Year of the Day: 1988

Another day, another year. Luckily the NY Times hasn't had any repeat temperatures this week. While 1988 wasn't as hard for me to pick my favorites, it certainly provides some classic throw backs.

Bull Durham
Kevin Costner does love baseball. Between Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, and For Love of the Game, this guy just can't turn down a baseball script. I'll be honest, it's been too long since I've seen this movie to make insightful comments. Instead, I will allow the following clips prove that this was one of the best films of '88.

Gotta love a man with conviction--Susan Sarandon certainly does!


Love that the batter is too shocked to run.


I need to rework "Fun, God dammit" back into my repertoire.


Lines to quote:
-"He did know. I told him."
-"From what I hear, you couldn't hit water if you fell out of a fucking boat."
-"'Course it's boring, that's the point. Write it down."
-"After 12 years in the minor leagues, I don't try out. Besides, uh, I don't believe in quantum physics when it comes to matters of the heart." "Hey, Annie, what's all this molecule stuff?"

Working Girl
My freshman year of college, I learned that quite a few of my girl friends hadn't seen or heard of this movie. This shocked me, particularly since we were attending a formerly all women's college. Working Girl is the ballad for any woman who wants to carve her way in the work force. Melanie Griffith, who pushes past her thick accent and insecurity, is one of the best role models a girl could ask for. Okay, so she does sort of lie and take over Sigourney Weaver's identity, but Weaver's bony ass deserved it.

I didn't end up having a mass Working Girl viewing because at that point the library and Blockbuster didn't have it in DVD and, of course, no one had VHS players any more so we were stuck.

Sure, Tess's "instincts" are scripted by Hollywood, but she gives us the courage to want something more from our 9-5. She also makes sneakers and a suit look cool.



Lines to quote:
-"Now get your bony ass out of my sight!"
-"Can I get ya anything? Coffee? Tea? Me?"
-"Why that little... slut! Bitch! Secretary!"
-"You want another answer, ask another girl."


Die Hard
My life would not be the same without Die Hard. John McClain helped change the face of action heros. (And the hair line for that matter.) We found could root for a real asshole. We also found that we could root for him 3 more times in the sequels. Nothing beats the original, however. I love how LA needs a bad ass New York City cop to lay down the law.

Alan Rickman is priceless as the modern day Nazi. John McClain almost could have borrowed Indiana Jones' line: "Nazis. I hate these guys."
[Note: Couldn't embed this clip for some reason. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KShj0gPAH0g]

Love John's sarcasm.


Lines to Quote:
-"This IS Christmas music."
-"Now I have a machine gun. Ho-ho-ho."
-"Yipee-kai-yay, motherfucker."
-"No fucking shit, lady. Do I sound like I'm ordering a pizza?"
-"Alas, your Mr. Takagi did not see it that way... so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life."
-"Only John can drive somebody that crazy."

Rain Main
Like in the case of Bull Durham, it has been years since I've seen this movie. So, I'm not going to be able to say much. My family often quotes the "I'm an excellent driver" line whenever driving is remotely mentioned. I'll have to let the clip speak for me, once again.

One last thought: can we talk about how much we miss retro Tom Cruise? Tom Cruise was so amazing until he went all scientologist on us. Sigh, what a travesty.



Lines to quote:
-"C-H-A-R-L-I-E. C-H-A-R-L-I-E. Main man."
-"Ten minutes to Wapner. We're definitely locked in this box with no TV."
-"Boxer shorts. K-Mart!"
-"You were in the window. You waved to me, 'Bye bye Rain Man', 'Bye bye.'"


Big
Just like retro Tom Cruise, retro Tom Hanks is pretty fantastic. This movie has since been recreated twice with 13 Going on 30 and Seventeen Again. So, the second one was the reverse idea, but the two movies were cashing in on the whole Big idea. Sure, we never want to grow up, so how about being a kid in an adult body. All our inner children rejoice when watching this movie.

Terrible quality clips online, so we have to settle for the trailer:


Lines to quote:
-"You're my best friend. What's more important than that? And I'm three months older than you are, ASSHOLE!"
-"Do you mean sleepover? Okay, but I get to be on top!"
-"What's so special about Baskin?" "He's a grown up."
-"Uh, what's a marketing report?"