Friday, February 10, 2012

My '80s Crush


Today is the day for the I'll tumble 4 ya Blogfest, hosted by Nicki Elson from Not-So-Deep Thoughts, Suze from Analog Breakfast, and M. Pax from Wistful Nebulae. Thank you ladies for this fun trip down memory lane!

I'm a total '80s girl, so I knew I had to sign up for this blogfest as soon as I learned about it. Best of all, it's a very easy question for me to answer and, lazy blogger that I have become, I am always on the look-out for easy blog posts!

 My '80s crush was (and still is) John Cusack, primarily because of his absolutely perfect portrayal of Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything. All these years later, my heart still goes pitter-pat just from watching the trailer.


Even though this movie didn't come out until 1989, it's still the one that immediately comes to mind for me when thinking of my '80s loves. And, Cusack was also great throughout the '80s in movies like Better Off Dead, The Sure Thing, and Eight Men Out. The thing I have always loved about Cusack, then and now, is he has the rare combination of being both cute and funny.

While I loved Cusack in those other movies, none of them compare to Say Anything, which owns a special place in my '80s loving heart. Many times when I come upon movies that I loved or thought were very deep in the '80s, I cringe at how cheesy and embarrassingly bad they actually are. (Hello, St. Elmo's Fire!) But Say Anything has aged extremely well, and I love it as much now as I did then.

I think there are two reasons for this. One, Cameron Crowe's writing was very good. Two, and most important, Lloyd Dobler is flat-out adorable in any decade.

Even now, more than 20 years later, I can't hear Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes without a small part of me wishing that John Cusack was standing outside my window wearing a Clash t-shirt and holding up a boombox.


I hope everyone has a great weekend, and thanks again to Nicki, Suze, and Mary for hosting this fest! :)

54 comments:

  1. He was one choice I thought I'd see a lot more of today. It's still early though. :)

    Nice choice!

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  2. I am a John Cusack fan from the 80s and today!!

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  3. Oh, he is one of THE faces from the 80's isn't he? Cute. And he has a new movie coming out ... The Raven. Might be good.

    And, yes. those movies from the 80's are so cheesy, but still kind of good in a nostalgic sort of way.

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  4. @DL, yeah, we'll see. It's been fun reading everyone's picks!

    @Brinda, me too!!

    @LG, yeah, I thought the Raven seemed like it could be good. Honestly he needs a good movie as it's been a while. I love all the 80s cheese LOL.

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  5. Better Off Dead was a great show. Now I want to place it in my Netflix queue and watch it this weekend.

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  6. I totally agree! I still think of that scene when I hear the song, and John Cusack is still a cutie :)

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  7. He was one of those actors that blended into the background for me - Rob Lowe was gorgeous, Jon Cryer was cute (small crush on him until he turned up on Two and a Half Men all middle aged!)

    But actually, watching that clip, yes he is cute too!

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  8. I love John Cusack, too! He's adorable and funny, but he's also just naturally likable. I feel that way about just a few actors, but he's one of them. Great choice!

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  9. My brother and I used to watch his movie, Better Off Dead, over and over again back in the day.

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  10. I LOVE John Cusack. 2012 possibly the worst movie ever made, but he is still awesome.

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  11. @Stephen, yeah, Better Off Dead was so funny. I kind of want to watch it now too!

    @Heather, yeah, that song is just so associated with this movie for me now, I love it. :0

    @Annalisa, I kind of forgot about Rob Lowe but I agree, he was totally gorgeous. The middle aged thing is always depressing and makes me feel old too! :D

    @Susan, thanks! I agree 100% :)

    @Susan, Better Off Dead was awesome, definitely one of those quotable movies. :)

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  12. @Tonja, LOL, yeah 2012 doesn't go on his winners list. That one is better to forget! :D

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  13. I like Cusack's movies a lot but I was still very young and just beginning to notice Hollywood in a big way with Cruise.
    Enjoy your weekend. :)

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  14. John Cusack! YES! I saw him at Comic Con in July on a panel for The Raven and I was a complete fangirl nerd that I was in the same room with him LOL

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  15. John Cusack is still one of my crushes, and mostly for the many reasons you listed. He'll always have a special place in my heart.

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  16. @Rek, I know what you mean, it was hard not to notice Tom Cruise during the 80s! Hope you have a great weekend too, thanks.

    @Patricia, oh, how fun! LOL I would have been a fangirl too, no doubt.

    @Emily, mine too, no question. :)

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  17. Ah, an excellent choice. He had me in The Sure Thing - named a teddy bear after him. :) That scene w/ the boom box is so classic.

    And hey, I'm really happy to hear the "easy" was part of what hooked you for the blogfest! I'm all about easy. ;)

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  18. Thank you so much for that trailer from Say Anything--a total classic. Lloyd Dobler is a sweetheart!

    Hey Julie, you're in Cincinnati? I grew up in Cincinnati! Now I live in Columbus. Hope you like it.

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  19. ooh! John Cusack! Would you believe I have yet to watch this famous movie and see this famous scene?
    Happy weekend!

    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  20. A lot of mentions of Cusack so far. I don't think I knew who he was until the 90s. Being John Malkovich is one of my favorite movies and Cusack was great in that.

    Lee
    A Faraway View
    An A to Z Co-host blog
    Twitter: @AprilA2Z
    #atozchallenge

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  21. New Follower from the blog hop (which is turning out to be one of my favorites ever).

    I loved John Cusack and for some reason now I'm thinking of Sixteen Candles.

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  22. Say Anything was such a classic. People still bring up that boombox scene. Great choice, Julie! Have a great weekend.

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  23. Very good choice!

    I enjoyed the hell out of his movies back in the day. "Better off Dead" is still one of the best movies ever.

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  24. @Nicki, oh, how cute about the teddy bear! LOL, I am ashamed of how lazy I have been lately, I'm so glad to have these fun blogfests as I can't think of any post topics.

    @Jennifer, oh, I do live in Cincy, and lived in Columbus for a few years when I went to OSU. Great to meet you! And, I'm glad you liked the trailer, I love it.

    @nutschell, oh, you should see it! Thanks, happy weekend to you as well!

    @Lee, oh I agree, that was a great movie. If this fest had included the 90s I would have also mentioned Grosse Pointe Blank, I totally love that one.

    @Johanna, oh, thanks, great to meet you! I so agree, this hop is such fun. I loved 16 Candles too. :)

    @Mary, thanks again for hosting this! I hope you have a great weekend too. :)

    @Timothy, yeah, Better off Dead is a classic. For a long time it seemed like he never made a bad movie!

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  25. That In Your Eyes scene was classic! I knew a guy in college who did that to a girl he liked and he got her to go out with him. I always secretly hoped someone would serenade me with that song too! (hmm, I need to watch that movie again with my husband).

    John Cusack is still adorable, too!

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  26. Oh yes, John Cusack was in my list of runner's up! I loved 2012, partially (okay, mostly) because of him. He is still darn good looking! By the way, I am so jealous of you being a librarian! I want to be one!

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  27. I'm with you totally. You and I are probably the only ones who even SAW Eight Men Out :-)

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  28. so sa-weet!
    i love cusack too! but more for his acting =)

    have a hearts & flowers weekend!

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  29. I'm...a 90s kid.


    But I love the 80s! My crush would have to be Alan Ruck (aka Cameron Frye of Ferris Bueller's Day Off fame). Of course now he isn't quite as cute...but he sure was cute then :)

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  30. Ah, John Cusack. He's still a heart throb this days too!

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  31. 'I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that.'

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  32. Oh I loved him! An ex-boyfriend got me a "Cusack for president" tshirt, which was kind of awesome.

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  33. J. Cusack was - and is - a great actor....

    PS... Howard Jones is *Still* recording... check out the duo on Youtube with him and Nik Kershaw... it's da bom:)

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  34. I think I must have slept through the 80s!! Was Clooney around then?? <3

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  35. My era was the 60s by the 80s I was a mother and didn't have much time for crushes. I left that until I got to the late nineties when I heard about Daniel O Donnell.

    Yvonne.

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  36. @Margo, oh how funny about the guy you knew in school! I'm almost surprised it worked, it seems like something that wouldn't be as romantic in real life LOL. :

    @Lara, I was probably too hard on 2012 LOL. It's great to meet you!

    @Melissa, I think you're right on that LOL.

    @Tara, thanks, you have a great weekend too! :)

    @Samantha, oh, I love Ferris Bueller! That's another movie I never get sick of, and Cameron was such a sweetie. Did you see the Ferris Super Bowl commercial? LOL.

    @Christine, he is, but I admit I am partial to his '80s and '90s self. Probably because it reminds me of being young too LOL.

    @Suze, oh perfect! :D

    @Lauren, how cool! I'd love to have one of those t-shirts. :)

    @Mark, no way, really? I'm going to have to check that out LOL.

    @Carolyn, LOL. He was, I think in The Facts of Life! He didn't really have the suave thing down back then LOL.

    @Yvonne, the 80s were definitely my prime age for crushes. :)

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  37. John Cusack is such a cute staple from the 80s. I'm always glad to see him in current movies too!

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  38. Loved watching that old trailer - thanks!

    Happy Weekend :)

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  39. He is a cutie... really enjoyed the trailer...

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  40. Yes! Lloyd Dobler was my personal hero for many years. I saw the movie on my 16th birthday. I was never going to be cool like Ferris Bueller. Lloyd was entirely without pretension and he got his girl anyway.

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  41. I LOVE that movie! Love the Peter Gabriel song. Love, love, love John Cusack. To this day he is still one of my favorite actors--I crush on him in every movie!

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  42. I'm still a fan of John Cusak. His sister's pretty cool too. I hopped over from the fest. Cheers!

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  43. @Kelly, I agree!

    @Carol, thanks, happy weekend to you as well!

    @tf, so glad you liked it, he is too cute for words. :)

    @Armchair Squid, that's so true, I think that's why Lloyd was such an awesome character. Love your user name!

    @Lisa, I agree completely! :)

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  44. @Catherine, hi, so nice to meet you! I agree, I like Joan Cusack as well. Thanks so much for coming by. :)

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  45. My wife has always liked Cusack. Said he was the boy next door.

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  46. I love John Cusack most for his wonderful sense of humor. He's a great pick!

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  47. Ya know what? I don't think I've ever seen this movie! I do so love John Cusack but not for the proper reasons, i.e. his 80s movies. I need to work on that ;)

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  48. @Alex, that's what I love about him too.

    @Nancy, I agree with that, too. Thanks!

    @Trisha, oh, you should see it if you're a Cusack fan, definitely. :)

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  49. I also like John Cusack and his sister Joan. That was such a wonderful scene with the boombox, that's been imitated throughout the years! Julie

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  50. I loved him in Better Off Dead! And Grosse Point Blank.

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  51. Better Off Dead was such a funny movie. You might be the first person in the blogfest I've come across who mentions it.

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  52. @Julie, that's true, I've seen lots of imitations of that scene. Of course, none compare to the original for me. :D

    @L.Diane, yeah, Grosse Point Blank is another favorite for me, so funny.

    @Theresa, I know, I think I am the only one! It's been fun to read all these posts, so many great memories. :)

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