If I had to describe the span of my teen years, only a John Hughes film could do it justice.
Heck, I only wish that life were a John Hughes film. If it were I'd end up with my dreamboat teenage dream within an hour and thirty minutes. Just thinking about him, still today, makes me giggly and socially awkward. Ahh, but seriously if you've ever seen one of Hughes' films you can't deny feeling a piece of yourself in one character. Maybe you were as fly as Duckie, goofy like Farmer Ted, hot like Jake Ryan, a rude boy like John Bender or a girl next door like Sam and Andie. Maybe you identified with all of them in some weird schizophrenic fashion. Don't feel bad, it's totally fine. Speaking for myself, I'd say that I was a Sam (Molly Ringwald, Sixteen Candles). You couldn't tell me I was beautiful because my mirror didn't. I could see some pretty features wanting to burst out but my pubescent awkwardness tarnished what little hope I had. Like any teenage girl I picked at myself in the mirror and envied the "IT" girls at school. To my dismay the king of the nerds had the hots for me. That nerd was the only play I could get! It's so petty now, but that was devastating at 16. Oh yeah, and I drooled over my crush as much as possible. But I strictly remember having a blast while crying sick and ditching school. I remember playing air guitar during my lectures and feeling odd for liking the bad boy of the school. I even had a friend ditch me to become cool in middle school like Kenny Fisher (Can't Hardly Wait).
I'm full of nostalgia, you guys should know this by now. While watching Can't Hardly Wait and Pretty & Pink this weekend I couldn't help but think about the impact that John Hughes films have had on us. They truly seem fun and lighthearted, but that is the genius of Hughes, he's got you thinking without even knowing it. There is substance and depth at times that we dare miss because we were sidetracked by Bender's smart assed one liners. There are many things I think WE ALL have taken from watching these films. The list is endless! God bless these films for soothing my soul, even after my teen years. The overall lesson of each is to HOLD ON. Things always get better and always sort themselves out, you just need to wait it out.
PRETTY IN PINK
If you were comfortable in your skin but lived on the wrong side of the tracks, you were like Andie.
Molly Ringwald played the down to earth girl next door in Hughes' Pretty in Pink. Social class is a big factor in relationships whether we'd like to admit it. If Pretty in Pink taught you anything, it's definitely to look past social class and to avoid generalizations. Not only was Blaine (Andie's love interest) a tad embarrassed to mingle with Andie, but Andie held many pre-conceived notions about Blaine and his rizty life.
BREAKOUT STAR: Jon Cryer as Duckie
Who cared about Blaine?! Duckie was all the rage.
He was the Yin to Andie's Yang, hilarious and a knockout at dressing! When you're special like Andie you have the luxury of two incredible guys to choose from. Unfortunately she completely bypassed Dukie, but that didn't matter because he easily became the most lovable character of the film. We've already noted his eccentric style but who can forget all of Duckie's memorable quotes. I think Jon Cryer is the only person with memorable quotes and scenes. His famous lip-synch sequence was definitely the only reason I was at all interested in watching this film. Go Duckie! You are forever loved in hearts. Just because Andie didn't want doesn't mean no one else does..let's talk.
NO STEPH, you were a Bitch. But god love James Spader for being one of the best & snarkiest villains in a teen film.
SIXTEEN CANDLES
Can I begin to tell you how much this movie touched my soul at 16?
How John Hughes knew the growing pains of an awkward suburban teen girl will forever escape me.
We all root for the underdog because we see ourselves in them. As far as I was concerned, I was Sam.
You all probably know this classic tale of a freckled young girl who turns sixteen and deals with the devastation of a lacklustre birthday. Everything seems to go wrong because being sixteen just wasn't what she thought it would be. When you're younger you think being sixteen is driving a brand new mustang, growing gigantic boobs and making out in the backseat with the big man on campus. BUT let's be real, it doesn't happen. You're still flat-chested without a car and no love from any man on campus.
If Sixteen Candles taught me anything, it's to hold on. Things may not be what you want them to be, but that's because of yourself. You are your own worst enemy. Sam's inner voice seemed to bring her down more often than not. In the end her birthday was just what she wanted and was one for the books.
Mmmmm, Jake Ryan...
BREAKOUT STAR: ANTHONY MICHAEL HALL as FARMER TED
Why? Why are nerds always hypersexual and geeky?
And why does the king of the nerds always end up liking you?
Anthony Michael Hall must've dabbled in a bit of method acting for this role because it he was all too familiar.Every movie has a breakout star, one that you can't forget. Hall's geeky charcater, Farmer Ted provided both comedy relief and reality to the film. He too was an underdog and you wanted to see him succeed and get layed. Just like Duckie, he delivered memorable quotes while being entirely lovable. While Sam's inner voice sbotaged herself, Farmer Ted's boosted him up. Just like Kanye, you couldn't tell him nothing...that seems to work.
“It’s a brand new year, I’m sixteen! Everything should be platinum. I should be happy right? Right? Well I can’t get happy. It is physically impossible for me to get happy.” — Samantha, sixteen candles
After seeing Easy A, there is hope for Hughes-esque teen films. It was hilarious and
a great nod at his legacy.
Emma Stone said a mouthful here. All of our hopes in 6 sentences.
What are your favorite John Hughes films and why? Who are your favorite characters? What are your favorite quotes?
Share with us below !
XOXO,
TIA
PRETTY IN PINK
If you were comfortable in your skin but lived on the wrong side of the tracks, you were like Andie.
Molly Ringwald played the down to earth girl next door in Hughes' Pretty in Pink. Social class is a big factor in relationships whether we'd like to admit it. If Pretty in Pink taught you anything, it's definitely to look past social class and to avoid generalizations. Not only was Blaine (Andie's love interest) a tad embarrassed to mingle with Andie, but Andie held many pre-conceived notions about Blaine and his rizty life.
BREAKOUT STAR: Jon Cryer as Duckie
Who cared about Blaine?! Duckie was all the rage.
He was the Yin to Andie's Yang, hilarious and a knockout at dressing! When you're special like Andie you have the luxury of two incredible guys to choose from. Unfortunately she completely bypassed Dukie, but that didn't matter because he easily became the most lovable character of the film. We've already noted his eccentric style but who can forget all of Duckie's memorable quotes. I think Jon Cryer is the only person with memorable quotes and scenes. His famous lip-synch sequence was definitely the only reason I was at all interested in watching this film. Go Duckie! You are forever loved in hearts. Just because Andie didn't want doesn't mean no one else does..let's talk.
NO STEPH, you were a Bitch. But god love James Spader for being one of the best & snarkiest villains in a teen film.
SIXTEEN CANDLES
Can I begin to tell you how much this movie touched my soul at 16?
How John Hughes knew the growing pains of an awkward suburban teen girl will forever escape me.
We all root for the underdog because we see ourselves in them. As far as I was concerned, I was Sam.
You all probably know this classic tale of a freckled young girl who turns sixteen and deals with the devastation of a lacklustre birthday. Everything seems to go wrong because being sixteen just wasn't what she thought it would be. When you're younger you think being sixteen is driving a brand new mustang, growing gigantic boobs and making out in the backseat with the big man on campus. BUT let's be real, it doesn't happen. You're still flat-chested without a car and no love from any man on campus.
If Sixteen Candles taught me anything, it's to hold on. Things may not be what you want them to be, but that's because of yourself. You are your own worst enemy. Sam's inner voice seemed to bring her down more often than not. In the end her birthday was just what she wanted and was one for the books.
Mmmmm, Jake Ryan...
BREAKOUT STAR: ANTHONY MICHAEL HALL as FARMER TED
Why? Why are nerds always hypersexual and geeky?
And why does the king of the nerds always end up liking you?
Anthony Michael Hall must've dabbled in a bit of method acting for this role because it he was all too familiar.Every movie has a breakout star, one that you can't forget. Hall's geeky charcater, Farmer Ted provided both comedy relief and reality to the film. He too was an underdog and you wanted to see him succeed and get layed. Just like Duckie, he delivered memorable quotes while being entirely lovable. While Sam's inner voice sbotaged herself, Farmer Ted's boosted him up. Just like Kanye, you couldn't tell him nothing...that seems to work.
“It’s a brand new year, I’m sixteen! Everything should be platinum. I should be happy right? Right? Well I can’t get happy. It is physically impossible for me to get happy.” — Samantha, sixteen candles
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| Molly Ringwald, John Hughes, Michael Schoeffling THE BREAKFAST CLUB  Have you ever had that moment where your expectations of a person are completely wrong? You carry the same generalization about them on a daily basis and after your first REAL conversation with them you discover how wrong you were. This is what The Breakfast Club stood for. You never know who could be your best friend or whom you have the most in common with. The people you judge harshly and avoid may just be the people you have the most chemistry with. You also may never know the personal struggles and demons they face on a daily basis. But to find this out it usually takes you being imprisoned in a school library on a Saturday. For this lesson and so many other reasons, The Breakfast Club has been a lifetime favorite. If you've ever had a sleepover at my house, you'd know it was mandatory to watch this. Long live this classic story of a brain, an athlete, a basketcase, a princess and a criminal. BREAKOUT STAR: JUDD NELSON as JOHN BENDER  He was in no way a nerd like Duckie or Farmer Ted. No, Bender had the bad boy charm of Brando and the mouth of sailor. This is why we loved him! Bender was part villain and part underdog. He instigated and pushed each of the characters in the film only to find himself pushed by the school principal. On the outside his persona was tougher than nails. The only people to ever discover what was underneath happened to be those 4 kids he shared an unforgettable Saturday with. Ladies all love a bad boy. It should come as no suprise that Bender is the anti-Jake Ryan, yet just as if not more loved. As with all of Hughes' breakout stars, Nelson is responsible for delivering the most memorable quotes and scenes.     I could go on all day about my favorite John Hughes films and what each was so memorable for. But, there aren't enough hours in a day. The fact that most of John Hughes' films are household names speaks volumes. Even though he left us way too soon, we fortunately have been left with a mastered body of work.    |
a great nod at his legacy.
Emma Stone said a mouthful here. All of our hopes in 6 sentences.
What are your favorite John Hughes films and why? Who are your favorite characters? What are your favorite quotes?
Share with us below !
XOXO,
TIA
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