Alone in the Dark (1982)

A small number of nuts escape from the ward and have a night on the town. Before turning into a siege movie it asks some pertinent questions about who really is crazy in a crazy world. It doesn't go far enough, but it was a nice try and a pleasant break from the norm. Plus, it was cool to see Dwight Schultz being a sane guy for a change.

2½ screws loose out of 5

The Hidden (1987)

A parasitic alien with a love of expensive sports cars and loud 1980s rock music goes on a killing spree. An FBI agent (Kyle MacLachlan) tracks it across America hoping to find the window he needs to ultimately kill it.
The story is a simple one on the surface, but the film is a tense chase movie with some hidden depth beneath (no pun intended). The viewer knows exactly what the alien looks like, but beyond that it remains a mystery and that secrecy works in the film's favour. It's like an X-File case years before the X-Files even existed. The creature effects are few in number, but are fantastically well done and leave a lasting impression.

3½ gastric problems out of 5