For those of you who don’t know, I’m a huge John Candy fan and I’ll never forget the day he passed away back on March 4th, 1994. I got off the school bus and my Mom told me “Uncle Buck” had passed away. At the time I didn’t really know who John Candy was, but I knew who Uncle Buck was because I watched the movie countless times. In other words I only knew John Candy as Uncle Buck!

Last night the Grammy Awards were on and, admittedly, I didn’t watch a great deal of the show. Why? Because Uncle Buck was on around the same time. Sorry Grammy Awards, but if Uncle Buck is on I’m probably going to watch him instead! In my opinion (and only my opinion) it is the single greatest John Candy comedy followed VERY closely by Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

Keep in mind I’ve watched this movie countless times but last night, for some reason, I realized there are a lot of jokes written that only us adults would understand and kids wouldn’t. To me, that’s one of the benchmarks of a well written movie or show. When you can write a flick that kids and adults can chuckle at for completely different reasons, you know you’ve got a great success on your hands. As I’m watching I’m chuckling at things that I wouldn’t have as a kid because NOW I understand them. In a way it’s like watching a whole new movie and I have a new appreciation for it even more, specifically the birthday clown scene. If you’ve watched Uncle Buck, you know which scene I’m referring too!

It occurred to me that old movies can take on new meanings and, in some cases, do a great job of predicting the future. I certainly don’t consider myself a cinema expert, but I know a good movie when I see one and I know a movie that will have a lasting impact. Often those are the ones that will never get an award, but if you like them and it they resonate with you, that’s all that matters. For me, that will always be Uncle Buck.