John Hughes

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

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Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: R
Release Date: 8-JAN-2002
Media Type: DVD

Given the presence of both Steve Martin and John Candy, one would expect this John Hughes comedy to be much, much funnier than it is. Certainly it's not for lack of effort on the part of its stars. Martin is an uptight businessman trying to get home from New York for the holidays. But one thing after another gets in his way--most of it having to do with Candy, a boorish but well-meaning boob who takes a liking to him. Together they travel all over the map; no matter how hard Martin tries to shake him, he can't. But Hughes's writing is never as sharp as it should be and this film winds up being only intermittently humorous. --Marshall Fine

Uncle Buck

John Candy stars in this John Hughes comedy as an idle good-natured bachelor who is left in charge of his nephew and nieces during a family crisis. Unaccustomed to suburban life fun-loving Uncle Buck soon charms his younger relatives Miles and Maizy with his hefty cooking and his new way of doing the laundry. But his carefree style doesnt impress everyone including Tia (Jean Kelly) his rebellious teenage niece and Chanice (Amy Madigan) his impatient girlfriend. Uncle Buck is the last person you would think of to watch the kids. But with a little luck and a lot of love he manages to surprise everyone in this heartwarming family comedy. System Requirements:Starring: John Candy Jean Kelly Gaby Hoffmann Macaulay Culkin and Amy Madigan Director: John Hughes Produced by John Hughes & Tom Jacobson; written by John Hughes; running time of 100 minutes; Closed Captioned. Copyright: 1989 Universal Pictures Cast/Crew Bios Film Highlights Interactive Menus Production Notes Widescreen 1.85:1 aspect ratio Anamorphic Widescreen Subtitles: Spanish Track Info: English: Dolby Digital Surround French: Dolby Digital Surround Spanish: Dolby Digital SurroundFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG UPC: 025192031724 Manufacturer No: 61020317

John Candy has one of his finest opportunities in this film by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club) about a perpetual screw-up (Candy) who gets his act together enough to watch over his brother's kids effectively. The late actor scores big points resurrecting elements of his more decadent persona from SCTV days, but he also has some persuasively touching, sentimental moments. Hughes's direction is not as focused as it was only a few years before, but there's no mistaking his touch. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, production notes, biographies, Dolby sound, optional Spanish and French soundtracks. --Tom Keogh

Sixteen Candles (High School Reunion Collection)

It's Samantha Baker's sweet sixteen birthday and no one in her family remembers the occasion. She's a typical teen, enduring creepy freshman, spoiled siblings, confused parents and the Big Blonde on campus who stands between her and the boy of her dreams.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 2-SEP-2003
Media Type: DVD

Molly Ringwald established herself as the teen queen of the '80s in this fresh comedy. The movie is a day in the life of Samantha, whose 16th birthday is turning out to be anything but sweet. All the traumas of teendom come down on one long day, which sees Samantha surrounded by dithery relatives, mooning over a high school hunk, and pursued by a sawed-off Lothario. Sixteen Candles marked the directing debut of John Hughes, and its goofy energy displayed a promising talent with a great ear for high school lingo ... a promise neglected since Hughes became, after Home Alone, a one-man entertainment industry. There are some pretty crass moments (Why the stereotype of the foreign-exchange student from Asia?), but Ringwald's steady appeal smoothes over the rough spots. As the pubescent, self-styled lady-killer, Anthony Michael Hall turns in a hilarious portrait of a young swinger; he and Ringwald would reteam with Hughes for The Breakfast Club, another key teen picture of the decade. --Robert Horton

Weird Science (High School Reunion Collection)

Yes, that is Bill Paxton as Ilan Mitchell-Smith's militaristic big brother. And that's Robert Downey Jr. as one of the in-crowd jerks who makes nerds Mitchell-Smith and Hall's lives miserable. Fortunately, this is a John Hughes comedy and our smart nerds create the perfect woman, Lisa (Kelly LeBrock), using a computer and voodoo. Lisa is a willing sex toy, has magical powers, and just wants to help the boys get even and meet nice babes. She even cleans up. The fantasy ebullience of Hughes is given full rein here and that's good and bad (mostly good). It's all aimed at a certain kind of hormone-addled, 16-year-old sensibility; but who doesn't have a little bit of that in them? --Keith Simanton

Curly Sue

An endearing rags-to-riches family comedy of a wandering scam artist and his streetwise, curly-headed sidekick, this guilty pleasure ranks with John Hughes's best films. Curly Sue is the story of the street-hardened yet tender Bill Dancer (Jim Belushi) and orphaned accomplice Curly Sue (Alisan Porter). Curly Sue and Bill scam Grey Ellison (Kelly Lynch), an unsuspecting power attorney, out of a hot meal and a penthouse bed. Grey warms to the adorable Sue and the diamond-in-the-rough Bill and cools to her ruthless profession as the trio begins to feel more like a family. John Getz plays Walker McCormick, Grey's stuffy, affected boyfriend who tries his best to force the vagabonds on to the next train out of Chicago. Belushi is well cast for this role, blending grit and heart nicely, but it's the charming performance of Porter that steals most scenes. Imagine a modern Annie through the witty eye of hit filmmaker Hughes and you have Curly Sue. --Sarah Chace

She's Having a Baby

A very young couple find their dreams of a perfect life in a perfect house have turned into the traditional marital nightmares, further complicated by the news of an impending addition to the family.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 13-MAY-2003
Media Type: DVD

Having delved repeatedly into the world of teenage joys and sorrows, from Sixteen Candles to Ferris Bueller's Day Off, writer-director John Hughes took a step into adulthood (or some facsimile of it) with She's Having a Baby. Peppered with whimsical asides and busy voice-over observations, the movie is shamelessly fun to watch, even if it doesn't add up to anything especially profound. Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern are newlyweds struggling through the tribulations of a youthful marriage. Along with the usual uncertainties, Bacon is sacrificing his dreams of becoming a writer to work in an ad agency, and his best supposed pal (Alec Baldwin, just before stardom) tries to seduce his wife. Hughes may have been reflecting on his own past job in advertising, and maybe that explains why the movie plays like a superficial, if entertaining, TV commercial. --Robert Horton

Too Cool for School - The John Hughes Collection (Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Bueller... Bueller... Edition / Pretty in Pink - Everything's Duckie Edition / Some Kind of Wonderful - Special Collector's Edition)

PRETTY IN PINKYoung Andie (Molly Ringwald) is one of the not-so-popular girls in high school. She usually hangs out with her friends Iona (Annie Potts) or Duckie (Jon Cryer). Duckie has always had a crush on her but now she has met a new guy from school Blane (Andrew McCarthy). He's one of the rich and popular guys but can the two worlds meet?FERRIS BUELLER S DAY OFFFerris (Matthew Broderick) is a street-wise kid who knows all the tricks. Today he decides to take the day off school. When Ferris takes the day off so must his best friends Cameron (Alan Ruck) and Sloane (Mia Sara). Cameron is reluctantly persuaded to borrow his father's Ferrari and together they hatch a plan to get Sloane out of class. Suspicious dean of students Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) knows all about Ferris but can never catch him. Ferris' sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey) is also frustrated that Ferris always gets away with his tricks and she doesn't. Furthermore Ferris is an 'angel' in his parent s eyes. It's Ferris' day off he's out to enjoy himself and he does!SOME KIND OF WONDERFULA young tomboy Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson) finds her feelings for her best friend Keith (Eric Stoltz) run deeper than just friendship when he gets a date with the most popular girl in school Amanda (Lea Thompson). Unfortunately the girl's old boyfriend Hardy (Craig Sheffer) who is from the rich section of town is unable to let go of her and plans to get back at Keith.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 097360421842 Manufacturer No: 042184

Weird Science

Yes, that is Bill Paxton as Ilan Mitchell-Smith's militaristic big brother. And that's Robert Downey Jr. as one of the in-crowd jerks who makes nerds Mitchell-Smith and Hall's lives miserable. Fortunately, this is a John Hughes comedy and our smart nerds create the perfect woman, Lisa (Kelly LeBrock), using a computer and voodoo. Lisa is a willing sex toy, has magical powers, and just wants to help the boys get even and meet nice babes. She even cleans up. The fantasy ebullience of Hughes is given full rein here and that's good and bad (mostly good). It's all aimed at a certain kind of hormone-addled, 16-year-old sensibility; but who doesn't have a little bit of that in them? --Keith Simanton

The Frankenstein legend takes an uproarious twist in this outrageous special effects-laden comedy from John Hughes, director of "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club."

Sixteen Candles

Molly Ringwald established herself as the teen queen of the '80s in this fresh comedy. The movie is a day in the life of Samantha, whose 16th birthday is turning out to be anything but sweet. All the traumas of teendom come down on one long day, which sees Samantha surrounded by dithery relatives, mooning over a high school hunk, and pursued by a sawed-off Lothario. Sixteen Candles marked the directing debut of John Hughes, and its goofy energy displayed a promising talent with a great ear for high school lingo ... a promise neglected since Hughes became, after Home Alone, a one-man entertainment industry. There are some pretty crass moments (Why the stereotype of the foreign-exchange student from Asia?), but Ringwald's steady appeal smoothes over the rough spots. As the pubescent, self-styled lady-killer, Anthony Michael Hall turns in a hilarious portrait of a young swinger; he and Ringwald would reteam with Hughes for The Breakfast Club, another key teen picture of the decade. --Robert Horton

Steve Martin Comedy Collection (Planes Trains and Automobiles / Out of Towners / Leap of Faith)