winona ryder guilt

Ok. So.

I have watched several Winona Ryder movies as of late. It's not something I am proud of, but hey, I grew up in the 90's and she was kind of everywhere. Little Women? Beetlejuice? I mean come on

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This week I’ve watched so many of her movies. It began with one of my favourites - How to Make an American Quilt. (You’re likely all “???” but seriously, watch it. It’s a sweet lady film.)

I realized that she’s in a billion movies from my youth, and that I’ve seen very few of them. This sparked me pursuing links until I fell down a deep, internet k-hole of movies that are both bad and good at the same time.

And then there was the guilt.

I mean, at the mere mention of her name, many people immediately express their dislike. “She’s a bad actress!” “Oh she drives me insane!” But she is totally one of the faces of youth of the late 80’s and early 90’s. Personally I think she’s got this quirky cute thing about her, at least back then. I feel like the 90’s were a mess of big words and apathy, and it’s fun to just embrace the fact that you were one of those poorly dressed kids spouting big words.

On my journeys through the tangled web of Winona Ryder movies, there are two that I watched that are new to me and I found nifty.

Heathers

Think of it as the first Mean Girls, except the misfit actually knocks off the queen bee. Heathers is beyond anything I’ve ever seen from the late 80’s before. The dialogue is amazing, and the outfits are intense. When I watched it was struck by how cliché everything seemed until I realized that this was the start of all the clichés. So great. And also, so tame in some ways. Very apple pie, which is kind of refreshing. On the other hand, it's crazy how macabre the subject matter is. It's a neat look at a age group and a generation. Oh black humour.

Reality Bites

This movie is labelled as a coming of age flick for people in the 90’s. A group of kids graduates university and – oh shock and awe! – they find their dreams dashed in their struggle to live up to the dreams they had for their future. It’s funny to watch something like this during a current economic slump, because it’s reality for all of us trying to start out in life in 2012 (the fuuuutuuurrre). Even though the settings and clothes in the movie are completely dated, the subject matter is so truly relevant. I have been thatlady in pj’s all day sitting on the couch, frustrated with unemployment but not sure what to do.  Although I didn’t call a psychic network (let’s just throw that out there to save face) I did spend ridiculous amounts of time in the bathtub, and watch a lot of t.v. Also, this movie gave me new found appreciation for Steve Zahn and Janeane Garofalo (best. clip. ever.). 

But not Ethan Hawke. No.

Also, gas station dance parties? Heck ya! (this freeze frame is amaaaazing)

Ok. 3 movies to watch. So go do that.

<3 S