Top 10 John Hughes Movies
With the passing of John Hughes on August 6, 2009, it seemed appropriate to create this list of movies directed, produced, or written by a man whose vision defined a generation. RIP, John Hughes.
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The Breakfast Club
"I am the eyes and ears of this institution." Who didn't come away from The Breakfast Club without a new-found respect for the humble janitor? I swear my friends and I could quote this movie by heart. What's your favorite quote? "If he gets up, we'll all get up - it'll be anarchy!" "Don't mess with the bull, young man - you'll get the horns!" If you grew up in the 80s, this movie should already be on your DVD shelf. If it isn't, now's the time to get it. Written, produced, and directed by John Hughes. |
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Ferris Bueller's Day Off
"Anyone? Anyone? Voo-something economics? Voo-doo economics?" After The Breakfast Club, perhaps one of the most iconic movies of the 80s. As a kid, who didn't dream of pulling off the perfect day of hooky? Leave it to Ferris to create the playbook. John Hughes wrote, directed, and produced. |
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Home Alone: The Complete Collection
Hughes was the writer and producer of the first three Home Alone movies, and his touch is surely part of the reason this institution continues to charm years after it was filmed. My kids love these movies; they've become a part of the standard Christmas oeuvre at our house. At this price for the entire collection, you can easily add them to your Christmas tradition, as well! |
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Planes, Trains and Automobiles
John Candy. Steve Martin. Need I say more? Two of my favorite comedians share the stage in this classic story of two men from opposite ends of the social spectrum thrown together through circumstance. You know a movie has had an impact when its title becomes part of the cultural lexicon. "My last trip was like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!" Written, directed, and produced by John Hughes. |
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The Great Outdoors
John Candy. Dan Akroyd. Need I say more? An awesome combination of comedic talent makes this one of my favorite movies ever. I saw The Great Outdoors in Jackson Hole, WY on a long summer weekend with an ex-girlfriend and her family. Maybe it was the fact that I was in a touristy spot that made me appreciate this movie all the more. Like all Hughes films, this one is full of cultural elements that inform my outlook to this day. Who hasn't called a huge steak, "the ol' 96er?" Or patted a churning stomach and mumbled, "processing nicely..." Or stepped away from the bar to use the bathroom and said, "Time to introduce Mr..." - well, you get the idea! Written and produced by John Hughes. |
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Uncle Buck
John Candy. Need I say more? One of my favorite comedies of all time. There's just something about Candy's laugh that's infectious - when he starts laughing, I start laughing. Favorite scene? UB pulling the rusty axe out of the trunk of his back-firing piece of crap car when rescuing his niece at the party. No - actually, it's UB introducing himself as 'Buck Melanoma' to the principal at school. Yeah - that's it. John Hughes, writer, director, and producer. |
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Pretty in Pink
OK, OK. I'll admit that I actually found Molly Ringwald attractive when I was a kid. Not hot, but attractive. (Hot was reserved for Elle McPherson - but I digress.) When you're in high school, you pretty much see every movie that comes out, and Pretty in Pink was one of those must-see movies. Jon Cryer does a good job as Duckie, one of the more memorable characters in Hughes' movies. Maybe not Hughes' best work, but solid nonetheless. Written and produced by John Hughes. |
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Sixteen Candles
"Awwww sexy girlfriend!" Another defining movie of a generation. Molly Ringwald makes yet another appearance in a Hughes film as the teenage daughter whose family forgets her 16th birthday. Great characters abound, from Long Duk Dong (the hilarious foreign exchange student) to Ted, the horny geek who figures out how to get Ginny's panties and charge admission for a public viewing of the prize. Classic stuff that reflected a reality none of us ever encountered but still seemed oh-so familiar. Written and directed by John Hughes. |
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Weird Science
Back before Kelly LeBrock lost her hotness by slumming around with Steven Seagal, she lit up this classic of teenage cinema as the bombshell genned up by a computer nerd and his buddy. Is it a stretch to suggest that the first .com wave found its beginning in the hormone-fueled work of teenage boys convinced that a few supermodel pics and a computer were all that was needed to have a hot brunette come strolling out of your bathroom? Well, maybe... Written and directed by John Hughes. |
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National Lampoon's Ultimate Vacation Collection
You either love Chevy Chase or you hate him. But if you're a fan, you can't get enough of the Vacation movies. John Hughes wrote the screenplay for Vacation, European Vacation, and Christmas Vacation. Get them all (plus the not-as-good Vegas Vacation) in this box set. |
Wow - what a talent. When we heard of John Hughes' passing, we knew we needed to create this Top Ten List of his best movies. But I had no idea that he not only directed but also wrote and produced so many of these classic films. More than just movies, these flicks are like old friends that instantly take me back to my youth. Thank you, John Hughes, for the work you accomplished while you were with us. You have left a legacy.
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