INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE [1989]

1989 was the beginning of the summer blockbusters going at each other's throats, with Batman, Ghostbusters II, Back To The Future II, The Abyss, The Little Mermaid, Star Trek V and of course the third instalment of the Indiana Jones series, The Last Crusade.
After the lukewarm reception the previous film which many considered too dark, director Steven Spielberg and writer George Lucas decided to lighten the mood and add in Sean Connery as Indy's dad, which resulted in a hilarious and believable chemistry.  River Phoenix gives a spot-on performance as a young Indy Jones in the fantastic opening sequence as do the rest of the performers.  There really isn't any imagery in the action sequences that are as memorable as the first two but it's an endearing and satisfying film that really makes up for the bitter aftertaste of the 2nd film.

4 bad pennies out of 5

My Own Private Idaho (1991)

An exploration of friendship and self-discovery that’s occasionally surreal, funny, purposefully Shakespearean and thoughtfully poetic. It’s centred around two male street hustlers who are both drifting through life but for very different reasons. One is desperate to attain something that the other takes for granted. It gave River Phoenix the best role of his short life, one which he embraces and excels in, and arguably the best performance that Keanu Reeves has delivered outside of The Matrix (1999).

4 unregulated sleep-wake cycles out of 5

Stand By Me (1986)

Four boys, half of them aware they're at a turning point in their lives, take a journey along the train tracks to find a missing boy of their own age. Along the way they laugh, cry, bond and mature in a coming of age drama penned by American author Stephen King.
It had been over a decade since I last watched SBM. The memories came flooding back from the outset. Dir. Rob Reiner understands the purity of youth; his pace can take the viewer back in time to their own childhood, on a wave of warm nostalgia that's able to stir feelings both happy and sad. It's a timeless piece of cinema that'll never cease being relevant to almost everyone.

4½ pennies and a pilgrimage out of 5