CFB51 College Football Fan Community
The Power Four => Big Ten => Topic started by: Gigem on July 30, 2026, 01:08:14 PM
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(8) Real Genius vs. (9) Commando
(8) Real Genius (1985)
Lasers, military technology, college nerd culture, Val Kilmer, and a house filled with popcorn make Real Genius unmistakably ’80s. It was never the decade’s biggest blockbuster, but its intelligent humor, quotable dialogue, and devoted cult following have allowed it to survive long after many larger movies were forgotten.
(9) Commando (1985)
Commando represents the wonderfully excessive side of 1980s action filmmaking. Arnold Schwarzenegger, impossible firepower, enormous muscles, outrageous kills, and ridiculous one-liners make it endlessly memorable. Few movies better demonstrate the decade’s belief that one heavily armed hero could defeat an entire private army before dinner.
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failed to see either of them
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Commando for me! Extra bonus points for TeenBop 80s star Alyssa Milano cast as the kidnapped daughter. Bill Paxton even makes an appearance.
Superbly cast henchmen and villains. David Patrick Kelly, Bill Duke, Vernon Wells. The one liners are perfect.
The obligatory 'Brief Nudity' of 80s movies and its a formidable 80s staple.
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Real Genius for me. It's part of the reason I became an Electrical Engineer, and it also shaped my philosophy for approaching the rigors of an engineering college education.
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failed to see either of them
Same
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Only seen Commando.
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This matchup is seeded quite well. Went with Real Genius because it feels more "Totally 80's" than Commando.
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Commando inspired the McBain movies on the Simpsons
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"I ain't got time to bleed."
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"I ain't got time to bleed."
Isn't that Predator?
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Isn't that Predator?
It's all the same.
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tiebreaker?
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Wow dead even at 6-6.
We'll see who trickles in today. Not sure if the voting is even still open, I think I set it at 3 days. If not, I'll do a straight up coin flip. To be truthful, I figured Real Genius was a slight bit more 80's, but Commando definitely has a strong presence as well.
Usually, from the other polls, we top out about 15 total votes so far. So we have 3 people who haven't voted.
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Over the top Arnold 80s action movies with quotable lines are always gonna be a strong contender for an 80s movie. Plus the aforementioned Alyssa Milano.
I picked Real Genius because in many ways it is my spirit animal but a coinflip between these two would be oddly apprporiate.
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Well we all know thanks to Medina, the 9 seed leads the series over 8s all time.
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How do you break a tie?
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Commando is a prototypical action movie of the 80s, but if prototypical movie of the time was the standard, ET would be a 1 seed, and the Empire Strikes back would be in this tournament. Real Genius is about the oncoming power of the computer and lasers and how they would impact the defense industry. That is so. very. 80s.
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This is such a great demo/commcercial video. What's not to love in this film?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=683BIUzVHAw&t=7s
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How do you break a tie?
Silly Mike, in the 80s, we had ties!
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I flipped for it. It's Real Genius.
I'll publish the results and post up the next round .
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Karma supporting the rules as intended. And justice.