46/50: Sixteen Candles

What a difference.

I was so hoping that Sixteen Candles wouldn't be another Pretty in Pink. Honestly, I enjoy the Breakfast Club and Weird Science, but I just could net get into Pretty in Pink.

Sixteen Candles just had so much more going for it, and I really came away enjoying it.

Again, we have a young lady, Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald), who is jonesing on one of the most popular boys at school, Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling). It also just so happens to be her sixteenth birthday - and her sister is getting married the next day.

Oh, and because of all the commotion at her house for her sister's wedding - her entire family, including those visiting for the wedding - have forgotten her birthday.

Meanwhile, Jake has noticed that Samantha stares at him, and well he actually starts to 'notice' her.

Then there's The Geek (Anthony Michael Hall), who has a huge crush on Samantha, and is trying desperately to get laid and impress his friends. The Geek is able to talk to Samantha, and this gets him to be friends with Jake as he tries to find out more about her.

Finally, we get the very odd and not entirely need - but very glad he was - Long Duk Dong (Gedde Watanabe). An exchange student who is staying with Samantha's grandparents, and comes for the wedding. He heads to a dance with Samantha, finds a lady and gets totally plastered at a party - he was hilarious.

And really, that is what made all of the difference comparing this movie with Pretty in Pink. The latter film was just far too serious for my taste. It as lacking the comedy that The Geek and Long Duk Dong provided so well in this film.

Another thing I really enjoyed about this film was the way the romance developed. Samantha and Jake are the whole point of the film, but they aren't even together at all through most of it. Sure, we get that kiss at the birthday cake, but (SPOILER ALERT) that was their only real interaction throughout the entire film (SPOILER OVER). And, I loved it.

This probably ranks around the sames as Weird Science for me in the John Hughes' films. Breakfast Club is still the king of the pack for me - that film was able to mix the comedy and the drama so well, it has to be at the top.

Grade:

14/50: Pretty in Pink

The Brat Pack has been a huge part of my childhood - at least I thought so. These were '80's classics, but when I started looking into the actual films I had seen - I had only seen two (Breakfast Club and Weird Science).

So, I thought with this little experiment here I would try to rectify that. This is the first of two "Brat Pack" films on the list, and the one I was expecting to be the least favorite of mine. And, I was pretty much right.

Pretty in Pink stars Molly Ringwald as Andie Walsh, a poor high school student who pretty much takes care of her unemployed father after her mother runs out on them both. She makes her own clothes and is shunned by the rich kids of the school.

Prom - you know that all important event in every high school kids life - is coming up and she of course doesn't have a date. She could probably go with her lifelong friend, Duckie (Jon Cryer) who has been in love with her forever, but she has no intimate feelings for.

A few weeks before prom she is asked out by one of the rich kids, Blane (Andrew McCarthy), despite the ridicule he receives from the other rich kids, including his best friend Steff (James Spader). Blane begins to fall for Andie, and vice versa.

However, right before the prom Blane all of a sudden gets cold feet from the pressure he is receiving from his rich friends for dating a poor girl - and calls it off.

This has a sort of Romeo & Juliet feeling to it. Two star crossed lovers, one from each side of the tracks, who can't seem to co-exist in each other's worlds.

I have to say, I wasn't really a fan. I am not sure if the quality and it being 25 years old had any factor in that, but I am sure it swayed me a little. But, overall I just didn't get involved with the characters and the ending was far too predictable. I hope I am more impressed with the rest of the "Brat Pack" films.

Grade: