The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen Read Online Free Page B

guaranteed to play to sold-out houses. Dozens were released, but only a few had the impact of
Pretty in Pink
,
The Breakfast Club
, and
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
, which became classics of the genre and cultural touchstones of the Reagan years.
    One forgotten classic,
Better Off Dead
, is a gem of surrealistic teen comedy directed by Savage Steve Holland, best known for helming television shows like
V.I.P.
and
Eek! The Cat
. Nineteen-year-old John Cusack plays sad-sack Lane Myer, a 16-year-old with serious problems. His soulmate Beth (Amanda Wyss) has recently dumped him, with the brutally honest observation, “I really think it's in my best interest if I went out with someone more popular.” He should be glad to get rid of her, but, frankly, she was the best thing in his life. His father (David Ogden Stiers) means well, but seems slightly disconnected from reality. Mom (Kim Darby) is a terrible cook, who subjects her family to the creepiest, crawliest entrees ever seen on film. Brother Badger (Scooter Stevens) is a creepy mad scientist who doesn't speak, and can't look anyone in the eye. On top of all that his best friend snorts Jell-O and a demonic paperboy (Demian Slade) endlessly harasses him for a two-dollar payment.
    Despondent, and brimming with teenaged angst, Lane attempts a series of feeble suicide attempts. When a poorly timed leap off a bridge lands him in the back of a garbage truck, a witness comments, “Man, now that's a shame when folks be throwin' away a perfectly good white boy like that.” Lane's salvation comes in the form of Monique (Diane Franklin), a cute foreign-exchange student determined to save his life and win his heart.
    Much of
Better Off Dead
is typical teen underdog fare — Lane is in love with Ms Wrong, but ends up with the right girl by the time the credits roll — but there is an irreverence on display that sets it apart from the average kid flick. Holland seems to really understand the sense of isolation and displacement typical of the difficult teen years, but more importantly, also knows how to lampoon it. Everything about this movie has an off-kilter feel, as if reality has been tilted 45 degrees, creating a crazy world that is both unique and delightful.
    At the core of this strange suburban tale is John Cusack, who puts in a performance ripe with the vulnerability of youth. Cusack's baby face reads all the awkwardness and self-doubt that occurs when you mix teen boys with raging hormones and high school girls. The blend of Cusack's charming performance with timeless gags, a killer soundtrack, and some really bad '80s fashions makes
Better Off Dead
a fun time capsule from the Me Decade.
    RICHARD'S FAVORITE LINES FROM '80S TEEN COMEDIES
    1. “I wanna be just like you. I figure all I need is a lobotomy and some tights.” — Bender (Judd Nelson), Breakfast Club (1985)
    2. “Fuck me gently with a chainsaw.” — Heather Chandler (Kim Walker), Heathers (1989)
    3. “Gee, I'm real sorry your mom blew up, Ricky.” — Lane Myer (John Cusack), Better Off Dead (1985)
    4. “How would you like a nice greasy pork sandwich served in a dirty ashtray?” — Chet (Bill Paxton), Weird Science (1985)
    5. “Hi, I'm Gary Cooper, but not the Gary Cooper that's dead.” — Gary Cooper (Tim Robbins), The Sure Thing (1985)
    6. “All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine.” — Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
    7. “I mean, I've had men that have loved me before, but not for six months in a row.” — Ginny (Blanche Baker), Sixteen Candles (1984)
    8. “Are you telling me my mom has the hots for me?” — Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Back to the Future (1985)
    9. “Money really means nothing to me. Do you think I'd treat my parents' house this way if it did? — Steff (James Spader), Pretty in Pink (1986)
    10. “I'm so dead they're going to have