Halloween Spectacular VII! (Episode 30)

Welcome back to our seventh Halloween special since starting Cannon Cruisers! If you're wondering what the sixth special was last year, it ran from summer from the start of winter. That was a big one, but this year we decided to do something a bit more traditional.

Like most other years we decided to take on a classic Hollywood franchise from back in the day. Our choice? One of the heavy hitters from the 1970s: The Exorcist!

However, much like our Psycho episode, we decided to skip the most well known film everyone already knows about and has talked on incessantly over the years. It's great, you know it's great, what else can we add? Instead we decided to cover the following two entries in the series. And boy are they different!

Don't worry, though, there is plenty of talk of the original (and we even give our scores for it) as we go into what makes this sequels succeed or fail. It's quite the journey!

We've got much to cover so I won't waste your time here. Anyway, strap in and enjoy in this extra long special episode!

As always, have a Happy Halloween and a great All Saints Day!

The Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

Randy's Score: 1/5

JD's Score: 1/5

The Exorcist III: Legion (1990)

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: Gymkata!

Episode 29 ~ The Sandlot (1993)

Well here it is, the end of our long-running sports special. And what better film than the last one to really stand out from the pack? It's 1993's The Sandlot, a well-regarded classic of the genre. But does it still hold up?

Obviously, yes, it does. We spanned nearly two decades in this run and it was interesting seeing the beginnings and where this genre eventually ended up. After this it would mainly be repetitive takes on the Mighty Ducks, and sometimes with adults, but this is the last one that really emphasized the importance of the sport in conjunction with the lives of the characters. And in many ways it was one of the best at doing so.

If you haven't seen it, you're missing out. Few films nail childhood in the 20th century nearly as well as this does. Give it a look.

Randy's Score: 5/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: Halloween Special VII!

Episode 28 ~ Days of Thunder (1990)

We've reached the 1990s and the tail end of our sports special! Finally we can go into the fan favorite, Days of Thunder! Does it hold up as well as you remember?

You might actually be surprised. Though originally criticized as being Top Gun with cars, the film goes beyond such a simple descriptor to showing the power of the blockbuster movie. It's a throwback, in all the best ways. Find out why that is in today's episode!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: The Sandlot!

Episode 27 ~ Best of the Best (1989)

Finally, we come to this one! We've been wanting to cover Best of the Best for years, but never quite got the opportunity to do so. Not only do we get to do it today, but we finally get to dig into it for the first time!

Does it still hold up, or is it too tied to its time and place? Believe it or not, the movie might have aged better than you thought! Check out today's episode for the full scoop.

Randy's Score: 5/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: Days of Thunder!

Episode 26 ~ The Blood of Heroes (1989)

What do you get when you combine Rutger Hauer, sports, the desert, and the post-apocalypse? Turns out you get a cult favorite most have forgotten about. It's also quite unlike any of the other movies we covered and only barely fits the theme. So that made 1989's The Blood of Heroes the perfect choice for this series!

However, it isn't all sunshine and roses. Check out today's episode to learn why!

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Spotify link here!

Up Next: Best of the Best!