A PERFECT DOUBLE FEATURE: INDEPENDENCE DAY & TWISTER.

So, I like Independence Day but I LOVE Twister!!! And could you think of a better movie double feature than watching both of 'em back to back. HEY KIDS! IT'S THE BATTLIN' BILLS -- Paxton AND Pullman UNLEASHED!!!

Now, I watch Twister at LEAST once a year. I have this little ritual; usually in May or June (right when Tornado season is heating up) I pop in the ole Twister DVD and watch it. I don't watch ID4 nearly as much but I don't LOVE that movie like I LOVE Twister. Although ID4 is a wonder, too. Witness that AMAZING Bill Pullman speech (which hopefully you can watch right below this blog). Then there's the embarrassing Judd Hirsch performance; we haven't seen the likes of THIS since The Goldbergs went off the air in the 1950's. But hey, it's got Harvey Fierstein in it, fer goshsakes! What's not to love? And a scraggily-haired Brent Spiner! There's Robert Loggia growling all over the place. Oh, and that Randy Quaid performance; just a tad less subdued than his National Lampoon's Vacation appearances. Of course, the shocking thing is that both Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum are actually quite good in their roles.

Now, you may have noticed. . .I don't think EITHER movie is GOOD. In fact, they're both pretty bad. But that's what makes them fun. And I love love LOVE that Twister! What could be better than Academy Award winner Helen Hunt and Not-Quite-Academy Award winner Bill Paxton speeding along the countryside chasing tornadoes (and tying themselves to. . .what? A pipe?!?). Then there's also the appearance of Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (you didn't forget HE was in this, did you?) as the totally rad, goofy twister chaser accompanied by a bevy of cardboard characters who all play it as "cute-crazy" loons. I believe the correct word for all their characterizations would be "Quirky". They all go by nicknames like "Dusty" and "Preacher" -- hey, and Alan "Cameron" Ruck from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is ONE of them!!! And HIS nickname is "Rabbit". Sweet! Add to that Cary Elwes (Robin Hood, where's your tights?!?) who only plays it straight and dramatic when he's making a comedy film (and THAT'S what makes him funny) as the obnoxious "rival" tornado hunter and Jami Gertz (who does a 180 from her sultry vampire chick in "The Lost Boys") as Paxton's anal drip of a new fiance. How can you lose?!?!? I love this movie. I'm gonna go watch it now! And don't get the wrong impression; I don't love this movie and watch it over and over in order to ridicule it. . .it's not one of those "so bad it's good" things. I really ENJOY watching the movie; just because a film isn't well-made or is, in fact, cheesy doesn't mean it can't be a thoroughly entertaining experience. I'm not a snob. I love "Citizen Kane" but I also love "Twister". No apologies and no regrets. And no, I don't hate myself in the morning.

So stay tuned for next time when I bring you the ULTIMATE double feature bill: "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" paired with "Donnie Darko". If you have to ask WHY that's a PERFECT double feature, then I'm obviously wasting my breath on you. Game over, dudes. Game over!