Movie #326 - John Candy Collection: Going Berserk

Going Berserk
1983 - Rated R - 1 hr 24 min
Director: David Steinberg
Starring: John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Alley Mills, Pat Hingle, Dixie Carter, Richard Libertini, Ernie Hudson

I'm not really even sure why this movie was made.  I can't even really say what happens here... But those sneaky people at Columbia Pictures know how to get royalties paid on their lesser-selling titles --  just sneak 'em into a collection with two movies people have heard of.  After watching the first two movies (both written by John Hughes), this one seems like an afterthought, a lowlight from John Candy's career.  But the DVD is on the wall, so I gotta watch it.  Them's the rules.

Honestly, who made up these stupid rules anyway?

John Candy is a drummer/limo driver inexplicably engaged to a hot chick (played by Alley Mills, the mom from Wonder Years) who is also the daughter of a congressman.  His adventures with his male friend Chick and a sleazy film director (who cast Candy in his low-budget kung fu movie... as the lead) get him into trouble. He gets handcuffed to a dead Ernie Hudson, which was my favorite four-minutes of the film, and then makes enemies with the leader of an aerobics cult.  Yes, that's what I said: Aerobics Cult.

While the movie does provide for some fantastic "Let's Get Physical" workout moments, it's a terrible movie overall.  Don't waste your time. Seriously, people.

Movie #325 - John Candy Collection: The Great Outdoors

The Great Outdoors
1988 - Rated PG - 1 hr 31 min
Director: Howard Deutch
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening, Robert Prosky

This one is a classic, and most likely the reason we own this entire collection.  Dan and John play brothers-in-law living two very different lifestyles.  Dan's the rich stock broker, John's a bit more humble.  Dan and family crash John and family's vacation: let the hillarity ensue.

Whether he intends to or not, from minute one Dan Aykroyd's ruining John Candy's great outdoor getaway.  Log cabins, lakes, local steakhouses... you name the arena, Dan Aykroyd's causing trouble.  This movie has some great moments between the two comedy legends, which is basically the whole reason to watch it.  Meanwhile, Annette Bening seems to play the young version of her character in American Beauty... kinda fun to go back and watch.

One more movie in the John Candy Collection and we're back to the regular J movies.

Movie #324 - John Candy Collection: Uncle Buck

Uncle Buck
1989 - Rated PG - 1 hr 40 min
Director: John Hughes
Starring: John Candy, Macaulay Culkin, Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Madigan, Laurie Metcalf, Jay Underwood

A John Hughes movie not centered on teenagers was a rarity, but here it is.  Granted, he can't help himself completely: the teenage daughter Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly) is a particularly tough nut to crack for old Uncle Buck.  She's as bitchy as Jennifer Grey in Ferris Bueller with the snobbery of Molly Ringwald in Breakfast Club. Hooray for 15-year-old girls in John Hughes' world... they're all a piece of work. Honestly, what did he have against them?

Anyway, Uncle Buck is the goofy, bachelor uncle who just can't seem to do anything right.  His total fear of commitment has him wife-less, childless, job-less, and apparently life-less. When his brother needs someone to watch the kids, Buck's a last resort... but they're pretty desperate.  Since this is a feel-good comedy, though, you know the uncle and the kids are both going to grow from the experience of being stuck together while Mom and Dad are gone.  It's predictable, less slap-stick funny than the DVD cover would suggest, and overall very John Hughes-y.  Still, not bad.

And yes, while this movie does indeed begin with a U, it's up in the J's because of how the DVD is packaged.  Billed as the John Candy Collection, it's three movies on two DVDs and in one box, so we've filed it under J for ease.  The other movies, Going Berserk and The Great Outdoors, are up next...

Movie #208 - Follow That Bird

Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird
1985 - Rated G - 1 hr 28 min
Direcotr: Ken Kwapis
Starring: Carol Spinney, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Richard Hunt, Kathryn Mullen, Sandra Bernhard, John Candy, Chevy Chase

Oh, childhood memories!  This was fun to watch again, especially with Ellie who was glued to the TV for a good amount of time.  We sang the songs together and rooted for Big Bird to find his way back to Sesame Street.  The cameos were fun to watch as well, now that I'm older and know who these people are.

That's about all I got here. It's just a nice slice of my past, that I can share with my daughter.  I don't think Big Bird really needs a thorough review. His movie is just fun to watch.

Movie #131 - Cool Runnings

Cool Runnings
Walt Disney Pictures
1993 - Rated PG - 1 hr 38 min
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Starring: John Candy, Leon, Doug E. Doug

I barely remember Doug E. Doug for anything beyond this movie, particularly the scene where he's in the ice cream truck and he breaks one of his dredlocks in half. That still makes me laugh. And this movie is still fun to watch.

There's not much to say about this one.  It's a Disney family movie based on the true story of Jamaica's first bobsled team.  Right away, you're thinking, "Well, if that's not adversity, I don't know what is." And yes, they overcome the barriers and make it to the Olympics (Calgary '88). Not without their fair share of problems, though.

The cast is the best part about this movie and it's fun to watch these different personalities mesh into one speeding bobsled.  Plus John Candy, who was always great onscreen anyway.  Watch this movie and laugh or feel empowered or just flashback to the 80s.  It's good for all of the above.