My favorite Canadians: #1 Michael J. Fox

I have loved Canada even before I went there and met its great people. It just left a image on me thanks to J. Fox, Jim Carrey and Bryan Adams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So let’s start with the cutest celebrity ever…

MICHAEL J. FOX

What do you first remember when you hear J. Fox’s his name? Most probably three Back to the Future movies. And right along with them- because I’m such a 80s& mostly 90s movie nut- I think of Secret of My Success, Doc Hollywood, The Concierge  and Casualties of War. He has played the lead in Spin City for 4 seasons and it is my favorite sitcom ever. It is deliciously funny and Mike is a wonderful actor. When I learned that he had Parkinson’s, I remember thinking to myself: Shit!!!  Before I knew he had it, I was really upset that he kept appearing in less and less movies.  He has always been one of my fav. actors and I like anything with him in it- with the exception of the Mars Attacks- Tim Burton and I just don’t belong to the same planet- I have watched most of his movies more than once. Before the internet made it so easy to reach everything, I hunted his movies down at videostores, videotaped stuff from TVs,bought every old magazine I could find with him in it. It wasn’t a teenage crush though. I never thought Michael in a sexual way. He always felt like a part of the family. He looked like the guy that you wanted to be best friends with. He is modest, friendly and probably the loveliest actor that ever came to Hollywood. He is fantastic at romantic comedies- he steals the show every time with his winning smile.  I have admired his sense of family, his loyalty to his wife and his self-depreciating style. He is one of the very few actors who you can admire both personally and professionally.  I guess instead of talking about him, it is time to pay my respects in writing.

Back to the Future (1985) –   Marty McFly is the kid you wish…,

 –…you could date in high school: he is sweet, romantic, fun and well…funny. You also remember that he plays the guitar, right

 -…whose scientist friend you knew:

Dr. Emmet Brown is eccentric, deadly smart and naive enough to buy plutonium from terrorists (soley for fuel purposes.

You got to love this guy)  oh and he has invented a time machine! He gets Marty in and out of trouble,in that order.

 

 

Back to the Future is the absolutely brilliant mixture of comedy and adventure. Marty goes back and tries to save the doctor from the terrorists and also has to deal with his parents’ teenage version. And this is only the first part…

 

The first movie is set in 1985 and 1955, the second in 2015, 1955 and 1985. The third in 1985 and 1885.  1885 gives us a western comedy, and 2015 has the more Sci-Fi feel to it. I love all three and have watched them…well, too many times to remember.

 

 

 Marty has to deal with his mom’s teenage hormones and has to let her call him Calvin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rom-Coms

Michael makes a lovely lead as he falls for the girl and goes to lengths to get her.

 

 

THE CONCIERGE  ( For love or money- 1993)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Concierge a.k.a For love or money

 

Doug (J. Fox) has a dream of building and managing his own hotel so when he falls for the mistress (Gabrielle Anwar) of the guy who is going to help Doug realize that dream makes things complicated.

DOC HOLLYWOOD (1991)

Mike as the big shot stuck in a small town

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The story involves a pretty girl, her daughter, a pig (literally) and Woody Harrelson.  It is a fun watch. No more needs to be said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secret of my Success (1987)

 

 Again, Mike falls for the mistress of his boss. His boss’s wife wants Mike. He needs to prove his parents and himself that he can make it in the big city.

Fun as expected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DRAMA

 

CASUALTIES OF WAR- 1989

 

 So what happens when some guys from your troop decides to attack and rape a local girl, just for the hell of it? What happens if they stick together and you are all on your own, trying to save her and stay alive all at once?

 

           Bright Lights, Big City (1988) 

J. Fox is no longer the clean cut boy from next door. The movie is a realistic drama about how we deal (or can’t deal) with things that happen to us. It also features Kiefer Sutherland. If you think Michael only did comedy and/or is good at comedy, you should give these two a chance.

Of course he has appeared in many other movies, both dramatic and funny. He has appeared in movies that you won’t tire from watching. But his funniest work to date, I believe, is Spin City.

 

SPIN CITY

I am not going to go into much detail since Spin City will have its own spot. I just need to say though; I just couldn’t handle watching it after Charlie Sheen took over the lead after 4 years .It wasn’t funny any more. OK- it was funny but with J. Fox, it was freaking hilarious. The characters were outrageous, both the physical comedy and one-liners were amazing. The script was as entertaining and original as it could get. You have a tall,handsome, nice yet extremely naive and air-headed major who probably wouldn’t remember to tie his shows without his short,funny,sharp and self-centered deputy major (J. Fox). The rest of the staff consists of a clumsy,big,weird, stingy and oh-not-so-smart Paul, lovely, pretty and single Nikki, the unsuccessful womanizer Stu and the geeky James. I prefer it over almost any sit-come. It might draw a tie with Friends but mind you- Friends had its episodes that were not so great.But Spin City made me laugh in 4 seasons-as much as friends did in a total of 10 years. You do the math…

 

  

 

 

I miss Michael J. Fox. I hate the fact that he can only get small roles now, due to his illness. I am for any sort of research that could help this terrible disease. I hope that he can get rid of it. I know it is wishful thinking but…fingers crossed, it just might happen in the future. He is a great entertainer and a talented actor. He is also a nice guy so he definitely deserves better…