Winona Ryder top 7 review

"As Stranger Things 4 has reached global fame, so have its actors, including 80’s and 90’s phenomenon Winona Ryder. " -- Alex Stullman, 7th Grade

As Stranger Things 4 has reached global fame, so have its actors, including 80’s and 90’s phenomenon Winona Ryder. Starting her acting career at 13, Ryder quickly gained young fame with classics like Beetlejuice, Heathers, Reality Bites and Edward Scissorhands. 

Ryder was born in Winona, Minnesota on October 29, 1971. When she was young, she wanted to be a writer, because both her parents were, but fate intervened when she got her first professional role in Lucas in 1986. 

Since then, Ryder has received  a span of iconic roles and witty cameos in so many films that even she doesn’t know the exact number. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, when asked just how many films she had been in, Ryder contemplated, “How many roles have I had? I have no idea… Do they count everything? Oh God… I don’t know.” [the interviewer shows her how many] “68?? Wow. “

So, in honor of Ryder’s iconic career, I’ve collected the 7 best rated films and reviewed them with a critics’ mindset in the order of the year released.

Lucas (1986)

​Rotten Tomatoes: 73% critics, 70% audiences

Lucas (PG-13) is a sweet, 80’s coming of age comedy about a 14-year-old boy named Lucas who was accelerated into high school. The movie covers his struggles with friends, bullies, and his difficult home-life.

In my humble opinion, this movie was fine. It was certainly entertaining and a good movie, but it wasn’t mind-blowing or anything. A young Corey Haim as Lucas is very good casting—he fits the role well. Ryder’s character, Rina, plays a fairly small role in the overall plot, but she is a good character. Rina is one of Lucas's  friends, who has a crush on him and is forced to watch while he goes after Maggie, (Kerri Green) a girl two years older than him.

This film is definitely worth watching—it’s funny, it’s emotional, it’s a good movie— but I wouldn’t categorize it as particularly exceptional.

6.9/10

Beetlejuice (1988)

​Rotten Tomatoes: 85% critics, 82% audiences

Possibly one of Tim Burton’s best known films, Beetlejuice (PG) is a slightly dark comedy about the Maitlands, a young couple in a small town who get stuck in a car accident and wake up in their house with the mysterious Handbook for the Recently Deceased. As the Maitlands are struggling with the fact that they’re dead, the eccentric Deetz’s move into the house their souls are confined in. This family is accompanied by the strange and unusual Lydia, played by a young Winona Ryder. To get rid of the Deetz’s, the Maitlands hire a morally questionable bio-exorcist named Beetlejuice. Chaos ensues.

I love this movie. Ryder’s character, Lydia, is such a well written character in pretty much every sense. Catherine O’ Hara (Delia Deetz) is hilarious with perfect deadpanned deliveries, and I just generally love her character. One thing I will say, though, is that the prime comedic character, Michael Keaton’s Beetlejuice, really isn’t all that funny. His raunchy jokes fall flat, in my opinion. 

For a movie made in the late 80’s, this has surprisingly good effects.

In my opinion, Beetlejuice has a good 8.8/10

Heathers (1989)

​Rotten Tomatoes: 93% critics, 83% audiences

Heathers (R) is undoubtedly one of Ryder’s most iconic movies. She stars in this pitch black comedy as Veronica Sawyer, a high-school girl who somehow got herself into the most popular clique at Westerburg High, the Heathers. The Heathers… well, they’re not very nice, and while Veronica does not agree with the things they do to people, she stays with them for their popularity. When she meets the mysterious Jason Dean, (Christian Slater) her life basically gets a lot more complicated than popularity.

This film goes to extremes portraying the cruelness of the popular crowd and the rebellion against it. It is a satire, but some of the scenes are pretty disturbing. I mean, it’s basically a movie about murder. 

In 2014, Heathers was adapted into an off-Broadway musical starring Barrett Wilbert Weed. Some songs from this musical, such as Candy Store, Big Fun and Meant to be Yours have started trends on TikTok, leading to Heathers the Musical and Heathers to regain quite a bit of popularity. Along with this, many people, usually younger, have romanticized the toxic relationship between JD and Veronica, which pretty much defeats the purpose of the story being a satire about romanticism. Ironic.

All in all, I give Heathers 8/10

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

​Rotten Tomatoes: 90% critics, 91% audiences

Yet another Tim Burton film, Edward Scissorhands, (PG-13)  is a quirky classic about an immortal, sentient, unfinished science project, Edward (Johnny Depp) with scissors for hands. Edward is discovered by a humble door-to-door makeup saleswoman, who brings him home with her and shows him human affection

Edward Scissorhands is a very heartwarming film. It shows the flaws and strengths of “modern” society—how while there are less than nice people, there are also kind and loving people who combat them. Also how everybody has layers and no one is black and white. People can change. 

Johnny Depp does an amazing performance in this, beautifully portraying Edward in all his innocent sweetness. Ryder (Kim Boggs) is definitely a little bit overshadowed by Depp’s acting, as her character is a little bland personality wise, but overall the story is very sweet, and it’s a great movie overall.

Edward Scissorhands: 8.5/10

Little Women (1994)

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% critics, 84% audiences

One of the many remakes of the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, Little Women (PG) follows the story of the March family and their journey through life and growing up during the infamous Civil War. With this story, I think I’ve been spoiled by the 2019 version starring Florence Pugh and Timothee Chalamet.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good film. A great take on a classic tale. Kirsten Dunst (Amy March) is absolutely adorable and talented, Ryder (Jo March) is a great mix of emotions that portray her character perfectly. Christian Bale… he’s fine. The point is, this is a great movie that’s worth watching, but since the 2019 remake, Little Women (1994) just isn’t as good.

6.8/10

Reality Bites (1994)

​Rotten Tomatoes: 63% critics, 74% audiences

Reality Bites (PG-13) is about Leilana Pierce, (Ryder) a recent college graduate in the 90’s who is now maneuvering through adult life and romance. This film has a very target audience: young Gen-X adults weaving their way through real life. This is one thing I am not, so that’s probably the reason I wasn’t head-over-heels for this movie.

Most of the characters in this movie are extremely irresponsible in their life decisions, but I guess that’s part of the allure of Reality Bites. Everyone in the movie is painfully human. Sure, they make mistakes, they have flaws, but so does everybody, especially at that age of mid-twenties.

Ethan Hawke (Troy) is very annoying in this. His character is supposed to be this edgy, misunderstood guy who secretly has feelings, but he just comes off as a badly written edgy, misunderstood guy.

I might love this movie in 10 years, but for now I give it 5.7/10

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

​Rotten Tomatoes: 53% critics, 84% audiences

Girl, Interrupted (R) is a late 60’s set period piece that follows Susanna Kaysen, (Ryder) whom, after a suicide attempt, is sent to a mental hospital, where she stays for a good 18 months. There, she meets a wide range of women going from Lisa, (Angelina Jolie) a diagnosed sociopath who has a manipulative and toxic control over the other women in the asylum, to Polly, (Elizabeth Moss) a young girl who simply has a burned face and trauma. (Trauma is worth getting mental help for, but she doesn't belong in a mental institution.)This film is based on the memoir of the same name by Susanna Kaysen

Personally, this was one of the best movies I’ve seen in a while. Of course, it’s very dark, and the fact that it’s based on a true story just makes it darker. It is important, while watching it, to keep mindful of this, and respect that it’s not fiction—so don’t romanticize it. All that aside, this movie is truly a masterpiece. 

And though this article is about Winona Ryder, I would just like to mention the fact that Angelina Jolie’s Oscar-winning acting in this is truly spectacular. Jolie’s character, Lisa, is a complex and deep character whose role could only be filled by her. Amazing casting. If you want to watch this movie, do be warned: there are some really disturbing scenes and just a generally dark plot. 

I give this movie a solid 9.7/10

Notable Mention:

Stranger Things (2016 - )

​Rotten Tomatoes: 92% critics, 90% audiences

This sci-fi/drama/horror is renowned with an overall 264 award nominations and 94 wins, an extremely talented cast, and a dedicated fanbase, even if they can be a bit…much sometimes. Since its first release in 2016, Stranger Things (TV-14) has developed 3 more hit seasons, the fourth becoming an international sensation.

Personally, this is probably one of my favorite shows. It has an ongoing mystery that has been expanded and stretched out over the years, complicated and interesting characters, and just absolutely amazing actors. One actress that particularly stands out, especially in light of the fourth season, is Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield). Sink’s character, Max, is a victim of trauma who, without giving too many spoilers, is put in a bit of a pickle come Season Four. Sink’s acting in this latest season, exceptionally in the fourth and last episodes, was enough to make me cry, laugh, then cry some more, as she performed pretty much all the emotions ever known to mankind in a span of about an hour. Her rise to fame and respect has been hard earned and completely deserved.

If I went and listed all the amazing actors in Stranger Things, it would take forever, but I would like to make a shoutout to Noah Schnapp, Millie Bobby Brown, and Winona Ryder, as they all were chillingly good actors throughout the show. Six years have passed, and I am still thoroughly annoyed that Ryder never won an award for her 24/7 stress in Season One.

Overall, I love Stranger Things, and give it 9.8/10