Two weeks ago, I was sitting in my basement when my brother broke the news to me that John Hughes had died. I didn’t believe it. He asked me how I possibly couldn’t know, seeing as the news had broken the day before. But I had lived under a rock that week and really hadn’t heard.

Reading Sara Foss’ post on John Hughes reminded me of the well of emotions his death brought upon me. Not since Tim Russert died had I been this upset.

Russert’s death struck me surprisingly hard last May. I was the rare 18-year-old who never missed
"Meet the Press." Russert was my company while I ate my breakfast each Sunday morning. I actually was fortunate enough to meet Tim Russert’s son, Luke, back in October. He was just as kind and vibrant as I always envisioned his father being.

Hughes’ death felt very similar to me. I never wanted to be John Hughes the way I wanted to be Tim Russert, but his movies will always have a special place in my heart.

"Sixteen Candles" is probably my all-time favorite movie. It’s one of those things I hate admitting about myself, but it's true. It follows Samantha Baker on her 16th birthday, which her family has forgotten. Anthony Michael Hall plays the lovable geek madly in love with Sam, and it’s in this film that he says his classic line, “Can I borrow your underpants for 10 minutes?”

I’m hardly the first person to say this, and I definitely won’t be the last, but Hughes was uniquely able to accurately and humorously depict the life of the American high school student. "Sixteen Candles" is funny and poignant, and makes me feel like John Hughes lived in my house. No, no one has (fortunately) ever asked to borrow my underpants, but I do understand the feeling of helplessness Sam has throughout the movie.

Hughes is most known for his “Brat Pack” movies, including "Sixteen Candles," "Pretty in Pink" and "The Breakfast Club." But he also brought us the family comedy "Uncle Buck." I’m actually giggling right now just thinking about "Uncle Buck." And many people forget that he wrote "Home Alone."

I think "Home Alone" is one of the most under-appreciated movies of our generation. It’s easy to think of it as a feel-good comedy about a sneaky little Macaulay Culkin. But "Home Alone" is so much more. It’s about the lengths a family will go to in order to be together for Christmas. It’s a story of forgiveness and love. There are few movies that make me cry the way I do watching "Home Alone."

I know this is a late and extended eulogy for John Hughes, but I felt he deserved it.

If you wouldn’t mind, leave a comment with the title of your favorite John Hughes movie. "Ferris Bueller"? "Christmas Vacation"? "Weird Science"? I’m just curious.