This is Samantha Baker and today is her 16th birthday. The problem is, nobody remembers.

Starring: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Schoeffling, Haviland Morris, Gedde Watanabe, Paul Dooley, Carlin Glynn, Blanche Baker, Edward Andrews, Billie Bird, John Cusack, Joan Cusack

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"That's why they call them crushes. If they were easy, they'd call 'em something else." – Jim Baker

Why watch this? It's the best of John Hughes' high school films. It has some hilarious moments.

Plot Summary: On her sixteenth birthday, high school sophomore Samantha Baker suffers a series of embarrassments, including her family completely forgetting her special day due to her older sister's upcoming wedding. While navigating high school, she pines for popular senior Jake Ryan and tries to avoid the unwanted, persistent affections of a nerdy freshman named Ted, aka The Geek. Throughout a chaotic day filled with school antics and family drama, Samantha hopes her luck will change.

Dad's Preview: This 1980's teen dramedy has it all: Molly Ringwald rolling her eyes, Long Duk Dong, The Wall of Nerds, and the immortal, "Can I borrow your underpants for 10 minutes?" In his directorial debut, John Hughes would go on make such hits as The Breakfast Club (1985), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) and Home Alone (1990). This film, though extremely goofy at times, has surprising depth. At its center is the freckled, red-head, Molly Ringwald. She embodies high school feminine angst, and couldn't be cuter. I also can't ignore Anthony Michael Hall's bold contributions as the dorky guy with waaaay too much confidence - he practically steals the film. It's funny, painful, and romantic - that's pretty good for a teen movie.

Channel Productions; Universal Pictures