Imperfect and Immortal

'Sixteen Candles' is one of my favorite films of all time. There is something about the character of Samantha that, for me, seems to encompasses so much of what to means to be a teenager; from the insecurity to the crushes to the jealousy. I am not saying it is a perfect film-in retrospect the entire Long Duck Dong plot is pretty damn offensive--but it is one of the best balanced teen films of all time.

I guess what I love about this film, and all of John Hughes films, is that he really seemed to understand how to write teenagers more than any group. He not only understood how they talk but how they socialize, how they want to be themselves but also what a struggle it was to get there. Most of all, he believed in their internal life.

How it was important it was to be accepted, to be kissed, to get drunk, to prove yourself to your peers, to try and be your own person, to survive a day at school, survive living with your own family but most importantly to be seen for more than just a child, more than just a stereotype, more than just a kid living in an adult world. It is something that almost anyone can relate to and what keeps his films with us, bought and viewed, quoted and loved.

Thank you