Your Future is Whatever You Make It..."Back to the Future Part 3"

What kind of stupid name is that?

The Story:

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) heads back to 1885 to rescue Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) before he can be murdered by Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson).  Doc was content to live out his days in the Old West, but murder has him rethinking those plans.  However, when he meets the new school marm (Mary Steenburgen), the decision to leave becomes much harder.  Time's ticking though, and if they don't get out of there, it's likely that neither one will ever make it back to 1985 in one piece.

That's how you end a trilogy.

Following on the heels of Part 2, the third installment brings the warmth and fun back to the series that the 2nd part seemed to lack.

It's bright...it's fun...

And they open up the cool paradox aspect of traveling even farther back into the past than they had ever gone before.

The changes that they will make are subtle, unlike the alternate future Biff created in Part 2.

Then they end on a bittersweet high note with the destruction of the DeLorean... but the ability to time travel still intact.

Will there ever be a part 4?  Doubtful.  Nor should there be.

There should also never be any remake attempt for this franchise.

That's the kind of blasphemy we just don't need.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Own it. Love it.  Seen it many times... not as many as the original...more than the 2nd.  Go figure. :)

I'm Still Waiting for My Hoverboard..."Back to the Future Part II"

Great Scott!

The Story:

Picking up from the end of Back to the Future, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) returns from the future for Marty (Michael J. Fox) and they even take Jennifer (Elisabeth Shue) this time to the future.  It appears that Marty's son is about to make a mistake that will cost him dearly, and Doc wants to prevent that from happening.  But alas, while in the future, Biff (Thomas F. Wilson) steals the DeLorean, goes back to 1955 and changes the past.  This creates a horrible alternate future that Doc and Marty must go back in time once again to prevent from happening.

Was it a case of too much of a good thing?

Back to the Future Part II is much like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.  It works for what it is... it is simply darker and more sinister than the awesome film that preceded it.  Then a third part of the trilogy is made, that rivals the first film in tone and quality, and you are stuck forever as the ugly duckling of the franchise.

Luckily for Back to the Future, unlike Indiana Jones, they never made a 4th one to make you realize that the 2nd film wasn't quite so bad after all.

: )

Perhaps Part II is simply too ambitious?

I mean, with the first one, you have 1985 and 1955, and then finish in an altered 1985.

In Part 2, you have 1985, 2015, a changed 1985, 1955.. a whole lot of story had to be crammed into all of this, with a final payoff of getting back to 1885.

So maybe a little rushed... maybe too many layers crammed into this outing...

But it's still really good.

On its own, this would likely be an A/A- movie...

When sandwiched between 2 superior parts of a franchise...

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it... I love it... but yes, while the original gets all the love and attention, Part 2 is the Jan Brady of the series.  : )

Gotta Get Back in Time... "Back to the Future"

To put it simply, one of the greatest movies ever made...

The Story:

The year is 1985.  Young Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is startled to learn that his friend and eccentric inventor, Doctor Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) has built a time machine out of a car!  When terrorists come to find Doc Brown, Marty flees in the vehicle and vanishes 30 years into the past... to 1955!  There he meets his parents before they ever met each other, and this random occurrence begins altering the space-time continuum.  Unless Marty finds and convinces Doc Brown in the past to help him get back... to the future.... Marty will cease to exist!!

Odds are, you've seen this film already, and it needs no introduction or anything else for that matter.

If you've been reading my reviews since I started this thing last year, you already know that Back to the Future is one of the 100 Greatest Films Ever Made...That I Own.  It's in the Top 10.

Yep, it's that good.

Pick any aspect of the film, and it is so above anything else, it's not even funny.

The acting?  You cannot do any better than the Michael J. Fox/Christopher Lloyd pairing.  So great is their chemistry, that Eric Stoltz was replaced as Marty because he just didn't bring the charm, fun, spark or chemistry that Fox brought to the role.  Lloyd was already an accomplished comedic actor, and this was his signature role for all time.

You can't utter the line "Great Scott!" without thinking of Doc Brown.  Come to think of it, it's because of Doc Brown that people still utter Great Scott!... nearly 30 years later!

Rounding out the cast as Marty's parents are Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson who both get to play old and young in the time travel caper.

It's hilarious, especially listening to his mom talk about how life was when she was a girl, then to go back with Marty and see that she's an absolute liar! : )

Finally, as I've mentioned before, a hero is often only as good as his villain.  Thomas F. Wilson is the unsung hero of this film by making Biff Tannen possibly the biggest jerk ever filmed in cinematic history.  No small feat, to be sure, and he owns the role.

Director Robert Zemeckis has made a lot of good movies in his career.  This is his best, by far.

The writing?  How about Zemeckis teaming with Bob Gale to craft a time traveling story that not just worked, but transcends generations.  I dare you to find anyone of any age who doesn't like this film.

I'm sure there is someone, but I bet you'll be hard-pressed to find them.

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I've watched it so often, I've lost count.  I have put the Blu Ray Trilogy upgrade on my wish list for this Christmas, as I fear that the DVD will eventually wear out.