Stand by Me

You may recall some time ago, I mentioned that I hadn't seen the film Stand by Me.  Well, true believers, that has been remedied.  I had heard that this film is a modern classic and a must watch.  Normally, with movies like this, I tend to come out disappointed as the movie doesn't live up to the hype.

Indeed, early on, I got the impression that the movie was good but not great.  As the film progressed, it slowly moved into "classic" status and the movie really was that good.

Interestingly enough, the body that the boys are looking for acts more as a mcguffin, a way to get the kids to go out into the woods to let them bond and grow closer together.  You really get a sense of each kid's personality and their backstory is fleshed out to a successful degree.  Each has their own unique personality and parental issues.

What really surprised me though was the cast.  You've got Keifer Sutherland and John Cusack in supporting roles and Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell as three of the four main leads. 

Not surprisingly, one of the boys is a writer.  The movie even segues to a story that Gordy tells the others around a campfire.  When Gordy tells them about "lard-ass"'s revenge, I was expecting something out of Titus Andronicus.  As it turns out, it's more along the lines of Sam Raimi meets The Exorcist.  It may seem random and irrelevant, but it's an enjoyable story. 

Also of note is the soundtrack, which is awesome.  You really can't go wrong with oldies, and each song works.  None of the choices are arbitrary, but it's also a great tracklist at the same time.

The movie's a drama, but there's a fair share of comedy thrown in for good measure, mostly through the banter of the boys.  There's a scene where they debate a Superman vs. Mighty Mouse fight and another where they ponder as to what, exactly, Goofy is. 

As we saw the episode of Family Guy that parodied it first, comparisons were inevitable.  From the attack dog to the boys dodging an oncoming train.  Speaking of which, yes, the kid who played Vern did go on to marry Rebecca Romijn, though I'll always remember him as the dude from Sliders. 

There are many memorable scenes, the aforementioned train scene, the leeches (ick poor Gordy, I probably would've had the same reaction he did), and of course this is the only place you'll be able to see Wesley Crusher (of all people) stare down Jack Bauer, hold him at gunpoint and actually win a confrontation. 

Words really can't do this film justice.  It really is a film you have to watch yourself.  Like Shawshank Redemption it's one of those movies that you should watch, whether for the first time or for the twelfth.