See you on the flip side - 2009

I am not one for creating end of year lists. Top 10 Movies, songs, TV shows, Bands, CD's, Books. Any of that stuff. I have nothing against it per se. But I just don't typically do it. No time, no inclination. One exception to this is my top 10 Buffy Episodes which is causing me a lot of anxiety as I am having a lot of trouble limiting it to 10. I am also thinking of starting on my favourite movies of all time, but that too is proving a little difficult to limit.

One list I am comfortable with is the Celebrity Death List. Go figure. Because, was it just me, or did a lot of famous people die this year? I mean come on, it seemed like nearly every day there was a either a celebrity or a celebrity adjacent death. This is by absolutely no means an exhaustive list of those famous people who have passed away this year. It is simply those that have impacted me in some way.

Ricardo Montalban - January 14th

Natasha Richardson - March 18th

Andy Hallett - March 29th

Bea Arthur - April 25th

Charles "Bud" Tingwell - May 15

Ed MacMahon - June 23rd

Farah Fawcett - June 25th

Michael Jackson - June 25th

Walter Kronkite - July 17th

John Hughes - August 6th

Senator Edward Kennedy - August 25th

Dominick Dunne - August 26th

DJ AM - August 28th

Patrick Swayze - September 14th

Brittany Murphy - December 20th

The pictures are in the order of their death. There are a ton of reasons why these people impacted me life in come way. And you likley haven't heard of a few of them. But these are the famous or at least famous to me people who died in 2009.

Andy Hallett passed away at the age of 33 from heart failure. Outside of the world of Whedon, most people likley had no idea who he was. But to me, he was Lorne from Angel. Charles "Bud" Tingwell was in at least one episode of every television program I watched growing up as a child in Australia. He was a veteran of the Australian acting community and was given a state funeral when he passed away from complications due to Prostate Cancer.

Some of these deaths were shocking - MJ, Brittany Murphy, Natasha Richardson and DJ AM were definitely huge surprises of the sad variety. Others such as Farrah Fawcett and Patrick Swayze were the result of very valiantly fought public battles with Cancer. Others still bring back memories of my childhood - watching Fantasy Island & The Golden Girls.

But the death that impacted me the most this year was hands down John Hughes. His films defined my teenage years. The Breakfast Club will most definitely be on my top 10 movie list (when I get around to writing it). As a filmaker John Hughes was able to speak to a teen audience in a way I have rarely seen since. Teen movies these day are typically wild and wacky sex romps where the dorky guy/girl struggles to overcome their dorkiness, but ultimately triumphs over said dorkiness and ends with the girl/boy of his/her dreams. And there is normally a mean girl/boy who gets their comeuppance in some hilarious manner. It is the same formula for every movie that is made. And I find it pretty insulting. Granted, some of them are entertaining. But they condescend to the audience and tell the same sad tired jokes and delliver the same tired message.

I feel honoured to have been a part of the John Hughes generation of movies. I know that it was unlikley that he would have made another movie. But now, with his tragic death at the age of 59, that will never happen. And that makes me so very sad. Before Hughes died, 4 young filmakers set out to find the notoriously reclusive Hughes. Their film, Don't You Forget About Me is a final love letter to John Hughes. I just wish that we could write more.

Did I leave anyone off? Is there a celebrity death that impacted you the way John Hughes impacted me? Sound out in the comments people! Lemme know you are out there.

XO

Where in the World is Jake Ryan?

I have had a $50 Gift Certificate for HMV burning a hole in my wallet for the past few weeks. I've been completely indecisive and been unable to choose what to purchase. Do I go with Season 1 of Mad Men? Or Veronica Mars? Or Skins Volume 1 (which is $52! - yikes)? Or do I try and add to my movie collection..... I have a ton of movies on my must own list that I have yet to purchase. Argh....... Decisions. Decisions. I should probably mention that I have tons of DVD's. I am more likely to buy than rent a DVD. I am okay with this. My bank balance and visa bill are not so much.

As always I wandered around the store for about 30 minutes, looking at the DVD's and hoping that I would be inspired. Nothing was grabbing me. I was about to walk out the door emptyhanded and there it was:

OMFG! How totally perfect. I am kinda embarrassed to admit that I do not own any of these movies. In spite of my respect and love for the man and his movies, my John Hughes collection is kinda lame. Not any more! And it comes with it's own cute little lunchbox. Love it. love it love it.

With the rest of the $$$ on the Card, I went down a completely different route with Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys and the classic Reservoir Dogs. 12 Monkey is probably my favourite Brad Pitt movie - simply as it proves to me that he is more than just a pretty face. He is awesome in it. And I am a total sucker for Bruce Willis - he was my heartthrob action star growing up - never into Steven Seagal or Sylvester Stallone. Bruce Willis made me swoon.

Watched 16 Candles last night. Remembered the total dreaminess that was Jake Ryan. As always, ignored the obvious douchiness of some of his actions - ummm he pretty much pimped out his girlfriend to the geek and gave him carte blanche to do whatever he wanted to his passed out prom queen girlfriend. Everything is forgiven when he shows up at the end, looking all perfectly dreamy and shy, with his hands in the pockets of his 501's. Sigh. And the final scene of the movie, with the two of them perched on the table in his mansion, with a cake that I like to think he baked himself. Swoon.

The intelligent part of me knows that he is not real. But the teenage girl in me likes to think that this could have happened. The most popular boy in school is totally gonna dump his hot blonde girlfriend with the banging body, for the awkward, oddball sophomore who has red hair and freckles - gasp! Ummmm, yes, in the fantasy world in my head, this could happen.                            And where is Jake Ryan now? The perfect high school boy was played perfectly by Michael Schoeffling who was last seen happily married with 2 kids, living in rural Pennsylvania, running a hand-crafted furniture store. Yes, he is a carpenter, he works with his hands. He is almost 50 now. He left Hollyweird in the early 90's after forgettable roles in a number of equally forgettable films (except Mermaids - loved him in Mermaids). He is a notoriously hard man to track down, with GQ calling him the "Salinger of male model/actors" after they were unable to track him down in 2002.

Jake Ryan was the perfect high school boyfriend. He sat atop the pedestal we teenage girls placed him on and ruined high school dating for us all. We compared all our boyfriends to Jake Ryan, and although I can't speak for all girls, I can speak for myself - they all failed in comparison. I wonder if I could sue the estate of John Hughes, Michael Schoeffling and/or the production company for false advertising?

XO