Maecenas ipsum ALIQUAM
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Number 5:
ROBOCOP
I personally didn’t mind the recent reboot of Paul Verhoeven’s “RoboCop”. I thought it contained some good action scenes and I loved the cast. It got me thinking, however, about how much I love the original. As a previous Detroit resident, I had to see this movie at some point in my life. In the future, crime is everywhere, and a Detroit cop named Murphy (played by Peter Weller) is killed in action. As part of a special program, a corporate underdog (Miguel Ferrer) is able to revive Murphy and turn him into an unstoppable force known as RoboCop. This could have easily become a stupid campy action flick, but Verhoeven was able to make it into something much more than that. There is some great satire on humanity and commercialism, along with superb action scenes and a terrific bad guy (Kurtwood Smith).
Number 4:
PLANET OF THE APES
Welcome to the 1960s. Charlton Heston is the biggest star of our time, the Rolling Stones are still up-and-coming, and Planet of the Apes comes out. What did that second one have to do with anything? Nothing, really. I just wanted to mention it. Planet of the Apes was a blockbuster in 1968, and to this day it’s no mystery why. An astronaut (Heston) ends up on a planet that is inhabited by apes who talk and act exactly like humans, and keep real humans as their pets and labor. Most of you probably know the twist ending by now, but for all two of you who don’t, there will be no spoilers here.
Number 3:
ZOMBIELAND
Not quite as sophisticated as “Shaun of the Dead”, but just as hilarious, “Zombieland” is a constant ride of non-stop fun. With plenty of action and scares, and lots of laughs, this movie conveys a post-apocalyptic, zombie infested wasteland in the most entertaining way possible. Woody Harrelson leads a brilliant cast, and there is an abundance of classic moments. (The twinky scene comes to mind.) This may not quite fit in with the other entries on this list, but...um, you know. It’s “Zombieland”. And it’s awesome.