Friday, April 3, 2009

First Five Friday-80's Anyone?

As a child of the 80's most of my troubled youth was spent watching movies. I loved movies that spoke to my most basic wish. The nerd totally saving the day and having the gorgeous cheerleader fall in love with me. So, instead of doing anything at all noteworthy in my teens, I simply watched a bunch of movies and lived vicariously through them. As I sat and watched seemingly endless showings of the newest teen angst vehicle, I could drift away in my own little world. So, in tribute to the little Lane of fourteen with no chest, BCGs (birth control goggles), and the slight stuttering problem that could make even the most simplest sentences turn into an adventure to understand, I present....

First Five High School 80's Movies

5. 16 Candles. The oriental guy makes this movie. But, so does Anthony Michael Hall. The main characters, Molly Ringwald and her love interest are pretty boring frankly. But, the other characters more than make up for it. I would still watch this if my sister hadn't watched it twice a day for the entire summer of '86. (I have considered counseling to battle this form of sibling abuse.)

4. In the Mood. Hey, this is a movie that spoke to my fantasies. A kind of plain guy (played by the patron saint of these type movies, Patrick Dempsey) who finds himself the object of lust of many older women. What teen boy doesn't want to be that guy?

3. Say Anything. The loner finds the valedictorian to take on a date at the end of graduation. A great movie with John Cusak that is a classic love story. Even now, still a pretty good watch for me.

2. Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Ferris was coolness. He was level headed, brilliant, and a bit on the rebellious side. (Okay, if he was my kid I would have a drinking problem.) But, in the end, what was there not to like?

1. Can't Buy Me Love. Patrick Dempsey again as the classic geek who helps the most popular girl in school buy her way out of a mess. He basically rents her for a few months to get in good with the 'Cool Cliche'. Of course it all goes bad, of course all gain a sense of understanding about social classes in general, and of course this is the first documented 'slow clap' scene that I can recall that is totally cornballish. I still love it.

Hope you guys enjoyed remembering when movies didn't have to be well thought out to be entertaining. What's your list?

5 comments:

Mama SeWELL said...

HaHa! Ferris was just on HBO yesterday during KCs nap, I recall central park in fall...how you tore your dress whata mess I confess. Love all those movies! And yes I watched 16 candles over & over again but I would say it was more like '92 not '86. Pretty sure the oriental guy was named Long Duck Dong, poor guy! But he he was gettin action long before anyone else in the movie. Happy Friday!

heidi said...

Helllooooo???? ST. Elmo's Fire? Breakfast Club??? Better off Dead??? Weird Science??

Man I love 80's movies. They're the best.

'Say Anything' was what started my love affair with John Cusack. Now I am honor and duty bound to see all movies with him in it. I also can't hear 'In Your Eyes' by Peter Gabriel without seeing him holding up a boombox in the rain.

Jenners said...

Interesting to see this from a guy's viewpoint! I'm sure we weren't liking these movies for the same reasons! HAHA!

And I love your new look! I guess I haven't been by in a while! My husband would love this.

Shawn said...

Breakfast Club
Ferris Bueller
Pretty in Pink
(that Kevin Bacon one with the dancing...my brain cells are officially dead)
Grease (yeah, 70's but still)

Ahh, those were the days.

Rob said...

Nice list but Weird Science and Breakfast Club should also be in this list :) Cant Buy Me Love is an awesome movie.