Episode 156 - Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

It's been awhile, but we finally made it here! This one has been a long time coming, but today we took a look at the infamous fourth Superman movie. Is it really as bad as they say, or is it a hidden gem? Well, there is more to it than all that. Check out the episode to see how it shakes out.

On the other hand, perhaps it does deserve its infamy. You'll see what I mean. there is a reason it has that reputation it has.

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: Robotech: The Movie!

Episode 154 - The Hanoi Hilton (1987)

Ostensibly another war movie, 1987's The Hanoi Hilton feels more like a TV mini-series cut down into movie form. It's disjointed, choppy, and not very exciting, though it isn't quite the worst we've seen. In fact, it's not quite other films we've covered on Cannon Cruisers. There are things here not in the other similar flicks.

That said, it's also not very good. It very easily could be much better. Check out our full opinions in today's episode!

Randy's Score: 1/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: Otello!

Episode 152 - King Lear (1987)

This is a film we wanted to cover before, but never quite got around to. A Shakespeare "adaption" in the loosest possible sense of the word, King Lear is a supposed French New Wave picture about the general themes (in a way) of the original play except in a Post-Apocalyptic environment with about as much effort as a college indie art film.

I would go more into it, but you can't do much justice to it in words. You're going to have to experience the full episode to understand just why this movie is the way it is. Even the two of us were polarized over the final product. There is a very good reason for that! Needless to say, it's very much not for everyone.

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 1/5

Up Next: UFOria!

Episode 150 - Too Much: The Robot With a Heart (1987) [Revisited]

There are a few movies we've covered on Cannon Cruisers we didn't quite give a fair shake to. This is for various reasons, including overall mood and timing of when we watched them. One such film is the completely unknown 1987 family flick Too Much: The Robot With a Heart. There is a lot to go over with this one.

It isn't that this one is particularly good, but more that there is a lot more to talk about than we originally thought. Thankfully we decided to give it another look and came in with fresh opinions on a flick that is more enjoyable than you might think it is.

As always, the full episode will tell you why that might be the case.

In addition, thank you for 150 episodes of normal Cannon Cruisers! We certainly did not think we'd make it this far. Please keep supporting us as we hobble over the upcoming finish line. It's been quite a journey!

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Field of Honor!

Episode 149 - Shy People (1987)

In another strange turn, we cover a nearly unknown drama from the director of Runaway Train, and it also turns out to be a good watch. Shy People is a brand of film Hollywood cannot make anymore, a character study of opposites who have more similarities than one might think. It's also surprisingly well paced despite its length and general content. This one is a much smoother and more interesting watch than you might think on the surface.

We definitely didn't expect to like it as much as we did. Check out the full episode to see just how much we dug it!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Road House 66!

Episode 147 - Surrender (1987)

Here is another one we almost covered during an earlier season but just missed out on. It doesn't help that this movie, despite starring two very popular actors, has still gone without a re-release in decades at this point. 

In many ways Surrender is a typical romantic comedy, but still a surprisingly good one. We definitely thought it was part of an old breed that no longer exists anymore. As usual, you can check out the full episode to see why that is.

You might be surprised with this one. We were.

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Hanna's War!

Episode 143 - Penitentiary III (1987)

Finally, a film we've been trying to cover for awhile. It has also been one we have been unable to find for quite some time now. Today, we finally discuss it. Penitentiary III is the only Cannon entry in this prison boxing series that goes back to 1979. We decided to just cover the movie Cannon themselves put out. The prequels are not the subject today, and would have given us far too much to cover. Trust me, this one has more than enough to discuss.

Though the premise is generally about prison boxing, this entry adds a dash of Cannon madness to the proceedings, creating a movie you have to see to believe. It isn't quite what you might expect, even if you can guess the general beats. One can't really give Penitentiary III justice by talking about it in a few words. Check the episode out and learn about a Cannon movie that deserves to be far better known than it currently is.

This is up there with some of the better known flicks.

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: American Kickboxer 2!

Episode 136 - Number One with a Bullet (1987) [Revisited]

Now this is a re-watch we probably shouldn't have done, but did anyway. It ended up being both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because it gave us a lot to talk about that we otherwise wouldn't have discussed. It is a curse because the movie ended up being worse than the first time we saw it, and for reasons we get into in the episode.

There is too much to talk about in a short description, so dive into today's instalment to figure out just why it falls so much flatter on a re-watch. Believe me, we were not expecting to dislike this one as much as we did, and not for the reasons you might think.

Randy's Score: 1/5

JD's Score: 1/5

Up Next: Aladdin!

Episode 134 - Mannequin (1987)

One of the most unique experiences we have had watching a movie, Mannequin is unique in several ways. It might seem like a simple 1980s era romcom, and it is, but there is quite an interesting story behind its production that has little to do with Cannon at all. Nonetheless, they did distribute this, and it is a good excuse to talk about a subject we might not normally get around to. It helps that there is plenty to talk about in regards to the film itself, too.

Definitely be sure to tune in to this episode if you are interested in filmmaking from the time period or the 1980s in general. There is a lot to discuss here!

JD's Score: 3/5

Randy's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Memoirs of an Invisible Man!

Episode 120 - Barfly (1987)

Cannon is back! Summer might not be over, but we've decided to go back to the grind with more flicks we missed in the first seven seasons. Today, it's Barfly from 1987, a movie that seems incapable of having a proper physical release in the region it was made.

From Charles Bukowski comes a small slice in the life of a poet going nowhere in the city of broken dreams. We follow Mickey Rourke in one of his most interesting performances as he meets Faye Dunaway and things seem to change for him. Or do they?

Barfly was one of Cannon's most critically acclaimed hits at the time it released, but does it hold up? Check out today's return episode to see!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: X-Ray [Revisited]!

Episode 118 - Under Cover (1987)

Cannon released quite a few thrillers back in the day. Some of these thrillers were baffling (Down Twisted), off the rails (Tough Guys Don't Dance), or even quite great (A Cry in the Dark), but they always managed to have more character than the basic genre film of the time. Even the recent Naked Face that we covered did as much.

However, Under Cover is not one of those. It's competently made and shot, with competent acting, and competent storytelling, but it manages to not feel very Cannon-like at all. Instead it feels like completely interchangeable. How do you do this with a concept like 21 Jump Street in a Cannon production? See how in today's episode.

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: Journey to the Center of the Earth [Revisited]!

Episode 110 - Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987)

Finally, we are able to comment on this bizarre neo-noir black comedy by writer, director, and screenwriter, Norman Mailer. Trust us, it's been a long time coming.

What is there to say about this one that hasn't been said a million times? Bizarre, surreal, bad, backwards, and non-sensical, it still manages to have something compelling to the proceedings that you won't find anywhere else, not even from Cannon Films.

But to say more about this strange movie would be spoiling the experience. Check out the episode above to see just what makes this movie tick. One thing is definitely for sure: it's one of a kind. There is nothing as upside down as Tough Guys Don't Dance.

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Hell Comes to Frogtown!

Episode 76 - Gor (1987)

Cannon is back! We've returned again!

For certain episodes in this season we went back to grab Cannon movies we might have missed for one reason or another. There are a few we wanted to show you that we missed out on. Today we start with the first Gor movie, based on John Norman's Gor book series!

Unfortunately, we don't find the first movie that exciting. Once again, check the episode above for our impressions! Next week it's business as usual again. 

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects!

Episode 61 - Season 04 Wrap-Up

Well here we are at the end of another great season of Cannon Cruisers! I hope're all having a good time, as we had quite the kick going over every movie we covered over the season.

But don't you fret, we aren't done yet. After a two week break we'll be back with a new summer season of non-cannon movies for you to enjoy. We've picked quite the strange set this time, and you will hardly be able to guess any of them.

But for now enjoy our completely unedited finale for season 4. Up next we move on to Cannon's latter years!



Up Next: Another summer special!

Episode 60 - Death Wish IV: The Crackdown (1987)

We're back with more Bronson! The trip through the Death Wish series has been a bit eye-opening for us concerning action movies and the 80s, especially considering this is one of the last series Charles Bronson acted in. They're not the most we executed movies of the decade but they are very emblematic of it.

However, this was the final movie in the series for Cannon. Enjoy this episode where we see Bronson change tactics to act more as an assassin than just a vigilante. Considering his age it was the best tact they could take and it ed to the most enjoyable movie in the series since the second entry, and maybe the first. But it ain't perfect.

It's been fun, but we aren't done with Bronson yet. Check the episode to see what we thought of this entry.

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Death Wish V: The Face of Death!

Episode 59 - Masters of the Universe (1987)

Better known as the He-Man movie, this is one of the most well known films in Cannon's oeuvre. This is also Dolph Lundgren's only work with them. At the same time it is also one of Cannon's most expensive movies, and their last one with any real budget.

Suffice to say, there is much to say about this one. Tune in to see just what the two of us think of a movie that is more infamous than it is loved.

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Eliminators!

Episode 58 - Three Kinds of Heat (1987)

Unfortunately, we once again meet another movie that doesn't quite cut it. After Too Much we were hoping for something better than abysmal, instead we got something worse. Another Robert Ginty flick, this one is at the same level of his others we have reviewed.

And that is a shame as this police thriller needed a budget higher than an hour's worth of minimum wage. We we are left with is movie worth nobody's time.

Randy's Score: 1/5
JD's Score: 1/5



Up Next: Masters of the Universe!

Episode 57 - Too Much (1987)

It's Cannon's take on Short Circuit with that usual low budget touch. There isn't anything else to say aside from that this might be one of the worst movies we've ever covered. The fact's surrounding this film are more interesting than the movie itself.

As always, tune in to see why that is. There isn't much more to say about this one. Avoid at every cost.

Randy's Score: 1/5

JD's Score: 1/5

Up Next: Three Kinds of Heat!

Episode 56 - American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987)

On this Mother's Day we take a look at at movie dads would enjoy much more. That's right, it's American Ninja 2! The crew that made the original such a surprise hit is back, though it has taken an additional year for it to arrive.

Oddly enough, because of this gap between 1985's original and the 1987 sequel doesn't effect the quality of this one at all. It feels more like a Cannon film from 1986 would. Unfortunately the wait, uncommon for Cannon, also made sure to take some of the wind out of the film's sails. Of the 5 movies this is the only one with most of the same cast and crew of the original. Nonetheless, it's a Cannon movie, so you know what you're getting: super ninjas, action, and mayhem.

Not quite on the level of the original, but what is?

Randy's Score: 2/5
JD's Score: 4/5



Up Next: Trancers!

Episode 55 - Street Smart (1987)

A pet project from Christopher Reeves and one of Morgan Freeman's breakout roles, Street Smart is a drama about pimps and hookers. The streets ain't a fun place to be. Suffice to say this is a bit darker than one would expect from Cannon. A reporter lies about a story (shocker) and it comes back to bite him hard. Soon enough he learns just what horrible things wait out there in the darker corners of the city.

This is not the sort of movie you might expect from Reeve but it is not too out of joint for pictures from that era. Listen to the above episode to hear our full impressions.

Randy's Score: 3/5
JD's Score: 3/5



Up Next: American Ninja 2!