BIG...

For those of you who are not aware of the 1988 classic BIG let me let you in on a little secret. It is the best and most realistic movie about a 13 year old boy who becomes a 30 year old man overnight after making a wish at a carnival arcade game. Talk about a niche genre.

But seriously in an age of horrible age reversal films (I am looking at you Zack Efron and Chandler from Friends) BIG stands as a testament that these films can be well done. BIG stars Tom Hanks as the adult version of the 13 year old Josh who becomes a grown up overnight after making a wish. From the get go the movie is great because it isnt goofy. When Josh tries to explain to his mother what happens she freaks out thinking that she is being robbed and assumes later that the man who was robbing her has kidnapped her son. Most movies nowadays wouldnt be able to pull this off. The scene would be corny, slap stick, or full of cheap laughs. But in BIG this is actually a pretty intense and sad scene/thread that runs throughout the films. Second, their isnt any BIG lesson (pun intended) to be learned. the entire tension revolves around Hank's character trying to survive in the adult world long enough until he can find the arcade game and wish himself back into his childhood. Also in other movies kids who become adults somehow find a crappy way to become successful teachers, lawyers, fashion designers and so on. In BIG Josh finds success doing something that a 13 year old might actually be good at: making and testing toys.

Plus its got one of the most iconic scenes of all time:

If you have never seen BIG before do yourself a favor and see it as soon as possible.