This is me too Pacman!

Title: Colors (1988)

Colors starring Sean Penn and Robert Duval, directed by Dennis Hopper

In the 80's, before "bling" and gangsta became fashionable, Dennis Hopper directed a movie that was deemed controversial at the time. Colors depicted the violent crimes and familial relationships of the LA street gangs. Growing up in the 80's, drive by's and drug busts were constantly on TV, radio, and newspaper. In my hometown, Latino gangs were prevalent and when the movie came out, those who lived in any gangland areas of Southern California attested to its accuracy. It was over-the-top in many ways, but still accurate enough.

The story itself explored many complex relationship among the thug streets of Los Angeles - gangs and gangs, cops and gangs, cop and lady gangbanger, cops and cops, cops and snitches.

The relationship between the main characters Officers Bob Hodges (Robert Duval) and Danny "Pacman" McGavin (Sean Penn) was that of a mentor-newbie. Hodges, who's near retirement, was teaching Danny how to survive the streets as a cop and deal with the gangsters to gain respect. Hodges seemed to have a rapport with Frog (Trinidad Silva), an elder gangbanger who's seen it all and may have dealt with Hodges a few times before. Frog and Hodges were seen chit-chatting a few times. Frog smirking at the end when Hodges died was mildy uncomfortable. I thought those two were friends.

Colors had some of today's prolific actors in small roles: Don Cheadle, Damon Wayans, Forrest Whittaker who starred with Sean Penn in Fast Times at Ridgement High, and Mario Lopez who went on to star in Saved by the Bell and Dancing with the Stars.

What's a white guy doing in a Latino gang?

I had not seen the movie in over ten years but a couple of scenes still remain in my head. The first was Courtney Gains as Whitey. You can't miss him. He's the red-headed white guy in a Latino gang. I can't help but chuckle in the drive-by scene that Whitey spent propped up against a wall because he was too waisted to move. Courtney Gains still enjoys a cult following from his role as Malachai in Children of the Corn.

Another scene that I'm fond of was when Louisa Gomez (Maria Conchita Alonso) was discovered by Danny in the backroom with a gangbanger during a party that the cops were busting up. "This is me too, Pacman!" was just too funny to forget.

There weren't many quotes that I recall. The one that stuck with me the most was the advice that Hodges gave Danny:

There's two bulls standing on top of a mountain. The younger one says to the older one:
"Hey pop, let's say we run down there and fuck one of them cows". The
older one says: "No son. Lets walk down and fuck 'em all".

Colors is a timeless classic. The Colors soundtrack, provided by various artists such as Ice T and Salt-N-Pepa, still holds up today. Many may find the movie dated since the thug style is so prominent in today's pop culture. But Colors may have started it all.

I'm Leo Getz, and whatever you want, Leo gets

Title: Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

Lethal Weapon 2 starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover

The 80's were good for Mel Gibson. Yes, the 90's were good to him as well, but he became a mega star in the 80's. Who'd a thought that Lethal Weapon would become THE cop buddy franchise. It's a standard that lives today and will be for more movies to come.

The one stark difference to me between Lethal Weapon 2 and the original Lethal Weapon was the slapstick tone of the sequel. It seemed that Martin Riggs, the lethal weapon, had a makeover and now tried to be part of the close circle of cops around him instead of embracing his lone wolf past. He joked around with his colleagues, became attached with Roger Murtaugh's family, and even fell in love with Rika Van De Haas (played by the ever hot Patsy Kensit). Riggs was not the character that was introduced in the first Lethal Weapon.

Patsy Kensit costars in Lethal Weapon 2

Still hot: Patsy Kensit at the 2009 BAFTA TV Award

Still, despite the funnier and more endearing buddy cop relation (bromance by today's standard), Lethal Weapon 2 was memorable for Leo Getz, superbly played by Joe Pesci who went on to star in other unforgettable movies such as My Cousin Vinny and Goodfellas. I thought that Joe Pesci stole pretty much any scene he was in simply because I wanted to hear what's he gonna say next. Joe Pesci had some of his better movie quotes and funniest moments as Leo Getz.

Funny Leo Getz Quotes

• Oh okay, bad cop, bad cop. [after initially meeting Riggs and Murtaugh]
• I'm Leo Getz, and whatever you want, Leo gets.
• Okay, okay, okay, okay, this is the best part okay? You make a tax deduction on interest payments you don't even make! Am I an innovator? Am I a genius? [explaining money laundering to Riggs and Murtaugh]
• They FUCK YOU at the drive-thru!
• Hey hey hey! Listen, if we're going, shouldn't I have a gun?

Look, man, I ain't fallin' for no banana in my tailpipe!

Title: Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

One of the top comedies from the 80's and one of Eddie Murphy's best work. I remember the entire theatre laughing out loud when it came out. In addition to the movie as a hit, the soundtrack also made waves in the Billboard Top 40 with classics such as "Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer, "The Heat Is On" by Glenn Frey, "Neutron Dance" by the Pointer Sisters, and "New Attitude" by Patti LaBelle -- all were top 40 hits.

Memorable Quotes:

"Tell Victor that Ramon - -the fella he met about a week ago? - -tell him that Ramon went to the clinic today, and I found out that I have, um, herpes simplex 10, and I think Victor should go check himself out with his physician to make sure everything is fine before things start falling off on the man."

"Wow. You know, it says here that by the time the average American is fifty, he has five pounds of undigested red meat in his bowels."

"Get the fuck outta here!"

The linking actor from "Spaceballs" is Michael Pniewski.

Technorati Tags: 80's Films, Comedy, Eddie Murphy, Beverly Hills Cop

Rambo? Rambo's a pussy.

Title: Tango and Cash (1989)

There are cop buddy movies, and there are cop buddy movies. This one is a hidden gem among the lot starring two of the 80's action super stars - Sylvester Stallone (Tango) and Kurt Russell (Cash). "Tango and Cash" attempted to show their light quirky side. But it failed to do so for the general movie goers, hence, receiving three nominations for the Razzie awards - Worst Actor: Sylvester Stallone, Worst Screenplay - Randy Feldman, Worst ACTRESS - Kurt Russell (in drag). However, I, for one, appreciated the movie's light-heartedness. And thought that it is worth mentioning.

Additionally, we get to see a young and super hot Teri Hatcher as Kiki Tango, Ray Tango's younger sister.

Quotes from Movie:

"Well, if it isn't Armani with a badge."

"Rambo? Rambo's a pussy."

Gabriel Cash: I don't know about you, but I have an aversion to getting F.U.B.A.R...
Ray Tango: What's F.U.B.A.R.?
Gabriel Cash: Fucked-Up Beyond All Recognition.

Brion James is the linking actor from "48 Hrs" (1982).

Technorati Tags: 80's Films, Comedy, Action, cop buddy, Sylvester Stallone. Kurt Russell Teri Hatcher

I'm a nigger with a badge which means I got permission to kick your fuckin' ass whenever I feel like it!

Title: 48 HRS. (1982)

Eddie Murphy on the verge of stardom. "48 Hrs" is Eddie's screen debut fresh from Saturday Night Live. We see the beginnings of the street-smart persona that he played and perfected many times throughout the 80's and copied by a handful of other black actors in subsequent years.

Quotes from movie:

"I'm your worst fuckin' nightmare, man. I'm a nigger with a badge which means I got permission to kick your fuckin' ass whenever I feel like it!"
"Forget this man, we ain't brothers, we ain't partners, and we aint' friends and if Ganz get's away with my money you're gonna be sorry you ever met me!"

Reggie: This your car, man?
Jack: Yeah.
Reggie: Looks like you bought this off one of the brothers.

David Patrick Kelly is the linking actor from "Commando (1985)", who is best remembered as the lead nemesis the 1979 cult classic, "The Warriors". He delivered the famous line towards the end, "Warriors, come out to play-i-ay."

Technorati Tags: 80's Films, 48 Hrs, Eddie Murphy, Nick Noelte

Hate him back; it works for me.

Title: Lethal Weapon 1987

I debated between "Lethal Weapon" 1987 and "Lethal Weapon 2 " (1989) since both were released in the 80's. There are 2 characters who stood out in LW2, Leo Getz (Joe Pesci) and Rika van den Haas (Patsy Kensit). Leo Getz because he's funny, "Okay, okay, okay, okay..." And Rika because Patsy Kensit is an exquisite beauty (here's a copy of her movie "Twenty One" 1991 on VHS.)

But I chose LW because it has a much darker Martin Riggs. In LW, he's constantly on the edge of psychosis. There's always a chance of tripping out during any confrontation that would end in a disastrous result. Having a just-as-insane Mr. Joshua (Gary Busey) on the other side of the line balanced the tension between good guys vs. bad guys. In the sequels (that should have stopped at LW2), Riggs was nowhere near as perplexing. He was too normal and became uninteresting. Am I the only one who thinks that LW Riggs would have matched up well against Jet Li's character in Lethal Weapon 4?

Mel Gibson is the linking actor from "Road Warrior."

Quotes from movie:

"Look, why don't we just the cut the shit here? We both know why I was transferred. People think I'm crazy, in which case, I'm fucked and nobody wants to work with me. Or they think I'm faking to draw a psycho pension, in which case, I'm fucked and nobody wants to work with me. Basically, I'm fucked."
"I'm too old for this shit!",

Roger Murtaugh: Have you ever met anybody you didn't kill?
Martin Riggs: Well, I haven't killed you yet.

"When I was 19, I did a guy in Laos with a rifle shot at a thousand yards in high wind. Maybe eight or even ten guys in the world could have made that shot. It's the only thing I was ever good at... Well, see you tomorrow."

Martin Riggs: You know they're going to kill her, don't you?
Roger Murtaugh: Yeah.
Martin Riggs: So if you want her back, you're going to have to take her away from them.
Roger Murtaugh: I know.
Martin Riggs: You do this my way. You shoot, you shoot to kill, get as many of them as you can. All you got to do is just not miss.
Roger Murtaugh: I won't miss.
Martin Riggs: We're going to get bloody on this one, Rog.
Roger Murtaugh: Are you really crazy? Or are you as good as you say you are?
Martin Riggs: You're just gonna have to trust me."

"General McAlister. Time for you to die.",
"Go spit."

Scene clips:

The desert scene when Murtaugh was exchanging for Rianne and Riggs began picking off the mercs.

I'm including a deleted scene that would further shed some light on Riggs dark personality. (Hey look, a pun...shed light on dark!)


Minor Part, Supporting Casts, Extras who stood out:

Jackie Swanson, the hot babe who jumped at the beginning of the movie.

Technorati Tags: 80's Films, Lethal Weapon, Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, action movies