Madam Noir's best Brat-Pack films....ever!

1. 'The Outsiders' - great film, based on a story written by S E Hinton.  I'm assuming that she had no affiliation with the mighty 'Hinton's' supermarket chain of the 70's/early 80's (taken over by another mighty conglomerate - 'Presto').  Anyway, I have gone off on a tangent.  This is a great movie.  It's like the 'Who's Who' of Brat-Pack films.  My favourite (sweet little Ralph Macchio) gets burned in a church fire saving some Deep South skip-rats.  The story is of two rival gangs - the Greasers and the Socs.  Fab.
2. 'St. Elmo's Fire' - 1985 film.  Appalling theme toon (thank you, John 'one-hit wonder' Parr).  Rob Lowe fucks his way around town.  Even manages to 'bone' a bird who works at the dole office and wears appalling support stockings (the bird, not Rob Lowe).  Best bit?  Where perpetual loser and wimpy kid, Andrew McCarthy, gets to knob Ally Sheedy.  Hurray for the underdog!!
3. 'Pretty In Pink' - Molly Ringwald (ginger-lass made good) and Andrew McCarthy (he plays a rich high school sort who wears cricket jumpers) go to the school dance.  No fucking plot - just real 'feel good' stuff. Her best friend ('Duckie') was uber-annoying.  As Woody Allen would have said 'what I wouldn't give for a sockful of wet manure'.......
4. 'About Last Night' - coming of age relationship film where Rob Lowe shags Demi Moore on the biggest bean bag I have ever seen.  And in the shower too.  Mind you, the grouting was fucking filthy - this was clearly in the days before Cillit Bang had arrived.  Brief synopsis - they meet in a bar, shag each other stupid, move in, he puts twin dressing-gown pegs on the bathroom door....then it all goes tits-up.  Let that be a lesson to you all.
5. 'Youngblood' - Rob Lowe plays an ice-hockey player.  I think he shags some lady on a very woolly rug by a fire, as I recall.  Other than that, I forget what the plot is....
6. 'The Karate Kid' (1/2//3).  However, I rather think that they should have stopped after number 1.  I adored Ralph Macchio, although due to a congenital condition, whilst he was well into his 20's when he played the part of Daniel LaRusso, he actually looked about 15.  The he went and spoilt it all by marrying some lass called 'Phyllis'.  I mean - 'Phyllis' - would you????  He was also a shite actor, but I just couldn't see it back then.
7. 'Risky Business' - Tom Cruise and his teeth do something about setting up a date/call-girl thing.  I forget, frankly, but remember that he shagged Rebecca de Mornay in front of some French windows on a stormy night.  The windows thrust open, at about the same time as Rebecca de Mornay's dress fell off, I recall.
8. 'The Breakfast Club' - I found Judd Nelson to be hilarious in this film - he was the 'bad lad' who got detention on a Saturday with 4 other kids ('a brain, a beauty, a jock and a recluse').  Absolutely first class stuff - genius!
9. 'Dirty Dancing' - OK, it was shite, I suppose, but an iconic film from my youth.  Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey (and her huge snout), great music.  What's not to love?  Nobody puts baby in the corner....
10. 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' - genius from John Hughes (RIP).  Three friends skive off school, take a classic car for a spin and get up to no good.  Jennifer Grey (and her huge snout) make an appearance as Bueller's sister who wants to grass him up.  But, our Ferris manages to out-do her!!

Will December be magic (again)?

It is 2 weeks until Christmas.  I am jobless in 3 weeks. I was cleaning a cupboard last night and found some old childhood books.  Got extremely nostalgic, then extremely upset (possibly rioja-induced, I am unsure) I have applied for a few roles, none of which have come to anything yet.  I was interviewed for a role last week, one for which I am clearly over-qualified.  I read with interest on the Reed website this morning that this job has just been advertised with them.  So, by careful deduction, I assume that I have not been successful.  Not the end of the world, the travel there and back would have been a killer (40+ miles each day).

My colleagues continue to make me wonder why abortion was not made compulsory after 1981.  They truly are cunts.  No, like...seriously.  One of them feels that it is her life's work to email as many of her friends as possible, whilst surfing the Argos website for cheap tat for her grubby little kids.  The other is just fucking lucky to be there.  I shall walk away on 30th December with no regret, just sweet relief that I don't have to spend another day there listening to and smelling terminal bullshit.

The most wonderful time of the year?  Err, let me be the judge of that, eh?  I really dislike Christmas, all of that forced, make-believe frivolity.  It will be my combined Christmas and leaving 'do' next Friday.  I feel sure that I shall be irritated by the general 'falseness' of it all.  I aim to just have my meal (paid for by the bastarding company - think I may possibly choke on every mouthful - bastards) and then leave.  Do you know, reader, they haven't even sent out my letter regarding my severance, leave date - nitto, nada....fucking nowt.  I fully expect to have the mother of all fights on my hands in order to:
a) get the money
b) get the right amount of money
c) get it before the end of January - a mighty month after I will have 'left the building' (a la Elvis)

It's a good job there are no breweries around requiring 'a good drink', as these twats wouldn't know where the hell to start.

But, I am trying to look forward to Christmas as best I can.  I have no decorations, no tree, no cards.  But, on a positive note, I have all of my presents bought (although not yet wrapped).  I am filling my evenings watching old Brat-Pack films, eating mince pies and slurping red wine.

Merry Christmas, everyone xx