June 15 Under the Volcano
One of Albert Finney's finest performances, and one of John Huston's final films. Not really a "feel-good" flick, however.
June 22 The Karate Kid Rhinestone Top Secret!
We all agree that Karate Kid is a classic, right? Say what you want about Mr. Miyagi's teaching techniques (though they're probably just as valid as what you'd learn at any shopping center taekwondo outlet), or the legality of a crane kick in competition, this is a movie any boy who was a misfit or dreamer (*cough*) in high school can relate to. Oh, and Elisabeth Shue. June 22, 1984 might have been the day that kickstarted my puberty.
Top Secret! is also great, if inferior to both Airplane! (also from ZAZ) or Real Genius, Val Kilmer's other great 80s comedy not called Top Gun.
The less said about Rhinestone the better. Hey, they can't all be classics.
June 29 Bachelor Party Cannonball Run II Conan the Destroyer
I'm in the oppressed minority of people who prefer 1980s doofus Tom Hanks to 1990s-2000s Serious Actor Tom Hanks. Bachelor Party is childish, profane, and was extremely unhelpful in providing examples of what kind of things I'd be allowed to do at my own bachelor party, but I still love it unreservedly.
Cannonball Run II is fascinating if no other reason than seeing who Warner Bros. thought would be advisable to cast in their illegal cross-country road race sequel. You've got A-isters (Burt Reynolds -- at the time, Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine), D-listers (Jamie Farr, Telly Savalas, Dom DeLuise), and cheesecake (Susan Anton, Catherine Bach, Marilu Henner). What a decade.
Finally, while it's a complete 180 degrees in tone from the original, the sequel to Conan the Barbarian gave us Grace Jones fighting with a stick and Arnold Schwarzenegger at the height of his oily tumescence. Ladies and gentlemen of the cinema jury, the defense rests.
