with each other. The movie is a gem among sci-fi comedies. 

 

8) The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)

(3.5 👽's out of 5)

"Gemini to ground control. Reading you loud and clear. Lift off - smooth. Ready for checklist. Fuel is go. 1.2G Cabin. 14 PSI. Oxygen is go. Telemetry is go. All systems: go."

Director

Edward Montagne

Cast
Don Knotts - Roy Fleming
Leslie Nielsen - Maj. Fred Gifford
Joan Freeman - Ellie Jackson
Arthur O'Connell - Buck Fleming

Jeanette Nolan - Mrs. Fleming
Frank McGrath - Plank
Paul Hartman - Rush

I initially picked "Forbidden Planet" with a young Leslie Neilsen and Robby, the Robot to be number eight on this blog. 

I sat down to watch it with my kids, but we all changed our minds. We wanted a comedy. 

My wife has a collection of Don Knotts films which includes five movies. One of them is "The Reluctant Astronaut." 

So, we put that on instead. And to my surprise, it also stars Leslie Neilsen.

This comedy is a stretch as far as being an actual science fiction film. It involves rockets, NASA, and space exploration so I'm throwing it in. 

In this movie, Knotts plays Roy Fleming who works as a ride operator at a children's fairground out in Sweetwater, Mo. For his job, he dresses as an astronaut while operating a rocketship, pretending to take children on a space mission. 

However, Fleming is terrified of heights. He's also 35 and still lives with his parents. His father, Buck Fleming (Arthur O'Connell) is a WWI veteran and wants only good things for his son. So much so that he sends NASA an application for Roy.

Roy feels like he doesn't have a word in edgewise regarding what he wants to do. 

His mother (Jeanette Nolan) informs him, to his surprise, that he has been accepted by NASA for a WB-1074 position. What Mrs. Fleming doesn't know is that this is a janitorial position. 

So, he heads to the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston to start his career. 

Don Knotts in "The Reluctant Astronaut."

When Roy arrives, it doesn't take long before he learns what his job really is. 

His family, and his girlfriend Ellie Jackson (Joan Freeman) all think he's preparing to be an astronaut. 

Roy befriends veteran astronaut Maj. Fred Gifford (Leslie Nielsen) who gives him plenty of encouragement. 

Roy takes a weekend back home to try and explain the situation to his parents but they're just so happy for him that they don't give him an opportunity to tell them. 

Back in Houston, Roy's dad and his buddies make a surprise visit. 

Roy ditches his job waxing the floor to go swipe one of Giffords space suits before meeting his dad and company. 

He fools them into thinking he is indeed an astronaut. 

However, when showing them around, he hops on a rocket sled which they accidentally set off. 

Roy is immediately fired and returns to Sweetwater, dejected and downtrodden. 

Meanwhile, the Russians are gloating about sending an untrained civilian up into space in the next 48 hours. 

Not to be outdone, NASA wants to do the same. They just need an untrained civilian. 

Gifford recruits Roy to be that untrained civilian. 

While it sounds like a dream come true, for Roy and his fear of heights, he has second thoughts about it. 

But up into space he goes, and hilarity ensues. 

The movie was released in an era of high expectations and anticipations for the U.S. and space exploration not-too-long before astronauts walked on the moon. 

Unfortunately, its release fell at a most unfortunate time. Its January 25, 1967 premiere occurred two days before the Apollo 1 tragedy ended with the death of three astronauts. 

Don Knotts's comedy compliments the story about Roy and his family relationship, as well as his father's hopes for him while he works as a janitor at the space center in Houston.

Leslie Nielsen (center) as Maj. Fred Gifford in
"The Reluctant Astronaut." 

The comedy is mild and doesn't come through full force until the final act where the lone acrophobic Roy being launched into space without a clue as to what he's doing.

Director Edward Montagne produced several Don Knotts movies around this time such as "How to Frame a Figg" (1971), "The Shakiest Gun in the West" (1968), "The Love God?" (1969), and "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" (1966). 

This isn't as popular a Knotts film compared to "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" or his live-action animated comedy "The Incredible Mr. Limpet." 

I still had fun watching it, primarily because Don Knotts is enjoyable to watch. And to see a young Leslie Nielsen play a heart-throb heroic astronaut before he became the comedy legend he's now famous for, is a trip.

"The Reluctant Astronaut" is a perfect Sunday afternoon kind of movie. It's lighthearted fun with comedy that has lasted all these years. 

7) Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

(4 's out of 5)

"The books have nothing to say."

Director

Francois Truffaut

Cast
Oskar Werner - Guy Montag
Julie Christie - Linda Montag/Clarisse
Cyril Cusack - Captain Beatty
Anton Diffring - Fabian/Headmistress
Jeremy Spenser - Man with the Apple
Bee Duffell - Book woman
Alex Scott - Book Person: The Life of Henry Brulard
Gillian Lewis - Cousin Midge on TV

Four hundred fifty-one degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature books will burn. 

Based on Ray Bradbury's 1955 dystopian novel set in an oppressive society, the 1966 movie "Fahrenheit 451" is an impactful and significant little movie.

It's dry and a bit difficult to get into. By the end, it left me with an impression on modern society with authoritarian movements beating us over the head with dictates on what to do, what to think, and what to feel...or suffer the consequences.

In the dystopian future of this movie, it's a crime to possess or read books. All books are banned. Special firefighting units are sent out to investigate neighborhoods, homes, and individuals suspected of hiding books. Any books! Books will be torched on site upon discovery. People hide books in their homes in very elaborate ways.

One of these officers, Guy Montag (Oskar Werner), meets a gorgeous young neighbor named Clarisse (Julie Christie) who comes across as someone who goes against the current grain. What strikes Montag about Clarisse is that she strongly resembles his wife, Linda (also played by Julie Christie but with different hair.) 

Clarisse manages to open Montag's eyes to the benefits of reading books. 

After listening to Clarissa's insights, Montag soon smuggles books into his house so he can read them late at night. They captivate him like he's seeing the sun for the first time. 

Linda however doesn't feel good about Montag smuggling books into their house and reports him to authorities. 

But the authorities don't respond immediately.

On his last book raid, he turns his book burning flamethrower on the other officers.

This act quickly turns Montag into a fugitive on the run. 

And he continues fleeing the law with Clarissa until they come across a secret group of book readers who memorize entire volumes before authorities destroy them all. These people consider themselves the last hope for humanity as the preservers of literature. Realizing the importance of their efforts, Montag and Clarissa quickly join them. 

Oskar Werner as Montag in "Fahrenheit 451."

Though the depiction is certainly realistic, it's a fitting movie for modern society. If audiences have their eyes open and their reasoning is turned on, don't have to suspend disbelief much to realize how reflective a surface "Fahrenheit 451" has. 

The movie is a contrast of authoritarian government against the people under their thumb who refuse to be controlled. 

In one scene, the firemen find a huge collection of books in an older woman's house, who was previously seen with Clarisse. They try to force her out of her own house while they torch her books, but she refuses to leave. Instead, she stands amidst her books while they're set ablaze until she goes down with her own library. 

Top that scene with the final scene of the book people storing entire books to memory. They pace back and forth reciting pages upon pages to themselves. Snow falls all around them like God's gentle cleansing grace blessing their efforts. 

"Fahrenheit 451" has some of that old school British dramatic dry tone. Oskar Werner has amazing character development from stoic authoritarian puppet who does what he's told, to a mind that's opened up by the written word for the first time in his life. The movie relies so much on the subject matter that it may not appeal to the interest of the audience. It neglects to do anything about the pretentiousness of everything and everyone else in the movie. 

Director Francois Truffaut was obsessed with making this movie - his first in the realm of science fiction. His other imprint in the genre is his role in Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." The movie tries to go above and beyond the campy nature seen in all the typical American sci-fi movies of the decade, even in the UK no doubt. And I can't say it doesn't succeed.

Perhaps the dry acting is an intentional depiction of the characters who are void of the endless insight and thoughts found in books. A repressive regime will do that to people. Otherwise, it's a lot of dry performances which makes maintaining interest a challenge. Still, it gives the audience so much to consider. What won't governments and regimes do for control and power? 

We live in a similar regime with impulsive people led around by the passions they're enslaved to, forcing everyone to acknowledge them, or else. 

The movie beautifully captures human behavior. It's not a bad movie in the least. In fact, it makes me want to check out Bradbury's novel.