John Hughes

Exclusive! Uncovered Vanity Fair Memo to Annie Leibovitz

Election Eve With Fred

Thank You Lord, For These Thy Gifts: Five Movie Thanksgivings

Thanksgiving isn't just about federally subsidized gluttony and a spike in domestic disturbance calls, it's about slipping into a tryptophan-induced coma while watching TV. This year, instead of enduring another slapstick performance by the Detroit Lions, how about checking out a few Turkey Day them ... More >>

Dueling Santas

Thanksgiving isn't just about federally subsidized gluttony and a spike in domestic disturbance calls, it's about slipping into a tryptophan-induced coma while watching TV. This year, instead of enduring another slapstick performance by the Detroit Lions, how about checking out a few Turkey Day them ... More >>

Silver Balls

Arnold goes last-minute Christmas shopping, and he buys a turkey

Dogmeat

Disney's Dalmatians ain't the puppy chow it could have been

Unchecked Egos

Disney's Dalmatians ain't the puppy chow it could have been

The Manic Professor

This antiquated vehicle becomes a showcase for digital effects

The Sound of Money

This antiquated vehicle becomes a showcase for digital effects

Teen Scheme

A weird wager doesn't make She's All That a good bet

Hallway Gangstas

When bad things happen to good kids, their Luck always holds

Single File

When bad things happen to good kids, their Luck always holds

High-School Heroes and Zeros Roam the Halls of Nanette Burstein's "documentary" American Teen

Young-Adult Fiction

Stolen Thunder

Quick fixes for thieves, and long suffering for victims: When guitarists lose their vintage axes

Harold and Kumar Go to Prison

The duo get shipped to Gitmo in this forced act two

The Breakfast Club

Real-life detention was never this fun, but then again, Molly Ringwald wasn’t there

Sixteen Candles

This ‘80s cult classic is a must-see for Generation Y

Cold War Reheated

This ‘80s cult classic is a must-see for Generation Y

The Force Runs Its Course

This ‘80s cult classic is a must-see for Generation Y

Take Me Out...

...to the ball game. Lauding baseball-in-rock's finest moments.

Teen Spleen

Talking smack wreaks high school havoc in Mean Girls

Sevendust and Ima Robot

Saturday, April 17

The Kids in America

When the working day is done, Molly & the Ringwalds just want to have fun

Best Movie Theater

River Oaks Theatre

'80s Babies

The twentysomethings in Longwave resurrect the Reagan era's cool underbelly

The Dollhouse Is Burning

Storytelling ups the ante on Solondz's bluster of sex, rage and insanity

Kane Mutiny

The industry's initial reaction to Welles's masterwork should serve as a lesson to WorldFest filmmakers

Redneck Mystery Theater

Sneeringly funny Drowning Mona sleuths around backwater America

The English Beat

Sneeringly funny Drowning Mona sleuths around backwater America

The Five Most Obnoxious John Hughes Characters

John Hughes passed away yesterday at the age of 59, and In spite of the fact he hadn't done anything of note for almost 20 years (no, Baby's Day Out does not count), he long ago secured his reputation as the director who defined 80s teen cinema. An entire generation of Americans grew up pining for M ... More >>

Don't You (Forget About Me): John Hughes' Greatest Hits

Nothing epitomized the human and suburban experience better than the films of director John Hughes in mid-80s. Hughes, 59, passed away yesterday of a heart attack while visiting family in New York City. The writer/director had been largely inactive since the late '90s, only occasionally producing t ... More >>

Crypticon Countdown: Michael Berryman On Star Trek, Motley Crue And Brandon Lee

Photo courtesy Crypticon​There's no mistaking horror-movie stalwart Michael Berryman. The actor suffers from a rare condition called hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, which is characterized by few or no sweat glands and lack of hair or fingernails. However, Berryman's distinctive appearance has ... More >>

Crypticon Countdown: Kristy Swanson, The Original Buffy, On Joss Whedon, John Hughes And Why She Doesn't Watch Horror Movies

Photo courtesy Crypticon​Kristy Swanson is best known for her roles in Higher Learning and as the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer (form the 1992 film), and this weekend she'll be in town as a guest of Crypticon Houston, which runs Friday through Sunday at the Reliant Center. Hair Balls sat down ... More >>

Game Time: 2009 -- A Celebration In....Death?

Every year around this time, it's not uncommon to stumble across a retrospective of some sort that pays tribute to those who have passed away, typically those with some modicum of celebrity status. I'm always amazed at actually how few deaths there are most years. I mean, I'm no actuary, but when ... More >>

Cry Little Sister: A Corey Haim Soundtrack Retrospective

​The last time we were visiting our parents in Friendswood, Rocks Off noticed a new DVD version of 1987's The Lost Boys at the sales counter of the local Hollywood Video (which must be one of the last remaining franchises in the Houston area, but we digress). We didn't buy it - it actually hasn't ... More >>

Where We're Going,We Don't Need iPads

The DeLorean's a Jacuzzi and the '80s are back in Hot Tub Time Machine.

Psychedelic Furs

The DeLorean's a Jacuzzi and the '80s are back in Hot Tub Time Machine.

Five Recent Movies That Needed A John Hughes Soundtrack

​Even though John Hughes had not made a decent movie since 1991's Dutch (missile twisters FTW) when he died one year ago today, the world still mourned the loss of one of the best filmmakers to ever take on the human experience. Hughes may have only dealt with dysfunctional Midwesterners, but ... More >>

Top Five Christmas Movies From Alternate Realities

Photo illustrations by John Seaborn GrayChristmas in an alternate dimension has the potential to be significantly more badass.​If, as so many quantum physicists and dubious science-fiction shows suggest, there are infinite alternate dimensions, then of course that means there are infinite poss ... More >>

Saturday Night: Wild Moccasins Tour Kickoff At Fitzgerald's

Photos by Marc Brubaker​Wild Moccasins, Young Mammals Fitzgerald's February 12, 2011 Houston has seen Wild Moccasins plenty of times before, but that doesn't stop the throngs of fans from packing out show after show to see the band's catchy brand of indie pop-rock. The story was no different ... More >>

Pop Rocks: Remake My Day III (John Hughes Edition)

They wouldn't dare...​We've done this on Pop Rocks a few times already, not that it's made any difference. All those upcoming crimes against cinema -- from The Birds to Fright Night to Escape From New York -- are all due to be released in the next few years (Fright Night this summer). And ther ... More >>

Beautiful Chaos

Psychedelic Fur Richard Butler talks Talk Talk Talk redux.

Saturday Night: Psychedelic Furs At Warehouse Live

Photos by Groovehouse​Psychedelic Furs Warehouse Live April 23, 2010 The Psychedelic Furs are very much a throwback band, but not in the way you might be thinking. Thanks largely to John Hughes, the Butler brothers' UK crew will forever be remembered as one of the premier musical avatars of t ... More >>

Top 10 Songs Famous Because Of A Movie

​Wednesday night, surf-guitar hero Dick Dale played to a packed Continental Club, in what Rocks Off's buddy Lonesome Onry and Mean and several others have since said was one of the best shows they've ever seen. The song that sent everyone home with their ears ringing and their fingers on fire ... More >>

Glasnost

​Wednesday night, surf-guitar hero Dick Dale played to a packed Continental Club, in what Rocks Off's buddy Lonesome Onry and Mean and several others have since said was one of the best shows they've ever seen. The song that sent everyone home with their ears ringing and their fingers on fire ... More >>

Not Crazy Enough

I Love You Phillip Morris directors fall short of their own high bar with the sweet but less-than- groundbreaking Crazy, Stupid, Love.

The 12 Best Songs in '80s Movies

​For many of us Generation X and Y-ers, much of our adolescence can be directly linked back to '80s cinema. Thanks to writers and directors like John Hughes, '80s teen movies were accurate depictions of suburban (non) happenings. Furthermore, the '80s were a special time in film history thanks ... More >>

Footloose 2011

There Will Always Be a Time to Dance

IKEA Houston’s Silver Screen at Discovery Green: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

There Will Always Be a Time to Dance

The 10 Best Songs of 2011 You Didn't Hear

​I have absolutely no clue what is going on out there. I know that Beyoncé had that song with the counting, Adele had a song that was maybe about doing ecstasy in a pool, and some guy with a beard got nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy even though For Emma, Forever Ago came out literally ... More >>