Ritorno al futuro

A funny sci-fi? Unusual but here it not only works but does so spectacularly. A whimsical but very clever time travel story that bedazzles you leaving you wanting more.

The charasmatic Michael J Fox plays a wonderful bumbling high schooler searching for love, a guitar gig and his existence which he himself threatens to erase.

Clever and humourous references litter this fun flick; references which are further improved upon in the sequels. Views of the same scenes from different angles, different perspectives and different timelines abound.

Fun for the entire family.

BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985) **** Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson, Marc McClure, Wendy Jo Sperber. This generation's "It's a Wonderful Life"? Think about it. Very popular and very entertaining sci-fi comedy that made Fox a movie star after success with tv's "Family Ties", casting him, after Eric Stoltz was dropped, as Marty McFly who winds up in a nuclear-powered DeLorean time-machine and is sent back in time to 1955 by his quintessentially eccentric friend Dr. Emmet Brown (Lloyd doing a fine Art Carney). There he meets up with his parents to be and realizes his chance encounters have changed his future and he must see history repeat itself or perish. High-concept hilarity and some truly ingenious schematics thanks to screenwriter Bob Gale and director Bob Zemeckis. Wondering what it would be like to never be born and/or what it would be like if things were different...see what I mean. Oscar-nominated song "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis (who has a fun cameo) fuels this dynamo gem of a film. Classic.

Zemeckis's 'Back To The Future' trilogy has been a childhood favourite for a long time. Having revisited it today, brought me to a nostalgic state. The 80's saw a lot of excellent original fun 'young' films like 'Back To The Future' (of course), 'Better Off Dead', 'Heathers', 'The Breakfast Club' etc. What really made these films immensely enjoyable then, and classics today, is that they really reflected what it was like being a young person in the 80s. The movies themselves were well written, well executed, well acted and they cut straight to the point.

Back to 'Back To The Future'. This one is sheer fun, even today. There's an incredible energy about it but it still manages to stay an 'innocent' film. The music is very effective. It's slick and follows a steady pace. The special effects are decent. Though people might pick on the plausibility of the time travelling, I think this is really a very minor flaw because it is overall a well written movie and the point was to entertain. Yet, this is not to say that it's brainless entertainment. I think it cleverly brings forth some interesting themes and I liked how they funnily used some ideas of Oedipus Rex's story.

The acting is superb overall. Christopher Lloyd as the over-the-top mad scientist is a laugh riot. Michael J. Fox totally owns Marty McFly with his natural charisma, raw energy and brilliant dialogue delivery. Lea Thompson is cute and vivacious and Crispin Glover is good.

'Back To The Future' is one of the most enjoyable time-travelling classics. It's over 23 years old and it still hasn't gotten old. Sadly, they don't make it like this these days but then again we always can revisit them. That's why they're classics.

I watched this movie again for about the seventh time after a 10 year lapse or so. If there ever was magic on screen, Back to the Future has it. By the end of the film, I was only thinking, "Wow, Hollywood was once capable of putting magic on the screen." It really makes you wonder if the best of Hollywood is behind us.

To summarize a few components of the movie: The storyline and plot are superb, even with the minor plot holes. The acting is spot on in every scene. Today's film editors should watch this film a hundred times to see what editing should really be like, nearly flawless. The direction is unbelievable in my opinion. The screen writing and script are perfect as well and will make you laugh and smile throughout the movie. Every line by the awkward McFly family, every crazy rumbling of "Doc", and even the cheesy bully taunts of Biff fit together so well.

When I sat down to watch this movie a few days ago, I expected to see an aged movie that I remembered being much better than it actually was. I'm so glad I was wrong.

I love Back to the Future. While having a typical 80s feel to it, which I like, I love how fun, irresistible and original the film is. The special effects are dazzling and the comedy is suitably sly and sophisticated. Helping along the way is a script that is pretty ingenious, the sort of script that has quotable lines and also pokes fun at 1950s icons and lifestyles during the frequent bouts of time travelling. The score by Alan Silvestri elevates the sense of fun to a greater level, the main theme is one of the most memorable themes ever in the history of film, or so I think anyway. Robert Zemekis's direction is very good, and the cinematography, scenery and costumes are also excellent. And I have to mention the acting, Michael J Fox is really appealing in the role of Marty McFly, the role that propelled him to stardom, and Christopher Lloyd is brilliant in one of his most memorable roles(and yes this includes Judge Doom from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and Professor Plum from Clue). Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover are also great. Overall, brilliant film that is good in so many ways. 10/10 Bethany Cox