It's Rex Manning Day!
Saturday, April 8, 2017 at 12:00PM 
Chris here. We here at The Film Experience love celebrating cinematic anniversaries whether in or outside of a narrative, and today is one of my favorites: Rex Manning Day of 90s pop perfection Empire Records! Damn the man, save the Empire!
For the uniniated: April 8th marks the arrival of cheesy fictional 80s icon Rex Manning (Grease 2's Maxwell Caulfield) to the film's titular record store as it struggles to maintain its financial independence. So in that regard, today is for more than just appreciating the cult film, but all our independent outlets that give us our entertainment. And, ok, revisiting the film's crazy good soundtrack.
Despite that soundtrack being one of the most quintessential of the 90s (it's certainly the reason you'll remember Empire if you're not among its fanbase), the film was a bomb in release. However, it remains a light and carefree joy that gives fun actressing: the hippest Liv Tyler, a bald Robin Tunney, and *gasp* our first glimpse at a musical Renee Zellweger nearly a decade before Chicago. It's 90 minutes of pure MTV-era delight.
Are you an Empire Records fan?
Reader Comments (5)
Shock me shock me shock me with that deviant behavior!
An absolutely terrible and whiny film that makes me not want to go back to the 90s.
I watched this film for the first time recently and I wish that I hadn't. So many better 'teen' flicks from the '90's. And I say that as someone who was a teen in the '90's!
Watched this for the first time 3-4 years ago cause I noticed Ethan Embry live-tweeting it. Became a fan (especially since I LOVE music stores) and have watched it annual ever since. Glad to see it's cult status getting bigger and bigger, with more special events happening as the years go by. I believe they played it at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery last year with some of the cast.
Loved this movie. It works for one simple reason - it's setting. It's not extremely attractive high schoolers, it's not college, it's just ordinary kids working at a record store. The music is great and while a lot of the movie is silly (the gambling stuff, definitely) it's still an easy, enjoyable watch.