Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

ShangLuda Admirable film.

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Justina The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

OneEightNine Media Remember, no matter where you go - there you are. No doubt about it, Banzai Buckaroo is a cool character and some of the members of his team work well for days. The problem is you have these interesting characters in a film that sort of, kind of su&ks. But that is all thanks to the villains of the film whom more than wear out their welcome which means the director is probably the one to blame but let me just confirm that via IMDB really quick. Yup, the director was to blame. I could tell it was the director because the source material seemed good enough and the cast used for the film is freaking phenomenal in terms of star power. Whatever, long story short this is a cult classic because fans of the source material are willing to over look all the film's shortcomings.

woodland-6 As fans of Dr. Buckaroo Banzai's adventures, some of you may have heard rumors or read in the latest issue of the Banzai Institute's World Watch One Newsletter (10/16) that the original creators of Buckaroo Banzai are engaged in an ongoing battle with MGM regarding the ownership of rights to both The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension and to the entire Buckaroo universe that Earl Mac Rauch began creating a full decade before the actual movie. On the other hand, all this may come as news to you. Many of you perhaps are not aware that any unresolved Buckaroo rights issues actually exist because you have quite reasonably assumed for years that MGM "owned" Buckaroo Banzai lock, stock, and barrel. Others of you, even after having read about the current rights brouhaha on many different blogs, may still be confused about the exact nature of the dispute. And, of course, some of you may just wish the whole problem would go away so that more Buckaroo Banzai adventures might appear. If you're in the last category, ask yourselves, "What would Buckaroo do if something he felt rightly belonged to one person was being taken away by another?" Read more on the Banzai Institute Facebook page.

Shawn Watson I'm not sure I am able to review this film, I don't know what it is. I don't think half of the cast even know what it is. But I do know that I like it, a lot. It has a wonderfully infectious edge and does not care to conform to the expectations of any particular genre.Peter Weller is Buckaroo Banzai a Japanese/American rock star/brain surgeon/secret agent/rocket scientist who travels through the 8th dimension in his rocket car with the help of his latest invention - the Oscillation Overthruster. The success of this inter-dimensional travel brings forth the Rastafarian Black Lectoids, an alien race at war with the the Red Lectoids, led by a manic John Lithgow as Dr. Emilio Lizardo/Lord John Whorfin, who are already here on Earth and sabotaging Buckaroo and his very large easy-going entourage the Hong Kong Cavaliers.Honestly, there is so much going on here that it's very hard to get a handle on it. This also makes Buckaroo Banzai infinitely re- watchable. Imagine the insanity of Big Trouble in Little China and dial it all the way up past the threshold. It's incredible that I have only just discovered this film. Perhaps attempting to review it this soon after my mind has attempted to absorb it is a mistake. One could literally debate and discuss this crazy movie until the end of time and still not cover all of its idiosyncrasies. There is enough material in here for ten movies, yet it never once feels overly crowded, nor did it ever deliver the urgently-needed sequel the end credits promise. The film is PACKED with recognizable stars who debuted or were at there peak in the 80s. Christopher Lloyd and Dan Hedeya as the evil Red Lectoids, Jeff Goldblum as Buckaroo's new recruit, Ellen Barkin as the twin sister of his long-lost true love, Clancy Brown as his right- hand man, and a young Jonathan Banks (with hair).There are so many movies from the 80s that thrive on iconic imagery and eccentric creations. The Oscillation Overthruster really should be as well-known as the Flux Capacitor or the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, the rocket car should be as recognizable as the DeLeorean, Buckaroo's style should be as popular as Marty's orange body-warmer or Indy's fedora. What really should have caught on with audiences the most is Buckaroo's caring, kind personality. It adds yet another unique layer to an already multi-layered and highly unique film.It's a shame that Buckaroo Banzai failed to find an audience when it was originally released but perhaps having it gradually find its way into popular culture and naturally pull curious viewers into its culture is better than being rudely shoved in our faces.

Mr-Fusion BUCKAROO BANZAI has an inescapable charm that makes everything about it surprisingly enjoyable despite its absurd premise, a plot that asks a lot of its audience (and places them right in the middle of things with very little warning), and the balls to expect you to either be along for the ride or make room for someone else. I love this movie, and even I freely admit it's insane. Part of the movie's winning formula is the stellar cast, fronted by Peter Weller, who was a terrific choice for the eponymous hero. He's a natural leader and can rock the bow-tie like nobody's business. His rock band is populated with great character actors, and John Lithgow and Christopher Lloyd are hilarious as the bad guys. The script is peppered with some great one-liners, and there's frequently something off about the aliens (their faces always have the same expression: confused). The story involves everything from other dimensions to chases and shootouts, and even throws Orson Welles into the mix. It's daffy, but never slow. I wish this movie had fared better 30 years ago; I'm still waiting for the promised sequel. It's a comic book movie to its core, wholly unique and gloriously '80s. And it really leaves you with a smile on your face. 8/10