One of my all time favorites.

A Masterpiece!

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Samantha (Demi Moore) is called home to Shelby, Indianna for her childhood friend Chrissy (Rita Wilson)'s coming childbirth. She recalls her childhood in the summer of 1970 in the new subdivision Gaslight Addition. The four friends Roberta (Christina Ricci), Teeny (Thora Birch), Samantha (Gaby Hoffmann), and Chrissy (Ashleigh Aston Moore) try to earn enough money for a tree house. One night, they play séance at Dear Johnny's grave at the cemetery and lightning strikes. They go off to discover the story behind Dear Johnny while Wormer brothers continue to hound them.There is a definite 'Stand By Me' feel to it. It's the female equivalent. The obvious question is if the adult version is compelling enough and do the two versions fit together. I can certainly do without the adult version. Rosie O'Donnell doesn't really fit as an adult Christina Ricci. It would have been much better to limit the adult storyline like 'Stand By Me'. Although, it's only about 20 minutes of screen time at the start and the end of the movie.

I see a lot of people comparing this movie to Stand By Me but the problem with that is if you were old enough to see Stand By Me when it was first released then hate to break it to you but this movie is not targeted at your demographic. Just because something feels like a remake of a movie made a decade before does not mean that the new movie is in anyway terrible. Take Heathers and Mean Girls for example both good movies but in my opinion Mean Girls appealed to me more as it was aimed at my demographic. If you can't judge a movie on it's own merits than perhaps you need to chill a little.Anyway, Now and Then is one of those movies that sticks with you for life. Recently I just converted a friend of mine in her mid twenties to loving this movie. I was dumbfounded that she had missed this right of passage that most young girls had when this movie was released. Every girl can relate to one of the four characters and it reminds you of a simpler time where all that mattered were boys, having fun and navigating your way through growing up. I still remember taking Cosmo quizzes and thinking they had an insight into your soul, preparing for your first kiss and investing in my first bra. I know there are a lot of parents who think this movie is overly sexualised but guess what when your kid is going through puberty nothing will turn them back into your precious little angel. Accept it and hope they have supportive friends who they can share their journey with.If you watch the movie with an open heart you will find a great cast that feels real in their characters, a brilliant soundtrack that increases your nostalgia level and a deep and meaningful storyline. It deals with subject matter that many adolescent movies steer clear of, just because you are young does not mean you haven't experienced hurt and pain like an adult. Adolescents needs to know that life is not always perfect and that there will be ups and downs but everyone is all in it together. I cannot strongly recommend this movie enough if you are willing to enjoy this movie for what it is, a fantastic coming of age movie.

When you watch this 1995 movie in 2012, you wish all children grow up in small towns with the simplicity and innocence that comes with it.. it has its own share of maturity, " it is normal when things are shitty ".. the movie shows that real understanding can lead to a life-long friendship among four characteristically different kids..one having a tragic past, another having quarrelling parents, yet another being given unreal sex education by an embarrassed, yet caring mother..The kids have done excellent acting.. the pace is smooth.. the biggest lesson comes from from a mysterious man who visits a particular grave in a cemetery.. A must-see for all parents and also for all children who want to avoid loneliness

I loved this film. Well, let's be honest, I will love any movie with Roseanne. Add Demi "Mrs. Kutcher" Moore, Melanie "Mrs. Banderas" Griffith, and you will just have a bang.The story goes back and forth between now and then, and it is a testament of the power of female friendship. The heroes, or maybe I should call them She-roes, are able to stand by each other through thick and thin. I know that some men cried (not me, but i know for a fact that my friend Derek went through a full box of Kleenex watching this lovely film).There are my two cents. Girls kick a**. Forever. Definitely.See you next time.