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!

Summer Special #40 - Brainscan (1994) [Non-Cannon ~ Episode 100]

For the last episode of our special we thought we would look at something a bit different. This time we dove into the cult favorite, Brainscan, from 1994. This is a horror thriller about a teenager playing a video game that seems to invade his real life. Or does it?

Unfortunately, it doesn't quite do enough for us. We go why in the episode above. It nonetheless remains a good watch, but it was missing something to completely satisfy. We discuss what that is in the episode above.

That's it for out summer special, and thank you for helping us get to 100 Non-Cannon episodes! It's been quite the ride to get here. We still have some curve balls ahead of us. Nonetheless, have a great summer and we'll see you again next week!

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: Barfly!

Summer Special #39 - Joysticks (1983) [Non-Cannon ~ Episode 99]

Bet you didn't expect this one. For this summer special we scanned high and low for films in this ballpark, and you would be surprised at just how uncommon they were. This one turned out to have little to do with our topic aside from trace bits, and yet those exact small parts turned out to be the best parts of it. That said, Joysticks is pretty typical of an earlier type of comedy, and not one we tend to cover here because we have little to say about it.

Suffice to say, if you see the poster then you pretty much can guess the entire plot before the movie even begins. However, you will not be able to imagine the amazing music, which is some of the best of its era. If you're a gamer, you really should hear it at least once. There isn't much else like it. The rest, not so much. Check out the episode above to learn why!

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: Brainscan!

Summer Special #38 - Arcade (1994) [Non-Cannon ~ Episode 98]

This time we went obscure again with one of our favorite directors to cover on Cannon Cruisers, Albert Pyun. This is his 1994 (1993, if you're German) horror movie Arcade. Of all the ones of his we've covered so far, it is probably the most obscure, though not the worst.

Stop me if you've heard this one before. A video game comes to life and starts attacking the people who play it, dragging them into its depths where our main character has to go in to save them. The makers of this one even got sued by Disney over similarities to Tron at one point, which meant they had to redo all of the early CG. And make no mistake--it's early CG.

That said, the film doesn't quite live up to its potential and makes some oddball turns that don't quite work. Check out today's episode to learn exactly why that is. You could do worse than Arcade, but you also could do much better.

Randy's Score: 2/5

JD's Score: 2/5

Up Next: Joysticks!

Summer Special #37 - Mortal Kombat (1995) [Non-Cannon ~ Episode 97]

Chances are that you saw this one coming! Today we are covering possibly the most beloved video game movie adaption with 1995's Mortal Kombat. It is quite amazing how well this one holds up despite how much revisionism has tried to tear it down over the years. As far as adaptions go, this is still one of the best.

What has made this one stand the test of time is how much the production crew clearly loved and strove to adapt the source material as closely as it could. As such, with the Street Fighter II animated movie, it remains one of the most game accurate and exciting adaptions that was intensely influential upon its source material as well as remained a fan favorite to this day. And, believe it or not, it has managed to age in reverse, being one of the few that embraced its 1980s genre roots to the fullest. It truly doesn't get better than this.

We talk about why in today's episode. Mortal Kombat holds up better than you remember it does.

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 5/5

Up Next: Arcade!

Summer Special #36 - WarGames (1983) [Non-Cannon ~ Episode 96]

This week we decided on a bit of a curveball with the 1983 favorite, WarGames. Endlessly parodied and given constant tribute to this day, this is one of the earliest examples of a pure video game focused film, though not in a way you might figure, and definitely not in a way that could be made now. Essentially of it's time, but remaining rather timeless despite it, WarGames remains a fascinating movie that is a joy to watch.

This would normally be the part where we mention its deficiencies, but that is a lot harder than you might think. It is a very well put together film, even now, that holds up even if you want to watch it separate from the subject matter. Despite how often it has been referenced and parodied, WarGames holds up, and remains an enjoyable watch to this day.

Randy's Score: 4/5

JD's Score: 4/5

Up next: Mortal Kombat!

Summer Special #35 - Street Fighter: The Movie (1994) [Non-Cannon ~ Episode 95]

Here we come to something you might not have seen coming: the very first live action Street Fighter movie! This film is infamous in a lot of way, but does it really deserve its reputation? We dive into it in this edition of our summer special.

The truth of the matter is that these were the early days of video game adaptions from a much different time than the one we live in today. Keeping that in mind, you might be surprised just how well it holds up. This isn't one of Van Damme or Raul Julia's best movies, but it does do its job quite well. Listen to today's episode to see just how that is.

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD' Score: 3/5

Up Next: WarGames!

Summer Special #34 - The Last Starfighter (1984) [Non-Cannon ~ Episode 94]

This one has been a long time coming. We decided to finally watch a film we had been wanting to get around to for a while but just never had the opportunity to. That's right, it's 1984's left-field classic, The Last Starfighter.

Possibly one of the most ripped off movies of the 1980s, The Last Starfighter nonetheless remains fresh and exciting as a watch today, thought it isn't quite perfect. We talk just what makes it hold up so well in today's summer special episode! There is a very good reason why this can never be remade or copied in a way that improves upon the original.

Randy's Score: 3/5

JD's Score: 3/5

Up Next: Street Fighter!