Reckless

Reckless

MGM

February 3, 1984

Drama

DVD
D+

Other than the music and Pac-Man, a reminder of why I don't miss the '80s.  Chris Columbus wrote, and James Foley directed.

Practical Magic

Practical Magic

Village Roadshow Pictures etc.

October 16, 1998

Fantasy, Dramedy, Romance

DVD
C+

I kept rooting for this to be better than it is, because there are definitely elements I like: witchcraft, the setting of a small New England coastal town, the (mostly) all-female family, and the cast.  But it just didn't have, well, the magic it needed, in either the adaptation of Alice Hoffman's novel or in the direction by Griffin Dunne.

Legends of the Fall

Legends of the Fall

TriStar etc.

January 13, 1995

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

At least the scenery is kind of nice, so there's something to look at during some of the unrealistic emotions.  This is based on the Jim Harrison novella and directed by Edward Zwick.

Desperately Seeking Susan

Desperately Seeking Susan
Orion
April 12, 1985
Comedy, Romance
DVD
B-

I of course heard about this movie at the time (how could a 17-year-old not?), but I was always somewhere in the middle on the "You either love her or you hate her" Madonna scale.  Watching it today I found it a bit slow and quiet, especially for the mid-'80s.  It's really more Arquette's movie, although it is "about Madonna."  And Metcalf is of course a scene-stealer as Arquette's sister-in-law (with proto-Jackie-Harris lines).  Oddly enough, it casts more light on the flop Who's That Girl (reviewed here https://reviewingeverymovieiown.blogspot.com/2014/12/whos-that-girl.html), with Madonna as a rule-breaker who causes others to stray.  I'm not calling this a "musical" (and it is a comedy and a romance but not a romcom) but there are a lot of hits in the background, including a well-used "Into the Groove." 

Susan Seidelman directed this four years before Cookie, which I think was trying to recapture the magic of this movie, with its mix of '80s fashion, snark, and crime.

Convicted AKA Return to Sender

Convicted AKA Return to Sender
Studio Unknown
January 29, 2005
Crime Drama
DVD
D+

A man becomes pen pals (yes, pun intended) with convicted murderers, hence the DVD release title/ original title.  Bille August directed.

Benny and Joon

Benny and Joon
MGM
April 23, 1993
Dramedy, Romance
DVD
C-

The '90s, when mental illness was quirky.  At least there's some nice scenery and costumes.  Jeremiah S. Chechik directed.