What we talk about when we talk about love – Book by Raymond Carver
Raymond Carver was an American realism writer most famous for his flair for short stories; He is often credited as one of the best! What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (1981) is a collection of minimalist short stories which tend to focus on themes such as family, love, and the human experience.
My favourite story from this collection is called ‘Tell The Women We’re Going’, which is a story about rage and unhappiness. It also has a shocking ending; if you’re into true crime, you’ll love it!
That’s what I love about Carver’s writing, there is always an underlying, subtle philosophy to his characters who very much drive the plot of every story. Overall, this is a heartfelt collection of short stories that delves deep into humanity. The stories can also be read in one sitting which is always a bonus!
-Via Cargo
By Amy Scott-Munden
Rio – Album by Duran Duran
From its iconic Patrick Nagel album artwork to its inclusion of two of the band’s biggest singles ever, ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’ and ‘Rio’, to its colourful and adventurous music videos that were staples of MTV, Duran Duran’s Rio is undoubtedly one of the enduring symbols of the eighties. Mostly departing from the brooding, curious atmosphere of their first self-titled album, Rio encompassed all that was exotic and daring, especially to teenage girls in the eighties. From Simon Le Bon’s (literal) hunt for the woman of his dreams in ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’ to the beach party vibes of ‘Rio’ (which can’t help but make you feel as if you’re halfway across the world, laid in the sun with a cocktail in hand), and the haunting, captivating mystique of enduring fan favourite, ‘The Chauffeur’, Rio is an album that tells many different stories, for many different listeners. It is Duran Duran’s most famous, and perhaps most acclaimed album, and with such a vibrant, exciting variety of tracks and music videos to offer, it is not hard to see why.
-Via MoMA
By Mollie Potter
Prince Charming – Album by Adam & The Ants
Prince Charming, indeed! Adam & The Ants’ third and final album before both their split and Adam Ant’s successful solo career, is exactly that; A charming, charismatic and confident collection of tracks. Adam Ant is ever the captivating frontman as he sings us through tales of criminals, royalty, and women who are not to be messed with. A full listen-through of the album almost feels like a collection of non-related stories, introducing us to different worlds and characters alongside crashing drums and guitars that experiment with both an electric and acoustic sound. The album’s cover art is nothing short of legendary, capturing Adam Ant as the epitome of the New Romantic sub-genre of music and fashion that inspired bands such as Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet. Although the New Romantic fashion would fade to obscurity soon after, the album itself captures a moment in time when such experimental, dramatic and story-based music was adored and idolised. Adam & The Ants certainly ended up ‘standing and delivering’ a classic early eighties album that helped to shape and define the sound and fashion of the decade.
-via Magnetic Magazine
By Mollie Potter
Dirty Dancing – Movie
Whilst staycation-ing with her family, Baby (Jennifer Grey) builds an infatuation with the resort’s dance instructor Johnny (Patrick Swayze). She fills in for Johnny’s dance partner when things go awry. So goes his mission to teach Baby how to dance for a looming competition, all the while the pair start to fall for each other. That is, however, to the dismay of Baby’s father whom they must keep their relationship a secret from.
It was 1987 when Jennifer Grey first danced onto the big screen with a watermelon in hand. Now 35 years later, Dirty Dancing remains to be an iconic movie that’s enjoyed by each generation. The ingredient that makes Dirty Dancing re-watchable after all these years is the cheesiness of it all. It’s undeniably a not-so-guilty pleasure to imagine yourself dancing with Patrick Swayze. To be whisked away from an otherwise boring holiday with the family and be introduced to a world you’d never dare to dream of. Also, what’s wild is that this story took place at a holiday camp. Imagine this happening at Butlins! I don’t think the couple would have quite the same reaction after dancing to Lizzo’s It’s about damn time.
Now, an honest question, have you ever tried to do the dirty dancing lift? Did it go well? Nah me neither.
-Via IMBD
By Rosie Spurrier
Adventures in Babysitting – Movie
The average 21st-century babysitter can expect to experience little to hardly any of the trials and tribulations in Adventures in Babysitting. Which is one of the many reasons why the movie is so wonderfully chaotic! From the signature ‘80s-movie teen-dancing-in-her-bedroom’ intro sequence to the iconic soundtrack, this movie is fun and adventure-packed.
The challenges that arise multiply in intensity and danger as we move through the movie. They go from being accidentally rescued by a car hijacker when their initial hero takes a detour to shoot his wife’s lover, to singing on stage at a Rhythm & Blues club. Whilst on the run from a mob, they are caught in the middle of a subway gang fight, later on abseiling from the top floor of a New York City skyscraper.
All the while Chris’ friend-in-need is sitting panicked at a Bus station with a man with a gun, an angry homeless man and a generally untrustworthy group of people. The clan can’t get there any sooner.
Not only does Chris manage to keep all kids in her care safe (if slightly maimed) but she manages to return them all home in one piece.
Of course, this movie offers the iconic line ‘Don’t f*ck with the babysitter’. As role models go, Chris is high in the pecking order.
-Via Disney Plus
By Rosie Spurrier
Stand by Me – Movie
As a twelve year old, no film gripped me quite like Rob Reiner’s 1986 coming of age drama Stand By Me. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, – which, of course, I also read – the film focuses on four twelve year old boys: Gordie Lachance, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio, all living in a small town in 1950s Oregon. The boys, overhearing from Vern’s older brother about a missing child’s dead body laying in the wilderness, set out on a trek to find the body, hoping to be rewarded as heroes for finding it.
The film, though following four twelve year old boys, is definitely not a children’s film. Their frequent swearing, smoking, and discussions of sex make this known almost immediately. Although as a twelve year old, hearing fellow twelve year olds swear felt cool and rebellious, it was the emotional weight of the film that truly struck me.
The film’s subject matter is heavy, with the boys’ reactions to finding the body changing their entire outlook on the fun journey they have had, solemnly deciding to anonymously report the body’s location instead of seeking glory. Amongst the jokes, laughter and swear words lays a lot of trauma, with two of the boys having abusive parents, and Gordie grieving the death of his older brother.
It is a young River Phoenix’s performance as Chris that provides the film’s most outstanding scene. Lamenting peoples’ assumptions that he will turn out to be a criminal like the rest of his family, Chris cries to Gordie that he wishes he could run away to a place that nobody knows him. Many feel that River Phoenix should have been nominated for an Oscar for this scene alone, and I am inclined to agree. The scene is made only more poignant when it is revealed that Chris proved those who judged him wrong by studying to become a lawyer, only to be killed whilst breaking up a fight in a restaurant.
A perfect balance of pre-teen laughs, friendship and heart-wrenching scenes, Stand By Me endures as the film that captured my teenage heart, and remains one of my favourite offerings not only of the eighties, but of all time.
– Via Click Americana
By Mollie Potter
E.T. – Movie
When a troubled child discovers an (admittedly, adorable) extra-terrestrial being on earth, it is only natural an entirely unique friendship would form. The alien, of course, as we know, dubs himself as ‘E.T.’. The memorable and heart-warming film that is E.T is one that stuck with me in childhood, unsurprising, perhaps as E.T himself was in fact based on Spielberg’s own imaginary friends and made consistent references to his own childhood, most of these being universally experienced; feigning sick to stay home from school and play, childhood crushes, and an incredibly active imagination (although, luckily for Elliot, E.T is real, unlike all of our imaginary friends.)
This film of friendship, isolation and of the entirely relatable journey of finding ‘home,’ is one that enamoured my childhood brain and stayed with me until this day. In fact, I often avoid the film in case I am moved to nostalgic tears; realising perhaps, it wasn’t just the completely adorable and charming nature of E.T. himself drawing me to the film. Of course, E.T. and Elliot’s stories parallel- E.T. is lost in isolation without a home, and Elliot is alienated and at a loss due to the absence of his father. Both characters, an entirely different species, come together to form an out-of-this-world (literally) friendship with a common goal. Elliot aids E.T. in finding and returning home and in doing so finds himself. The magic of their friendship is truly conveyed in the iconic ‘flying bicycle’ scene, yet another, childish fantasy. At its heart, E.T. is a story of tolerance, childhood, friendship, and most importantly, finding a home. There is beauty in a light-hearted tale, and as E.T. does for Elliot, a film that will forever remain in my memory and heart.
Theatrical release poster by John Alvin
By Emily Poole
