Jex_Russell Reviews

Nothing But Trouble (1991)

Misunderstood dark comedy that was WAY ahead of its time

[5/10 · 31 March 2022]

Finally watched this movie last year after finding a DVD copy out in the wild.

My last attempt was in the late 90s when I was 13 years old and I caught an airing on TV. I was a huge fan of John Candy, Chevy Chase AND Dan Aykroyd, so I was pumped about this one, but it ended up being too weird for me and I tuned out after about 30 minutes.

This time however, I understood it much more and ended up really enjoying it from beginning to end. Chevy Chase is just killing it with the one-liners, John Candy stealing the show as a by-the-book cop AND his sister, and let's not forget Dan Aykroyd being the jack-of-all-trades as co-writer, producer, director and actor (also in a dual role, in heavy make-up no less).

Shame it bombed at the box-office, but I can understand why audiences didn't get it in '91, probably the same reason my 13-year-old self turned it off 30 minutes in: we weren't expecting those comedians we love so much to be in such a DARK comedy. It definitely was ahead of its time...

I can't help but wonder what Aykroyd's original cut was like, before any studio interference, and back when it was still titled "Valkenvania". He had planned for it to be more of a horror film with comedic elements, until Warner Bros demanded he make it a comedy with horror elements.

Either way, I enjoyed the final product, and recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it.

A review by Jex Russell.

Student Bodies (1981)

Watch it for the opening scene, skip the rest

[3/10 · 31 March 2022]

I discovered "Student Bodies" as a teenager in the early 2000s, thanks to my good friend Lucas and his family's massive VHS collection. At the time, we thought it was absolutely hilarious, however it hasn't aged very well, or maybe we just outgrew this juvenile type of humor?

Released in 1981 and spoofing Hollywood's slasher craze of horror films, (released the same year as "Friday the 13th Part 2", "Happy Birthday to Me", "The Burning", "Halloween II" and "The Prowler"), "Student Bodies" has a strong opening scene, using up ALL of their best gags in these first 10 minutes. Seriously, I can watch this scene over and over as if it were an SNL sketch.

In this opener, we are introduced to the main villain / antagonist (appropriately named "The Breather", who has it out for any teenagers being intimate) as he torments a babysitter with obscene telephone calls. We are immediately drawn to this "Breather" character as he expresses his dislike for chewing gum, and uses a paperclip as his weapon of choice.

The film has a certain charm, especially with it's body-count helper (numbers pop up on the screen at every kill, reminding the viewers how many deaths we're at in the movie), but unfortunately, the film quickly falls flat after a while with its bad acting, bland female lead, and loss of ideas (the film was rushed to release during a writer's strike, after all). However, there are some memorable quotes peppered throughout:

The Breather: (on the phone) I'm gonna kill next at the football game. Click.

Ms. Van Dyke: Did you hang up?

The Breather: No, I just said "click".

Other than the previously mentioned opening segment, not much rewatchability here, but plenty of nostalgia!

"Student Bodies" (1981), directed by Mickey Rose, produced by Allen Smithee (Michael Ritchie under a pseudonym), starring Kristen Riter, Matthew Goldsby , and Richard Brando as "The Breather".

A review by Jex Russell.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Just a kid's movie? I beg to differ...

[7/10 · 30 March 2022]

While the turtle characters may appeal to children with their humor and witty remarks, this first installment of the TMNT series (which hit the silver screen on this day 32 years ago) displays some impressive film-making with its camera work, incredible lighting, fast pace and story telling.

But most importantly, it shows the titular characters as more than just turtles, but living beings who have feelings and emotion. The series got more cartoonish as it progressed, but this first chapter can and shall be regarded as a "film", and not just a silly movie.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (1990), directed by Steve Barron, starring Judith Hoag, Elias Koteas, and Corey Feldman (as the voice of Donatello).

A review by Jex Russell.

Hot Moves (1984)

The best '80s sex-comedy you've NEVER heard of!

[6/10 · 14 December 2016]

The year was 2006. I had some spare time one night, so I decided to go to a local video store to pick up a movie, and this particular store just so happened to still carry titles on VHS. Being a fan of 80s comedies (specifically "sex comedies"), I was immediately drawn to a tape called "Hot Moves". The cover art and synopsis on the back cover had me very curious, so I went for it (along with the classics "Revenge of the Nerds II - Nerds in Paradise" and "National Lampoon's Class Reunion").

I didn't have my hopes too high, but when I got home and popped the tape into the VCR, it definitely exceeded my hopes! First of all, how can anyone not like a movie where the theme song is by British heavy metal band Raven?? Now, it's not the best sex comedy out there in terms of production quality, but it certainly has memorable moments and enjoyable characters. The plot is simple: four high school friends from Venice Beach make a pact to "get laid" before the end of the summer. That's it, plain and simple. But the measures they go through to achieve this goal definitely has some hilarious outcomes. The four leading men are:

Michael (Adam Silbar), the "main" character. Michael is the somewhat smooth-talking leader of the group, and is actually a bit of a jerk to his girlfriend Julie Ann (Jill Schoelen, "Babes in Toyland", "The Stepfather"), because she isn't ready to go "all the way". Enter a sexy acquaintance (Debi Richter), and there is trouble in paradise!

Barry (Michael Zorek, "Private School", "Teen Wolf Too") is the, um, "heaviest" of the bunch, and steals every scene he's in! The funniest scenes definitely revolve around him. He even chugs a bottle of ketchup like it's nobody's business!

Joey (Jeff Fishman) is the short, skinny, shy, most awkward (and probably most desperate) member of the gang. His most memorable scene involves the boys taking him downtown to get a prostitute. Hilarity ensues.

Scotty (Johnny Timko) is the blond member of the group, and is (in my opinion) the dullest and least memorable character here. He has a funny scene involving a paper route, but he's pretty forgettable in every other scene he's in.

What I disliked the most about this movie is all that filler. So many pointless scenes of people on Venice Beach skateboarding, body-building, break-dancing, there's even a mime at one point! These scenes were obviously thrown in as an attempt to stretch out its short running time. Even with all these scenes, the movie runs under 90 minutes.

Another complaint I have is the music. Other than the theme song by Raven, the music in here is absolutely awful! I understand that this is a low-budget comedy, and that most of the music was made especially for the film, but I still think they could have made better music for the movie.

That being said, those things aren't enough to ruin the movie, at least not for me. A big saving grace here is the great chemistry between the four main actors. It actually feels like they're old friends, and those scenes of them sitting at their table at the bowling alley are among some of the best scenes in the movie. Long story short, this is an enjoyable sex-comedy from the 80s, and is better than any sequel that "Porky's" ever squeezed out.

A review by Jex Russell

'70s Show: A XXX Parody (2009 Video)

Overall a good parody

[17 December 2010]

I stumbled upon this adult feature on late-night TV recently, and although I wasn't in the mood for a porno, I am a big fan of the original "That '70s Show", so I thought I'd check it out for fun. I must say, all pornographic material aside, it was a well done parody; they did a good job re-creating the sets, and some of the jokes were actually pretty funny (the laugh-track really added to the humour). The attempt at re-creating the characters was also pretty good; the actor playing Eric probably being the best. I didn't watch it all the way through, because like I said, I wasn't in the mood for porn, but I definitely recommend watching a few minutes, just to see the parody aspect of it all... So, to sum it up, if you're a fan of the original show, check this out for a laugh...