Tromeo and Juliet - 1996

Tromeo and Juliet is both terrible and wonderful at the same time. The folks from Troma really outdid themselves with this violent and crazy, over-the-top tribute to the Bard himself. I know several Shakespeare enthusiasts who put this ridiculous farce right up with the best of the translations. Not because it's a good movie, but rather because of it's take-no-prisoners attitude and the in-your-face mockery of classic literature.

If you've never seen a Troma film, then you should start here, for it is one of the best films to come out of that studio. Whether or not Tromeo and Juliet is a good film, I will leave up to the individual viewer. But liking the film isn't the real issue, for what's more important is the lasting impact (whether good or bad) that this film will have on whoever watches it.

Whatever your take on the movie is, Tromeo and Juliet will stay with you. I'd like to say that they don't make movies like this anymore, but Troma is still around throwing (up) art to the wind and seeing where it lands and taking no prisoners. If you're a fan of mainstream movies, then you should check out this film and see how long it takes before your jaw hits the ground.

Last Summer - 1969

Movie audiences of today are numbed by teen movies which feature crude sexual jokes and juvenile behavior. However, there was a time when films about teens numbed people in a different way through complicated, flawed and often times disturbing characters. And no movie about teenagers does this better than Last Summer.

With wonderful performances by Barbara Hershey, Bruce Davison, Richard Thomas and Catherine Burns, Last Summer painfully captures the often times cruelty and awkwardness of youth by showing us not only how one can manipulate friends, but also how that manipulation can be used when threaten by outside sources.

With Hollywood so afraid these days to take a bold leap and think outside the box, this film is an eye opening lesson into the way movies used to be made. They definitely don't make them like this anymore where character and story are more important than box office results. This is a real loss for anyone looking for films with depth, power and a real punch-in-the-gut emotional impact. Compared to teen movies of today, Last Summer stands all alone.

Rolling Thunder - 1977

Around the time Charles Bronson was making his Death Wish movies, the folks at American International were making their own little revenge picture, Rolling Thunder. While the Bronson films are fun to watch and appeal to the average mainstream movie goer, they lack the courage, character development and edge that drives this little gem of a film.

Rolling Thunder is the story of a damaged Viet Nam veteran (William Devane) who returns home after seven years of being tortured in a prisoner of war camp. When his family is murdered, he along with a desperate groupie (Linda Haynes) and another equally damaged war veteran (Tommy Lee Jones) join forces to hunt down the bad guys and kill them.

Add to the mix the wonderful character actors, James Best, Dabney Coleman and Luke Askew and Rolling Thunder becomes a movie that's hard to forget. From the subtle performance of William Devane to the ending shoot-out in a Mexican brothel, this drama about damaged people is a time bomb waiting to explode. But unlike most Hollywood films, it's the ticking of the bomb, not the explosion itself that creates the real boom.

The Wanderers - 1979

Question. What do you get when you combine the best of b-movies, art films and Hollywood attempting to capitalize on a best selling novel? Answer. A mixed up mess of ideas, performances and styles - also known as The Wanderers.

This movie is all over the place and that is one of the reasons it is so fun to watch. The Wanderers is not just the coming of age story about several members of a 1950's style gang. It's more of a coming of age of the decade of the 1960's, dealing with both the end of the greasers and the beginning of the hippie movement.

With a toe tapping sound track and an Oscar caliber performance by John Friedrich, this movie is a one-of-a-kind gem. It has a cult following, but deserves the audience of many more. They don't make them like this anymore. In fact, I'm not sure they ever made them like this, but do yourself a favor and check it out. It will be time well spent.

The Naked Prey - 1966

With minimal dialog and the soundtrack being mostly African tribal chants, The Naked Prey is both an art film and action movie rolled into one. Produced, directed and starring Cornel Wilde, it tells the story of a man being hunted in the wilds of Africa by a local African tribe protecting their territory.

The Hollywood of today would have ruined this movie with a loud score, a profanity laced script, quick edits, wild stunts and a pretty-boy star. As it stands, though, with its eerie soundtrack and middle-aged hero, The Naked Prey is a powerful and thrilling little film that needs to be seen to be fully appreciated.

They do not make movies like this anymore. And like so many of the films from the 1960's and '70's, The Naked Prey is still fresh and original today. Watch this along with the latest Hollywood blockbuster and you will find yourself the next day thinking about this one and forgetting you even sat through the other.

Buffalo 66 - 1998

Released in 1998, Buffalo 66 feels like one of those movies from the 1970's where character development is more important than the plot. Not that the plot isn't important, it's just that in this film it's very hard to keep your eyes off of the people in the story. The story is just the topping to this wonderful tale of two lost souls searching for acceptance.

Writer, director and star, Vincent Gallo plays a man recently released from prison who kidnaps a dancer, played by Christina Ricci with the hope that she will pretend to be his wife. What the audience gets is a front row seat into the lives of two introverts longing for affection.

Unlike so many other low budget films where the filmmaker tries to repeat a Hollywood format on a much smaller scale, Buffalo 66 is an independent film with a true original voice. And with producers and studios so afraid to take a risk anymore, this film is a sad reminder of what movies could be if the people behind them just showed a little courage in helping these films get made.

Eat My Dust - 1976

Eat My Dust will never make any top one hundred list, but it's an interesting film that deserves a look. This low budget drive-in fair is basically a ninety minute car chase that revolves around a teenager played by Ron Howard who steals a race car to impress a girl.

 Though really not that good of a film, it does manage to capture the reckless spirit of the 1970's, where drinking, driving and rowdy behavior seemed like harmless clean fun. Also, the casting of Ron Howard as the rebel car thief seems both wrong and extremely original at the same time, which makes for interesting viewing.

By today's standards, Eat My Dust would horrify a parent and probably bore a teenager, but it's always wonderful to watch a movie from this era for the sheer pleasure of its "anything goes" attitude.