Second Chances

Well this isn't going away.

My assertion is that Pluto Nash is the victim of bad timing being released at time when audiences weren't willing to handwave some of its stupider elements and plot holes in the name of pulpy sci-fi goodness. I honestly do believe that this one deserves a revisiting and we are in a weird time.

Due to Netflix and the internet a lot of older movies are becoming cult classics, and here is my list of movies that deserve that. These aren't movies that people are already talking about or at least I'm going to try not to go that way. This is just a list of movies that I think people should give a second chance.

Also keep in mind these have to have been movies I've seen so most of them are going to be from my childhood.

Dude Where's My Car

The point of this list is to look at movies that for whatever reason didn't work in the context of thier time and I think Dude Where's My Car fits. It's been said by people smarter than me that this is basically The Hangover but more self aware and if that thing can get two sequels Dude at least deserves a special 2 disk re-release.


Tape

Well since I did the stupid I should probably go highbrow. The movie has an interesting challenging premise. There is an emotional event in the past and three characters can't agree on how it went down. Your reaction to the film is almost entirely based on who you believe and nobody is completely reliable. The movie does not hold your hand.

In a lot of ways this is a writer's movie. It doesn't really on a lot of flashy gimmicks just a good script and good actors and is a testament to how far that will take you.

These days Netflix and Youtube gives indie films like this a home.

Mirror Mask



 Okay so the children of the 80's gush over Labyrinth and The Dark Chrystal, but there was a period where The Creature Shop was experimenting with computer graphics. And I would argue the visuals are just as imaginative.

But since it wasn't able to ride the good will of the Muppets it was kind of forgotten. I SAY NO MORE! Mirror Mask is awesome. Especially since feels like a proto-Coraline which was also written by Neil Gaiman.

The chronology is a little weird since the book was written before this movie but still if you're interested in the evolution of ideas, this is a good one to check out.

Fortress

I love Deadman Wonderland. I love the fights. I love the gore. I love the powers. I love the characters. I love the satire. I love Deadman Wonderland! I was and still am still skeptical of New Toonami, but Deadman Wonderland makes it all worth it. As much shit as I talk that one show justifies the entire endeavor.


Yep. Fortress is Deadman Wonderland in 2 hours with the fucking Highlander. WHY THE HELL ISN'T THIS ON NETFLIX?! What got me onto it was late night showings on Cinemax. It's the sort of B-movie shlock perfect for Netflix, or even Crackle. Come on. How many Chris Lambert fans would dig making a late night marathon out of this, Highlander and, Mortal Kombat. Do it! Do it! Do it!

The Final Countdown

Best time travel rules evarz. Oh and F-15's blowin' shit up. Considering this is in the days before Top Gun all the stuff they pull is pretty damn impressive. If you are a Top Gun fan this is one worth looking at.

The truth of the matter is that this feels like an old school 1950's Twilight Zone flavored sci-fi movie but it was made in the same age as Star Wars and Back to the Future. Seriously give it a B&W filter and you would swear it was made 20 years earlier but with better acting and an effects budget. While this thing has spectacle its not thes same sort of spectacle as those films. Furthermore while it has that B-movie feel it takes itself mostly seriously. Not angsty but it is a lot less interested in Zemeckis style humor or sentimentality than you would think it would be.

The Abyss



 Almost everything James Cameron touches turns to cinematic gold.  And it's not like this movie tanked. But I feel like its the red headed step-child of his canon. True Lies gets more ink. Seriously! True Lies. It was made in that period where Cameron still had some grit in him and as far as technical stuff and themes go Judgement Day borrowed a lot.


 Again I'm facinated by the evolution of ideas. And if you consider Judgement Day to be his creative peak (Don't troll Miles Avatar was okay, and while being more conventional Titanic was pretty impressive), this movie is worth studying.