Pop Culture Curmudgeon

Movies That Stand the Test of Time

I was watching Empire Records over the weekend, and even though it is so steeped in the mid-90s alterna-culture, I think it still stands up. The funny lines are still funny, and the underdog story is fun.

Many comedies don’t work after a few years have passed, because their jokes are based on current events and ideas. There are some great movies, of course, such as anything by John Hughes or Cameron Crowe. However, there is one relatively unknown 80s movie that is funny even more than 20 years later: Secret Admirer. If you can find a copy of it to rent or buy, go for it. It is like a classic French farce, with a set of unsigned love letters that each reader thinks is written to him or her.

What movies stand the test of time for you?