Sometimes, in waiting for the bigger, better movie to come along, we forget about the ones that hit high notes before some of us (namely me) could even walk. Why don’t we hop into my time-machine and have a glimpse of movies from the years that did not start with 20–. In no particular order of importance, my old school favorites are:
10. “And The Band Played On” (1993)
This was recommended by a friend. The story is based on the first year of the discovery of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It follows the doctors who made the discovery and their struggle to try and understand it, meanwhile battling a government that does not seem concerned with the storm coming. We are all victims of the subsequent years of this epidemic, and should make an effort to see this movie as it shows a different perspective.
9. “Tell Your Children (Also known as ‘Reefer Madness’)” (1936)
I was not alive when this movie was made, but I do appreciate this film. It is an over-exaggeration of the harmful effects of marijuana use. The point of the film is to caution the youth against it. I advise that if you do not want to succumb to ‘lifelong insanity,’ stay away from the ghastly plant. Or so the school principle advises. The film follows a school principle relaying the harmful effects of marijuana through a story of high school students who use it and destroy their lives.
8. “Cry Baby” (1990)
Yet another bad-boy-meets-good-girl musical. However, somehow Johnny Depp makes it amazing. Perhaps, it’s because I love everything Johnny. This storyline follows a young lady (Rikki Lake) unfortunate enough to be lumped into a pack of straight shooting squares. In a town of strict morals and a razor sharp code of conduct, cry baby (his nickname) seems extremely exciting to a girl who is expected to have a choice in too-orderly-to-function men. Her family hates him, and his friends hate her, but I love them both.
7. “Teen Witch” (1989)
This fantasy teen comedy is an absolute classic. Fifteen year old Louise Miller discovers that she is a descendant of a line of witches, and she regains her power on her sixteenth birthday. From then, the girl slowly learns that power corrupts as she uses her power to become the most popular girl in school. Of course, one can only ignore your conscience for so long. As she sees that she is becoming just as bad as the girls who were mean to her, and that her boyfriend is only under a spell and doesn’t truly love her, she decides to give up her power and find her own happy ending.
6. “Adventures in Babysitting” (1987)
If all babysitters had to go through this ordeal, there would be a large number of near psychotic teenagers. After being stood-up by her boyfriend who claims he has a cold (liar!), our heroine agrees to baby sit a 15 year old boy and his 8 year old sister. The night becomes exciting when our heroine’s best friend calls from a bus station in the city needing help and a ride. Breaking the family rule and venturing out into the city, the group (babysitter, boy, girl and boy’s friend) run into a series of wild occurrences. The tire gets busted. The group gets caught up with gang-members. Our heroine catches her boyfriend cheating. And somehow, after all this mess, our 8 year old finds herself hanging out the window of a building. We all know how the story ends, though. They make it home in time, and the parents are none the wiser. This gets a grade A for scaring me out of ever leaving my future children with the babysitter.
5. “Mary Poppins” (1964)
This movie is as fresh in my mind as the first day I saw it. This film follows the story of two children in desperate need of either parents who care, or a strict, yet fun-loving nanny. Mary Poppins who is positively-perfect in every single way answers the request of an uncaring banker’s children. Easily, Mary Poppins changes the temperament of every person in the house, and teaches both the children and the father (though he doesn’t realize) how to have a good time. Although everyone may know the song “Supercalifragilis-ticexpialidocious,” I prefer to sing “I love to laugh” as I imagine floating up to the ceiling every time I giggle.
4. “Forrest Gump” (1994)
It is with chest-thumping pride that I say that this VHS has been sitting on my TV stand since I knew what a TV stand was. Raise your hand if you think back with fond memories of this boy shedding his braces as Jenny shouted after him “Run, Forrest, run.” It is undeniably a cult classic and with good reason. Although not the brightest burning matchstick, Forrest is an extremely kind hearted person in constant search of his love, Jenny. It is extremely heart-warming to see a ‘simple minded’ man achieve so much. And I must say, running for three straight years is an incredible thing.
3. “Labyrinth” (1986)
This movie brings back fond memories of David Bowie in tights singing “you remind me of the babe.” Trust me, if you hear that song, you will never forget it. This is another movie about how babysitting can go horribly wrong. I think I will staple my children to my side. Angry that she has to take care of her baby step-brother, Sarah wishes that the goblins will take him away when he will not stop crying. Be careful what you wish for because The King of the Goblins just might hear you. Now, the girl must travel to his world and master the labyrinth to get to his castle and save her brother from the evil designs of The Goblin King.
2. “Hocus Pocus” (1993)
A halloween-hating teen gets the ride of his life when he awakens three witches by lighting the black candle. Now, he must try to save his sister’s soul from being devoured by these witches so that they may become young (well younger) again. With the help of his crush, a black cat and a zombie with his mouth sutured shut, the ex-california native will do all that he can to protect his sister. Seems the oddest plot in which someone falls in love, but somehow it works.
1. “Trading Mom” (1994)
Another one of those moments where you realize you never appreciated what you had until it was gone. Three children are sick of their workaholic mother always nagging them. When they find out about a spell (uh oh) to get rid of her, they do so and are taken to a Mom Market. There they have three tokens, and so the trio tries to find the perfect replacement. None of their mothers seem to work out and the children find out that to get their first mother back, they must think of a memory of her. The problem is, because of the spell they can’t remember her.
