Lifetime Movies:1983

Films: Return of the Jedi, Terms of Endearment, The King of Comedy, Scarface, Videodrome

I kinda like this year. Its a good mix of good indie films like Videodrome, hits like Jedi, comedy like Easy Money, history films like The Right Stuff (I am a sucker for films about NASA), and home of the best film of 1983 SCARFACE.

There is no other performance by Al Pacino that is as underrated as great acting as Scarface. Its the only film of his I watch and think, "he is absorbed in the character"...I just cant watch Scarface and think of Pacino in anyother role, I mean when I see him I dont see Micheal Corleone, or Heat, or the "WHO HA" guy...I just see this immigrant living the American Dream, bigger and bolder then any superhero cartoon flick ever. I think Brian DePalma is the poor mans Scorcesse, I give DePalma no real credit for this film or most of his films, I give all the credit to Oliver Stone for writing, Al Pacino for acting and the city of Miami as the backdrop. I live in Florida and have only been to the suburbs of Miami, I never want to go, because all I need to understand the city (or want to for that matter) is Scarface and Miami Vice. The film is funny, action packed, well acted and the soundtrack is alive, in every scene. I watch this film at an early age, I was about 9 when it came out and probably 11 when I saw it for the first time...even the edit for tv version (it has an added scene where Tony is NY and is looking for a dog when the cops show up) is funny, "you stinking cockroaches".

Other flicks from the time:

Return of the Jedi: I remember going to see this in the theater and being in love with it, I remember when it came out for the first time on video, the end fight I thought was awesome, and now the end does really for me tie in the 6 film Sexilogy.

Terms of Endearment: what can I say, as a youngster I was a sucker for this film, the only film my mom would quote over and over.

A Christmas Story: I do watch this when its on for 24 hours...I watch the first run and then as the day goes on I watch here and there...you can visit the real home in Cleveland.

Jaws 3-D: I saw this in the theater with my dad, its the reason I never ever go to the bathroom in the middle of a film now (I just had to go during the Prestige...i was gonna pee myself)...the effects here are crap, I never forgot that I might have missed something important that day I went to the bathroom during it...I have never seen it since.

The King of Comedy: Number 2 on this years list, this is a dark dark comedy, it is played straight, and plays different in today's mockumentary world of the Office and such...Scorsese was and is a genius...I wish he would come back to making films like this.

Videodrome: be afraid of your tv.

Easy Money: filmed in our hometown of Staten Island

Till next time...BOOM