Here are the Top 5 John Hughes movies of all time according to a qualified expert, me.
What makes me the right person for this job?
Well, I am a dead-center Gen X’er and I’ve seen all these movies through all their iterations.
In the theater. VHS. Cable. DVD. BlueRay. Perhaps even laser disc.
But if I’ve learned anything in the internet era it is that if one wants to be an expert all they really must do is claim themselves an expert. So here we are.
OK, top 5 in reverse order.
Number 5: Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Steve Martin is the perfect cranky straight man and John Candy shows his excellence as the annoying comic relief with a heart of gold as these two men try to make it from New York back home to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving. The twist ending where Martin’s Neal figures out through flashback that Candy’s Del is actually a homeless widower gets me every time.
Number 4: National Lampoon’s Vacation. My wife hates this movie. Mostly because she thinks Chevy Chase is an asshole (true in the movie and in real life) and she doesn’t think putting your dead grandmother on the roof of the car is funny. Agree to disagree on that one. That he openly tries to cheat on his wife with Christy Brinkley also hasn’t aged well. But the fact that they make it all the way to the amusement park only to find out that it’s closed and that, at his core, Chase’s Clark is mostly a Dad who wants to make meaningful memories with his kids saves this for me.
Number 3: Sixteen Candles. Ok, we’re getting into the heavy hitters now. Sixteen Candles is just the perfect, lighthearted nostalgic look into the 1980’s how-do-I-find-love-in-high-school told through the eyes of Molly Ringwald’s Sam. Sure there is plenty in this movie - like paying a girl $5 for her underwear or a remarkably horny Asian foreign exchange student that follows every stereotype and trope - that wouldn’t fly in 2024. But Hughes always seems to find a way to balance raunch and outrageous comedy with heart. Bonus points for an outstanding performance by Anthony Michael Hall as “the geek”.
Number 2: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. This movie was really the wholesome answer to the lewd (and also awesome) 80’s teen movies such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Porky's that were popular in the years leading up to Ferris. Matthew Broderick is note perfect as the kid who just wants a fun day off of school. Jennifer Grey nails it as the bratty sister that ultimately comes around. And nervous best friend Cameron is a real look into the neuroticism that kids will display in the coming decades. The Abe Froeman bit, the museum montage, a perfect 6 minutes from Charlie Sheen - there’s so much to love here.
Number 1: Breakfast Club. The perfect teen movie about relationships, finding self-identity and fearing what the future might hold.
Honorable mentions for Weird Science (another incredible performance by Hall), Uncle Buck (you may have realized by now that I love anything with John Candy) and Home Alone which I’m guessing is the most successful Christmas movie of all time.
I have to admit, I love lists.
To-do lists. Grocery lists. Checklists.
They are simple. They're direct. They are way easier to digest than that protein shake I just had.
Whether it’s a time waster such as BuzzFeed’s “18 things you won’t believe these celebrities said!” {SPOILER ALERT: You will absolutely believe what these celebrities said} or a middle-aged meathead's take on ranking the best film by the most important director of the 1980s (take THAT, Spielberg!), I'm into it.
So let me hit you with another one that is actually in line with the reason you signed up for this list - to get some honest to goodness training advice. And while I do consider myself to be a man of science, this list is going to rely more on philosophy.
Think of me as the Kierkegaard of the weight room.
Here are the three best pieces of training advice I can give you right now.
Don’t break the chain.
Training parameters such as reps, sets, exercise selection and frequency certainly have an impact on your training. They will make them more efficient and effective, increase ability to recover and reduce the risk of injury.
But the number one factor in making progress towards your goals is consistency. If your plan is to train three times per week, train three times per week. Can’t make it to your usual gym one of those days because of travel? That’s nice. Go to a gym where you are. Or go for a run. Or do 100 burpees in your hotel room.
Will this be as good as following your plan? No. But not breaking the chain is where your money is made. See that guy in the gym who doesn't seem like he really knows what he’s doing and really doesn’t train that hard? He’s been going to the gym every day for 10 years and that’s why he’s still jacked even though his squat is higher than Snoop Dogg at a Summer barbecue.
The problem isn’t that it’s hard. The problem is that you want it to be easy.
For training to be effective it has to be challenging. It has to challenge your strength or your range of motion or your cardiovascular capabilities or your belief in what you can accomplish.
But the challenge has to be part of it, so embrace that. The minute you start looking for some hack or for a one-set-per-week-6-minute-solution to your fitness problems is the minute you failed.
Don’t let Tik Tok fool you. That shit don’t work.
Put it all in a time box.
Schedule your runs, workouts or other fitness endeavors into one hour blocks on your calendar. Try not to break that appointment. Do not let those sessions go more than an hour. When the hour is up, change back into your vintage Motley Crue t-shirt and go about your day.
Do not leave your training to chance. Do not leave the workout open ended.
If you really want to make the most of this, leave your phone in the locker room for the hour.
Just do the work.
My Dad used to have this saying when I was in school, “you have to be there for six hours anyway, you might as well learn something.”
You’ve dragged yourself to the gym. You’ve paid for the personal trainer. You’ve found the perfect spot for your yoga mat in the back of the room. You laced up your running sneakers.
You’re there. You’re in it. Make the most of that time. Do the work, You’ll not only get more out of it, you’ll walk away from every session making yourself proud. And I’ll be proud of you too which is clearly the most important thing.
OK, now hit the reply button and give me your favorite training tip or, much more importantly, give me your list of top John Hughes movies. Unless you are including “Curly Sue”. Just keep that one to yourself.