Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film ReviewFilm Reviews

Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review


Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

They Live (1988)

Sat, 21 Mar 2026

This week, Shat The Movies puts on the sunglasses and uncovers John Carpenter's They Live, the cult classic that turns Reagan-era paranoia into a full-blown alien conspiracy. Starring "Rowdy" Roddy Piper as a drifter who discovers the world is secretly controlled by skull-faced elites, this 1988 sci-fi satire pulls no punches—and barely bothers with subtlety.

Gene and Big D dig into Carpenter's blunt-force messaging, Piper's surprisingly effective everyman performance, and the film's legendary alley fight that somehow goes on forever—and still works. Along the way, they debate whether They Live is brilliant social commentary or just an excuse to say "OBEY" as loudly as possible, break down the movie's anti-consumerist rage, and revisit one of the most iconic uses of sunglasses in film history.

Is They Live a prophetic masterpiece or a one-note cult hit carried by vibes, fists, and aliens in business suits? Either way… they're here to chew bubblegum and podcast.

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Harry and the Hendersons (1987)

Tue, 17 Mar 2026

This week on Shat the Movies, we're asking the important question: what if Bigfoot was just… a really hairy houseguest? Harry and the Hendersons (1987) brings us a giant, gentle creature, a suburban family, and way more emotional damage than anyone signed up for. Gene and Big D break down the mix of slapstick, heart, and surprisingly heavy moments that somehow made this a childhood staple.

Is Harry adorable or just a walking mess? And why does this movie hit harder as an adult than it ever did as a kid? Tune in to find out if this furry classic still holds up.


Movie Summary:
Harry and the Hendersons (1987) is a family comedy directed by William Dear and stars John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon, and Kevin Peter Hall as Harry. The film follows the Henderson family after they accidentally hit a Bigfoot-like creature with their car and bring him home, only to discover he's intelligent, emotional, and completely out of place in the human world. Known for its groundbreaking makeup effects by Rick Baker, the film won the Academy Award for Best Makeup. It blends comedy and heartfelt themes about acceptance, family, and letting go.

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Quick Change (1990)

Thu, 12 Mar 2026

Shat The Movies heads to New York City for Quick Change, the 1990 crime comedy starring Bill Murray as a master planner who pulls off the perfect bank robbery… only to discover escaping Manhattan is the real heist. Directed by Murray and Howard Franklin, the film pairs Murray's signature dry frustration with a city that seems determined to sabotage every step of the getaway.

Gene and Big D break down the chaotic charm of Geena Davis and Randy Quaid, exploring why the movie obsesses over the uniquely exhausting experience of navigating New York City. From the clown-mask bank robbery to wrong turns, broken taxis, suspicious cops, and Tony Shalhoub, Quick Change becomes less about the crime and more about the slow psychological breakdown of trying to leave town.

Is Quick Change an overlooked Bill Murray classic, or just a very specific kind of urban nightmare that only works if you've ever tried to get across Manhattan in a hurry?

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Twins (1988)

Sat, 28 Feb 2026

This week, Shat The Movies tackles one of the most bafflingly successful high-concept comedies of the '80s: Twins, the movie that asked, "What if Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito were genetically engineered brothers?" and somehow convinced the world to buy a ticket.

Gene and Big D revisit Ivan Reitman's unlikely buddy comedy to examine Arnold playing against type as a naive, hyper-intelligent gentle giant, while DeVito leans hard into sleaze, scams, and short-man rage. The guys debate whether the fish-out-of-water humor still works, unpack the film's bizarre science experiment premise, and marvel at how much charm carries a plot that makes absolutely no sense.

From the stolen car hustle to the desert bonding trip and that wildly convenient third-act reunion, Twins swings big on heart—even when the genetics are pure fantasy.

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Top Secret! (1984)

Fri, 20 Feb 2026

This week, Shat The Movies heads behind the Iron Curtain—or at least a Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker version of it—with Top Secret!, the absurdist spy spoof that introduced the world to Val Kilmer as a legitimately charismatic movie star who could also sing, dance, and commit fully to absolute nonsense. Long before Top Gun or The Doors, Kilmer was playing it dead serious in a movie where cows wear boots and visual gags never stop firing.

Gene and Big D break down how Top Secret! feels like the forgotten middle child between Airplane! and The Naked Gun, debate whether the joke density is impressive or exhausting, and marvel at Kilmer's willingness to anchor chaos with charm. Along the way, they revisit the underwater bar fight, backward bookstore scene, relentless wordplay, and why this movie rewards obsessive rewatching more than almost any comedy of its era.

Is Top Secret! peak parody—or a cult classic that only works if you surrender completely to the bit? Latrine!

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