Although the appearance of 1980s movies during the Paramount Summer Classic Film Series may irk some of the vintage filmheads, it's hard to argue against the magical appeal of John Hughes' films. For some of us, his flicks hold a very special place in our heart. It seems everyone who has grown up in the past few decades had their expectations of high school and teen years shaped by television or movies, be it "Welcome Back Kotter," Splendor in The Grass, "Glee," Clueless or "Saved By The Bell." Last year, I unabashedly praised Hughes' films with a list of my favorites, and this year two more of his works appear this summer.
Now don't hate on me, Hughes fans, but I have a confession. I had never seen Sixteen Candles until several years ago. I never had an agenda against it, nor did I think it was a mere "chic flick." It's just one of those movies that slipped under my radar.
Yes, it is pretty darn funny. This is why Molly Ringwald became America's sweetheart, and Anthony Michael Hall became America's twerp. And hey, look! Isn't that Joan Cusack? I love her.
Some Kind of Wonderful is, admittedly, another gap in my Hughes viewing. I was familiar with the cast, but knew nothing about the story. I do, however, distinctly recall this teaser trailer on a couple of VHS tapes from back in the day.
Yes, it's a great teaser, but it doesn't exactly sell a narrative, does it? Yeah, all I knew about the movie back in 1987 was that clip. Well, let's see something more proper in the way of trailers.
Now it looks interesting! How have these slipped by me all these years? This is one I gotta see. Of course, I had a huuuge crush on Lea Thompson during my formative years, thanks to SpaceCamp (I was one of those NASA dorks). While I don't recall being a part of any love triangles myself, my Lea crush gives this film a slightly different kind of nostalgic appeal.
Oh, those teen years. For some, they were filled with drama and love triangles. For others, it was a class struggle between the geeks and the cool kids. These two films contain more than redheads, unrequited love and hair gel; they have a distinct pedigree. Distilled with copious amounts of teen angst, the end product is no less identifiable or poignant. This weekend, it's time to get drunk on the love. Drink from this double feature that has aged like a fine wine. Although not decades old, they are no less robust. And why wouldn't they? Their label is still vintage...
Vintage John Hughes.
Showtimes for the films:
Sixteen Candles
Sunday, Jun 5th
2:00 (with cupcakes for the first 100 attendees courtesy of Lick It Bite It or Both), 6:00
Some Kind of Wonderful
Sunday, Jun 5th
4:00, 7:55
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