Blue Steel (1990) - 1/5

This movie epitomizes the exasperation of characters doing stupid things. The main character keeps not giving her superiors the vital information that she knows, which would entirely clear up the situation, and which she wants to give them. The film provides no explanation at all but keeps repeating the killer’s inexplicable escape and the main character’s inexplicable silence again and again for the entire runtime.

Closest comparison: It’s like Halloween (1978) by way of Fallen (1998).

Setting: Police Procedural
Plot: Homicide
Tone: Stalker

Hot Shots! (1991) - 2/5

This is a tired product of the Jim Abrahams machine, cranked out after all-time comedy greats Airplane! and Police Squad! generated the interest. Most of the jokes are non-sequitur visual gags like the ‘instruments’ joke in Airplane!, which work for sparse surprise comedy but here get redundant with overuse. Many of the jokes will elicit a chuckle, but none really merit the gut-busting laughs like previous films did. It’s worth watching for fans of Jim Abrahams, but everyone else can give it a miss.

Closest comparison: It’s Top Gun getting the Airplane! treatment.

Setting: Action
Plot: Action
Tone: Screwball Comedy