Title: Fletch Lives

Directed by: Michael Ritchie

Written by: Leon Capetanos

Current Flickchart position:  #698 of 1352 overall.  My #16 film, of 28, from the year 1989.

What It’s About:
Fletch (Chevy Chase) is a reporter for a Los Angeles newspaper, but he acts more like a detective.  When an obscure relative leaves him a Louisiana mansion in his will, Fletch is naturally curious.  Arriving in Louisiana, events occur that make him suspect that all is not well, and there is more to the property than he has been led to believe.

General Comments:
Not nearly as good as the first film and only barely average.  Fletch Lives is only bearable because of the charm of Chevy Chase.  I fucking love Chevy Chase but he’s made some amazingly bland and average films over his career and Fletch Lives is certainly one of them.

Watch Fletch Lives to see a by the number ’80s comedy only marginally rescued by king of the ’80s Chevy Chase.

Rating:  5/10

Title: Uncle Buck

Written and Directed by: John Hughes

Current Flickchart position:  #252 of 1341 overall.  My #6 film, of 26, from the year 1989.

What It’s About:
Bachelor and all round slob, Buck (John Candy), babysits his brother’s rebellious teenage daughter and her cute younger brother and sister.

General Comments:
God damn John Hughes makes/made consistently great movies and Uncle Buck is just another one of his fantastic 80′s films.  Everything of his that I’ve seen exudes so much heart and charm.  John Candy obviously shines like he does in everything he’s been in and Macaulay Culkin is just as precocious as he was in the two Home Alone films (which are two of my all time favourite films).  The teenage daughter Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly) is an annoying selfish bitch of a character but there was never any doubt that Buck would set her on the right path.  In the end Uncle Buck is a fun, heartwarming, and enjoyable film.  I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it again, but they simply don’t make movies with the feel of an 80′s film anymore.

Watch Uncle Buck to see a great 80′s film and John Candy at his best.

Rating:  7.5/10

Title: Haunted Honeymoon

Directed by: Gene Wilder

Written by: Gene Wilder and Terence Marsh

Current Flickchart position:  #327 of 1328 overall.  My #6 film, of 22, from the year 1986.

What It’s About:
Larry Abbot (Gene Wilder), speaker in the radio horror shows of Manhattan Mystery Theater wants to marry. For the marriage he takes his fiancée (Gilda Radner) home to the castle where he grew up among his eccentric relatives. His uncle decides that he needs to be cured from a neurotic speech defect and exaggerated bursts of fear: he gives him a shock therapy with palace ghosts.

General Comments:
This is my third “old dark house” based film in the last week and for the most part it’s the best one I’ve watched.  The tone, comedy, story and actors are all good and enjoyable.  The problem is I have no idea what the ending to the film means for what I’ve just watched.  Is it all part of the radio play, and simply a visualisation of the story they’re telling?  Is it real up until that final fight scene?  Is it a kind of meta radio play whereby Larry’s stuttering and the appearance of his uncle at the radio station is also part of the radio play narrative?  I really don’t know, and not knowing what’s what really affects my enjoyment of the film.  If I knew one way or the other I’d be much happier giving the film a higher rating.

Watch the film because of the fun spooky setting, the charming Gene Wilder, and the funny and unconventionally hot Gilda Radner.  Plus it’s another one of those pure 80′s films.

Rating:  6/10