Some movies feel like they got left behind on the rental shelf, even though they had plenty to say. This week we’re talking about two of them: Angus (1995) and Better Off Dead (1985).
Angus is one of those rare ‘90s teen movies that actually takes its main character seriously — smart, funny, painfully awkward, just trying to make it through high school without getting crushed. It’s heartfelt in ways you don’t usually see in a studio teen comedy, and it’s still as sharp today as it was when you first stumbled across it on cable.
Then there’s Better Off Dead, which feels like somebody handed John Cusack a teen rom-com and said, “Let’s make it weird.” Claymation hamburgers, a ski slope duel, and a relentless paperboy demanding two bucks — it’s absurd, but underneath the chaos, it’s still about heartbreak, moving on, and figuring yourself out.
Together, these films paint two very different pictures of teen life, but both capture that mix of humor and heartbreak that makes coming-of-age stories stick with you. We’ll break down what makes them memorable, why they never quite got the spotlight they deserved, and why they’re still worth pressing play on.
And hey — if you don’t listen, we’re sending the paperboy to collect.