The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)

Seemingly to get stunner Billie Jean's attention, Hubie steals then trashes her little brother Binx's scooter. Reasonably, Billie Jean demands that Hubie pay the $608 it will take to get the bike fixed but instead gets nearly raped by his father who, in turn, gets accidentally shot by Binx, which forces the siblings to go on the lam, becoming folk heroes to all of the wronged youths along the way.

The acting is terrible and the story takes the path of most ridiculousness at almost every turn, yet I know for a fact that I would've been way into this if I'd seen it as a teen when it came out. I doubt I would've chopped my hair off, but I definitely would've bought a "Fair is Fair" bumper sticker.

C

Steel Magnolias (1989)

The opening moments contain so much manufactured chaos and attitude that it serves as a terrible introduction to most of the characters. But get through that and the first scene in Truvy's Salon -- which feels lifted straight from the stage play: YOU get a character moment and YOU get a monologue and WE find out what Shelby's deal is -- and you'll probably enjoy this tearjerking treat that showcases female friendships.

B-

Dead of Winter (2025)

Widow Barb decides to go ice fishing on the lake she and her husband visited on their first date. When she stops for directions at a remote cabin, she gets suspicious about some blood spatter. Later, her suspicions are confirmed and she makes it her business to rescue the young woman being held in the cabin. She's not a superhero and makes tons of mistakes, but she's tenacious enough to cause the captors real trouble.

The best parts of this movie are the flashbacks to Barb's marriage. Everything else is serviceable but forgettable.

C

The Remains of the Day (1993)

I was in my 20s when I first saw this and I liked it a lot then, but it hits even harder now that I've got some mileage on me.

Stevens, as butler to a large estate, is all about his work; he is there to serve, not to agree or disagree. When Miss Kenton joins the staff as housekeeper, he recognizes her as extremely capable ("I'd be lost without her") while also being able to speak her mind in a way that he refuses to, even in private conversation. And they fall deeply in love, though the emotions are so bottled up that you'd not notice them from the outside -- in fact, they don't even notice that their love is reciprocated by the other until decades after they've parted.

In addition to the tragically muted love story, we've got a political B story about the lead-up to the second World War and the rise of Hitler. It's a scary time for the world with people making honest yet terrible errors leading to huge consequences. Basically, it's life: the personal moments shake a few people as violently as the worldwide events shake millions.

A

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Joe Buck travels from his small town in Texas all the way up to New York City with dreams of making easy money as a gigolo. Problem is, he has no idea how to make that happen and his unguarded nature makes him an easy mark for absolutely everyone. At his lowest, one of the guys who did him dirty takes pity on him and allows Joe to crash at his place and they become a sad little team together.

The story is good. Less good are the disorienting flashbacks and artsy flourishes -- the whole "more is MORE" vibe it's got going on. If this could've stuck to the small, intimate story of two men managing to form a real bond for the first time in their lives and nearly pulling themselves out of the mire, it could've been magnificent. Instead, it just feels gross.

As for the acting: Jon Voight was a heartbreaker here, especially in the final scene, while Hoffman's work came off as hilariously ridiculous.

C-