Sixteen Candles

Sixteen Candles (1984)

Directed By: John Hughes

Written By: John Hughes

Starring: Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, Gedde Wantanabe

Rating: PG*

My rating: 3.4 out of 5 stars

PEOPLE!!!!! We have reached a very, VERY momentous occasion. This is the first review I have written of a movie that was made before I was born. It will not be the last, but it IS the first. 

 I actually also wanted to address the asterisk (you know, the *) at the end of the PG rating. This is intended to denote that this movie was actually released before the creation of the PG-13 rating. We don't really think about this often but, the PG-13 rating was instated in July of that same year, when this movie had been released in May. Nowadays, it's pretty safe to say that this movie would be rated at LEAST PG-13, but when the gap between PG and R was nothing, this movie fell right in between. (I said that outright because I didn't want anyone showing their kids thinking "Oh it's PG" and then being...shocked). 

I came across this movie in a 3 pack with Fast Times at Ridgemont High and The Breakfast Club, and I had some "Shop Your Way Rewards" points burning a hole in my pocket at the K-mizzle. So I paid about 4 bucks and I got this gem of a three pack. I haven't watched the other two yet, but I assure you I will and there will be Archives Report entries devoted to each. :)

I decided to watch because I got two from the random number generator, and asked my Twitter followers (@nickyahogan) to vote. I only got one and just against the other movie, but since it was from the wise, talented mentor and friend of mine, Beki Baker, it counted as 11.5, and it was that that swayed my decision. So after 4 paragraphs, the movie:

Sixteen Candles is the adorable story of Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald; The Breakfast Club) whose family has forgotten her 16th birthday in light of her sister getting married the following day. The story follows her through dealing with her crush, Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling; Mermaids), The Geek who pays her entirely too much attention (Anthony Michael Hall; The Dark Knight) and other various problems of an ignored sixteen-year-old girl. I don't want to give away too much of the plot (in case you've been busy for the last 28 years like I have), so I'll just go ahead and give you what I thought and enjoyed.

I enjoyed the story and the progression of the film. I thought that it started out a little slow (a lot of films do) but it picked up the pace and was overly lengthy (Approx. 93 min). I realize that it was a teen movie from a previous generation, so I.. A) Won't nitpick at the clothes. I didn't like their clothes but I also wasn't alive when these things were fashionable, so I only have these movies to tell me what people actually dressed like back then. and B)....well I didn't have a B but I wanted to use A...so make one up!!

The acting wasn't the greatest I'd ever seen (it never is) but Molly Ringwald did a good job with her character, and Schoeffling hasn't appeared on screen since 1991 but he had some things going for him, too. My favorites on this end, though, were Hall's Geek and the exchange student staying with Samantha's grandparents, "Long Duk Dong" (Gedde Wantanabe; Forgetting Sarah Marshall). Both of these actors brought something unique, fun and interesting to their characters, and had me laughing out loud...by myself...at night....in my room..but I digress. They saved the movie for me. I also enjoyed a little role of another geek named Bryce, played by John Cusack (Say Anything; Better off Dead). He had a smaller role in this film but I know we were all secretly wondering how he got in good with John Hughes for all those other movies!

There is plenty more I could say about this movie. It's not the greatest movie of all time by any means, but it sure is enjoyable and you should watch it if you are interested in movies or if you just like ever so slightly cheesy 80's teen movies (which, I TOTALLY do). Good movie, not for kids necessarily, rent/Netflix/borrow it for sure!

I hope you guys enjoyed this! Please leave me feedback. I have a cool little button down there now that lets you mark "funny" "interesting" or "cool". If you thought that this was remotely close to one of those categories I beg you to click. It will let me know you read and give me a little boost. Also, remember that my list is published in earlier posts and if you have suggestions, PLEASE send me some. Obviously my movie selecting methods are getting a bit ridiculous. 

Anyway, thanks for reading. Click some buttons below :) and have a nice day! God bless!

NAH