The VHS Strikes Back

Patreon pick this week was the turn of JAC (IAmJACsMusings) and he chose the 1990 action-comedy (stretching a bit there), Ski Patrol. And after Chris and Dave deemed the last pick, Virtuosity, pretty lackluster, JAC's out for revenge. Which instantly has more plot intrigue than this particular movie.

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Plot Summary:

The Snowy Peaks ski patrol is one diverse crew. They consist of Jerry, the senior member who loves skiing and is in love with Ellen, a ski school instructor at Snowy Peaks; Iceman, singer and master of impressions; Eddie, the demolition and explosives expert; Stanley, who has failed to make the patrol seven years in a row; and Tiana, a foreign exchange patroller who likes Stanley. While having fun and keeping the mountain safe, they try to save the lodge from greedy land developer, Sam Maris.

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For our New Year's themed pick, we've chosen one of the most iconic rom-coms of the 80's or 90's; When Harry Met Sally (1989). Directed by Rob Reiner, written by Nora Ephron and starring Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan and Carrie Fisher. Known mostly for THAT scene, this one is loved by many. But will it stand up for Chris and Dave?

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Plot Summary:

Harry and Sally meet when she gives him a ride to New York after they both graduate from the University of Chicago. The film jumps through their lives as they both search for love, but fail, bumping into each other time and time again. Finally, a close friendship blooms between them, and they both like having a friend of the opposite sex. But then they are confronted with the problem: "Can a man and a woman be friends, without sex getting in the way?"

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The winner of our Christmas Patreon poll for a Christmas movie was Die Hard 2: Die Harder. Based on 58 minutes authored by Walter Wager, this blockbuster sequel was directed by Renny Harlin and written by Steven E. de Souza and Doug Richardson. Bruce Willis is the undoubted star of the show with his second outing as John McClane and his nemesis this time is Colonel William Stuart played by William Sadler.

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Plot Summary:

After the terrifying events in LA, John McClane (Willis) is about to go through it all again. A team of terrorists, led by Col. Stuart (Sadler) is holding the entire airport hostage. The terrorists are planning to rescue a drug lord from justice. In order to do so, they have seized control of all electrical equipment affecting all planes. With no runway lights available, all aircraft have to remain in the air, with fuel running low, McClane will need to be fast.

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Jackie Chan is a kung-fu legend and this week, Dave's chosen to go back to 1985 and tackle the classic Police Story. Written and Directed by the man himself, the action in this one is on a different level.

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Plot Summary:

Kevin Chan (aka Jackie) is a Hong-Kong cop, who scores his first big hit by virtually single-handedly capturing and arresting a big drug- lord. Of course, the drug-lord isn't too happy about this, and frames Kevin with the murder of another cop (who happened to be on the take). Kevin has to clear his name, whilst keeping himself from getting killed or arrested, and keeping his girlfriend from leaving him.

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Bill Murray got a roasting for Ghostbusters a couple of years ago, but Chris' pick this week stars the man himself and it's the 1993 iconic movie, Groundhog Day. Written and directed by Harold Ramis, and starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott and Brian Doyle-Murray.

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Plot Summary:

A weather man is reluctantly sent to cover a story about a weather forecasting "rat" (as he calls it). This is his fourth year on the story, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration. On awaking the 'following' day he discovers that it's Groundhog Day again, and again, and again. First he uses this to his advantage, then comes the realisation that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing EVERY day.

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Patreon Mark Pearson's choice this week is the 1986 movie, Stand By Me. Based on a Stephen King novella, this was directed by Rob Reiner and stars Will Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, Richard Dreyfuss and Josh Cosack.

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Plot Summary:

It's the summer of 1959 in Castlerock, Oregon and four 12 year-old boys - Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern - are fast friends. After learning of the general location of the body of a local boy who has been missing for several days, they set off into the woods to see it. Along the way, they learn about themselves, the meaning of friendship and the need to stand up for what is right.

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It was probably a matter of time before we tackled this rather legendary teen sex comedy. Porky's. Written and directed by Bob Clark, this 1981 movie was the winner of our Teen hijinks poll and ages like a fine cheese.

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Plot Summary:

In 1954, a group of teenage male students of Florida's Angel Beach High School are determined to lose their virginity. They embark on games of sexual innuendo with female classmates whose activities Billy, Tommy, and Pee Wee witness via their secret surveillance. Pee Wee is the most desperate, which gets him into one predicament after another, besides constantly being the butt of pranks. Good guy Tim deals with his learned racism that surfaces with the arrival of new student Brian Schwartz, who is Jewish. Meanwhile, new Boys' Phys Ed coach Roy Brackett is attracted to cheerleading coach Miss Lynn Honeywell, who is attracted to him but doesn't want to go all the way. Coach Brackett's goal is to find out why Coach Warren has nicknamed Miss Honeywell "Lassie." All these goings-on offend the sensibilities of the Girls' Phys Ed coach, Miss Beulah Balbricker, who takes it upon herself to maintain the moral standards of the school. When the boys' mission stalls, Mickey, whose brother Ted is the local sheriff, suggests that they go to Porky's, a bar and unofficial brothel in neighboring Wallacetown in the middle of the Everglades, to lose their virginity. Porky's is owned by the violent Porky, whose actions are supported by his sheriff brother. The boys' experience at Porky's leads to a feud between the boys and Porky and his posse, the boys' collective anger fueled by Mickey. They will learn that they may not be able to beat Porky with their fists, but they might be able to do so with a little ingenuity, which may hurt Porky more in the long run.

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Patreon Maff mulled over a few different choices before settling on the 1985 Wolf Peterson movie, Enemy Mine! It's one Dave has seen a fair few times, while Chris...... well, it's sci-fi so the signs aren't great...

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Plot Summary:

At the height of the devastating intergalactic war between humans and the bipedal reptilian humanoids known as Dracs, the earthling single-seat fighter pilot, Willis Davidge, and the saurian pilot, Jeriba Shigan, engage in a furious dogfight. As both sworn enemies crash-land on the desolate, inhospitable planet, Fyrine IV, they will have to put aside their hatred for each other, share knowledge and experience to fight the forces of nature and, above all, work in unison to survive. Can their forced coexistence and uneasy camaraderie pave the way for a genuine inter-species friendship?

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There are few sci-movies from the 80's which being be held in higher esteem than James Cameron's 1986 sequel, Aliens. Set after the original Alien, 1979, this takes the initial encounter with the Xenomorph and turns everything up to eleven!! Starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn and Bill Paxton, this sci-fi action-adventure is one to strap in for!

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Plot Summary:

57 years after Ellen Ripley had a close encounter with the reptilian alien creature from the first movie, she is called back, this time, to help a group of highly trained colonial marines fight off against the sinister extraterrestrials. But this time, the aliens have taken over a space colony on the moon LV-426. When the colonial marines are called upon to search the deserted space colony, they later find out that they are up against more than what they bargained for. Using specially modified machine guns and enough firepower, it's either fight or die as the space marines battle against the aliens. As the Marines do their best to defend themselves, Ripley must attempt to protect a young girl who is the sole survivor of the nearly wiped out space colony.

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It's time again to go back to a classic starring the Muscles from Brussels, Jean-Claude Van Damme! It's the 1990 action movie, Death Warrant. Written by David S. Goyer and directed by Deran Sarafian, this was a favorite to get from the video shop in the Phelps household.

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Plot Summary:

The Canadian policeman Louis Burke is assigned in a jail to investigate some murders of prisoners and jailors. When in jail, Lois, using his outstanding martial arts, is able to save his life and make himself respected in that violent world. At last, helped by two another prisoners, he succeeds in finding the truth about the dreadful crimes

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