It is a pit!

The Money Pit (1986)

Directed by Richard Benjamin

In honor of my wife and I getting a house I bring you the forgotten classic The Money Pit. This is one of those movies that did pretty bad when it came out but now it is on TV all the time. These are the years that Tom Hanks made any movie that came in front of him. He got big off of Splash and then he made these stinkers until he made Big.

The Money Pit was directed by Richard Benjamin who went on to direct Milk Money and the Whoopi Goldberg classic Made in America. This guy can craft a well made story into a amazing feature film. The funny thing this was produced by Steven Spielberg the director of 1942.

The stars of The Pit are of course Tom Hanks mentioned above and the newly freed from Cheers, Shelly Long. When the makers of this got these two comedy partners together I bet they thought they hit comedy gold. They were dead wrong. This was Hanks pre-any Oscar and Shelly Long after she left one of the best sitcoms of all time. But they both went on to have stellar careers with Hanks winning back to back Oscars and Long went on to make The Brady Bunch movie and Hello Again.

There are some great cameos in The Pit and they include Maureen Stapleton from Johnny Dangerous, Joe Mantegna from Babies Day Out and the greatest cameo any '80's movie could ask for Yakov Smirnoff. That's right the famous Russian comedian and exile. I love America! 

 

Let's get back on track...The Money Pit is about a couple who decide to buy a million dollar house to find out it is a run down fixer upper. Let the comedy ensue. The running joke is that everyone tells them that it will take two weeks. Low and behold it does not take two weeks. The young couple gets help from Long's ex husband played by Alexander Godunov the blond bad guy from Die Hard.

This is a classic '80's movie that I know a lot of people have seen. It is truly a forgotten classic. So check out The Money Pit today.

5/10

Top 5 Father's Day Movies!!!

In honor of Father's Day this Sunday I have decided to post my top 5 movies with the best daddies, some are miss understood but they are still your father. A team of movie buffs watched hours of film to find the perfect 5 so here they are...

5. A Christmas Story (1983)

Trailer Time!!! 

This is a personal favorite of mine since I was a child. The best part of the movie was when Ralphie finally got his BB gun. Through the whole movie he ask everyone but his father played by the master Darren McGavin. You might know him from Billy Madison playing his father. In A Christmas Story McGavin doesn't even have a name he is referred to as Old Man. It just tickles your heart that the Old Man was the one that came through in the end. A true classic.

4. The Shining (1980)

 Creepy Trailer!!!

One of my few favorite Kubrick movies and one of the best bat shit crazy dads out there. Jack Nicholson plays Jack Torrance, a writer that just wants to provide for his family. He gets this great idea to go to an old hotel and write away. But the hotel is haunted and he goes bananas and tries to kill his family. I still think it was because he got a tie for Father's Day again. What can you do? The end is the best!

3. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Crazy Trailer!!! 

This movie scared the living hell out of me as a kid. It look so real and there really isn't any blood in it. Jim Siedow should have got father of the year in my opinion. He was just a single fun loving father trying to keep this rag tag bunch together in hard times. If it was a mom played by Sally Field it would be an Oscar winner. Damn politics. The guy just wants to be left alone and make some good ole chili. MMMMM good ole chili.

2. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

 Old School Trailer!!!

I know it is really called Episode V but it will always be Empire to me. Darth Vader is like any father you know. He wants his only son to take over the family business. Can you blame the guy it took him years and a lot of sacrifice to get where his is in the galaxy. He is a single father that had some troubles and lost his children, but he build his life back up to show everyone they were wrong. Sure he is really into his religion but who isn't. This is another case where if it was a woman like Julia Roberts it would be a great come back story. By the way it is the best Star Wars movie ever.

1. The Stepfather (1987)

  Trailer Time!!! 

I know it is called Stepfather but there isn't a father's day movie unless you count that crap movie with Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. Trust me this one is better. The Stepfather is played by the amazing Terry O'Quinn, that's right it is Locke from a little show called Lost. His performance in this is great and out of control. He plays a serial killer that marries into a family and then gets sick of them and kills them, what more could you ask for in a film. He just wants the perfect family and each one is a let down. Poor crazy ass step dad. This should be watch with the family to show that you should never disappoint dad or make him grill on Father's Day because it sucks.

That concludes my list for this Father's Day. If you have some favorites please feel free to let me know.

Till next time...