Back to the Future (1985) (Movie Review)

 

    As a guy who loves movies, I’m always looking for something new, and special. However, once in a while I find myself in a slump, in which I feel I’ve seen it all. Midway through my Highschool years was one of the worst points in which I was convinced I would never discover anything new in regards to movies … and then I made a special discovery. At this time, I was introduced to the 1985 classic “Back to the Future” for my very first time, and it was exactly what I needed to remind me why I love movies, and that there’s still plenty great films just waiting for me to discover. While I had heard of the film, and its positive reputation as one of the great Sci-Fi classics of the 80’s, I really wasn’t expecting to love “Back to the Future” as much as I did. In the decades sense I first discovered the film, it’s only gotten better, and it absolutely has a secure placement among my personal favorite movies! This is the kind of film that takes you for an exhilarating ride, broadens your imagination, and just leaves you feeling happy with each viewing.

   Young teenager Marty McFly is the cool, guitar playing, skateboarding high-schooler of 1985’s Hill Valley, and the one person in his family who's daring to make the most of himself. Meanwhile, back at home, his mom Lorraine is a joyless drunk, and his dad George is spineless goof with no goals to set for himself. With things so uncomfortable at home, Marty prefers to spend his time with a loony scientist named Doc Brown, who’s inventions never work. 

Unlike his cowardly father, the Doc may be something of a looser too, but he’s always putting in the effort to get things right, and thus becomes more of a father figure to the young teen. One night, the Doc’s efforts finally pay-off with an invention that finally works … and it’s a time machine on wheels! Marty McFly: “You built a time machine … out of a DeLorean?” Things heat-up when the Doc is gunned down by a group of terrorists, and Marty makes his escape in the car … only to accidently trigger the machine, and travel back to 1955, in which he gets stuck without a way back. As if Marty didn’t have enough problems, he accidently bumps into his parents as teenagers, and interrupts their first meeting when they fell in love through chance events. To make things worse, Marty’s instincts to protect his young mother from the local bully Biff Tannen have her forming an affection on the young teen ... who would eventually be her son … awkward! In fact, Disney studio turned down the offer to produce “Back to the Future” for one particular awkward scene involving Marty stuck in a car with his young mother. Now, to avoid fading away from existence, Marty, along with the help of 50’s Doc Brown, formulate a plan for his parents to fall in love all over again, but this time make the relationship genuine, as opposed to circumstantial affection.   

 

   On the surface, the plot is a simple time-travel adventure, with a young teen racing to get back home … but the story is deeper than that, revolving around a son who brings out the best in his parents, and subsequently creates a better future for himself, and those around him. 

Something distinct that I’ve always loved about this movie, is how it brings young teen viewers at eye-level with their parents. It reminds younger views that their parents were young once just like them, probably got into trouble like them, and did things completely different from who they are as adults, and it’s cool when a movie can get its viewers to look at people from a different point of view. In fact, it was producer Bob Gale who first came-up with the idea for “Back to the Future” when he discovered his dad’s high-school year book, and learned that he was a completely different person from who he was as a teen … it made Bob wonder how they would have gotten along if he had met his dad as a teenager. For me personally, “Back to the Future” has all the elements that make for a thrilling, and re-watchable Sci-Fi adventure … but it really is this story of a young teen meeting his young parents, and bringing out their best qualities that make this one of my favorite movies.

 

   On top of that, the cast is perfect, with each talent bringing a distinct charm to the characters, and as a result … no-one feels like a typical stereotype. 

Marty’s dopey dad George McFly may hit all the marks of a cliched high-school looser, but Crispin Glover in the role makes for a strong screen presence, and it’s great to see how naturally he transitions from a coward to a man by the end of the film. Back when I was in college, my friends and I went to a local dinner, and we always loved impersonating Georges order for "Milk ... Chocolate". Lea Thompson is also very lovable as Marty’s young mother Lorraine, as she’s not just a one-note air-head, proves to have a conscience, and knows when a relation just isn’t going to work. Of course, I need to mention Thomas F. Wilson as the bully Biff, and quite frankly … he’s one of my all-time favorite movie villains. Like the other characters, he could have just been the cliched town bully architype, but thanks to a charismatic performance, a smart script, and quotable lines, Tom Wilson made something iconic out of this character. He's imposing and short tempered, but he's also kind of a dope, which leads to some funny remarks. Biff: "I spilt beer all over my clothes when that car smashed into me ... who's going to pay my cleaning bill?". If you ever cross paths with this guy during a time traveling adventure … "you better make like a tree, and get out of there!" On a side note, Biff’s right hand man Match is played by a young Billy Zane … nearly two decades before his more famous role as the villain from “Titanic”.    

   At last, the real stars of the picture are Michael J Fox as the young Marty McFly, and Christopher Lloyd as the cooky Doc Brown. These two have some of the greatest on-screen chemistry of any movie I’ve seen, and if it wasn’t for them, this movie just wouldn’t have been as great as it is. It’s challenging to have a story between a father and son, and still have room for a surrogate father, but Doc Brown is utilized quiet effectively, and never oversteps his boundaries in the script. 

Naturally, Christopher Lloyd is ideal for playing the funny, wide-eyed mad inventor, but he also has this warm, friendly presence, which is perfectly balanced with his quirky nature. Sometimes, he's funniest doing little things, like building a model set to display his plans to Marty, when he could have just drew it on his chalk board. Doc: "Please excuse the crudity of this model, I haven't been able to build it to scale or paint it". Michael J. Fox likewise is exploding with charm, as his cool teen tropes are again perfectly matched with his confused manner and shrimpy stature. It’s hard to believe that Michael J. Fox was acting double-duty at the time between night shoots on “Back to the Future”, and during the day he was acting in the TV series “Family Ties”. The crew actually had to carry his sleeping body around to the different sets. Yet, despite all that, Michael J. Fox displays so much energy, both in his performance, and his physical actions. Also, no-one else sounds as funny when swearing ... "Yes George, Hot-Damn-it Swear!". Even harder to believe, Eric Stoltz was originally casted in the role, and filmed a number of scenes as Marty. While a fine talent, the creators just didn’t feel the picture come to life unless it was their original pick of Michael J Fox … who originally expressed interest in the film while shooting in another picture called “Teen Wolf”.        

Of course, this movies signature time-traveling DeLorean has a secure placement alongside both The Batmobile and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as one of the greatest vehicles ever put to film. Even the setting of Hill Valley becomes a character in of itself, with individual locations like the clock tower playing key roles in the story. Beyond that, there’s a warm community feeling that radiates from Hill Valley, like it’s a real place with a history, and one that we could go visit. This was the early work of Director Robert Zemeckis, who knew how to capture simple life-and-times moments that feel genuine, and it’s a trait he’d incorporate effectively into many of his later films, especially in his 1994 Academy Award winning picture “Forest Gump”. Hill Valley also made for a great location to stage some thrilling action set-pieces, including Marty’s daredevil skateboard chase, and the climactic race to get Marty back home before the lightning hits. One thing that remains universal about cars in movies … they just never seem to work during a time sensitive situation.

   Yet another favorite element to come from this film is the rousing score by the great Alan Silvestri. This is the kind of score that makes me want to go on an adventure, something fast paced and exciting. In fact, the score itself is like a short story of adventure told through music. 

It has the whimsical build up, the action-packed exhilaration, the suspense, the strength being built, and it all closes with musical notes that embody a great sense of victory. It’s a score that fills me with hope, it fills me with pride, it fills me with excitement, and it’s just plain awesome music that I can’t get enough of. To this day, I still can’t believe this music wasn’t even nominated at the Academy Awards. “Back to the Future” was nominated at the Oscars for Best Original Sound Design, Best Original Screenplay, and it Won the Academy Award for Best Sound Effects Editing. Also, Huey Lewis's opening song “The Power of Love” was nominated at the Oscars for Best Original Song, but it lost to Lionel Richie Double-Dagger’s “Say You, Say Me” from the movie “White Nights”. Huey’s Lewis’s “The Power of Love” still went on to become a recording breaking hit, toping numerous Billboards, and it’s absolutely one of the films many musical highlights. I also love Huey Lewis’s “Back in Time” theme song, which I find goes a little underappreciated. 

    While on the subject of music, I have to mention Marty’s stage performance of “Johnny B Goode”, which is one of my favorite song numbers from any non-musical. 

It really is one of the greatest musical numbers ever, because it’s the climax of the movie, Marty’s last chance to bring his parents together before fading from existence, and after a very suspenseful sequence, our lovers finally come together, and Marty triumphantly celebrates on his guitar. It's both satisfying, and extremely funny as Marty gets too carried away, and unintentionally introducing Rock N’ Roll to all in attendance. This really is one of my favorite finales, as it balances all the excitement and tension with all these great character moments. When Marty’s looser dad George finally has the courage to stand-up to Biff and rescue Loraine, it’s not just the satisfaction of the underdog taking out the villain, but the novelty of seeing an individual face his personal demons, and become a man. If I was to nit-pick at anything, I never felt the movie needed the cliffhanger ending with Marty going of to the future to help his kids. I felt the movie reached a perfect stopping point, and didn’t need anymore … although it is cool to marathon the trilogy, and see how tightly each film connects to the other.   

   Objectively speaking, I know there’s no such thing as a “perfect movie” … but “Back to the Future” is one of those special exceptions in which everything about the film just feels perfect. 

Both Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale crafted an air-tight script, in which there isn’t a single waisted moment, the pacing is fantastic, it’s consistently fun, and there’s a perfect marriage between a heartfelt story and a fast-paced Sci-Fi adventure. “Back to the Future” came out at a time when the theater was dominated by Sci-Fi and comedy pictures that attracted a wide age-range of audiences, including “Ghostbusters”, “The Goonies”, “Gremlins” and “Inner Space”, just to name a few. Yet, of all them, I feel “Back to the Future” had the most universal appeal. I think anyone can view this film and either love it, or at the very least just feel happy after watching it. For me, it’s a film that combines every genera I love into one neat package … it’s Sci-Fi, its comedy, it’s romance, it’s action, it’s music, it’s adventure, and it’s a spirited coming of age high-school film, along with unforgettable characters, memorable set-pieces, a great story … and it only seems to get better with time.     

Thanks for reading my review of the 1985 Sci-Fi classic “Back to the Future” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!   

 

Back to the Future Part 2 (1989) (Movie Review)

 

    After the smashing success of 1985’s “Back to the Future”, it was inevitable that there would be a sequel. What fans didn’t expect were two sequels filmed back-to-back, making one of the most popular films of the 80’s only part one of a tight three-part trilogy. “Back to the Future Part 2” premiered in 1989, and despite its mixed reception at the time, it’s gone on to be regarded as a classic sequel. Steven Spielberg returned to produce, with Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis returning to write and direct. They knew they could never recreate the same magic of the first, so they instead decided to go for a straight forward Sci-Fi adventure, with far more time-traveling, and celebrating the first film by looking at it from a different perspective. While I’ve never viewed this as one of my favorite movies in the same vein of the first, I do feel it’s arguably the most fun of the three to watch.

   The movie begins with a recap of the cliff-hanger from the first movie, in which Doc Brown arrives from the future of 2015, in the now flying time-traveling DeLorean. He insists that Marty and his girlfriend go back with him to fix problems with their kids. For the longest time, I thought this opening was the exact same scene copied from the first movie, but it was actually re-filmed for the sequel, and if you look closely, you can see the differences. 

When Marty amusingly asks … “What happens to us in the future, do we become Ass-Wholes?” … the Doc now has a funny reaction in which he ponders on it. Also, Marty’s girlfriend Jenifer is now played by a different actress, which I’ll talk about later. Anyway, it’s time for our three travelers to set sail to the future for another crazy adventure. Doc: “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads!” Now, based on the cliffhanger, you’d think the story would have a tight focus on Marty’s family, namely his kids, along with his girlfriend who’ll become his wife, as she’s now going along for the ride … well … you’d be wrong. Everything involving Marty’s kids is a quick fix, and the real story begins when Marty crosses paths with an elderly man, who is in-fact his arch nemesis Biff, and he’s none too happy about how his life turned out. Thus, after learning of the Doc’s Time Machine, Biff steals it, goes back in time, and alters history, creating an alternate reality of the 80’s, in which Biff is a ruler. Thus, in order to set things right, our hero’s need to go back to the 50’s, and by extent back to first movie again to prevent the villain from ruining their history.

   Right off the bat, the thing I love most about this movie is that it’s the only film in the series that has the most variety of “time-traveling”, as it isn’t just stuck in one place, and needing to get the machine to work. This time around, we’re traveling to the future, we’re also seeing an AlterNet reality of the 1980’s that’s gone to Hell, and we’re going back to the 50’s to crossover with the events of the first film.  

There’s a lot more action and tension in this film, which makes for the most fun Sci-Fi adventure of the series, and I love that the time traveling DeLorean is mostly working through the whole film. Also, seeing it fly is just the coolest thing, and gives it an exciting screen presence, almost like it’s a space-ship. The 2015 setting of Hill Valley is personally my favorite future setting on any Sci-Fi picture, as it’s the one I most want to live it. Most settings of the future are so dingy, ugly and depressing, while this depiction of the future is colorful, cheerful, detailed, and has a personality all its own. Just the tinny things on display give this setting so much atmosphere … like shoes that don’t need laces, jackets that can dry-off on their own after getting wet, 3D adds for new movies, and of course … hoverboards! While Marty’s hoverboard chase is an obvious parallel to the skateboard chase from the first film, I personally like this one even more, as his signature hoverboard is just the coolest thing … I want it! Likewise, the effects on display still look great all these years later. There are select moments that look a little choppy, but for a movie from 1989, the overall presentation of the visuals mostly hold-up. No surprise, this film was nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Special Effects, but understandably lost to “The Abyss”.  

   Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd naturally slip right-back into their respected roles of Mary McFly and Doc Brown, and the two haven’t lost an ounce of chemistry. Honestly, I could just watch these two go on adventures all day, exchanging witty remarks, and be perfectly content. Marty: “You’ll never believe this Doc, but we have to go back to 1955”. Doc: “I DON’T BELIEVE IT!”. 

Unfortunately, while the cast is still great, there really isn’t as much substance to the characters, and noticeable lack of emotional bonding between them. This is ultimately my biggest reservation with this sequel … as it’s a highly enjoyable watch, but it lacks the same beating heart, and character story that made the first movie one of my favorites. Lea Thompson returns to her signature role of Marty’s mother Lorraine, but she’s mostly sidelined, and again doesn’t have any kind of special bonding scenes with the other characters. Crispin Glover didn’t return to play George McFly, thus the movie resorts to archive footage, or a stand-in played by Jeffrey Weissman. As such, he has very little to do in the movie as well. One small detail I always loved was a brief appearance from a young Elishia Wood as a kid playing video games. This was before he became a popular child-actor, so it’s cool to see him in this prior to his more famous roles.  

    Probably my biggest issue with this film is the treatment of Marty’s girlfriend Jennifer. Of course, we once again have a change in cast, as originally Jennifer was played by Claudia Wells, but in the sequels it’s Elisabeth Shue, who was fresh off playing the girl-friend from “The Karate Kid”, which would have been fine if the character simply had more to do. Despite being a small part in the first movie, Marty and Jennifer had wonderful chemistry, and always wanted to see more of their relationship. Well, in the opening, this sequel set’s her up like she’s finally going on the adventure with her boyfriend, and that the two are going to bond over all the crazy excitement they share together. Unfortunately, she spends the first half of the movie sleeping, and is absent for the latter half all together ... it’s very frustrating. While I understand that Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis still had a difficult time giving her something to do in the story, I can’t help but feel that they could have done something … anything … better than just conking her on the head and putting her in the corner. There is an okay sequence with her hiding in Marty’s house, and bumping into her older self, but again … why is that the extent of her character?

    Now, I’ve been holding it off for a while, but let’s finally talk about the real star of the movie … Tom Wilson as the villain Biff Tannen. It’s common place for the middle chapter in a trilogy to be the darker, more villain centered story, and “Back to the Future Part 2” is no exception. 

To say Biff steals the show is an understatement, as he’s kind of the main character of the story, and a good chunk of the film is seeing all the different ways this character changes. Despite being more of a threat this time, he's still just as dimwitted, and can fall for something as juvenile as "What's that behind you". At the center of it all is Tom Wilson, who’s having a ball with this role. He's not only playing different versions of his character, but also extended family members like his grandson Griff. There’s also a number of scenes in which the actor gets to have fun acting opposite himself, like when young Biff encounters his older self. Biff: “Get the Hell out of my car old man!”. However, for as much as I enjoy this character, it dose get to a point where I expected him to figuratively carve his name in the moon. As such, there are lengthy scenes with him that do overstay their welcome. The scene with old and young Biff in the car … while a lot of fun to watch … just feels like filler, and doesn’t give us any new information. Still, while I personally would have preferred a story with a tighter focus on our hero’s, and can’t deny the appeal of seeing one of my favorite villains steal the spot light for one film. 

    Another mixed aspect of this sequel is re-visiting the first movie, and seeing things from a different perspective. It’s an interesting idea, and upon first viewing, it’s really existing to watch. However, upon repeat viewings, it just leaves me wishing I was watching the first movie instead. Still, the movie builds to a thrilling climax, in which Marty and Biff have one last final showdown to determine who the future belongs to, and its great stuff. The scene with them racing down the tunnel is one of my favorite set-pieces of the whole trilogy. We also have a direct set-up for the third movie, in which the lightning storm strikes the time-machine, sending the Doc back to the old west, and Marty is once again stuck in the 50’s. Sense both sequels were made back-to-back, there’s all kinds of tiny details that will come back into play for the third film, like Biff being a descendent of an outlaw from the old west, and a clip from a Clint Eastwood western featuring the hero creating his own bullet proof vest. There’s even a sneak preview of the third movie, which you rarely see in a sequel, but let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.

    In the end, I enjoy “Back to the Future Part 2” a great deal, but it’s probably the movie I love the least in the trilogy. While the third picture doesn’t reach the same level of fun, it at least brings back the heart, and bonding that felt closer in spirit to the first. Still, it’s great to see variety to the time-travel elements of the story, and it also makes for a passable one-off chapter to spend with the villain stealing the show. Plus, there’s just so many details throughout this film I love, including the future setting of Hill-Valley, and a number of action set-pieces, that it makes for a easy experience to enjoy, and occasionally return to. 

Thanks for reading my review of the 1989 sequel “Back to the Future Part 2” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!

 

 

Back to the Future Part 3 (1990) (Movie Review)

 

    It was the start of a new decade, the 80’s had come to pass, and to begin the new decade, it was time to put a bow on one of the most successful film franchises of the time. “Back to the Future Part 3” came out the following year after it’s predecessor, with many critics regarding it as superior to “Part 2”, although many fans were kind of mixed on the film. Setting the final chapter of the trilogy in the old west seemed like kind of a generic premise for a series that had been more adventure oriented, and had more variety to offer with its unique time-travel. Despite being pined by fans as the black sheep of the series, it’s also gained a reputation on the internet as one of those sequels that’s not as bad as its reputation suggests. For me, I find myself in a curious place in which, I do think this is objectively the best of the two sequels, but I’d also rather watch the previous “Part 2” over this one. In many respects, it fixes many of the reservations I had with the previous film, but it’s still not of par with the magic that made the first movie so perfect, nor does it rekindle the same sense of excitement. However, I’m willing to just except this as a quieter, simple sequel … even if it isn’t as re-watchable.

    It’s worth noting that this movie marked the 75^th anniversary for Universal Studio’s, so the movie opens with a quick montage of all their previous studio logos, which I always found a nostalgic little highlight. Picking up right where “Part 2” ended, the time machine got struck by lightning, sending Doc back to the old West of 1885, and leaving Marty Stranded back in 1955. Thankfully, Marty reunites with Doc Brown of the 50’s, and after discovering the DeLorean in a cave, the two come-up with a simple plane to get Marty back home, while the Doc wishes to remain in his favorite time-period of the old West. The one snag is that Marty soon learns that Doc Brown will soon be killed in a duel with Biffs great ancestor, an outlaw called Mad Dog Tannin. Thus, against his friends wishes, Marty goes back to the old West himself to rescue the Doc. While it doesn’t take long for the two to reunite, the fuel line on the DeLorean regrettably gets cut, leaving both stranded yet again, and needing to come to a salutation to get the vehicle going. It’s decided that they steel a train, which can be used to push the DeLorean to the required 88 miles per hour. One last hurdle comes in the form of a local school teacher named Clara, who the Doc falls in love with. This begins an ethical debate between what his intellect says is the right course of action, and what he feels is right in his heart.

    Themes of predetermined destiny versus an individual’s choice of how to live their life has always been at the for front of this series, and charting one’s course is undeniably at the heart of this film. As Doc Brown says to Marty … “Your Future is Whatever you Make it.” It’s a great statement, and I feel it gives this sequel a little more substance than the previous film, which was a straight forward, Sci-Fi adventure. Yes, both the charm, and especially the heart is all back in this film … but the energy admittedly isn’t as high. 

Without question, this film has its highlights, including a visual gag when Marty goes back in time, as he’s heading toward a picture of Indians on horseback, which end-up paralleling with real Indian’s when he travels through time. Another funny highlight is when Marty realizes that he’ll be the one who gets shot instead of the Doc, and as the two switch positions, they end-up quoting each other’s signature catch-phrases. Marty: “Great Scott!” Doc: “I Know, this is Heavy!” I also love watching the Doc adjusting to the crudity of the time-period … like when he creates a massive device with the soul purpose of producing a single ice-cube ... that alone brings me so much joy. 

Also, as a fan of cheesy 50’s movies, I have to mention the moment when Marty comments on his cow-bow attire, claiming that Clint Eastwood would never wear anything like this. As he said that, there’s two movie posters of “Tarantula” and “Revenge of the Creature” in the back ground, which were two of Clint Eastwood’s very first movies. Of course, the climactic train chase makes for a thrilling set-piece, but aside from all that, this film unfortunately can feel a little slow and uneventful at times. Not that I need wall-to wall action, but as a comparison, the first movie was paced brilliantly, and each scene holds my interest, even when there isn’t much action. Something about the Western setting just isn’t that exciting to be in, and the deliberate slow-pacing doesn’t always work in the films favor.  

    What dose continue to work are the characters, namely Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown, who basically takes the rains as the main lead of this chapter. He was already one of my favorite characters, but this movie takes him even further, as he’s still just as funny and charming as ever, but he also feels more human this time around, questioning what’s the right thing to do, and if he should tempt fate by following his heart. While I admit, I always found the Clara character to be a little annoying, she’s at least portrayed well by Mary Steenburgen, and the character at least adds a new dynamic to Doc Brown. Michael J. Fox is naturally back for one last round as Marty McFly, and the character finally gets some closure to his previous story arc of jumping the gun, and acting on blind impulse.

    The series main villain Biff is reduced to a walk-in cameo this time, but his ancestor Mad Dog Tannen makes up for it, as both a threatening and funny new adversary in his own right. Plus, I always loved the consistency of the cast playing different family members, and Thomas F. Wilson delivers yet another charismatic performance. This does bring me to my only real issue, as Lea Thompson is back for a third time, playing Marty’s great ancestor named Maggie McFly, and once again she’s barley in the film. Instead of playing a meaningful part in Marty’s journey, she’s constantly side-lined in favor of this other ancestor who’s also played by Michael J. Fox. Personally, I don’t want to see Michael J. Fox in a dual role, I want the charm of Lea Thompson bouncing off the other characters, just like in the first movie.      

    In the end, I may not have been on board with the Western setting, the films pacing isn’t always consistent, and it’s generally the movie I watch the least in this series … but, with all that said, I still think this is a terrific sequel in its own right, and in many ways, I do find it superior to “Part 2”. I love seeing my favorite character Doc Brown take center stage in his own film, and the cast is still just as charming as ever. Beyond that, this movie dose convey a simple, thoughtful message regarding the direction we take our lives, and for that, it’s always resonated with me as something special. I’d definitely need to be in a proper mind set to enjoy this film, but it’s all around a satisfying conclusion to one of the great classic movie trilogies.

Thanks for reading my review of “Back to the Future Part 3” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!