Steel Magnolias might as well be a synonym for the term "tearjerker." The 1989 hit attacks heartstrings like Eddie Van Halen with a power drill, with almost every actor getting one big showstopper Oscar reel moment. But remove that cultural context built up over almost 30 years, and give it a fresh watch now—Steel Magnolias reveals itself to be a lighthearted ensemble comedy, executed winningly by a stacked cast; a good-natured caricature of the American South, much like Moonstruck was a caricature of New York Italians two years prior, both films benefitting from the secret comedic weapon that was Olympia Dukakis in the late '80s. by Bobby Roberts