Three O'Clock High

I love the innocence of an 80s movie.  Movies and even sitcoms (Full House) show that it was okay to be cheesy 20 years ago.  But cheesy is good.  I watched Three O'Clock High, a film from 1987, that had some cheesy parts in the beginning so the viewer knew they were watching an 80s movie, but it was actually a pretty good movie.
It starts out with the main character Jerry Mitchell (Casey Siemaszko; Stand by Me, Back to the Future, Public Enemies) frantically getting ready for school as he realizes he is late opening up the school store.  I appreciated the rushing around because as a person that has always been late and probably always will be late I can relate to having to rush.  I could have done without the Captain Obvious younger sister (Stacey Glick; Brighton Beach Memoirs) but she got a little tamer as the movie went on.
Lisa Simpson makes a cameo in this movie which I was pretty excited about, but that's beside the point.  So Jerry is told by the editor of the school paper to do a piece on the new kid Buddy Revell (Richard Tyson; Black Hawk Down, There's Something About Mary) who of course is the epitome of scary bully kid.  He reminded me of Heath Ledger (may he rest in peace) in 10 Things I Hate About You except meaner and bigger.  But they pretty much had the same reputation.  So after an awkward conversation in the bathroom, Jerry touches Buddy, which was stated earlier that he hates being touched, and gets himself in a predicament.  Buddy threatens him to a fight at 3:00 in the parking lot "or else".
So throughout the entire movie, Jerry tries to find ways to get out of it, and of course every situation puts him in deeper and deeper trouble.  The fight scene wasn't exactly as predictable as I thought it would be, but maybe for some people it is.  Considering it had a no name cast, this film, directed by Phil Joanou (directed 2nd season finale of 3rd Rock from the Sun) was pretty good.  I recommend it for an 80s movie night.  It's a classic, I've decided.  I was also happy to learn that it wasn't about getting high or drug related at all.  I miss those days when you could make a good movie and not have drugs, nudity, or violence in it.  Although, technically there was violence in it but it wasn't tasteless. See Tarantino there is such a thing as tastefull violence, you should try it sometime and maybe I'll actually watch your films.
Anyway, I'm getting beside myself.  Add 3 O'Clock High to your list of good 80s movies.  Right next to Stand by Me, Say Anything, Sixteen Candles, and I guess I'll have to add a non John Cusack movie, Pretty in Pink.  Huh, I feel an 80s movie night marathon coming up, but after I watch my Oscar nom movies of course.
I'll keep you guys posted on who I think deserved the nomination and who doesn't.