Death Race 2000 (Paul Bartel, 1975)

A similar concept to Rollerball and the later film The Running Man, except this has a surreal president, a camp commentator, a gimp version of Darth Vader. Drivers compete in a race where they earn points for running people over. Obviously extra points are given for old people and children. Women are actually capable of driving rather than just navigating as in the vastly different Paul WS Anderson remake. Produced by Roger Corman, the film features Sylvester Stallone in an early but annoying role but David Carradine is pretty great as a driver called Frankenstein. Trashy, cartoony, bizarre, inventive, gory and funny.
An influence on Mad Max.
3.5/5

Suburbia (Penelope Spheeris, 1984)

From the director of The Decline of Western Civilisation. The film starts with a small child being mauled. I can't remember why. Someone throws a bottle at a bus and says 'I hate busses'. All the live performances in the film suck. The characters are punks as antisocial morons and there is some racism and homophobia. None of them are sympathetic and all the parts are badly acted, including an early part by Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers. They burgle from middle class houses and call themself TR, the Totally Rejected. More like Totally Ridiculous. It has a vibe similar to Class of 1984 but with all the enjoyment sucked out. The only exploitation-fun involves a girl being forcefully stripped naked in a mosh pit and the gang turning up at a teen suicides parents house with her dead body and then having a fight with her family at the funeral.
Go watch Jubilee, Made in England or Smithereens instead. Even Rock N Roll High School would be a more mature choice.
0/5

500 Days of Summer

Obnoxious pseudo-indie film. 'OMG you listen to million selling band the Smiths like me! We must be soul mates! Lets go to the park and yell the word penis like we're teenagers!'
Mawkish trash with lame indie soundtrack about two unlikable characters. Why is he in love with her?? She is annoying and not that pretty. If you are a teenage girl who likes films such as Reality Bites and Greenberg and listens to Belle and Sebastian then you'll love it.
0/5

Class of 1999 (Mark L Lester, 1990)

Non-sequel to Class of 1984. Whereas the earlier film made the rebellious kids the bad guys, in this film the opposite is the case. Three robotic teachers are implemented in a gang-ridden school by the government to restore discipline. Needless to say the Robocops go Judge Dredd on the students. It has a vibe reminiscent of The Faculty and Disturbing Behaviour and the cast includes Pam Greer and Malcolm McDowell.
Trashy B-movie fun.
4.5/5