There may be not be much to the Back to the Future movies (there is decidedly more to the Indiana Jones films), but anyone who doesn’t at least kind of love them doesn’t love cinema. Further, anyone for whom the 80s were anything like formative years hopefully remembers these films as integral to their education as to what constitutes quality entertainment. Huey Lewis, the flux capacitor, jigawatts, “McFly,” Michael J. Fox, a bad guy named Biff, skateboards, hoverboards, nobody-calls-me-chicken, Delorians, and Libyan terrorists: these are the ingredients to something special. Marty’s dream above all dreams is really to play the guitar in his school gym. In the first scene of the first film he is punished by his own desire to rock. Shortly thereafter, he’s rejected by Mr. Lewis himself, whose hit song Marty is covering. Marty knows the best he can offer is to head a cover band, so at the end he gets to live his fantasy of introducing rock and roll in his school gym not only to high school students but to Chuck Berry himself. There is an immense thrill to be had when a viewer is so completely engaged with a main character who enjoys himself even through his crises. Marty is an 80s boy all the way: no cynicism whatsoever, or short-lived cynicism at worst. Is it MJF who’s constantly winking at us or Marty McFly who’s always winking at his circumstances, no matter how dire they may seem? Seems that he was cast for the part because he was Marty McFly. Artificial suspense scenes abound in these films (especially Part II), but it’s somehow forgivable. Despite the conviction to take all films seriously no matter how comedic or popular they may be, this one is a toughie.
Rocked
Slacker
Anyone home?
Mom Mack-Fly
"Get your d-damn hands off h-her."
Chuck/Jimi/Pete/Eddie foreseen
"What, do we become assholes or somethin'?"
Precious Bodily Fluids 