Flashback Fridays: Movies That Defined a Generation

Over at GotYA, the group blog I belong to, we're starting a weekly segment called, "Flashback Fridays" where we stroll through the past along with making connections to the future. This week's topic is Movies that Shaped a Generation. Over there I mentioned Harry Potter, Twilight, Mean Girls, etc. So, it's a little hard finding some for here as well, lol. In truth, it's more of a generational gap that finds me stuck in the middle of movies that defined a generation.

Here's why. All the great 80's movies that I touched on over at GotYA like Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and Ferris Bueller were of my young years since I was a child in the 80's. Don't get me wrong, my friends and I totally wore out the VHS tapes to these movies, but it wasn't like I was experiencing them in the moment of my actual "young adult" phase.

When I think of my "young adult" years/tweens, comedy instantly comes to mind. The early to mid 90's saw the spike in SNL alumns like Mike Meyers, Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, and David Spade. We flocked to see Tommy Boy, Wayne's World, and Billy Madison.

Here's some great lines from Billy Madison

Principal: Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Billy Madison: Okay, a simple "wrong" would've done just fine.

Billy Madison: I swear to God I'm sick. I can't go to school.

Juanita: If you're gonna stay home today, you can help me shave my armpits.

Billy Madison: Oh my God. I'll go to school.

Veronica Vaughn: So what's it like, being back in school?

Billy Madison: I don't know. I kinda feel like an idiot sometimes. Although I am an idiot, so it kinda works out.

And when I look back once more to high school, Jim Carrey movies like Ace Ventura and the Mask totally defined us because they brought words into our lexicon like "alrighty then","smokin'", "Looo-hooo-zuh-her!""Holy Testicle Tuesday", "Yes, Satan?", "Like a glove!"

Some of my favorite scenes from Ace Ventura:

(This scene is especially for my BFF Tiffany from HS, lol)

Ace Ventura: [with a German accent] How can I be getting zis vork done wit all de shouting? Control de shouting?

Reporter: Who's That?

Ace Ventura: Heinz Getwellvet. I am trainer of dolphins. You want to talk to de dolphin, you talk to me.

Reporter: What happened to the other trainer?

Ace Ventura: Vat happened to him? Vat happened to me? Seven years I am wit Siegfried. [he holds up only four fingers] Ve are making de dolphins disappear, und den Roy is coming wit de vite tiger und ze shtuffing in de pants und den I'm gone.

Reporter: [skeptically] Where is Snowflake?

Ace Ventura: Why do you care about Snowflake? Do you know him? Does he call you at home? [shouts]

Ace Ventura: Do you have a dorsal fin? To train ze dolphin you must zink like ze dolphin! You must be getting inside ze dolphin's head. I am saying to Snowflake, "Akay!... Akay Akay Akay?" und he is saying "AKay Akay!" und he is up on ze tail "Eeeeeeeeee!" und you can quote him! [Ace spits]

Roger Podacter: Alright, it's almost time for Coach Shula's press confrence, uh, lets let Heinz do his work?

Ace Ventura: [shooing reporters] Go to de conference, go to it.

Ace Ventura: I'm ready to go in, coach, just give me a chance. I know there's a lot of riding on it, but it's all psychological. Just gotta stay in a positive frame of mind. [Hops up] I'm gonna execute a button-hook pattern, super slo-mo. [Gestures and makes sounds of a slow-motion picture and stops] Let's see that in an instant replay. [Does a reverse playback sound and gesture]
[Melissa is pretending to be Ace's sister to check him into a mental hospital]

Doctor: Has he always had a history of mental illness?

Melissa: [truthfully] For as long as I've known him.

Then I was in college when the deluge of new teen movies surfaced like Cruel Intentions, American Pie, Not Another Teen Movie, She's All That, etc. Therefore, it's hard for me to find the exact movies of my generation, but no matter what, I'll always love feeling young at heart!!!!!