The Stuff (1985) - 2/5

This is a B movie with a lot of heart that has too much wrong with it to carry it at the end of the day. It has a solid tongue-in-cheek plot and approaches it with a smart tone, walking the line between comedy and pop horror. Unfortunately it doesn’t always work, and the poor acting and production values really hurt it overall. There are a few very impressive special effects shots, though mostly the effects are laughable, and the pitfalls here never make themselves offensive. This film soars past the ‘so bad it’s good’ threshold and is definitely worth a watch for fans of ‘80s schlock.

Closest comparison: It’s the intersection of The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and They Live.

Setting: Small Town Drama
Plot: ‘80s Pop Horror
Tone: Adventure Thriller

Hudson Hawk - 3/5

This movie is an anomaly. For one thing, it’s a screwball comedy that ramps up the wacky antics after the hook, so many audiences are caught off guard and left with confused expectations. The structure and tone are more akin to a Mad Lib than a $65 mil cat burglar blockbuster but that seems to be entirely deliberate, as the movie is constantly self-aware and loving it. Its incessant charm carries it much further than expected, though its rough plot, off-the-wall tone, and sporadically crass language are the terminal drag-chute that kept it out of cult classic territory.

Closest comparison: It’s like Deadpool by way of National Treasure with Looney Toons logic

Setting: Heist
Plot: Adventure
Tone: Screwball Comedy

Do the Right Thing - 4/5

This movie carefully and thoroughly paints a scene of the dangers of racial tribalism and the destruction it causes in otherwise peaceful communities. It sets up the opposing ideologies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, then dismantles the latter in a tense demonstration of the chaos that that ideology brings to the table. Every character is vibrant and, though now very dated, still clearly motivated and relatable (to an extent). Some of the acting comes off as stilted and there are a lot of pop culture references that didn’t age well, but that doesn’t interfere with the point the film is trying to make.

Closest Comparison: It’s like a ‘90s rendition of Crash (2004)

Setting: Day in the Life
Plot: Thriller
Tone: Drama