Men in Black

Man, this was big back in the day. You couldn't escape it (or the damn song). Rewatching it 20 years later, it's... fine. Just fine. Not great, groundbreaking, or even especially good - just serviceable, workmanlike entertainment.

Got that Neurolizer thing in a Burger King happy meal and totally forgot how to make friends.

Captures the vibe of the comic book well enough, and I should know because I don't read comic books. Will Smith runs up the Guggenheim in 8 seconds flat, "Edgar your skin is hangin' off your bones", Rip Torn is totally not a stage name, maybe our whole universe is just a fuckin' marble bro. Vincent D scared the shit out of 8 year old me, he is completely insane in this. Shoutout to Forget Me Nots by Patrice Rushen, what a catchy tune.

Plain and simple it's entertainment. Yes it's effectively a white cop/black cop duo to create humour but it's a white cop/black cop dealing with aliens and it's completely self-aware as to how ludicrous it is. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith seem like an unlikely pair but they really do work together very well and have superb chemistry. Vincent D'Onofrio gives the villain some great humour as well. No, it's not superb but it's a lot of fun.

Vincent D'Onofrio gets no love in this. He's such a goddamn great character.