My Parents’ Picks: Here’s what I think of their favorites.

graphic by gabby caponecchi

I decided it was time to stop nodding my head and smiling when my parents made references to their favorite movies. If they had to sit through all three “Kung Fu Panda’s” , I could take some time to review their favorite movies growing up. 

“The Breakfast Club”

For the past month my parents have constantly been drawing parallels from the stories I’ve shared about Haney hustling to track down juniors who leave during lunch to Principal Richard Vernon from “The Breakfast Club.” So, I decided it was time to watch this classic and see the comparison for myself. 

Before watching this movie, I felt that I already knew most of the plot. I’d seen Nickelodeon’s spoof the movie in a 30-minute “Victorious” episode, I knew the lyrics to Billy Idol’s “Don’t You Forget About Me” and I was prepared for the stereotypical characters — the “athlete”, “princess”, “criminal”, “brainiac” and “basket case.” 

The five stereotypes show up to Saturday detention, forced into one room for the day. As they try to pass time by wandering around the halls and smoking weed, they slowly discover that there is a story behind each one of them that overrides their given stereotypes. From insecurities about virginity to strained relationships with parents the group of five slowly develop relationships they’d never thought were possible.

With that being said, I’m glad I’ve seen this classic — but I wasn’t shocked by this movie. 

The main question my parents wanted to know after I finished this movie was if these stereotypes were around today. And for the most part, they are. There’s always parents who pressure their kids into playing a sport every season or parents who only accept “A’s”. There’s pretty girls who go shopping with their parents’ money and students who steal from each others gym lockers. I’ve yet to meet an artist who’d shake dandruff off their head to create snow, but I’m sure those weirdos roam the hall somewhere.

“9 to 5”

One of my moms favorite movies as a kid was “9 to 5.” Since it was released in 1980, the humor wasn’t quite my “Generation Z” style, but the bizzarity of it is what makes it entertaining.

Three female secretaries work in an office for their jerk of a boss, Franklin Hart. Working from nine to five for this man — get it? — becomes unbearable. His perusal of romantic relationships, refusal of new ideas and sexist views makes these ladies job a living nightmare.

So what do they do? Get absolutely stoned. .

As they experience a “new kind of high,” they fantasize about making their bosses life a living hell. The three women decide it’s time to make their dreams a reality and torment their boss.

And of course it’s goofy — tying him up, forcing him to write emails and hanging him from the ceiling had me looking away from my instagram feed. It reminded me of the more modern day movie “The Other Woman,” where three women find out the same man is cheating on all of them, so they destroy his life by dumping laxatives in his coffee and letting his dog lick his toothbrush.

From sexist men controlling businesses to equal pay, films like “9 to 5” gave a light hearted feel to the important modern day message that women are equal to men — especially in the work field. While no woman should tie their boss up, they also shouldn’t be subjected to the inappropriate work environment shown throughout the film.

“Weekend At Bernie’s”

All I knew about “Weekend At Bernie’s” before watching it was the most popular dance of 2012 — the Bernie — so you could say I was a little skeptical of what I was about to watch.

Two salesman, Richard and Larry, are invited to go on vacation with their boss to his beach house. After they found a financial mistake their boss is worried they know he is a culprit of fraud as is involved with the mafia. Before he can get to Richard and Larry, the Mafia finds him first.

Watching two boyish-men carry around a dead body just to party in a nice house with money never left me bored. Nothing beats watching the adorable Johnathan Silverman — Richard — make out with a girl on the beach and roll over to see a dead body gazing at him on the sand.

Now for the most important part. How the “Bernie” dance came about. While technically the moves were from “Weekend at Bernie’s 2,” the idea originated from the first.

I strongly advise leaning back and wiggling your arms to look like a dead person at your next social gathering.