weberwhit Reviews

Pretty in Pink (1986)

Standard Teen Plot, with Unique Class Focus

[7/10 · 14 November 2005]

Pretty in Pink is the last and worst of John Hughes three most popular 80's teen flicks (Sixteen Candles is, in my opinion, the best). "Worst" is a relative term, however, because this is still a good movie. While the story is rather standard, the actors do such a good job of inhabiting their characters that it more than makes up for the many clichés. Andie is the poor alternative girl whose difficult upbringing has rendered her wise beyond her years. Blane is the preppy rich boy who, unlike his snooty, mean-spirited friends, is actually a decent person. The pair are attracted to one another and, after Blane eventually works up the courage to ask Andie out, embark on an often tortuous, though emotionally honest (especially on Andie's part),courtship. They struggle with disapproval of their friends (James Spader as Blane's best bud Steff is especially odious and Jon Cryer as Andie's guy pal Duckie is unforgettable) and their own lingering doubts. The rest of the movie deals with how the two face these struggles, culminating in an ending that is, frankly, a bit cheesy and predictable. Pretty in Pink is commendable for the simple fact that it deals so honestly with an issue that most Americans would rather avoid, class. Perhaps this is why it feels a bit darker than Hughes's other 2 big 80's films (although The Breakfast Club also deals somewhat with class, its focus is more on cliques and identity issues). Stories about how American teens navigated this treacherous class terrain in the "greed decade," are few and far between. PIP should, therefore, hold a unique place in the "teen movie" canon. A good, but not great, film. I must comment on the soundtrack as well - in a word it is terrific. Echo and the Bunnymen, New Order, The Psychedelic Furs, and that Nik Kershaw one-hit wonder song "Wouldn't it Be Good" that reminds me so much of the 80's.

Top Gun (1986)

Good Movie, Evocative of an Era

[7/10 · 14 November 2005]

It is hard to be too critical of Top Gun because the main purpose of the movie is to provide two hours of mindless entertainment, and it succeeds in that effort. This isn't a simplistic movie masquerading as an insightful one. It is pretty obvious what the aim of all of those involved in this movie was - to put rear ends in the seats. That being said, I thought there were some nice touches in Top Gun. First, Tom Cruise, whose acting I have always considered good but not great, is perfect as Maverick. He did cocksure well back then. Second, the Kelly McGillis character, Charlie, is a tough, ambitious woman, and has a natural beauty that is missing from today's pop-tart leading ladies. Back then, directors actually cast leading ladies who looked like women we all know and could, gasp, act! Third, it is a perfect time capsule of the mid 80's, the good, the bad , and the ugly. Whatever you think of that decade (I thought the pop culture back then was more fun and a lot less mean than it is today) this film captures the rah-rah patriotism and the growing self-assuredness of America in the Reagan era perfectly. All in all, a good movie that captures a specific era very well and succeeds in doing exactly what is was intended to do - entertain.

Risky Business (1983)

Great 80's Feel, With Universal Teenage Emotions

[9/10 · 9 November 2005]

This is one of the best movies from the 1980's, as well as one of the most underrated. Although it has a very specific early 80's feel, especially the preppy clothes and the social commentary ("greed is good" had not quite become the mantra yet, but it was on its way), the basic coming of age story - the dutiful child with demanding parents, the angst and insecurity about the future, the weird combination of both fascination with and embarrassment over your budding sexual self ("Joel, get off the babysitter!"),are universal teenage emotions and experiences. Joel Goodson's(played by a fresh-faced Tom Cruise)parents leave for a week at Aunt Tootie's, leaving him the family's nice suburban Chicago home all to himself. His best friend challenges him to, just once, "say what the f#@%k," and take a chance on something in his life. Before Joel knows it, he is having sex with the beautiful call girl Lana on his living room stairs. After she steals his mother's precious crystal egg from the house, he chases her down and comes face to face with "Guido the killer pimp." Soon, Lana is hiding from Guido (played hysterically by Joe Pantoliano)in Joel's house. Joel quickly becomes unglued from his good-boy, upper middle class,future enterprisers life as he accidentally dumps his father's Porsche into Lake Michigan, falls behind on his studies, and misses his mid-terms because he has to get the aforementioned car fixed (his encounter with the school nurse is funny and his desperation after he is punished for threatening her is very palpable and is well-played by Cruise). Not to fear, though, as Joel, with Lana's guidance, becomes an "enterpriser" all right and begins to operate a brothel out of his house. Throw in a shaky college interview with a Princeton recruiter who comes to the brothel, er house, another encounter with Guido, and a rush to get things back to normal before the folks get home, and Joel has packed quite a bit of mayhem into one week. But, it's quite a ride. Enjoy!

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Great Adventure Movie For Gals (and Guys)

[6 August 2005]

This is a rare movie that puts women in the drivers seat and provides an interesting, and entertaining, spin on the repressed southern woman who has had her fill of abuse from men and won't take it anymore. Louise, a waitress, and Thelma, a repressed housewife, embark on a girls only vacation to a cabin without telling their husbands. On the way (the movie is set in the Southwest), they stop at a honky tonk bar where a flirtatious Thelma finds herself in the arms of an apparently (to her) charming man who winds up abusing her in the parking lot. Louise happens upon the incident and takes matters into her own hands. Suddenly, the women find themselves fugitives from the law, running from a bunch of well-meaning (and somewhat condescending)cops. The women do not go down without a fight, pinning their hopes on an escape across the border to Mexico. Along the way, they find strength in each other and deal with a number of conniving and piggish men (including a young Brad Pitt) and play cat and mouse with the cops. It is amazing to me that people find this movie to be full of male bashing. Forgetting for a moment all of the negative portrayals of women in film, while there are a number of embarrassingly dopey and idiotic men in this movie, especially Thelma's hubby Daryll, Louise's hubby Jimmy is somewhat sweet and remorseful and the cop played by Harvey Keitel is especially concerned with the women's safety and,at first, seems willing to cut them some slack. That is a far cry from "every man is a pig." And, the women, especially Thelma, don't always come across as heroic geniuses. Thelma is so naive and gullible at times that you want to reach through the t.v and knock some sense into her. But all of this is to miss the point of the movie, which is the bond between these two women that, while strong at the beginning, gets even stronger as they face their fears and use their wits to escape capture. There is a certain resignation that crops up from time to time where you feel the hopelessness of their efforts, but they manage to stave off this feeling of impending capture with hilarious scenes of revenge that are best left for the viewer to discover. ENJOY!

High Art (1998)

good movie, but a downer

[6 August 2005]

I am always on the lookout for good lesbian movies with good acting and they are very hard to find. High Art fills both criteria, but every time I watch this movie I feel depressed. I don't know why, especially since I don't mind "dark" movies in the least. The relationships between the characters just feel empty to me. And, I never quite know what to make of the heretofore straight girl who falls for the gay girl. It must be said that the acting is quite good, especially Patricia Clarkson as the drugged out girlfriend of Ally Sheedy. Sheedy is also fantastic as the burned out photographer Lucy Berliner. I just didn't relate to any of these characters or to their relationships with each other, and in the end did not really care who lived or died.