The '80s are memorable for bad hair, bright clothes, bodacious vocabulary and cheesy pop cinema.
It is interesting to witness a return to these styles around campus with the cheap neon sunglasses, windbreakers and even some hairstyles. John Hughes thrived on the angst of teenage youth through films like "The Breakfast Club" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." There are hidden gems within the expanse of popular flicks. One of which I uncovered this weekend by way of recommendation.
I borrowed "Better Off Dead" a while ago and finally watched it this weekend with a cool friend of mine, whom I hope liked it as much as I did. The film stars John Cusack as Lane. He is this film's teenager full of angst, who has recently been dumped by his girlfriend of six months. I think most of us can relate pretty well to the situation. In an effort to overcome his despair, Lane attempts suicide in a variety of slapstick methods. The film simply is about his attempt to win his girlfriend back, while stumbling upon the foreign exchange neighbor girl.
It is a simple love story, but the ingenuity of the film is the comic brilliance of everything. Each scene seems over the top in some form, whether it's his mom's awful cooking, or his kid brother picking up hookers. The film also throws in several different styles including animations, claymations and daydreams. Some of the jokes are stupidly funny, and easily quotable - "I want my two dollars." Watch it and then you and your friends can quote it back and forth, and no one else will know what you're talking about. The same goes for nearly any film or TV show (especially ones that say "Mr. Manager.")
I kind of did a double feature of this film with "Evil Dead II," which is equally as brilliant. The style of this doesn't quite match that of Evil Dead, but it still captures the right tone and pacing. It has no signature shots, and actually is pretty standard, but sometimes it's the story that is more important and should not be overshadowed by gimmicks.
Cusack is great in his role. He has the blank expression when he loses his girl for no reason, yet he has the charm to win the heart of any chick in the audience. His failures always seem to bring about small victories, even in the climax. This is, after all, just an average boy living an average life with average problems. The medium of film simply heightens the tiny problems into laughable catastrophes.
What really earns my respect is the level of humor in comparison to modern cinema. Judd Apatow and company use vulgar and obscene language to garner laughs. That has become the industry standard it seems, yet I found this innocent film much funnier than most of the films out today. It takes a true genius to make a dancing hamburger with French fries or even homicidal paperboys.
My words hardly do this film justice. It seems to have been forgotten and thrown by the wayside, much like "Kicking and Screaming" (but that's another story entirely). I was surprised to find very few people who had heard of "Better Off Dead." Find it and watch it, and laugh your socks off like I did.
Grade: A-
Opening in theaters this weekend are a few flicks. First there is Diablo Cody's next film "Jennifer's Body." Starring Megan Fox, this looks to be a throwback to 80s horror/slashers. Next there is Steven Soderberg's "The Informant" starring Matt Damon. The trailer for this look absolutely hilarious, and it's based on a true story. For the family there is "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." Based on the children's book, Sony animation returns to recreate a new spin on Chewanswallow, with 3D. Finally for the girl in all of us there is "Love Happens," a romance story with Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart.
So find a good film to watch this weekend to take your mind off the stresses of college. Leave me criticisms, comments and recommendations as I am always glad to hear from you. Until next time, get busy livin', or get busy dyin'.
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