OBSESSION OF THE WEEK
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! May you eat lots of turkey, and take in lots of football and scary oversized parade balloons. But I have another assignment for you this long weekend: Watch the new two-hour Battlestar Galactica installment titled Razor. Airing on Saturday night, Razor tells three different stories from three different times: William Adama's first mission as a pilot, Lee Adama's first mission as commander of the Pegasus, and the events that transpired on the Pegasus just after the big Cylon attack. Regular readers know I'm a big Battlestar fan, but I was a bit worried about this movie, which the good people at the Sci Fi Channel are for some reason refusing to call a movie. The second half of season 3 seemed a bit off to me in terms of intrigue and storytelling. With Razor, BSG appears to have its mojo back. It's complex. It's challenging. And it's also exciting as hell. Unfortunately, the ending is a bit of a creative letdown, but all in all it's a great way to spend two hours while feasting on leftovers. And so say we all!
THE FIVE
Head on over to The Glutton video to get my picks for The Five Most Memorable Death Scenes Ever Put on Film.
READER MAIL
You have overwhelmed me, dear Glutton readers. Last week I sent out the call asking which was a better film: Sixteen Candles or Pretty in Pink. Well, over 2,000 of you answered that call, flooding my inbox with responses. And I can't tell you how happy I was with what I saw. By about a 10-1 margin — crossing across both genders, I might add — you all easily recognized the superiority of Sixteen Candles. (Take that, Blane, you spineless, unsexy loser!) As Farmer Ted himself would say, ''Very hot! Very hot!''
I'm a female and I completely agree with you. Sixteen Candles is the far superior John Hughes movie. I believe it's possibly one of the best movies of the '80s. Jake Ryan is hotter, more popular, drives a cooler car, and has a better name than Blane. Farmer Ted (another great name!) is the coolest nerd around. And, hello, there's even the great brother/sister Cusack team! What's a-happening hot stuff, indeed! —Brandie
Ten floppy discs says you're right, Brandie! As for Jake Ryan, kinda makes you wonder why actor Michael Schoeffling never made it. Last I saw him, he was rocking a Mohawk and cruising around on a motorcycle in Vision Quest, and that was 22 years ago. Word is he went back to Pennsylvania and became a carpenter. Ironic, considering he seemed to possess all the tools to become an '80s version of James Dean. Oh well.
I am female and I'm shocked by this debate. I had no idea there was any doubt that Sixteen Candles is the superior movie. The argument can be won with the simple comparison of Jake Ryan to Blane McDonnagh. Aside from the much cooler name, I don't know how any self-respecting female could possibly like whiny, annoying, ''I'm too much of a wimp to take you to prom'' Blane over hot, drives to your sister's wedding and buys you a birthday cake Jake Ryan. —Krista Zaleski
I've dissed and dismissed Andrew McCarthy so many times even I'm starting to feel sorry for the guy, but you're right. There is nothing even remotely appealing about Blane, except maybe his money, and Andie Walsh didn't seem like the gold-digging type to me. Maybe his nonthreatening nature was comforting to little teenage girls (kind of like a New Kids on the Block-era Joey McIntyre), but he reminds me of every lame-o high school senior who picks up a hot 14-year-old freshman because he's too uncool to date someone his own age.
Pretty in Pink is truly the superior movie. It also show the true caste system high schools have and how cruel they are. Believe me, it was hard as hell being a punk/new wave kid (1987 graduate) in a school whose students are all in Future Farmers of America or jocks/cheerleaders. —Steven Nungaray
Well, Steven, as a punk/new wave kid who graduated from high school in 1989, I can relate. But I'm not sure the caste system is better defined in Pretty in Pink than in Sixteen Candles. I mean, that scene in Candles with all the dorks in the bathroom who've paid money to see a girl's underpants pretty much says it all as to their social standing — as does Farmer Ted's self-given nickname of King of the Dipshits. He's actually seen as cool by his air-bass-playing, floppy-disc-trading friends, but as a complete loser spaz by the rest of the school. The pecking order is pretty clear. King of the Dipshits. Perfect.
I'm quite the lady, but Sixteen Candles barfs all over PIP. I've never liked that movie, partially because ''everyone'' thinks it's sooo romantic — as if!! Thanks, Dalton, for finally setting the record straight. —Elizabeth Cowan
Elizabeth, I have to be honest — I'm only printing your letter because of the phrase ''Sixteen Candles barfs all over PIP.'' It made me laugh. I have no other comment.
Sixteen Candles all the way — but I'm a male. And given the choice between watching Sixteen Candles for the 37th time, or The Breakfast Club for the 137th time, I'll take The Breakfast Club. Thompson Twins might trump OMD, but Simple Minds trumps both. Plus, there's Ally Sheedy in shabby-sexy chic. —Dave Slifer
See, I knew some Breakfast Club fans would write in. And Weird Science fans. And Ferris Bueller fans. But here's the thing: YOU'RE ALL WRONG! Fine films, all three of them, but they simply don't match up. And all you romantics out there have to bow down and worship any film whose climactic first kiss scene begins with the following line: ''Thanks for getting my undies back.'' Yes, thank you, Jake Ryan. You are a true gentleman. And, by all accounts, a fantastic carpenter as well.
Any more thoughts on the great John Hughes debate? How are you feeling about the current TV season and how it ranks compared to the movies? Have a favorite death scene you'd like to nominate? Send your questions, comments, and quibbles to theglutton@ew.com, or just fill out the handy-dandy form below. See you next week!
