Real Genius (1985)

Watching this movie always gives me fond memories of the 80s. The song that ends the movie, "Everybody Wants to Rule the Word" gives it just the right feel. I love the depiction of college life, and William Atherton's character is wonderfully smarmy. One of the things I especially like about it is that the kids in it are SMART. I never did like the kind of movie that promotes idiocy as a virtue.

It has often been said that once you love "Weird Science" you'll also like "Real Genius". And while I guess this is true, I really wouldn't place both movies into the same category an onto the same level.This is really a movie in the vain of other great, classic goofball '80's comedies, focusing on young students. Looking back at it, this really was the golden age for comedies and the lovers of the genre and time period will surely be able to appreciate this movie.And I can certainly appreciate this movie as well, for what it is. That doesn't mean that I can simply ignore all of its flaws and weaknesses as well though. The movie is fun but that is about all that the movie is. One of the things that I thought the movie was really lacking in was its story. And I'm not just talking about its main premise but more so about all of its developments, the way things progress and the characters. I guess part of this can also be blamed on the directing by Martha Coolidge, since the main premise itself remains still quite good and fun. I just could never really get involved with its story or its characters, which was a real shame, since this seemed to be what the movie was really pushing for. It wanted you to really love all of its characters and made some of them as goofy as possible.But really the only character that truly works out and becomes a greatly fun and memorable one is the Val Kilmer character. But this in itself is still enough to make the movie a real fun and entertaining one to watch! It makes it once more obvious what a waste it is that Val Kilmer never really broke through as a comedy actor and didn't do more movies like this during his career. Most people now days only known and recognize him for his serious movie roles. In this movie he looked almost as outrageous as he does now days and that is saying a lot! Val Kilmer his look has changed very drastically over the last couple of years and with change I mean his pretty extreme sudden weight gain, while he was once a true Hollywood heartthrob.The sort of 'childish' '80's teenage comedy approach is what makes the movie actually charming and in a way also irresistible to watch. It provides the movie with plenty of crazy situations, as well as some serious teenage issues, that still appeal and apply to teenagers this present day. This is also really what makes these genre movies from the '80's such timeless ones and are also really the reason why some of them are still being so popular to watch now days. I would exactly classify this movie as one of the classics- or best examples for its genre but it's definitely worth giving a go.7/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Today I was rumaging threw my movie collection and came across Real Genius and thought it would be the next perfect movie to review. Real genius is a saterical comedy staring Val Kilmer.Another movie I cought on HBO one Saturday morning that quickly became one of my favorites.Real Genius is about a 16 year old kid named Mitch (Gabe Jarret) which the only other movie I saw him in was Apollo 13. Mitch gets accepted to one of the best colleges in the country and is recruited to create a super lazer with the help of his dorm roommate one of the top brains and all around goofballs Chris (Val Kilmer) though they have no idea what it will be used for.While this is going on Mitch sees a man who's been living in their closet named Lazlo (Jonathan Gries who also played Napoleon Dynamites meat throwing uncle) Lazlo tells them that they might have just made a lazer that could be used for the military and they set up a plan to stop it.Does their plan work? you'll just have to see the movie to find out With a great cast and great 80's music from the likes of Tears for Fears,Bryan Adams and Don Henley this is definitely a movie to check out at least once although you wont wanna see it just once but I may just be saying that since I consider this my favorite movie.Since I really see nothing wrong with this movie i'll rate it five lazer beams out of five

We know how funny actor Val Kilmer could be after his debut performance in the comedy spoof "Top Secret", and the filmmakers here took that chance by giving the fresh faced actor one of central roles where he would truly make light work of his flamboyantly off-the-wall character. It's Kilmer's show… and boy does he take control! Working off a bright and snappy script, Kilmer is let loose and brings much needed zip and a real quirkiness to his magnificently inspired performance. With "Real Genius" it was one of those films that passed me by, but when I noticed it I was expecting your basic ho-hum teen comedy, but while it might have the token characters and usual situations it actually had a fresh and clever spin to it all. Sure the chaotic and scatty slapstick/screwball humour might not always come off, but it never outstays its welcome by getting on with things as it was constantly thinking on its feet. When its spot on (either with it radical dialogues or visual gags --- as there's plenty of the latter), it's quite good.It even has a message to boot; no matter how hard you work, there's always time to take a break and enjoy life's many experiences… or maybe be careful if you're super smart as the military might just abuse that gift. Yes, the plot follows that of Mitch Taylor a 15 year old whiz kid that joins a school of fellow scientific prodigies. There he meets Chris Knight, who likes to have a good time than be caught studying. However unknowingly to them their professor is exploiting them in an attempt to create a laser weapon for the military.A technically slick presentation by director Martha Coolidge who showers the air with punchy 80s tunes and gets a bunch of capable performances from the cast. William Atherton is picture-perfect as the smug professor and Gabriel Jarret brings the right quality to his naïve character Mitch. Michelle Meyrink is adorably sweet as one of the students; Robert Prescott is good fun as a suck-up nerdy student and look out for Yuji Okumoto (who I'll always remember for his part in "Better off Dead") as one of the whizzes. Jon Gries is enjoyably dry and then you get the lovely ladies Patti D'Arbanville and Deborah Foreman in minor, but potent parts.