The Boys of Stand By Me

A week or two ago, I rented Rob Reiner's Stand By Me. I have seen pieces of the film several times, but I'd never really sat down to watch the whole thing. I was amazed at the way Rob Reiner took four green kids and created such a masterpiece. As I've soaked in pieces of the film over the last few weeks, I've thought of the boys of Stand By Me and the effects they've had on my life.

Corey Feldman - When I was growing up, I always was a sucker for the tortured, misunderstood bad boy. Even now, I live to see Sawyer on Lost. My favorite New Kid was Donnie, my favorite 90210 boy was Dylan, and my favorite soap hunks were Port Charles gangster Sonny Corinthos and Days of Our Lives', Steve Johnson, aka Patch. I had major crushes on Christian Slater, during his Pump Up the Volume rehab years, and Corey Feldman around the time License to Drive came out. The story of the Coreys was really a cautionary tale to my generation. The two Coreys were on top of the world one minute, and unemployable addicts the next. Showered with inappropriate attention as children, their perceptions of the world around them became so skewed that they became unable to function in normal situations. Feldman was on The Surreal Life a few years ago, and he really made me sad. How can someone with so much talent follow such a bizarre path in his life?

Jerry O'Connell - OK, the boy is just hot! Who would've thought that fat little Vern would grow into such a hunk? He's beautiful, he's talented, he's goofy, and he's single (for now). Could he be any more perfect for me? Come on, Jerry, give me a call.

Wil Wheaton - As we all know, I am a big fan of Wil's blog. He is a great writer, as well as a talented actor. He also seems to be a good husband and father, which is better than all the rest, in my book.

River Phoenix - What can you say about River? He was amazing. He was so talented! I have been watching a lot of his films, and they make me so sad. He could have been phenomenal - one of those actors whose longevity and diverse body of work become touchstones for those who follow in their footsteps. Instead he chose drugs, which ended his life at 23. I never understood how someone who was a strict vegan and nature activist could put such poison into his body. River's family has a tribute site that is pretty sweet.

Both sweet and sad, the lives of these boys, now men, in some ways reflect the tone of the film. The boys without guidance self destructed, and the others contine to live good lives. Throughout the journey, we all just want to belong somewhere. Triumphant or tragic, or somewhere in between, each of these boys are a part of my life and of our collective experience.