Brats and all the better for it
Formative entries in Youth Culture movies from the late '70s to the early '90s.
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- DirectorAndrew McCarthyStarsAndrew McCarthyEmilio EstevezAlly SheedyCenters on 1980s films starring the 'Brat Pack' and their profound impact on the young stars' lives.Andrew McCarthy's compelling look at the rise of entertainment specifically for younger audiences, and the attendant career fallout and meltdown.
- DirectorJonathan KaplanStarsMatt DillonMichael Eric KramerPamela LudwigA group of bored teenagers rebel against authority in the community of New Granada after the death of one of their own.Disturbing and realistic in ways exploitation crap like the "Class of...." movies could never hope to approach, Corman graduate Jonathan Kaplan dropped both a time bomb and time capsule that was prescient with roiling teen rage by way of self-involved aggrandizing boomer 'rents. Featuring a very young Matt Dillon and a killer soundtrack.
- DirectorPeter YatesStarsDennis ChristopherDennis QuaidDaniel SternA working-class Indiana teen obsessed with the Italian cycling team vies for the affections of a college girl while searching for life goals with his friends.One of the first teen dramas that was almost anti-commercial in its focus on character rather than plot, Breaking Away scored multiple awards across the board, proving movies about kids could portray them seriously, while still being funny and entertaining. Dennis Christopher's performance is particularly impressive.
- DirectorAllan ArkushJoe DanteStarsP.J. SolesVincent Van PattenClint HowardRamones fanatic and delinquent Riff Randell battles it out with the strict new principal of Vince Lombardi High School, Miss Togar, with help from the Ramones.PJ Soles. The Ramones. Mary Woronov and Paul Bartel. Clint Howard, Vince Van Patton, Dey Young. Exploding schools and non-stop dancing rebellion. Roger Corman and Alan Arkush's Rock 'n' Roll High School is simply immortal.
- DirectorPaul SchraderStarsRichard GereLauren HuttonHector ElizondoA Los Angeles escort is accused of a murder which he did not commit.An odd choice, but Paul Schrader's Gigolo offers a taste of the decadence and stylistic motifs that came into vogue in the mid '80s for many youth culture films. A big influence on postmodern Brat Pack chroniclers like Bret Easton Ellis, whose classic Less Than Zero received an unwatchable film treatment which I've purposely skipped.
- DirectorAlan ParkerStarsEddie BarthIrene CaraLee CurreriA chronicle of the lives of several teenagers who attend a New York high school for students gifted in the performing arts.Alan Parker's snapshot-like presentation of a group of diverse, compelling characters at NYC's iconic High School for the Performing Arts is as funny as it is gut-wrenching, with stand-out performances from Barry Miller, Paul McCrane, Maureen Teefy and an indelible Irene Cara.
- DirectorTony BillStarsChris MakepeaceAdam BaldwinMatt DillonWhen Clifford Peache enrolls in a new high school and is harassed by a bully named Moody, Clifford acquires the services of the school's most feared kid, the sullen Ricky Linderman, as a bodyguard.Originality and guts frame Tony Bill's breakout hit that never panders while delivering genuine emotion. Heartwarming and intelligent never blended so seamlessly in a movie aimed at young people. Featuring a very young Joan Cusack, and baller performances from Makepeace, Baldwin, and Dillon.
- DirectorRobert RedfordStarsDonald SutherlandMary Tyler MooreJudd HirschThe accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father and the guilt-ridden younger son.Timothy Hutton easily walked away with the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in Redford's debut adaptation of Judith Guest's searing novel of an already fragile family coming apart amidst the poshest of suburban settings. Judd Nelson has never been finer or more restrained.
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsSteve GuttenbergMickey RourkeKevin BaconA group of college-age buddies struggle with their imminent passage into adulthood in 1959 Baltimore.Much more than simply a striking ensemble piece or a bittersweet '50s nostalgia film, Barry Levinson's Diner is a showcase of overflowing talent. Few films can grip you so tightly dramatically while making you laugh and cringe at the Jerk-ability factor. A film not likely to even be made today.
- DirectorAmy HeckerlingStarsSean PennJennifer Jason LeighJudge ReinholdA group of Southern California high school students are enjoying their most important subjects: sex, drugs and rock n' roll.While far from perfect technically, Amy Heckerling's debut is notable for the sheer amount of future star power on screen, as well as nailing the Reaganomic realities that later come to obsesses much of the cast of St. Elmo's. Ironically, much of the meatier dramatic footage was cut from this film, as you'll see in the TV Cut which is featured on the Criterion disc. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Judge Reinhold (Heckerling's upstairs neighbor at the time) give heartbreaking, memorable turns as causalities of an era.
- DirectorPaul BrickmanStarsTom CruiseRebecca De MornayJoe PantolianoA Chicago teenager is looking for fun at home while his parents are away, but the situation quickly gets out of hand.Another sardonic, much darker take on the allures and pitfalls of capitalism underscores Paul Brickman's debut (soon to get an awesome 40th anniversary Criterion treatment in July 2024) featuring a painfully raw but very funny performance from Cruise. One of the bests scripts for a teen movie from the '80s, period, with a legendary soundtrack by Tangerine Dream.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsC. Thomas HowellMatt DillonRalph MacchioIn a small Oklahoma town in 1964, the rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and the rich Socs, heats up when one gang member accidentally kills a member of the other.At times, Coppola's rendition of S. E. Hinton's novel leans more on style than substance, but the performances are so good, in the end it doesn't seem to matter. There's a palpable energy and joy to these performances that transcend the sometimes too-earnest tone. If you plan to see this, check out the more recent director's cut.
- DirectorMartha CoolidgeStarsNicolas CageDeborah ForemanElizabeth DailyJulie, a girl from the valley, meets Randy, a punk from the city. They are from different worlds and find love. Somehow they need to stay together in spite of her trendy, shallow friends.In addition to Nick Cage's performance the real find in Valley Girl is Deborah Foreman (and Elizabeth Daily) who regularly rip your heart out. Miles from the plastic-infused remake, Martha Coolidge's original wears it's heart on its sleeve unapologetically. With a New Wave soundtrack of a quality you'll never hear again featuring Sparks, The Flirts, and an awesome live performance from the Plimsouls.
- DirectorLewis John CarlinoStarsJacqueline BissetRob LoweAndrew McCarthyA young man in private school spends one crazy night out, and only later does he learn more about the woman who enlivened his night.Taking uncomfortable awkwardness and sporadic laughably bad scenes to new heights, Class is more of a curio than essential viewing, but Lowe and McCarthy's chemistry save it, just barely. Another film that could only have been released in 1983 with Bisset and especially Robinson looking almost teleported in. Shopping at Water Tower Place will never be the same.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMatt DillonMickey RourkeDiane LaneAbsent-minded street thug Rusty James struggles to live up to his legendary older brother's reputation, and longs for the days of gang warfare.Rumble Fish is the nastier, grittier flipside to "The Outsiders" and all the better for it. It's all realism and no artifice with Coppola in a looser, more experimental mode that frees us as well as the actors. Dillon acting with Rourke is pure electricity and Diane Lane has seldom been better.
- DirectorHerbert RossStarsKevin BaconLori SingerJohn LithgowA city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.While Footloose on occasion suffers from MTV-itis and choppy, borderline bad editing, it's hard to criticize either it's spirit or the performances, most notably by Bacon who single-handedly drives the movie, along with Penn, Singer, and a quirky theatrical breakout from Sarah Jessica Parker. Dance your ass off, indeed.
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsMolly RingwaldAnthony Michael HallJustin HenryA girl's "sweet" sixteenth birthday is anything but special: her family forgets about it, and she suffers from every embarrassment possible.There's never been a better teen comedy, period (Breakfast Club is a unique animal). This is the film that drew the world's eyes to the enormous talent and passion that was Mr. John Hughes. With Molly Ringwald giving a brutally honest lead performance and Anthony Michael Hall's head tilt as Farmer Ted, you begin to wonder if you're in an alternate film galaxy where there is only one criterion to satisfy: heart. With a mind-blowing soundtrack that was never fully released due to licensing issues. The Revillos, English Beat, Nick Heyward, and more. Rave up and check out the Arrow Video Deluxe Blu-ray.
- DirectorRobert BorisStarsRob LoweAlly SheedyAmanda PaysA young American hustler pursues the girl of his dreams to Oxford, where he must enroll to obtain her.I was drawn to this movie on its release because of Lowe's performance in Class and also the desire to see Ally Sheedy again. If you go into this under similar expectations, you won't be disappointed. Not exactly the most original set-up, but it's a good-looking postcard and Amanda Pays and Julian Sands only make it more fetching.
- DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsTimothy HuttonSean PennPat HingleThe true story of a disillusioned military contractor employee and his drug pusher childhood friend who became walk-in spies for the Soviet Union.Hutton and Penn are in top form in this cerebral drama. The only flaw is that they're just not in that many scenes together. Definitely of its time, it's hard to imagine today's young audiences finding it that compelling, which is a shame.
- DirectorChristopher CainStarsEmilio EstevezCraig ShefferLarry B. ScottTwo juvenile delinquents find themselves growing apart, for one is growing up, and the other is staying young and reckless.Generally underseen and underrated, this is another Hinton adaption that is good at mining the kind of transitory trench many young people find their way in on the journey to adulthood. Sink or swim, it's compelling though not as urgent in tone as it might have been. Fantastically shot by Dave Mamet's DP of choice Juan Ruiz Anchia.
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsEmilio EstevezJudd NelsonMolly RingwaldFive high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a great deal more in common than they thought.As Bret Easton Ellis aptly puts it TBC is an hour and a half "therapy jam" that does the exact opposite of everything you'd expect from a teen film, especially in the '80s. Originally conceived as an ultra-low budget passion project, John Hughes let the cast and crew find themselves in these iconic characters, and they do, almost without a misstep in sight. With a dead-on score by Keith Forsey, this is essential viewing. Check out the Criterion disc for almost an hour of deleted footage.
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsJohn CusackDaphne ZunigaAnthony EdwardsWalter Gibson is a university freshman going through a dry spell. His old buddy arranges a "sure thing" for him in California. Gibson and his classmate Allison then take a long road trip out to Cali, and both foil each other's plans.Rob Reiner's take on "It Happened One Night" with a never-better John Cusack, who Daphne Zuniga tries to gamely match, though the brilliance of Cusack's lines seldom allow, and Nicolette Sheridan as the titular titillation. Viveca Lindfors near cameo wraps it all up nicely. Keep your eyes peeled for a very funny (and young) Tim Robbins and the unsinkable Lisa Jane Persky as two hapless yuppies in Wanderlust.
- DirectorJoel SchumacherStarsDemi MooreRob LoweAndrew McCarthyA group of friends, just out of college, struggle with adulthood.If intentions were talent, this film would have swept the Oscars. Unfortunately, Joel Schumacher's prowess as a set and costume designer far overshadow his directing and writing chops. You can almost hear the sound of the talented young cast flailing to keep it afloat through heavy/campy lines and way too many B-plots. But like so many of the '80s Youth Movement films, the peaks sometimes compensate for the valleys (WASTED LOVE!). It's still a damn good-looking film, coming off as a candy-colored jukebox that at times makes itself sick. It does nail that "time on the edge" well, sometimes too well. A longer cut of this movie would be very interesting to see. With a sideswiped Andie MacDowell as one of many causalities.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsMichael J. FoxChristopher LloydLea ThompsonMarty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.Robert Zemeckis at the peak of his powers and quirk-appeal, bolstered by an inventive script and rocket-launcher performances from not only Fox, buy Lea Thompson and Christopher Lloyd, Tom Wilson, and a flawless Crispin Glover. It's hard to remember commercial films being this good, but they occasionally were in 1985. Check out "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" from 1978, Zemeckis' goofy but sincere paean to Beatlemania which has much of the same original sensibility and an equally awesome cast.
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsAnthony Michael HallIlan Mitchell-SmithKelly LeBrockTwo high-school nerds use a computer program to literally create the perfect woman, who promptly turns their lives upside-down.John Hughes Sci-Fi Comedy is often more miss than hit, sometimes embarrassingly so, and it's often as overshadowed by The Breakfast Club as it was upon release. It's got a lot going for it, namely Hall and Mitchell-Smith's dead-to-rights dorky unhingedness, but it often tries too hard, many times to the point of absurdity. But then again, the whole thing is absurd. Kinda like puberty. If you're a fanboy, check out the Arrow Deluxe Blu-Ray.