Better Off Dead (1985)

After being dumped by his girlfriend, Lane Myer is depressed and suicidal, as his efforts to either kill himself or win her back both fail miserably. Despite the dark subject matter, this is a very fun and whimsical comedy with creative flights of fancy and surrealism that was destined to become a cult classic.

3½ persistent paperboys out of 5

The Last American Virgin (1982)

Boaz Davidson remakes his own popular Israeli film for American audiences. Transposing the action to the '80s, the subject matter hasn't changed much. Gary is a teenager obsessed with losing his virginity, but he has his eyes on the beautiful Karen, who doesn't see him the same way. It's taken me almost three decades to finally come to terms that this is probably the superior film with deeper character development, although it's still a toss-up which has the better soundtrack. It's both crude and nuanced, but it's the last act of each film that elevates it from the usual teen fodder and will stay with me forever.

4 cases of crabs out of 5

Amityville II: The Possession (1982)

The Amityville train crashes into ‘we have no idea what to do this time’ station on its second outing. It’s a prequel to the first film; you can tell because of the fashions. With nothing new to offer it tries too hard to be scary and edgy, but everything feels forced, from the rocking furniture to the domestic violence, incestuous relationship, demonic possession, ancient burial ground, etc. Some inventive camerawork and another fun score from Lalo Schifrin are the highlights.
Writers Tip #1: If you make a prequel or a sequel it’s preferable that you actually watch the original film because continuity is a real thing.

1½ “Nooooooooooo” screams out of 5