The Lawnmower Man (1992)

Kick a dog enough times and it’ll eventually turn and bite you in the ass and you’ll deserve it. Jobe is like that dog. Born with learning difficulties, he’s a simple man who enjoys simple pleasures. Science can change what nature gave him. Commerce can shaft him in every other way.
TLM is sci-fi that’s very much a product of its time, despite stealing a large portion of its premise from an older Daniel Keyes story. As such, even though the CGI is dated it’s not a problem within the context. What's more problematic is how the sympathy cultivated in the first half isn't maintained well enough in the second half, so by the end it’s difficult to care if anyone survives the threat. It's flawed but I enjoy it regardless.

2½ cold calls out of 5

Near Dark (1987)

All Caleb wanted was to plough Mae’s furrow. but he got a Winnebago full of trouble instead and an overwhelming thirst.
It’s set in the 80’s but it’s a Western beneath the surface, albeit an atypical one because it’s a vampire film, but you’ll not hear the word ‘vampire’ spoken once. I really liked it when I was younger, but the glasses came off quickly. The most effective thing is the binding atmosphere prevalent throughout; even when there’s nothing happening with the story it holds things together. Credit for that goes primarily to Bigelow’s astute direction, but also to Tangerine Dream’s dramatic music.

2½ security blankets out of 5

Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982)

The Wall tells the story of a burned-out rock star and his descent into a self-induced state of madness and detachment, told almost entirely through Alan Parker’s visuals, Pink Floyd’s music and lyrics and some wonderful animation by Gerald Scarfe.
There's almost no dialogue, so it’s a fragmented experience that mirrors the protagonist’s fractured state of mind. If you don’t like the music the film will likely confuse and alienate you. Conversely, if you’re a Floyd fan, once you've seen the film it becomes inseparable from the music. I've lost count of the number of times I've watched it over the years.

5 more channels of shit on the TV out of 5