Let’s face it: Most of what is streaming on Netflix is pure crap. But every once in awhile, you find a tiny oasis of awesome in the sea of cinematic poo. An island in the stream, if you will. So sail away with me, friend. To another world … where you can waste two hours in front of your T.V. and not hate yourself after.
Via Retro Awesomeness
I was so in the mood for something 80s-like last night. Looked for Sixteen Candles; no dice. Pretty in Pink; nope. Moonstruck; niente. And then I saw it: St. Elmo’s Fire, the quintessential Brat Pack movie.
You remember the Brat Pack, right? It was the cute little name given to a group of ill-behaved young actors in the 80s who frequently appeared in films together. Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Andrew McCarthy and Emilio Estevez: these were Brat Packers. And they made awesome movies (in this context, awesome = cheesy, fun).
St. Elmos’s Fire is about a group of college friends trying to find their way in the harsh, materialistic world that was the mid 80s. It’s a decent enough movie, but the best part about it is the total novelty of seeing famous people you know when they were taut, young thangs at their peak. The movie came back into pop culture again recently thanks to Demi Moore’s troubles after she split with Ashton Kutcher. One scene in particular, in which Rob Lowe’s character (shouts to Parks and Recreation’s Chris Traeger!) talks Demi’s character down after a breakdown, was shown relentlessly on tabloid TV programs.
If you’re looking for a good way to kill a hangover-laden Sunday afternoon, and you don’t want anything that requires, like, thinking, St. Elmo’s Fire is a good choice (it’s worth it alone just to marvel at how pretty Rob Lowe was then, and how he’s changed very little in the last 25 years).
The Deets: St. Elmo’s Fire, starring (alphabetically, because you know these fools were all jostling for top billing) Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy and Mare Winningham. Drama. R. 110 minutes.
