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Jiggyray
Reviews
Destination Stardom (1999)
Entertaining!
This show is on Sundays at midnight on the local Twin Cities ABC affiliate as of September 2004 and has weird "Heritage Network" bumpers between commercials. I thought it was current until in one segment host Kala'i Miller talks about Baywatch Hawaii, which I knew was canceled a while ago. The show is a rip-off of Star Search but seems to have a large budget and is well put together. The talent overall is 2nd rate though, especially the stand-up comedians. I've seen about a dozen episodes and ***SPOILER*** the same female model wins every dang time! ***end Spoiler*** This show was apparently shown originally on Pax TV in 1999 and was cancelled in the summer of 2000 because of low ratings and lack of funding from the state of Hawaii. Even know I'm jealous of co-host Kala'i Miller's looks, he does a good job even though he is a tad bit bland.
Warriors of Virtue (1997)
If someone pops in this movie, make like Tom and cruise!
This movie is the cheesiest, most horrid movie ever made. Being a fan of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movies, I wanted to see this blatant rip-off as a kid but luckily didn't. That was until today, when I saw this lemon. The lead child Ryan Jeffers (Mario Yedidia) is the worst and most annoying child actor since David Mendenhall in "Over the Top". His fake crying is Oscar-worthy....not! The villain is just annoying. He looked like a gay-gothic Prince on speed. The whole movie looks like it was filmed in an abandoned warehouse with a truckload of leaves and tree stumps hauled in and thrown all-over. Add this all with the most annoying filming technique of a choppy-slow-motion that is guaranteed to make you want to puke like you were seasick after watching. Even the people who sing the songs at the closing credits make Michael Bolton sound like a soul legend. Eghad, this movie is like fingernails on the chalkboard! Avoid at all costs! The only good of this movie is the cheesy line that the black friend says "make like Tom and Cruise"! I plan to use this line on a daily basis for the next two months!
Three O'Clock High (1987)
Cheesy, overrated, unrealistic 80s movie
I'm an avid fan of 80s movies and I was so looking forward to the rare and much hyped Three O'Clock High that I had yet to see when it was coming out on DVD. I was totally disappointed. I knew that Steven Spielberg was the Executive Producer and was hoping this would be a good thing. Unfortunately it seems that he does not have the knowledge of realistic teen life that a John Hughes has. The lead, Jerry Mitchell, is one of the plainest, expressionless guys I've had the displeasure of watching, he is no Anthony Michael Hall and is half the C. Thomas Howell at best. Between him and his younger sister, I would like to slap them into the 70s they annoy me so much. Everything is over dramatized in this movie in a cheesy fashion. SPOILERS HERE IN.....A fight seems like a choreographed stage show lasting 20 minutes with only 3-4 punches, come on! A teacher/principal drops a totally uncharacteristic F-bomb for no reason. Why of all the characters in the movie would the teacher be the one to swear? This movie is cookie cutter hokey junk made by a producer who was out of touch with this age group. The solution to the money problem at the end was the cheesiest, lamest outcome ever in a movie. Kids who make $4/hr at Burger World are coughing up $10 a pop for a sheet of paper to support some kid they don't know? The bully all of a sudden makes a 100% change of heart in a dramatic fashion, man, this would not happen in real life! When I think of classic 80s movies I think of The Karate Kid, License to Drive, Secret Admirer, and Sixteen Candles, believable stories; realistic, likeable characters; and practical plots/climaxes. This movie is overrated in the 80s movie community. My rating... 4/10
Rad (1986)
A cheesy 80s movie that is overrated by 80s fans
This movie is hard to get a hold of and is highly praised by 80s movie fans. I got a hold of the movie expected a masterpiece and got a lemon! This movie is totally cheesy, and not cheesy in a cool "The Goonies" sort of way. Bill Allen is a boring emotionless lead. His kid sister is as annoying as fingernails on a chalkboard. Lori Loughlin as Allen's love interest is just as bland, I truely recommend "Secret Admirer" if you want to see the Full House star in a much better role and movie. To put it quite simply: this movie is a "The Karate Kid" want-to-be (which is my favorite movie) that doesn't come close! SPOILER ALERT ON: another underdog fighting a more popular/arrogant/wealthy enemy at a sport to later beat him and steal his woman :SPOILER ALERT OFF It truely does not have the emotion, heart, and strength of cast as "The Karate Kid". Also, what is up with the kid going off the course to catch up with the pack, doesn't that make our hero a cheater? Also the bad guy waiting for our hero to catch up in the last race was lame and made the outcome feel cheap.
A much hyped 80s cult hit that was a total letdown for me, rent/buy the easier to obtain "The Karate Kid" instead, 5 out of 10
Secret Admirer (1985)
One of my top 5 80's movies!
Secret Admirer along with Can't Buy Me Love are two of the most underrated 80s movies I've seen. It is rated R so it is realistic with how teenagers act/talk (sex, partial nudity, f-bombs, drinking, etc.) but it still has heart. C. Thomas Howell is extremely likeable as the lead as is Lori Loughlin (Jesse's wife in Full House) as his female friend. Kelly Preston (John Travolta's real-life wife) is annoying but extremely hot (hooray for boobies!). Scott McGinnis plays the typical bad guy well, I laugh when he runs after the van after the guys crash the frat party (watch that mullet swing!). The movie is extremely funny is subtle ways that many will not understand because it is above the bodily fluids humor in teen movies today. It also has a strong 80s supporting cast including Corey Haim as Howell's younger brother, Dee Wallace-Stone as his mom (also the mom in E.T.), Fred Ward as Preston's Dad (Tremors, Remo Williams), and Courtney Gains as Howell's friend who is also in my other underrated 80s movie, Can't Buy Me Love.
In my top 5 80s movies and I've seen a lot, 10 out of 10!