Movies I Watched in September, Part 2

OK, kids, let's get through this quickly. October is almost over, and we're still wrapping up September...


Upon careful review (meaning I watched it again recently), I'd say this holds up better than any of the teen movies I saw back in the 1980s, with the possible exception of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." It's snappy, suspenseful and clever, and Matthew Broderick is a lot more likable here than he would be as Ferris Bueller a couple of years later. I remember when this movie arrived originally, and the very idea that you could connect to another computer and make it do something it wasn't supposed to do was a very novel idea indeed. What's more, the plot, where our hero almost triggers a nuclear war, fit right in with the general 1980s outlook that we'd all be enjoying a nuclear conflict sooner or later, and "Wargames" builds surprising (and welcome) tension by delivering a double climax, with potential war looming not once but twice. Besides Broderick, the cast includes the great Dabney Coleman, Barry Corbin, Ally Sheedy (a few years before "The Breakfast Club") and, in the opening scene, John Spencer and Michael Madsen as the guys in the missile silo. If you haven't seen this one in a while, definitely give it another look -- it's a lot better than I remembered. (By the way, you can hear us discuss "Wargames" on our Out of Theaters podcast by clicking here .)


This drama about the very, very deadly Everest expedition of 1996 isn't a bad movie by any means -- it's beautifully shot, well cast and emotionally powerful -- but it never quite hits the heights (sorry) that I was hoping for. I'm not quite sure why it didn't impress me more -- in many ways, it's a noteworthy achievement, taking you to the top of the world and showing you why (a) too many people are going and (b) why you should never, never try it, but I just didn't connect with it, and in the end, it felt like a handful of strong scenes that never quite coalesced into a complete motion picture experience. Still, if the topic interests you, by all means check it out. Your mileage may vary dramatically.


Is it weird (and/or is it wrong) for me to admit how much I enjoyed (re)watching this grueling horror classic? Sure, it's defiantly unpleasant for much of its (short but effective) running time, and the nightmarish dinner scene that makes up the last chunk of the movie takes audience endurance to new heights (or depths, as the case may be), but director Tobe Hooper and company managed to craft a genuine terror masterpiece here, and it's a real (though strange) pleasure seeing how he puts the screws to the audience. The first half of the movie is almost completely devoted to winding that spring until it's so tight you're sure it's going to burst, then from the moment poor Kirk wanders into the worst house on Earth and takes a hammer to the head from Leatherface, it's no-holds-barred horror until the credits roll. And unlike the endless idiotic slasher movies it inspired, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is a genuinely rich and rewarding experience, with memorable characters, imaginative sets and a distinct lack of gore (though there's enough in all the right places). One of the things that struck me this time around was how Leatherface is one of the most terrifying characters in movie history one minute, then a pathetic figure of comedic proportions the next, whether he's bumbling around, trying to figure out how these stupid kids got into his house (without any dialogue, mind you) or putting on a female face (complete with makeup) for the big dinner party. You'll hear some critics describe this movie as a dark comedy, which it is, sort of, but it's very, very dark indeed. I know its title alone turns most people off, and its reputation takes care of the other potential viewers, but if you're a horror fan and you've never seen it, you owe it to yourself to try it  -- at least once.

By the way, you can listen to us discuss "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" on Out of Theaters by clicking here (I think it might be our best episode -- really!) and you can read more of my thoughts on the movie here and its memorable poster here .