It’s our five-year anniversary this week! And to continue with the theme, we are sharing movies that share this year with us as a landmark! We’ve already done 8 Movies That Turn 50 in 2015. The following films came out in 1990 so this year they will celebrate their 25th Anniversary.

1990 Highlights

Big things were going down in the world when these movies came out in theaters. In February alone, the Communist Party relinquished sole power in the Soviet Government leading to the dissolution of the USSR and Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 1/2 years of incarceration in South Africa. The Western Alliance ends the Cold War and East and West Germany are reunited. Not all is happy, however, as the Persian Gulf War begins in August when Iraqi troops invade Kuwait and Margaret Thatcher resigns as the British Prime Minister in November. As far as history being made in the entertainment arena, the X-Rating is replaced by NC-17, The Simpsons debuts on FOX to instant acclaim, and Seinfeld debuts on NBC. This is the same year that Milli Vanilli owns up to lip-synching and has their Grammy revoked and the Hubble Space Telescope is launched.

The Grifters

Release Date: January 4, 1990
Starring: Anjelica Huston, John Cusack, Annette Bening
Directed By: Stephen Frears
Tagline: Seduction. Betrayal. Murder. Who’s conning who?

Based on Jim Thompson’s pulp novel of the same name, John Cusack loved the book so much that he wanted to option it in high school. When he was cast he accepted much less than was his going rate at the time. Produced by Martin Scorsese, he called in Stephen Frears who had just finished directing Dangerous Liaisons. It was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The last scenes were so intense for Anjelica Huston that it took hours to emotionally recover after filming it and she spent the night throwing up.

Tremors

Release Date: January 19, 1990
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, Reba McEntire
Directed By: Ron Underwood
Tagline: They say there’s nothing new under the sun. But under the ground…

This was the first film in which Reba McEntire acted. Filming for Michael Gross began the day after the final episode of Family Ties. Tremors was not a box office smash in theaters but became a cult hit once it went to VHS, making back three times its budget. There have been three direct-to-video sequels and one attempt at a television series that lasted from March to August of 2003. Tremors 5: Bloodline with Jamie Kennedy is set to be released in October of this year. Michael Gross is the only actor to have appeared in all five movies and star in the short-lived TV series.

The Hunt For Red October

Release Date: March 2, 1990
Starring: Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, James Earl Jones, Sam Neill
Directed By: John McTiernan
Tagline: Invisible. Silent. Stolen

Based on Tom Clancy’s 1984 debut novel, it is the first to feature the character of Jack Ryan, ex-Marine turned CIA analyst. It won the Academy Award for sound editing. It is rumored that they spent $20,000 on a hairpiece for Sean Connery. John McTiernan has a penchant for missing directorial opportunities for sequels; because of filming conflicts with The Hunt for Red October, he was unable to direct Die Hard 2. And he also was not able to direct the sequel to The Hunt for Red October because he was directing The Medicine Man (also with Sean Connery). There is also a bit of an easter egg in The Hunt For Red October. At the end Jack Ryan brings a teddy bear home—it is the same teddy bear John McClane arrives with in Die Hard.

Pretty Woman

Release Date: March 23, 1990
Starring: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Jason Alexander
Directed By: Garry Marshall
Tagline: Who knew it was so much fun to be a hooker?

Set in Los Angeles, this would be Ralph Bellamy’s final performance. It was also one of the highest grossing films in 1990, the highest ever for a romantic comedy. Julia Roberts won a Golden Globe for Best Actress and received an Academy Award nomination in the same category. It is still one of the most financially successful romantic comedies of all time. Along with When Harry Met Sally, it served to reincarnate the genre on the whole seeing as Hollywood hadn’t churned out any that would fit that specific bill since the Doris Day/Rock Hudson days. The soundtrack was released on Valentine’s Day in 1990 and went platinum three times.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Release Date: March 30, 1990
Starring: Judith Hoag, Elias Koteas, Josh Pais
Directed By: Steve Barron
Tagline: Lean, green, and on the screen!

Featuring Corey Feldman as the voice of Donatello and a very young Sam Rockwell as “Head Thug,” this was the first film adaptation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. It serves as an origin story, mainly, with the introduction of April O’Neill and Casey Jones to the teen reptiles. It is still the second highest grossing independent film of all time and was the ninth highest grossing film of the year. The turtles were created in Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in London and at the time he said they were the most advanced thing he had ever worked with. Many major production companies including Disney and Warner Bros. turned down the film but it finally found distribution through the then-small New Line Cinema. The sequel released also achieved success however the third installment released in 1993 was a flop. Another attempt to bring another sequel in, this time with CGI turtles, was released in 2007. In 2014 they rebooted the franchise starring Will Arnett and Megan Fox.

Total Recall

Release Date: June 1st, 1990
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside
Directed By: Paul Verhoeven
Tagline: They stole his mind, now he wants it back.

Arnold Schwarzenegger had a huge role in having this film finally developed. It had been in the writing stages for 16 years before he picked it up. One of the most expensive films ever made for that time period, it is loosely based on the story “We Can Remember It For You Whole Sale” by Philip K. Dick. The original score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith and won the BMI Film Music Award. Piers Anthony did a novelization of the film that corresponded pretty well with it. 2002’s Minority Report originated as a sequel to Total Recall, however it was put on the back burner and once it finally did get picked up it got re-written so many times and it was produced as a completely independent film. It was remade in 2012 with Colin Ferrell and Kate Beckinsale.

Ghost

Release Date: July 13th, 1990
Starring: Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg
Directed By: Jerry Zucker
Tagline: Before Sam was murdered, he told Molly he’d love and protect her forever.

Whoopi Goldberg won both an Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her role as a begrudgingly helpful psychic in Ghost. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards and besides Best Supporting Actress, Bruce Joel Rubin took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. It was a huge financial success and was the highest grossing film of 1990. Sandwiched between Road House and Point Break, this was quite a serious turn for Patrick Swayze’s acting skills and he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance.

Problem Child

Release Date: July 27, 1990
Starring: Michael Oliver, John Ritter, Jack Warden
Directed By: Dennis Dugan
Tagline: Attila the Hun. Ivan the Terrible. Al Capone. They were all seven once.

This was not the movie that Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski wanted to write. They had initially intended for it to go along the lines of the many grown up films starring kids such as Mr. Mom and Kindergarten Cop. It had been inspired by a real life news article of a couple who sued an orphanage for not disclosing the issues that they had been having with their adopted son who had already been returned to the orphanage for his behavior problems multiple times. Alexander and Karaszewski imagined something dark and satirical. Universal Pictures, however, demanded that it be rewritten as a children’s movie. Anticipating a huge flop, they were surprised to find that it was met with a successful release. It inspired one theatrical sequel and one TV movie sequel as well as a cartoon. Just a side note, the day this movie released, Zsa Zsa Gabor began her three day jail sentence for slapping a cop.

The Witches

Release Date: August 24, 1990
Starring: Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Jasen Fisher, Rowan Atkinson
Directed By: Nicolas Roeg
Tagline: Saving the world from witches is a tall order for a boy they’ve turned into a mouse!

Based on the book by Roald Dahl, Jim Henson Productions took this movie on. This would be the last movie distinct with Henson’s personal touch before he died and the last movie based on one of Dahl’s books made while the author was still alive. Though it didn’t do well in the box office, it has since been very well-regarded. It has a very rare Rotten Tomatoes score of 100%. Generally it is seen as a vehicle by which we can enjoy a unique and incredible performance by Anjelica Huston. Cher was originally thought of for the casting of the Grand High Witch but she was busy filming Mermaids.

Goodfellas

Release Date: September 21, 1990
Starring: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci
Directed By: Martin Scorsese
Tagline: Shooting people was ‘no big deal’.

Joe Pesci won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in this film but it was nominated for five more including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Film Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It also won the BAFTA awards for Best Screenplay, Best Direction, and Best Film. Based on Nicholas Pileggi’s Book “Wise Guys” about the real life of mobster Henry Hill, Martin Scorsese cold called Pileggi to ask if he could adapt it into a film, he was that impressed. It is also preserved in the film registry of the Library of Congress based on its cultural significance.

Home Alone

Release Date: November 16, 1990
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O’Hara
Directed By: Chris Columbus
Tagline: A family comedy. Without the family.

Written and produced by John Hughes, this was the second movie to be released starring Joe Pesci in 1990. With an original score by John Williams, its music was nominated for two Oscars. The idyllic, and very large, McCallister Home (seriously, what DID those parents do for a living?) is in Winnetka, Illinois. The film was so financially successful in the box office that by the time its theater run was over it was the third highest grossing film of all time, and the highest grossing comedy ever. Two years later it would release a well received sequel with all of the original cast returning. There was a third sequel that had all different actors but it wasn’t nearly as successful as either of the others. The fourth movie was only made for TV and was the only one John Hughes did not write the screenplay for.

Dances With Wolves

Release Date: November 21, 1990
Starring: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene
Directed By: Kevin Costner
Tagline: Lt. John Dunbar is about to discover the frontier…within himself.

Almost sweeping the Oscars with seven wins, Dances With Wolves won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score as well as Golden Globes for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Score, by John Barry. This was the first movie that Kevin Costner would produce and direct as well as star in and it was selected to be preserved in the Library of Congress’ Film Registry for its cultural significance. The dialogue spoken in the film is largely Lakota with English subtitles. Its positive characterization of Native Americans resulted in Costner being adopted into the Sioux Nation as an honorary member, though it is not without its historical inaccuracies as is to be expected.

Misery

Release Date: November 30, 1990
Starring: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Lauren Bacall
Directed By: Rob Reiner
Tagline: This Christmas there will be…Misery.

Stephen King’s novel comes to life through Kathy Bates’ psychopath, Annie Wilkes, for which she won the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Actress. She was the first woman to receive a Best Acting Academy Award for a horror or thriller. It’s the only Stephen King film to win an Academy Award. William Goldman adapted it to the stage as well and it premiered in 2012 at Bucks County Playhouse.

Edward Scissorhands

Release Date: December 14, 1990
Starring: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall
Directed By: Tim Burton
Tagline: His story will touch you, even though he can’t.

Tim Burton hand-picked Caroline Thompson to write the screenplay for this film after he read one of her short stories. The concept of Edward Scissorhands’ character came about from a sketch Tim Burton had done in high school. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Makeup and a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical. The role of the inventor was written with Vincent Price in mind. His unfinished product, Edward, played by Johnny Depp, is left with scissors for hands when the inventor dies unexpectedly. It was the fourth time Burton would work with Danny Elfman for the original score. Close friends for a long time, their professional collaboration has spanned 30 years.

Mermaids

Release Date: December 14, 1990
Starring: Cher, Bob Hoskins, Winona Ryder, Christina Ricci
Directed By: Richard Benjamin
Tagline: This is our mother. Pray for us.

Released on the same day as Edward Scissorhands, in which she also starred, Winona Ryder was nominated for a Supporting Actress Golden Globe after her performance in Mermaids. Though she was a blonde in Edward Scissorhands, Mermaids had her in her natural brunette. Cher plays her non-traditional mom going it alone in the early 1960’s. Christina Ricci makes her feature film debut as Ryder’s young sister. It’s based on a novel of the same name by Patty Dann that had been published four years earlier in 1986.

Hamlet

Release Date: December 19, 1990
Starring: Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Helena Bonham Carter
Directed By: Franco Zeffirelli
Tagline: The extraordinary telling of a classic tale.

It is the first film produced by Mel Gibson’s Icon Productions which Gibson founded because no other production company had wanted to take on a Shakespearean film. Hamlet received Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. This was Glenn Close’s only attempt at a Shakespearean role either on stage or on-screen. Meanwhile, Gibson had already played Juliet in an all male production of Romeo and Juliet in Australia.

Awakenings

Release Date: December 22, 1990
Starring: Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Julie Kavner
Directed By: Penny Marshall
Tagline: There’s no such thing as a simple miracle.

Based on Oliver Sacks’ 1973 memoir around his work with encephalitis patients and the successful usage of L-Dopa medication. It was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor (Robert De Niro) and Robin Williams was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. Vin Diesel debuts his acting skills as an uncredited orderly. Opening to a limited release in December qualified it for that years Academy Awards. Its wider release didn’t occur until January of 1991, however.

According to Hollywood you can get around anywhere in LA in 15 minutes, no one ever pays street meters, everyone orgasms every time they have sex, knocking someone unconscious is easy as pie, and Santa Claus is most definitely real. We’re not saying anyone is turning to Hollywood to learn the truths of the universe, but boy does it feel like filmmakers aren’t living in the same world we do. Nowhere is this more evident than in the completely implausible distortions poured down our throats and injected into our hearts in the form of romance films.

I mean honestly, have these people ever even gone on a date? Here’s our tally of Hollywood-romance injustices, just in time for everyone’s favorite red-bathed holiday: Friday the 13th. Wait, what did you think we meant?

Stalking is Romantic

Proven By: Sleepless in Seattle, While You Were Sleeping, Hitch, Twilight, You’ve Got Mail

Oh, the intrigue of strangers. The hottie on the street. The co-worker who doesn’t know we exist. The widow on the radio who lives clear across the country. Love at first sight/sound not only happens all the time according to Hollywood, but also leads to lasting relationships. And hiring someone to spy on/get the scoop on that hot honey you’ve been eyeballing is apparently a legit form of courtship. What no one seems to talk about though is just how creepy it is to form that sort of attachment in the first place. That these protagonists are clearly unbalanced. And even though the romantic interest might be weirded out at first that the lead lied, spied, or scammed them, in the end they find it hopelessly romantic. I’m sorry, but in the Book of Reality, that behavior calls for restraining orders. [Ananda]

The Cutest Protagonists are Hopelessly Flawed

Proven By: Pretty Woman, Bridget Jones, Twilight

The damsel in distress. Since the dawn of time she’s been every man’s weakness. How efficiently she throws into contrast his own robust manliness and put-togetherness. Do you fall down a lot? Spill papers at the office regularly? Maybe have no idea what forks to use at fancy dinners or generally just say the wrong thing all the time? Then you, my friend, are adorable and highly loveable—and maybe have a neurological issue that you should have looked at, or high levels of social anxiety disorder. Not only is this protagonist offensive to able-bodied women who rightly believe that one hires trainers/coaches/therapists and dates dudes who aren’t trying to take on those roles, but it also implies that women who embrace these sorts of meek attributes will be rewarded with love. Being loved for one’s shortcomings isn’t romantic, it’s backwards. And honestly, dating a woman that klutzy or awkward is bound to hurt in the end. [Ananda]

Finding Love in the Workplace is a Cinch and Totally a Good Idea

Proven By: Bridget Jones, The Proposal, Miss Congeniality, What Women Want, The Wedding Planner

Hollywood would have us believe that in the big wide world of dating, in addition to bumping into eligible single folk on the street, the next best option is one’s workplace. Whether it’s your saucy and sexual-harassment-lawsuit-waiting-to-happen boss or the co-worker you never noticed before, love is sure to blossom under the fluorescent lights of your office. Clients? Fair game. They walked into your office didn’t they? And no one would assume if you sleep with your partner on that big project that it could in any way backfire or be misconstrued. Hollywood people might be used to running into their exes on every other film set—I mean, they have A LOT of exes, right?— but the average person in reality would define that as a personal hell. Heck, there’s even a well-known idiom to make this rule of thumb that much easier to remember and avoid: Don’t sh*t where you eat. [Ananda]

Meet the Love of Your Life at 15… Because What Could Go Wrong?

Proven By: The Notebook, Titanic, Romeo and Juliet

When the average lifespan was 35, I suppose 15 seemed like a decent age for settling down and starting your ‘forever family’ since it was, for all intents and purposes, middle age. Nowadays, however, we’re all living to ripe old infirmity so getting married later in life has become much more of a common occurrence. Which is a great thing, judging by how well these young lovers fared: vengeful parents, murderous cousins, sinking ships. Who can really say that they’ve found the love of their life after one make-out session in the back of someone else’s car?? We can blame some of them on William Shakespeare, but the others we only have ourselves to thank. I mean, if chasing you up a ferris wheel and threatening to take his own life to force you into going on a date with him isn’t a sign of prime partner material, I don’t know what is. Let’s just say, it never hurts in life to PACE YOURSELVES. And if a complete stranger starts spouting sonnets at you, RUN. [Scarlet]

Love Conquers All (Even Affairs With Your Girlfriend’s Mom…)

Proven By: The Graduate, You’ve Got Mail

You’ve Got Mail is one of my favorite movies of all time. Nora Ephron knew what she was doing to us. And The Graduate is a cinema classic studied in film classes throughout the country. I get the sentiment. I really do. But someone has to give these people a reality check. Or at least lifetime couples’ therapy. There’s no getting past those major faux pas in the developmental stages of a relationship without needing to do a complete psychological overhaul, major emotional detox, and perhaps some good old-fashioned brainwashing. I mean, it’s bad enough having your mom set you up with someone—let alone her secret lover. And moving in with a superstore and destroying the only living link she had to her dead mother’s memory? It’s fine. Really. Nope. No sir. There’s no coming back from that in the real world. [Scarlet]

Violence is Sexy

Proven By: Gone With the Wind, 50 Shades of Grey

I don’t know what it is. Does the person having domination over us making us meek and powerless somehow illicit an attraction that is in our inherent make up? Maybe it stems from being a caveman and needing someone to grab us by the hair and drag us away in order to propagate the species. Whatever it is, you would think we might have evolved somewhat in a few million years. Unfortunately we still see cases in movies, especially those lauded by Hollywood as ‘the next big thing’, where it seems that there has been no evolution of any kind since those days of neolithic neanderthalisms. So many times the woman “needs” to have some sense slapped into her, to be grabbed violently in a “loving” embrace, to steal a passionate kiss from her so she might finally be made aware of her feelings for you. And yet doesn’t it all lead inevitably to a Lifetime movie-ending; where a woman and child escape to a sanctuary in fear? Not really inciting those warm cuddly feelings of romance. [Scarlet]

Love is Often an Epiphany

Proven By: Clueless, When Harry Met Sally, Jerry Maguire

Because the good people of Hollywood’s dream-world are often really busy being awesome, or being klutzy, or dating their co-workers, it’s not always obvious to them when the love bug has bit. It’s hard when wrapped up in your perfect life, or utter despair, or exciting career, to know when the light switch flipped. Lucky for them Hollywood devised the Love Lightning Bolt. A handy dandy device that strikes a character at the exact moment they are meant to know love has arrived. Usually it’s a complete surprise. And often it calls for spontaneous action. Is she on her way to the airport? Run after the chick! Is she in an important meeting? Bust that sh*t up! (See below for thoughts on declarations of love in inappropriate places.) Ok, what makes this most improbable is what usually ends up coming out of their mouths after this epiphany. “You complete me”?? No. Have some self-respect. Co-dependence is never sexy. [Ananda]

Love CAN Be Bought

Proven By: Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman, Ten Things I Hate About You

We all know the scene, she carried a watermelon, and he’s just here to keep the, uh, guests happy. There are so many people out there disparaging the moral value of money. Dough. Moolah. Don’t they realize that if it weren’t for money, NONE of these iconic couples would have ever wound up together? Which, I’m sure, can only be a bulwark for lasting success in any romantic endeavor one might undertake. How on earth else would we have had Pretty Woman, a classic Cinderella story (albeit Cinderella as a prostitute)? Where would Bianca be if Patrick Verona hadn’t been bribed into asking out Kat? I’m not even kidding right now. Show me the money. According to Hollywood, money CAN buy love, ladies and gentlemen. We’ve been getting it all wrong. [Scarlet]

Yep, That Kept Person is Definitely Into You

Proven By: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Apartment, Moulin Rouge

Apparently this was a popular theme in the ’60s. But with movies we hold up as near and dear to our hearts. There was a certain endearing romanticism surrounding those poor young artists taken in so wide eyed and innocent by their unassuming benefactors and then drawn into an…arrangement. Could, perchance, you have met them precisely at a time when they where looking for real love? I’m not saying it can’t work but…there are a few obstacles one might run into in this situation if it were to occur in everyday life. And it’s not the fact that said relationship involved the exchange of money and/or goods. It’s not even the fact that love doesn’t seem to be an essential element of a romantic partnership for them. But their previous partner was paying for their living arrangement, bills, clothing, jewelry…and they didn’t even have to see them every day. How do you compete with that? Wait…do I detect a look of disapproval in your eye? [Scarlet]

The Perfect Match Is Actually Your Best Friend/Co-Worker/Neighbor/Recently Met Stranger, Who Knew?

Proven By: Something Borrowed, Thirteen Going on Thirty, French Kiss, Brown Sugar, Made of Honor, Just Friends

Every girl, and probably plenty of guys, spends time mapping out “the one.” They make a list, or cut out pictures in magazines. He may have far-fetched characteristics, like a keen intuition on when to grab chocolate and wine on his way home from work, or a deep-felt love for Taylor Swift, but he’s pretty fleshed out. So how is it in romantic films that protagonists walk around as though with blinders on? While most women would find it incredibly convenient if their male best friend also happened to be very attractive, very thoughtful, and very into them, the ladies, and often men, of the rom-com world are always completely oblivious. Like, are they impervious to puppy dog eyes and longing stares? Even the people who meet strangers and spend some time getting to know them seem to not understand that THIS IS HOW LOVE WORKS. How can anyone spend that much time with a person and never take a second to consider their characteristics and the uncanny way they align perfectly with everything they’ve been looking for in life?? [Ananda]

Weird is Adorable (aka the Manic Pixie Dream Girl)

Proven By: Elizabethtown, Garden State, Almost Famous, Bringing Up Baby, Forces of Nature, Serendipity

The MPDG is nothing new these days, and hopefully is on her way out, but considering Katherine Hepburn played her in the black and white days and “quirky” continues to be a word we adore using, well then weird will always mistranslate as desirable in some cases. The MPGDG is marked by her irrationality and, often unattainability, a weird girl (and sometimes weird dude, possibly referred to as an Affable Dork). You might know this person if they are the one who confuses the hell out of you in conversations while simultaneously intimidating you into not revealing your confusion. They trick you into thinking that the state of bewilderment they lead you into is a place of depth and romance. That you are somehow enhanced by their strangeness. It’s a lie, a clever ruse of nature meant to detract you from their shallowness and persuade you to mate with them… or it’s just Hollywood’s weird idea of what a normal person is like. We can’t blame them too much, there are not likely to be any normal people in Hollywood for them to draw from. [Ananda]

Declarations in Inappropriate Places Are Romantic Not Awkward

Proven By: Love Actually, Moonstruck, Notting Hill, That Awkward Moment, Sweet Home Alabama, 10 Things I Hate About You, Dirty Dancing

So you’ve just had aforementioned epiphany and realize you’re in love. There’s no time like the present! Put on those tennies and go get that girl/boy! Happen to be in the middle of your own wedding to someone else? No big deal, just go. Already in a relationship? Meh, you can deal with loose ends later. Walking in on a very public/very important meeting, public gathering, family event? It doesn’t matter, this is pressing. Other than the EXACT second you realize you’re in love, any other minute won’t do. Life is fleeting. Yeesh. Boy is Hollywood really proving they do all buy into the adage “live fast, die young” with this one. But of course what’s more appalling in romance films is that this ALWAYS works. Instead of fierce anger or mortification, the love interest seems to find this quite endearing. Or they say no for now, but they’ll come around. I’m sorry, but lose me a chance at career success or publicly humiliate me and I will NOT be falling in love with you. And for the record, kissing in the rain is super uncomfortable and why would you want me to catch a cold? It’s just rude. [Ananda]

One Night Stands Totally Turn Into Lifelong Love

Proven By: Working Girl, That Awkward Moment, Moonstruck, Two Night Stand, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Knocked Up

Forget the unlikely amount of hotties who hang out in the average movie bar, or even more unlikely the number of eligible single people at movie weddings, the sheer amount of protagonists who make drunken mistakes that turn into true love is staggering. Like, according to Hollywood this should be the only way girls attempt to find lasting happiness. No one ever gets STDs, they only rarely get pregnant, and they are often incited by the heat of the moment, which is a totally sustainable energy. Mostly I’d like to know what kind of beer they’re all drinking, because their beer goggles are giving them some sort of superpower for honing in on soul mates. Granted in some of these movies the characters acknowledge the total awkwardness of jumping into bed with someone quickly and then not quite knowing where to go from there, but the percentage of the likelihood of matching compatibility, using a limited knowledge of a person, expounded by varying levels of horniness is the sort of math I can’t pretend to do. It’s not the kind of odds you play in Vegas folks, that much I do know. [Ananda]

He Looks Like a Jerk Now, But Just Wait ‘Til He’s Changed…You

Proven By: She’s All That, Strictly Ballroom, My Fair Lady

Their motives might be different: some might want to win a bet, others a dance competition…but the end result is the same. Ultimately it boils down to highlighting just how worse off you were without him! Without him you were homely, uncoordinated, and probably needed glasses. Good thing he showed up. Good thing in his benevolence he picked you up out of that horrible scrap heap of nerdom and set you on the path to hotness. How else would you have learned the power of make up, contacts, and a few lessons in gracefulness? Of course, there’s always the empowerment that comes with self-actualization and confidence. But that won’t sell roses and chocolate!!! [Scarlet]

We’re almost a week into the New Year and suddenly all those resolutions to be kick-ass in 2015 seem a heck of a lot harder now that work and every day life have come rushing back after the holidays. In an attempt to keep the motivation flowing, here are ten films that will not only help keep your holiday film bingeing on a steady course, but will also motivate you to be a better you! So grab some healthy snacks, do a few crunches while you watch, or just find some zen with these fun and encouraging films.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Resolution: Be a better friend and feel empowered as a woman. (Or dudes: Show some respect to your ladies.)

This sappy ’90s movie shows two best friends defying gender norms in the ’50s while Kathy Bates plays a frumpy housewife in modern times inspired by their tale to take charge of her happiness. Watch the scene where Bates plows into a younger and cockier woman’s car repeatedly shouting her battle cry of “Towanda!” and tell me you don’t feel invigorated.

Catch Me If You Can

Resolution: Have more confidence.

So yes, this Spielberg film is technically about a lying, swindling con-artist played by Leo DiCaprio. But what do you need to have to do all those things successfully? Total and absolute personal confidence. Confidence in yourself engenders confidence from others. Take a few pointers from this real-life inspired tale.

Working Girl

Resolution: Get noticed by my boss.

Carly Simon will get your positive mojo running with the film’s opening song “Let The River Run” in the first few minutes of Working Girl. Melanie Griffith as lowly secretary Tess McGill will inspire you to take charge of your career as she finesses her female authority and uncompromisingly bulldozes past her snake-like boss (Sigourney Weaver). Snagging hunky ’80s Harrison Ford is only a side-dish to attaining the career she truly wants and deserves.

Office Space

Resolution: Quit my job.

So we don’t recommend you stick it to your boss by scamming them out of money. That would land you in jail. But definitely feel inspired by Peter, Michael, and Samir as they finally stop letting Initech treat them poorly and under-appreciate their work. Peter’s (Ron Livingston) conversation with two consultants hired to fire him is the perfect example of just how much recognition you can get when you stop feeling miserable and start working on your own job happiness.

My Fair Lady

Resolution: Work my way up. (Or: Makeover!)

So, yes, a few voice lessons may not be what you need to work your way to the top of a social ladder. But what Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) learns while taking these exhausting voice lessons is a basic understanding of how people of influence and power think. What wins over the masses is her handle on her own winning personality, while understanding just how to play the game. In this modern age, we’re not encouraging you try to find a prince like Eliza, but if there’s some circle you’re trying to break into, why not try beating them at their own game?

Billy Elliot

Resolution: To try new things and follow my passions.

As a funny and charming Irish film, Billy Elliot has plenty of lessons to offer including familial acceptance and challenging gender behavior expectations. But watching an 11-year-old boy pursue his taboo love of ballet is enough to make anyone wonder why they ever feared trying anything that made them feel uncomfortable or judged. Onlookers be damned, pursue that passion!

Pretty Woman

Resolution: Stand up for myself.

So hear me out. I know the fairy tale story of a prostitute swept off her feet by a wealthy business man doesn’t seem a practical film to be looking to for inspiration. So yes, grain of salt. But don’t tell me that having someone invest in your well-being doesn’t feel great, it does. Just don’t go run around looking for a sugar-daddy. Instead, stand up for yourself and your dreams. And if there’s anyone needing a good telling off in your life, Vivian’s (Julia Roberts) vindication when returning to the store where some snooty store clerks snubbed her will absolutely rev you up. Just practice saying “big mistake” in the mirror.

Bridget Jones’s Diary

Resolution: Time to do me.

Recent break up? Feeling frumpy? Just need to generally start fresh? It’s cheesy and silly and Jane Austen-inspired but if the utterly ridiculous character of Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) can take life by the horns, so can you. And honestly you might fall on your ass a few times before you get it right, just the way Bridget does, and that’s just fine. So work on putting yourself first and running (though please not in granny panties in the snow) after the things you want in life.

Slumdog Millionaire

Resolution: Take on the obstacles I’ve always considered insurmountable.

So the takeaway here isn’t to try to get on a huge game show and win a lot of money (though wouldn’t that be nice). It’s that Jamal (Dev Patel) proves that all the hardship he endured in the slums of Mumbai prepared him to win that game show. It’s about drawing strength from your past and keeping your eyes on the future. There’s a lot in this world trying to get us down, but nothing is impossible. Also, I’ve never met a Bollywood dance number that didn’t bring a smile to my face.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Resolution: This year, I’m open to love.

There’s a reason there’s a fair amount of romantic and romantic-comedy films on this list. They tend to leave us with all the feels. But what’s great about this rom-com starring Nia Vardalos is that it doesn’t start with her trying to intentionally look for love. Instead she decides she’s sick of the person she has become and wants to improve on it. Falling in love is just a side effect of her decision to go back to school and take an interest in herself. She never changes for this new dude. And in fact subjects him to the ridiculousness of her family. It’s a great lesson that being your true-self will attract your perfect companion.