RoboCop

A brilliant parody of 'Six Million Dollar Man' with a wonderful faux heroic score by Basil Poledoris and the pathos of 'Seconds' that provided true sci-fi in a genre that too often just offers space opera. Like 'Starship Troopers' it mixes gore and laughs in equal measure and provided early evidence that Paul Verhoven's sci-fiers were far superior to his erotic thrillers (happily without their leering sexism), and like the best of the genre says far more about when it was made than when it's set. The scene where ED-209 is flummoxed by a flight of stairs reminded me of how the Channel stopped Hitler dead in his tracks in 1940; with the gag buried in the final credits repaid years of sitting there like an idiot while the auditorium emptied around me.

Quick, what do Peter Weller, Ray Wise, and Paul McCrane have in common? If you say they were all in RoboCop, you're all halfway there. What they also have in common was they all were in Day 5 of "24" (with McCrane's role partly expanded to Day 6). Besides those names other familiar faces include Ronny Cox (Beverly Hills Cop series), Nancy Allen (ex-husband Brian De Palma movies, I Wanna Hold Your Hand), Miguel Ferrer ("Twin Peaks"), and, in the movie's best role, Kurtwood Smith ("That '70s Show") as the main villain, Clarence Boddicker. While partially predictable, RoboCop has some of the most badass action in movie history with wonderful humorous touches throughout. Director Paul Verhoeven really keeps a constant pace during the chase scenes. Check out Leeza Gibbons as one of the news anchors in the TV clip sequences. This movie is most highly recommended.