BLOCKERS (LESLIE MANN)

In BLOCKERS, three parents try messing up... or attempt to block... each daughter from partaking in the plot of almost every 80's sex comedy, especially LITTLE DARLINGS since this particular "lose our virginity by the end of the movie" movie is about the girls, who all act in what's usually the cinematic "guy minded mode," wanting it more than their dull, reluctant dates and especially (and of course) their parents: Never has a comic-relief-within-a-comedy been as horrendously ineffective as screwy-toothed Ike Barinholtz, whose five-o'clock shadow hardly covers up the fact he's also terribly miscast — resembling more of a college fraternity clown, which doesn't make it all that ironic when he crashes a high school prom, and then a few parties: Though he's not alone as muscular "White Dwayne Johnson" John Cena is a realistic looking parental, getting more emotional than expected of such a giant, while mom, played by the usually-hilarious Leslie Mann, leads this complete disaster where instead of cocks being blocked... due to an awkward pace, stilted one-liners and a horrible lack of chemistry between actors... the laughter is, again and again: So avoid this Rooster — it's a real Turkey!

PRETTY IN PINK

year: 1986

cast: Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Jon Cryer, Annie Potts

rating: **

After John Hughes died I brushed up on his work, and stumbled upon the one I never really cared for. Why? Two main reasons: Class envy and a flitting metrosexual named after a water fowl who I still think preferred Andrew McCarthy to Molly Ringwald. I'm not exactly sure who this movie's for... girls without money who love themselves or girls with money who hate themselves. Or was Hughes inventing his own dream-chick before he had two nerds do it for him? The characters were cliched, the plot nonexistent, and the corny scene where Andrew McCarthy hacks into Molly Ringwald's computer — providing her pictures and a glimpse into the future of Instant Messaging — literally almost killed me. I was near the end... I saw a white light... I heard Annie Potts' grating voice... The light grew larger...

FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF

year: 1986 
rating: ****

This is a beautiful and brilliant teen flick about a popular everykid highschooler who takes a "day off", i.e. fakes illness/tricks his parents and has one hell of an afternoon. The most endearing and/or memorable characters aren't Ferris, but his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and the villain/principle Ed Rooney (Jeffery Jones), who's the B side to the film as he tries thwarting our hero's plan (other great characters are Jennifer Grey as his jealous older sister and Edie McClurg as Rooney's secretary). Ferris's Woody Alleneque monlogs straight into the camera (breaking the "4th wall) work perfectly and the adventure never slows down - well, not really. Towards the end things get a bit "dramatic" (as do many Hughes films when they hit upon "the moment of truth") as Cameron discovers himself by totaling his father's car. I also felt some of Ferris's opinions-through-narration about Cameron were kind of... cruel and didn't seem befitting to a kid his age... And perhaps Mia Sara was way too hot for Broderick? Or anybody? The late John Hughes did some terrific work in his day, and while I think "The Breakfast Club" is his masterpiece, and "Uncle Buck" is his funniest... this one sums up Hughes, the writer. The script was scribbled in six days. Not too shabby.