The Weekly Retro Movie Rundown 105
Hermanâs Hermits! It must be the weekend!
So under a rung of gently flickering fluorescent lights, inside a heaving family packed restaurant, at the back of a cue for an all you can eat buffet. Let us be your medically obese, adolescent male, adorned in button up stripy shirt and stretchy sweatpants as we prepare to load our plate with a heap of steaming retro movie magic. We'll pile on gallons of cinematic awesomeness before we wedge ourselves ever so uncomfortably into our seat and devour the celluloid wonder....Burp!!
Have a happy retro weekend!
SATURDAY 28th JUNE
The 'Burbs (1989) ITV4 12:25pm-2:25pm (2 hours)
The arrival of secretive neighbours sparks an unhealthy curiosity in a group of friends, leading them to go to bizarre lengths to discover the truth about the newcomers. However, their investigations take an even weirder twist when they begin to suspect their unseen fellow suburbanites are part of a cannibalistic cult. Joe Dante's black comedy, starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Corey Feldman and Henry Gibson.
Fun Fact: Early in the movie, when Cory Danziger is eating breakfast, a box of Gremlins cereal can be seen on the kitchen counter in the background. Director Joe Dante also directed Gremlins (1984) and Corey Feldman was in Gremlins (1984).
Independence Day (1996) Film4 1:00pm-3:45pm (2 hours 45 minutes)
A fleet of huge flying saucers launches a devastating and unprovoked attack on Earth. As survivors try to flee the seemingly unstoppable alien invaders, the courageous US president, an ace pilot and a computer genius come up with a plan to take the fight to the enemy and save the human race. Roland Emmerich's sci-fi adventure, starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia and Harry Connick Jr.
Transformers (2007) Channel 4 7:15pm-10:00pm (2 hours 45 minutes)
Teenager Sam Witwicky is treated to his first car by his dad, but it turns out to be an alien scout with a life of its own. Before long, the vehicle embroils Sam in a long-running intergalactic war between two factions of giant shape-changing robots, which have come to Earth to find a mystical cube that grants infinite power to its possessor. Michael Bay's sci-fi action adventure, inspired by the toy franchise, with Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Jon Voight and John Turturro.
Terminal Velocity (1994) Channel 4 12:35am-2:15am (1 hour 40 minutes)
A skydiving instructor tries to clear himself of responsibility for the death of a woman whose parachute failed to open. However, he later learns she is a Russian spy who faked her own demise, and now needs his help to foil an international criminal conspiracy out to steal a fortune in bullion. Action thriller, starring Charlie Sheen, Nastassja Kinski and James Gandolfini
SUNDAY 29th JUNE
Stargate (1994) 5* 2:40pm-5:00pm (2 hours 20 minutes)
An Egyptologist and a soldier head an expedition through a mysterious portal to an alien planet. The world they find resembles ancient Egypt and is under the rule of a tyrant who has convinced the downtrodden inhabitants that he is a god - until the humans incite the enslaved populace to fight back. Sci-fi adventure, starring Kurt Russell, James Spader and Jaye Davidson.
Addams Family Values (1993) E4 8:00pm-9:50pm (1 hour 50 minutes)
Spooky couple Gomez and Morticia hire a nanny to look after their new baby son - and stop him suffering an early death at the hands of his jealous elder siblings. Romance soon blossoms between the new childminder and Uncle Fester, but he does not realise she is planning to kill him once she has got hold of the family fortune. Comedy sequel, starring Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci and Joan Cusack.
Mars Attacks! (1996) ITV4 9:00pm-11:10pm (2 hours 10 minutes)
The inhabitants of Earth leap into action to repel an impending invasion by a seemingly invincible Martian army, which possesses superior weaponry, a thirst for destruction and a wicked sense of humour. Tim Burton's sci-fi comedy, starring Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Annette Bening, Natalie Portman, Danny DeVito and Tom Jones.
And Now for Something Completely Different (1971) BBC1 London 12:05am-1:30am (1 hour 25 minutes)
The Monty Python members appear in their first movie, comprising re-enacted sketches from the first two series of the surreal comedy show. Highlights include the dead parrot sketch, the Lumberjack Song and the Upper-class Twit of the Year Race. Starring the usual team of John Cleese, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam, with regular female sidekick Carol Cleveland.
Whatever you get up to this Weekend remember to do your stretches and always enjoy yourselves.
xoxo