Category: 1980s

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The Good Mother (1988)

There is some real unevenness in this story about a newly sexually liberated mother who is at odds with her more conservative ex-husband. Director Leonard Nimoy takes these two disparate viewpoints to their extremes where the actions of these parents, particularly the mother, become nonsensical. Diane Keaton tries to make the mother’s progress believable, but it doesn’t quite get there. She is supported in a impressive cast with Liam Neeson as her new boyfriend and Jason Robards, Joe Morton, Katey Sagal, and Teresa Wright all coming in for small roles.

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Words by Heart (1985)

It’s not surprising that this TV movie feels a bit like an afterschool special since it’s based on a young adult novel. I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out the setting. All the characters have inconsistent southern accents and cotton is grown in the area, but there are references to the main family having moved north and written descriptions of the plot describe it as being set in the midwest. The plot itself centers on the coming-of-age for a young Black girl adjusting to her new surroundings and the pervasiveness of racism. I watched this to see Charlotte Rae and Alfre Woodard and they both performed fine for television.

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The Bear (1988)

Every time I travel through California, I pay special attention when I see Bear Crossing signs in the hopes of seeing a bear. I have yet to see a single wild bear this way. While maybe not as narratively satisfying, I could have done with 100% less humans in this story. There was a lot more dialogue in the film than I was lead to believe because of all the people. I welcome a sweet found family story. I felt guilty having to root against the puppies in one scene, but bears are cute.

Oscar Nomination: Best Film Editing

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Cry Freedom (1987)

Having been born on the day of the Soweto student uprising (a fact I learned at an embarrassingly old age), I am attracted to anti-apartheid stories of the 1970s. For the runtime of the movie, I really had hoped they would spend at least as much time focused on Biko’s story as they do on Donald Woods and his family. It doesn’t even reach white savior levels as much as it seems a story of a white guy in South Africa who learns to hate apartheid. Kevin Kline and Denzel Washington do fine jobs though Denzel doesn’t really transcend much beyond being his charismatic self. I did get to go down a small internet rabbit hole in learning about Denzel’s front gap.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor in a Supporting Role; Best Music, Original Song; Best Music, Original Score

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Streetwise (1984)

I do enjoy watching films that show locations I’m familiar with, especially from times before they and I were acquainted. Particularly here, anyone who thinks the problems that Seattle currently is experiencing should watch this to see that while the problems may have gotten worse in recent years, none of them are new. Beyond locality, there are a lot of messages to take away here: how to deal with those who slip through the cracks (both voluntarily and involuntarily), the threads that continue to spin from generation to generation, the unequal treatment of girls and boys that leads to extreme differences in results for women and men. I still don’t know how to even process how young they all were.

Oscar Nomination: Best Documentary, Features

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The Trip to Bountiful (1985)

I’ve already seen the 2014 version with Cicely Tyson, which I still prefer. Perhaps because of the 20 minute difference in runtime, this one felt a bit slower to get started. It also took me quite a bit of time to warm up to Geraldine Page’s take on the Mrs. Watts character. She seemed like a petulant child at the beginning, but halfway through her travels, I had warmed to her pilgrimage to return to her beloved Bountiful.

Oscar Win: Best Actress in a Leading Role

Oscar Nomination: Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium

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Spies Like Us (1985) – Rewatch

I keep getting this film confused with the vastly superior Stripes, but I know the plot to Stripes so I rewatched this one to remind myself what it’s all about. After watching it again, I still find this film forgettable. Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd are two dissimilar wannabe secret agents who are sent out on a mission as decoys to draw attention away from the real agents. It’s a Cold War farce that’s rarely funny.

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The Killing Floor (1984)

Made for television, this movie pretty much screams educational, but it’s a good educational focusing on bits of history that many Americans may not be well versed on: race and labor organizing during World War I and a bit after. I enjoyed how it touched on the early days of the Great Migration and how […]

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Bad Boys (1983)

This is as good as any of the best jail flicks, except this one is set in a juvenile detention center which adds poignancy since it involves only underaged offenders . Sean Penn does a good job reining in his performance as the main character who quickly finds himself the head of his cellblock, while […]

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