Non-Cannon ~ Episode 130 - Our Top Twenty-Five Non-Cannon Films!

We're going back deep! This is the final Non-Cannon episode! What will make the cut? In this episode we discuss our favorites from the past half decade+ of Cannon Cruisers to decide just what is the best of the best!

Our lists might surprise you!

For those who wish to see the full list in print, you can find it below. Thank you for listening and enjoy today's extra long episode! We did not expect it to be so long.

Randy's favorite Non-Cannon movies

1. Used Cars

2. Tombstone

3. Heat

4. Groundhog Day

5. Assault on Precinct 13

6. Innerspace

7. Romancing the Stone

8. Tremors

9. Toy Soldiers

10. Gremlins 2

11. Halloween 3: Season of the Witch

12. Radioactive Dreams

13. Deadly Games Dial Code Santa Claus

14. Highlander

15. Midnight Run

16. Poltergeist

17. Big Trouble in Little China

18. Heavyweights

19. Alien Private Eye

20. New York Ninja

21. The Lost Boys

23. Extreme Prejudice

22. The Hidden

24. Manhattan Project

25. In the Mouth of Madness

JD's favorite Non-Cannon movies

1. Streets of Fire

2. Tombstone

3. Assault on Precinct 13

4. Heat

5. Big Trouble in Little China

6. The Warriors

7. Commando

8. The Hidden

9. The Miami Connection

10. Cobra

11. Groundhog Day

12. Radioactive Dreams

13. Tremors

14. Extreme Prejudice

15. Lone Wolf McQuade

16. In the Mouth of Madness

17. Innerspace

18. Romancing the Stone

19. Escape from New York

20. Highlander

21. Road House

22. Gremlins 2: the New Batch

23. Camp Nowhere

24. Sidekicks

25. Eliminators

Up Next: Our Big 5-part Cannon Finale!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 129 - An American Werewolf in London (1981)

For our final film in our Non-Cannon special we decided to end it with a flick that one of us had yet to see. The unmatched atmosphere of An American Werewolf in London survives intact and the experience remains great to this day. We go into why in today's episode! It is amazing how much there is to talk about in this influential film.

Be sure to check this episode out, and we will see you next week when we begin our final run of Cannon flicks. It's going to be a blast.

Randy's Score: 5/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Up Next: Deja Vu!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 128 - Boogedy Double Feature Special [1986 + 1987]

Two movies, one experience. This episode we decided to shake it up a little, covering two different movies from a period of time few seem to remember. The Boogedy movies started as a pilot that gained a lot of infamy as a special on TV back on the day which led to a full length movie sequel a year later attempting to expand on the original.

But how do they hold up? Well, as usual, you will have to tune into the full episode and see just how. Regardless they are a unique experience of the kind you won't get these days. They don't make them like this anymore!

Mr. Boogedy (1986)

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Bride of Boogedy (1987)

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: An American Werewolf in London!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 127 - Poltergeist (1982)

Hope you had a productive weekend, it's time for more Non-Cannon! This time we have a surprise: one of the biggest movies from the time that we have yet to cover, and one that one of us had yet to see! That's right, it's time for Poltergeist from 1982!

Does it still hold up, or is there something holding it back from being a classic? Check out today's episode to find out!

Randy's Score: 5/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Up Next: Boogedy Double Feature!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 126 - Watcher in the Woods (1980)

We've still got a few spooky season episodes left to go! We're going to try and take this into the holiday season, so strap in. This time we took a look at the nearly forgotten favorite, Watcher in the Woods, from 1980!

This one holds up surprisingly well despite a twist that is kind of lame, but the movie still salvages it with some creepy effects and some gorgeous scenery. The entire thing actually holds together and is well worth watching today. Check out today's episode to learn how that might be!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Poltergeist!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 125 - Return to Oz (1985)

Our season long special continues, this time covering the obscure favorite, Return to Oz! This one is not what you might think, especially if you only know it by reputation. A bit eerie, a bit adventurous, all creative, this one could only have been made in the era it was made in.

Check out the full episode for our opinion on this strangely misunderstood and unappreciated film to learn our full opinions. You might surprised as to what we thought on this one!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Watcher in the Woods!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 124 - Arachnophobia (1990)

Here is a movie most of us remember exists but tend not to remember much about it. Surprisingly, despite that, Arachnophobia holds up surprisingly well. Aside from some nitpicks, it's a fairly good horror movie from an era when they still worked well.

It's not the greatest genre flick ever or anything, but you might surprised by how well it actually holds up. That said, it fits our current long-running special extremely like a glove!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Return to Oz!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 123 - The Witches (1990)

This time we watch an obscure favorite where Jim Henson meets Roald Dahl. The last movie produced by Henson, yet released after his untimely death, The Witches is a surprisingly well done fairy tale over the older style, with much of Dahl's darker elements. Though it can be a bit crude, there isn't quite another film like this one.

Today's episode will tell you just why that is. Let us learn just what has made this one a cult classic over the years.

Randy's Score: 5/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Arachnophobia!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 122 - Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

Based on the Ray Bradbury book, this movie should really have it all. The source material is a classic, and should have been an easy home run for Disney to make into a comparable movie. The author himself even contributed to making it.

However, the final product leaves a little to be desired. There are some great things in this adaption of the Bradbury story, but also some head scratching decisions. As always, to find out the full deal, dive into today's episode! It's a bit of a puzzler.

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: The Witches!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 121 - The Gate II: Trespassers (1990)

Today we look at the sequel of a movie we watched ages ago: the follow-up to the cult favorite The Gate. We were hoping for another inventive hidden gem that we might have missed out on, like last time. Unfortunately, that isn't what we found this time.

The Gate II, instead of being another good time, ended up being a surprising disappointment from people that should have known better than this. What we ended up with this time ended up being so typical that we almost found ourselves at a loss for words describing it.

As always, check out today's episode to hear our full thoughts on this totally unnecessary sequel to a much better watch.

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: Something Wicked This Way Comes!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 120 - Little Monsters (1989)

Today we cover a different sort of horror experience. Little Monsters is a movie that doesn't have much of a reputation beyond one rumor revolving around a behind the scenes incident. Aside from that you don't tend to hear much about it.

However, this one is also quite a bit different than you might have heard it was. Though very much of its time, Little Monsters also manages to build its own identity apart from similar movies of the same era. Check out how it does in today's episode!

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: The Gate II!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 119 - The Peanut Butter Solution (1985)

I am not even sure how to properly describe this movie. It is barely a horror film, at least at first, until you understand exactly what the premise leads to and how it all ends up. This is a weird film, and a time capsule at that, unlike most of the other ones we have covered so far. Nonetheless, we chose to watch it for a very good reason.

Check out today's episode to to see what exactly makes The Peanut Butter Solution a surprisingly good family horror film. You will be surprised!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Little Monsters!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 118 - Monster Squad (1987)

Now for the next movie in our bizarre Summer/Halloween special, we chose a movie only one of us has any real nostalgic attachment to. Watching this today over three decades after its release is quite an experience, but a much different one than you might think. Of all the movies we've covered on Cannon Cruisers, this one has aged in a very peculiar way that probably no one involved saw coming.

Regardless, film has this effect of eventually making itself a documentary given enough time, and that is certainly a big part of the appeal of Monster Squad. See exactly what that means in today's special episode!

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: The Peanut Butter Solution!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 117 - Maximum Overdrive (1986)

As you might have guessed, we've decided to do another series of Non-Cannon movies. You'll have to guess the theme for yourself, and whether this is technically a summer or Halloween special or a combination of both. Either way, you're in for a weird time.

For our first movie we decided to take on the obscure by choice Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive! Learn just how it succeeds and fails, as well as how it could have been wilder! The movie isn't as bad as you might think, but it could also be better.

This is only the first in this wave of Non-Cannon weirdness!

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Monster Squad!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 116 - Season 08 Wrap-Up!

We've finally made it to the end of this incredibly long eighth season of Cannon Cruisers! Instead of our usual Cannon movie round up, we decided to first start with our Non-Cannon episodes. Those (yes, it's more than one) will be saved for next week. In this episode the two of us cover 30+ Non-Cannon movies and talk for an hour!

Hope you're ready to settle in. It's a long one!

Up Next: Season 08 Cannon Wrap-Up Part One!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 115 - Cyborg Cop II (1994)

Here it is, folks: the final Sam Firstenberg action movie. Released in 1994, after Cannon's destruction, it was also the last movie in this vein that our Cannon staple would make, mostly sticking to dramas and the like for the few films remaining after this. That said, boy did he go out with a bang on this one!

Cyborg Cop II is kind of infamous in some circles as being over the top and explosive, but you haven't seen anything until you actually watch it. This one might not reach the heights of his Cannon Films peak, but it comes close at times. Find out how in today's episode, our last movie of the season!

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Non-Cannon Wrap Up!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 113 - UFOria (1984)

A long time ago, there was a period where movies would be made then sit on a shelf for years because the studio did not know how to advertise it. UFOria is just this sort of movie, releasing in the theatre after sitting in a vault for years, then getting a VHS release a couple of years afterwards, and then disappearing entirely out of the public consciousness for decades. This was a tough film to find.

Seeing that might make you think this movie is a disaster of some kind. It's just a bit off-kilter. A comedy about aliens, belief, and community, it's not really your typical genre film. And that's probably why it wasn't an easy sell.

But does this any of this make UFOria a bad movie? No, actually, it's quite worth watching. Check out today's episode to see why that might be the case.

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: The Seven Magnificent Gladiators!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 112 - Road House 66 (1985)

No, this isn't a revisit but another movie with Road House in the title. And this one is much different than either the 1989 classic or the 1948 noir favorite. In fact it is so bizarre that I decided to include both covers/posters for the movie to show you how difficult this film was to advertise back in the day. It is neither a comedy nor an action thriller, making both covers off in describing just what this is (the later bland DVD art is FAR worse, however) and cannot quite sell the film to the viewer. This movie is a fairly different sell for the post-1980s market. No wonder reception was so mixed at the time, and now.

But let us get to it.

Road House 66 is a throwback to old black and white pictures where a drifter comes into town, partnered up with a mysterious stranger, stumbles into a new situation, and eventually has to solve it at the end.

We use the term "they don't make 'em like that anymore" a lot here, but that was definitely the case when this movie came out. It doesn't neatly fit into the "action", "drama", or "comedy", boxes, but has many elements of each. It is truly an example of a throwback work before genre-fication occurred. Nonetheless, check out the episode above to hear about a hidden gem you've probably never heard of before. Who knows? You might end up finding a new favorite! I know I did.

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Too Much: The Robot With a Heart!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 111 - Alien Private Eye (1989)

Sometimes a movie comes out of nowhere to surprise you in ways you might not expect. Sometimes it exceeds your expectations in ways you might not expect while also falling short in areas that are just plain bizarre. Alien Private Eye is such a movie. Part detective story, part alien flick, and part action, it's all low budget but with a lot of charm. This is one very much of its era and couldn't have been made in any other time or place.

Think Miami Connection only for detective movies and you might get close to what makes Alien Private Eye tick. Of course, as always, the full episode will give you the full score on this one. A description can't really do it justice.

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up Next: Surrender!

Non-Cannon ~ Episode 110 - American Kickboxer 2 (1993)

This is a bit of a side-track, and tangentially related to Cannon, but is overall a subject related to what we cover here. American Kickboxer is a Cannon movie, the sequel, for whatever reason, is not. The actual sequel is titled To the Death (and has been proven a tough find), a movie with a completely unrelated title to this one.

That said, American Kickboxer 2's cool reception is completely unearned. This is a fun action movie with a lot of thrills and funny comedy, on a completely different level than the original movie. This one should be much more well known than it is. Find out just how enjoyable this one is in today's episode. This was worth the detour to fin.

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Terminal Bliss!