Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Michael Schoeffling in the John Hughes movie ‘Sixteen Candles’

We turn to writer and director John Hughes with his directorial debut movie. The coming-of-age comedy looks into the experiences of a handful of high school kids, themed around a girl whose family has forgotten to celebrate a girl on her sixteenth birthday. Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Michael Shoeffling star in the movie Sixteen Candles (1984).

(From left, Molly Ringwald as Samantha ‘Sam’ Baker and Liane Curtis as Randy in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Molly Ringwald stars as Samantha ‘Sam’ Baker, whose sixteenth birthday opens with a telephone conversation with her good friend Randy. Liane Curtis portrays Randy, who offers encouragement through the events of a weekend where embarrassing event after embarrassing event greet Sam. The events escalate from forgotten birthday wishes before school to an embarrassing admission, passed during study hall, that falls into the hands of Sam’s secret crush.

(From left, Haviland Morris as Caroline Mulford and Michael Schoeffling as Jake Ryan in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Michael Shoeffling portrays Jake Ryan, Sam’s older secret crush who has been seeing Caroline Mulford, as portrayed by Haviland Morris. The age difference plays a role in Sam’s reluctance to approach Jake, let alone her unawareness of Jake having read the note and considering a response that would make Sam happy. It is while riding the school bus home that we learn ‘Farmer Ted’, also known as Ted Farmer, is also interested in Sam.

(From left, Anthony Michael Hall as Ted Farmer, John Cusack as Bryce and Darren Harris as Cliff, also known as ‘Wease,’ in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Anthony Michael Hall portrays Ted Farmer. Farmer Ted either is Sam’s age, or slightly younger. In approaching Sam Baker in multiple awkward and embarrassing ways of his own, he uses trust within his own social group while using self-assurance to connect at separate points with Sam, Jake Ryan and Caroline Mulford. Much of the film’s humor and sweetness gets expressed through situations Farmer bridges. Parallel humor surrounds the character of Long Duk Dong, who bridges separate points in the familial and high school stories expressed within Sixteen Candles.

(From left, Gedde Watanabe as Long Duk Dong and Debbie Pollack as Marlene, also known as ‘Lumberjack’ in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Gedde Watanabe portrays Long Duk Dong, a foreign exchange student living with one set of Sam Baker’s grandparents. Dong connects with Marlene, as portrayed by Debbie Pollack, at a school dance. Dong’s introduction was intended for a series of promiscuity-based jokes that overlapped with the appearance of Sam Baker’s sister and extended family for what would be the marriage of Ginny Baker, Sam’s sister, the day after Sam’s sixteenth birthday. Blanche Baker portrayed Ginny Baker.

(From left, Blanche Baker as Ginny Baker, Carlin Glynn as Mrs. Brenda Baker and Zelda Rubinstein as Organist in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

The events surrounding Ginny Baker’s wedding, including the family introductions, the ceremony itself and the immediate aftermath offer embarrassments of lighthearted humor for the family, friends and celebrants in attendance. The bringing together of this event as well as the larger movie offer a nice tying together of the movie, if not the knot of marriage itself.

(From left, actress Molly Ringwald, writer/director John Hughes and actor Michael Schoeffling on set of the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

The movie Sixteen Candles offered lighthearted comedy in the spirit of coming-of-age comedy. Not all jokes have aged well, yet nothing significantly over-the-top from a gender or culturally mean-spirited perspective, at least to my listening, is a legacy here. The perspective is largely an awkward, teenage one. In this sandbox, the movie is appropriate and appealing. I offer Sixteen Candles as written and directed by John Hughes 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, November 24, 2021

John Cusack, Iben Hjejle and Jack Black in the Stephen Frears film ‘High Fidelity’

Venturing back into the romantic comedy genre with a film rated highly by blog fan Cobra, we bring to bear the record store bemusement of music fans everywhere with the Stephen Frears movie High Fidelity (2000).

(From left, John Cusack as Rob Gordon and Iben Hjejle as Laura in the Stephen Frears movie High Fidelity).

The centerpiece of the romantic comedy in the case of High Fidelity is record store owner Rob Gordon, as portrayed by John Cusack. Gordon owns and operates a record store with friends Barry Judd and Dick, who offer the emotional support of equally struggling music lovers whose love lives are in tatters as much as Rob Gordon’s are confused. The early trigger to our heroes love life comes when love interest and roommate Laura, as portrayed by Iben Hjejle, decides to move out.

(From left, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Charlie Nicholson, Lisa Bonet as Marie DeSalle and Lili Taylor as Sarah Kendrew in the Stephen Frears movie High Fidelity).

The existential crisis of mirroring a love life of failure ensues to the cadence of a friendship with Barry and Dick of discussing the pain of breakup set to ranked lists of musical breakups. This moves to different conceptions of love that have failed in the past or can take ones mind of the hurt of the current situation. Jack Black portrays Barry Judd and Todd Louiso portrays Dick as we the viewers learn of women such as Charlie Nicholson, Marie DeSalle and Sarah Kendrew, each with their distinctive charms and quirks in portrayals offered by Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lisa Bonet and Lili Taylor, respectively.

(From left, John Cusack as Rob Gordon, Jack Black as Barry Judd, Todd Louiso as Dick and Tim Robbins as Ian ‘Ray’ Raymond in the Stephen Frears movie High Fidelity).

Meanwhile we learn that little breadcrumbs of love could still be pieced together into love for Rob and Laura. One of the obstacles that comes into view to turn this away is the realization that Laura has moved in with Ian ‘Ray’ Raymond, as portrayed by Tim Robbins. Rob’s response to Ian and the full situation with are comedically uneven. Things come together ultimately with support for Laura’s perspective coming from Rob’s sister Liz and Dick’s ultimate love interest, Annaugh Moss. Joan Cusack portrays Liz with Sara Gilbert having portrayed Annaugh.

(From left, Sara Gilbert as Annaugh Moss and Joan Cusack as Liz in the Stephen Frears movie High Fidelity).

Overall, it really is John Cusack‘s character of Rob Gordon that holds the movie High Fidelity together. You feel sympathy for the experiences he’s had in trying to find his way through the confusing world of stepping into his romantic feelings with maturity, empathy and finally love. Being a romantic comedy, High Fidelity does reward the viewer and the ever patient Laura for the pain of a confused leading man that needs that nudge to really feel the love that the movie delivers. I give High Fidelity as directed by Stephen Frears 4.0-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, July 31, 2021

Janelle Monáe, Stephan James and Season Two of the series ‘Homecoming’

The Amazon Prime Original Series Homecoming (2018- ) offered a 7-episode second season in May 2020. With Executive Producer credits for Academy Award winning actress Julia Roberts from the opening season a memory, the intrigue of a series building on military members suffering from PTSD having been mistreated through conniving executives moves to a second season built on top of the first.

(John Billingsley as Buddy and Janelle Monáe as Jackie (and Alex) in the second season of Homecoming).

The second season begins in the startling aftermath of where the first began, which is with victim Walter Cruz, as portrayed by Stephan James, living the seemingly normal life of the PTSD soldier with missing war memories done at the hands of Geist Corporation. We encounter Jackie, as portrayed by Janelle Monáe, in a confused state to herself and, initially, to us in the audience with a memory of the opening season. The initial episode ends shockingly for Jackie, whose story becomes sensible only through the layered uncovering of the ongoing story of Audrey Temple, as portrayed by Hong Chau.

(From left, Stephan James as Walter Cruz and Hong Chau as Audrey Temple, who had roles in seasons one and two of the series Homecoming).

The intersecting story of Chau, Colin Belfast as portrayed by Bobby Cannavale, Ron as portrayed by Fran Kranz, and Geist president Leonard Geist becomes entangled, intertwined, and a compelling part of the narrative. Chris Cooper portrays Leonard Geist. The conflict here among these characters, Francine Bunda as portrayed by Joan Cusack, Walter Cruz and, of course, Jackie, brings us to the main conflicts of the second season. Learning how things will turn out is the object of the second season.

(Chris Cooper as Leonard Geist in the second season of the television series Homecoming).

The story of the second season, as with the first, offered suspense, intrigue, and surprises throughout. The connection and consistency with the first season are appreciated and well done. I appreciated the second round of this show, and would increase my rating of the first as a result. Overall, my grade for the second season of Homecoming is 3.50-stars on a scale of 1-to-5 stars.

Matt – Saturday, November 21, 2020