Posts Tagged ‘80s comedy’
Podcast: Racism, rape culture & Jake Ryan: How SIXTEEN CANDLES influenced a generation
Humorously showing the emotional pain of teenagers aching for true love amid the social expectations of high school, Sixteen Candles turned a teen sex comedy into an pop cultural phenomenon that was watched by every ’80s kid. Mentored by National Lampoon, known for its intentionally offensive humor, John Hughes imbued relatable and aspirational three-dimensional characters with racist and misogynistic attitudes. The depiction of a Chinese foreign exchange…
Read MorePodcast: MODERN PROBLEMS is the most off the rails look at the early ’80s crisis of masculinity.
Modern Problems (1981) is the weirdest, off the rails, PG-rated Christmas hit. It’s biggest problem was turning a raunchy mature R-film into a PG one so that it could be released on Christmas Day. Families flocked to to the theater to see a story about an air traffic controller with jealousy issues with scenes featuring a male ballet…
Read MorePodcast: 9 TO 5 is a snapshot of 1980
Pour yourself a cup of ambition, it’s the 40th Anniversary of 9 to 5! Wonderfully executed as a broad office buddy comedy, 9 to 5 made a definitive impact in creating empathy and understanding for women in the workplace. Film authorities Tara McNamara, Gen X, and Riley Roberts, Gen Z, look back at the 1980…
Read MorePodcast: BEVERLY HILLS COP blazed a new path of positive portrayals while encouraging corruption
Beverly Hills Cop was the No. 1 movie in 1984, a year that many consider one of cinema’s best. As Detroit police detective Axel Foley (a role originally written for white actors Mickey Rouke and then Sylvester Stallone), Eddie Murphy made headway for black authority figures as lead characters — a huge step toward positive…
Read MorePodcast: A 19-Year-Old Argues that AIRPLANE! Isn’t Funny Anymore — Here’s Why She’s Right.
American Film Institute lists Airplane! (1980) as one of the Top 10 Funniest Movies of All Time, and any Gen X’r would agree with that. Gen Z, not so much. In this episode, 19-year-old Riley Roberts explains why the David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams classic comedy isn’t funny to her generation, and explains…
Read MoreFREEBIES! We’re giving away THE GOONIES & BEETLEJUICE in 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray!
Win a copy of The Goonies or Beetlejuice in 4K Ultra HD Blue-Ray!
Read MoreReview: BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC is a Most Triumphant Ending to a Beloved Franchise
Bill & Ted don’t share the same DNA as franchises like Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, or the DC Universe. As beloved as those films and characters are, the studios keeps making new films because they know they’re money trucks — sometimes, the story is a bit lacking as a consequence or trying to…
Read MorePodcast: POLICE ACADEMY is Surprisingly Progressive
Police Academy (1984) was both a product and ahead of its time. Film authorities Tara McNamara, Gen X, and Riley Roberts, Gen Z, examine the ensemble comedy through the modern lens to identify how it actually overcomes stereotypes while still falling into the same old traps when it comes to portraying women.
Read MorePodcast: CLUE’s Sexual Stereotypes Were Helpful to No Boddy
Based on the popular Parker Brothers game for kid 8 and up, Clue is a shocker of a family film: nearly all of its characters are defined by their sexual transgressions. In this episode of “’80s Movies: A Guide to What’s Wrong with Your Parents” podcast, film authorities Tara McNamara, Gen X, and Riley Roberts,…
Read MorePodcast: BACK TO THE FUTURE is everyone’s favorite ’80s movie – except for the part where Lorraine is sexually victimized by her future husband, her bully, and her son.
Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future (1985) is perhaps the ultimate ’80s movie: it’s so ’80s yet so timeless — and its so disturbing, in retrospect. In the “’80s Movies: A Guide to What’s Wrong with Your Parents” podcast, Tara McNamara (Gen X) and Riley Roberts (Gen Z) look back at what makes the Michael…
Read More