Episode 3: "Better Off Dead"

"Better Off Dead" is one of those movies that you have to be in a stupid humor mood in order to appreciate. The whole movie is just bit after bit. It goes from one random "funny" scene to the next and they don't really tie together too well. This movie was made back in the day when the California Raisins were cool and starting off a movie with a cartoon was genius. Just about everything that represents cheesy film making of the 80s, was also included in "Better Off Dead" and THAT my friends, is why I love it.

This incredible 80s movie has just about every component that I love about cheesy 80s flicks, except for maybe an impromptu organized dance scene. Wait, I think that does happen, but with hamburgers. It is set in the 80s (check), about high schoolers (check), it involves a nerdy neighbor (check), roller skates are used as a transportation device (check), the main character falls in love with the nerdy girl while chasing after the cool girl (check), awesome one-liners that I'll save for Brian to talk about (check), and John Cusack.

I'm not going to go through step by step like Brian is so skilled at doing, while talking about this movie. It's not my style, Brian is the much better film reviewer. I will just say, if you haven't seen "Better Off Dead," you should. Well, you should, if you like quoting movies. This movie is in my top ten favorite movies to quote. With all the bits, it gives you MANY awesome quotes. Now, my husband can finally understand when I seem to have more of any angry tone as I say "I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!"

It's a great day when I have a purpose for talking about "TWO DOLLARS,"
Lindsey

When Lindsey picked "Better Off Dead" as her portion of Friday night's double feature, I found myself torn between dread and relief: dread because I couldn't see how this could be a good movie in any way but relieved because...well, you've seen the list she's put together! There are some wretched movies on that list. At least this one has John Cusak in it.

But I'm happy to report I truly enjoyed "BOD." It was insanely jumpy, going from one scene to another that seemingly had nothing to do with each other. But on the whole it was pretty funny. As Lindsey pointed out there were a number of GREAT lines that I will surely add to my Quote Repertoire and I always like a quotable film. John Cusak is at his best in a role that he has essentially played in every movie he's ever been in since this film was released in 1985. (I'm not sure why it doesn't bother me that John Cusak is the exact same character in every single movie he's ever been in. A part of me thinks I should bash on Cusak at every opportunity but I can't bring myself to do it, he's too likeable. Jerk.) And, hey, can you really call it a classic film if it doesn't have a claymation hamburger scene that pops out of nowhere and has no real bearing on the film? I thought it was possible to have a great movie without such a scene before I saw "BOD" but now I'm reconsidering.

Perhaps the best facet of "BOD" is that you think it's just another 80s teen movie, ostensibly about a geek finding love with a foreign exchange student. But no, dear readers, the real focus of this movie is competitive snow skiing! That's right. While some 80s movies might allow the required "Challenge Between the Geek and the Jock" to center around football, basketball, or even karate, "BOD" chooses the ever popular "sport" of competitive skiing. And let me tell you, this is the best competitive snow skiing film I've ever seen (if only by default because, for the life of me, I can't think of another movie that falls into this category). Also, watching "BOD" gave me an excuse to use the "John Cusak is actually both John Cusak and Joan Cusak" joke series I've been working on since I saw a similar bit on Conan. (You would have to be in the room for this series to work but let me tell you, it was pretty amusing.)

Best Chracter: Yee Sook Ree (Yuji Okumoto)
The English speaking part of the Asian brothers that Cusak is always attempting to race. I loved the Howard Costell impression. Brilliant.

Best scene: The fruit throwing scene.
Monique is standing outside her house, throwing oranges or apples or something like that at a street sign. Why is this my favorite scene? Because her throwing motion is AWFUL and there's no chance the object is going further than 3 feet yet she is clearly zinging this fruit at somewhere around 93 miles per hour. This led to the discussion of who has the worst throwing motion: Monique, Tim Robbins in "Bull Durham," or the old pitcher in "Major League?" We all agreed Tim Robbins was the worst.

Best line: I can't choose one. I just have to list them both.
A.) Lane Meyer (John Cusak): "Gee, I'm real sorry your mom blew up, Ricky."
B.) Black guy, after watching Lane ride by in a dump truck: "Now that's a real shame when folks be throwing away a perfectly good white boy."

A highly enjoyable, classic 80s movie. B.

Someone should write a movie centered around curling,
Brian