SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL (1987)

High school "loser" (Eric Stoltz) pines away over cool girl (Lea Thompson) while being completely oblivious to the fact that his best friend (Mary Stuart Masterson) is totally in love with him.  If that sounds familiar it's probably because it's pretty damn close to the story for the previous year's Hughes/Deutch collaboration PRETTY IN PINK.  The main differences are the sex roles are reversed, the tone is more serious and all the quirky little things that made PRETTY IN PINK entertaining are removed.

If it was 1987 and I was a twelve year-old girl, I would have probably found Stoltz's tender heart to be endearing, but as a pissed off adult here in good old 3058, I found the entire thing to be completely unbelievable.  Especially the ending.  Wow!  Talk about a complete 180.  Anybody who's seen this movie knows what I'm talking about.  [SPOILERS!!!] Stoltz is one-hundred percent focused on the cool girl for the entire film, even spends his life's savings to buy her a perfect date and then right when everything, and I mean everything, turns out right he walks triumphantly out of the big party with the cool girl all hot and bothered over him and then by chance he catches a glimpse of his best friend's eyes looking just a little moist and boom...I've been in love with you the entire time.  The End.  Say what?[END OF SPOILERS!!!]

Mildly entertaining 80's high school love film, but I was really distracted by how old everybody looked and just the fact that the story was so unoriginal.  Not a bad film and I don't regret watching it, but there's much better stuff out there for you to spend your time on.

SURF II (1984)

[Update 12/04/2022: A few minutes ago I took some screenshots from the blu-ray (which is great), but for whatever reason, I think (for now) I'm just going to leave the crappy old pics I have from my old bootleg DVD.  It seems to work better for the review.  I love this movie.]

Everybody has those movies that they just love.  It might not be the greatest movie of all time or even a particularly good movie.  It just strikes a special cord with you or brings back a good memory.  For me that movie is SURF II.  Actually, I have a number of movies like that, but SURF II is extra extra special. 

Back in high school, super nerd Menlo Schwartzer had a bad run-in with some surfers, so now he's out to get his revenge. And what's his evil plan?  Kill them?  Steal their girlfriends?  Financially ruin them?  No, his plan is to create a soda that turns people into super-powered surfing zombie minions that will win the big surfing contest!!! That might sound like a description of a shitty Troma movie, but it's not. SURF II is actually a very innovative, original and funny movie. There's much more going on that my little description, but I don't want to give it all away. Just watch it, preferably in a double feature with JOYSTICKS or in a crowded theater full of drunks.

Wacky story, happiness, surfing zombies, high school, beer, topless beach bunnies, video arcade, eating contest, Corinne Bohrer, fast pace, Eddie Deezen, and an awesome soundtrack featuring The Beach Boys (three songs), Oingo Boingo (two songs), Thomas Dolby, The Circle Jerks, Wall of Voodoo, Stray Cats and a number of surf stuff.  Everything that was great about the 80's is in this movie. Watch this movie and watch it often. Can you relate?