fave 80's movies

Following last Thursday's pattern, I'll be listing 13 faves this week. This time, 80's movies. I had a hard time trimming it down to 13, so I have 13 each for various genre:


My fave sci-fi / fantasy flicks from the 80's

• Labyrinth (1986) - This was groundbreaking in its time, me thinks. And David Bowie was just so cool ( O Goblin King, Goblin King, I don't have a kid brother but if you're that cute I hope you visit my room next).
  
• The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and
  
• Return of the Jedi(1983) - As expected from a geek like me. And who wouldn't remember that scene -
  

I am your father! --

• Back To The Future (1985) - I've seen it soooo many times, there was I point I could recite it from memory.
• Willow (1988) - Magic and stuff. I never knew that was Val Kilmer until lately.
• Legend - fantasy with a love story on the side, starring a young, awkward Tom Cruise.
• Flight of the Navigator (1986) - Another amazing Disney that fed my fantasy-hunger. The most unforgettable bits were the protagonist's first flying lessons, the ending and the silver, liquid metal the ship was made of.
  
• The Last Starfighter (1984) - It wasn't that great a movie, but I enjoyed it, watched it over and over until I memorized it.
• Neverending Story - What 80's kid wouldn't have this in his list of faves?
• E. T. - I thought (still do) that the alien was incredibly gross, but I enjoyed the story.
  
• Ghostbusters - Monumental, me thinks. The movie spurred on a cartoon, a sequel, tons of toys and various merchadise that were all part of the 80's experience. My fave would be the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
  
• Tron - I think this was the first film to use CGI, so that makes it a landmark of sorts in film history. The characters were a bit two-dimensional - well, because, they really were. It's one of those iconic movies that can't be remade - because it would just seem absolutely low-tech and stupid; updating the story would require a 99% overhaul and that won't be a remake anymore.
  
• Short Circuit
• The Princess Bride (1987) - A lighthearted classic.
  

My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

My fave drama flicks from the 80's

• Empire of the Sun (1987)- Immense. The young Christian Bale was remarkable.
• The Last Emperor (1987) - Though found it intense, I wanted to know more about Henry Pu Yi and China. Watching it helped me a bit with my Asian history in later years.
• Full Metal Jacket (1987) - Unforgettable and powerful. My parents should not have let me see this with them.
• St. Elmo's Fire
• Dead Poets' Society (1988) - Profound story, wonderful script, delightful cast.
  

I sound my barbaric yawp over the rooftops of the world.

Oh Captain, My Captain.

• Excalibur - I think this would be the best King Arthur movie I've seen ever. Or do I feel that only because i was young (too young, actually) when i saw it?
• Gandhi - Heaaaavy.
  
• Dirty Dancing
• Stand By Me (1986) - Indelible, like its theme song.
  

My fave teen cheese flicks from the 80's
Some of them were actually silly, but they were light enough for my young mind to appreciate and remember:

• Sixteen Candles (1984) - From the late great John Hughes, this flick featured the teen movie archetypes.
  
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) - I LOVE this. The ultimate feelgood movie.

• Pretty In Pink - This was actually a painfully sucky movie, but I like it because it's iconic. Love the soundtrack .
• Breakfast Club

Dear Mr. Vernon, We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did was wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. What do you care? You see us as you want to see us - in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. Correct? That's the way we saw each other at 7:00 this morning. We were brainwashed.

• 3'o Clock High
• Satisfaction - It made me want to be in a girly band too.
• Can't Buy Me Love - Back in the day when Patrick Dempsey was cast as one of the "loser" kids
  
• Some Kind of Wonderful - Cheesy romantic but memorable.
  
• Footloose - Kevin Bacon in a teen movie.
  
• Revenge of the Nerds

Not-exactly-drama-but-not-exactly-comedy

• Karate Kid - So many themes to this story.

Wax on, wax off...

• Only You - Still one of my fave romance flicks to date. I fell in love with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey and Rome in this flick.
• Chances are - Really sweet.
  
• When Harry Met Sally - Though it took me a few years to get what that diner scene was about. The more recent "A Lot Like Love" (Ashton Kutcher, Claire Forlani) is SOOO similar.
  
• Mannequin - I actually thought it was cool back then, the song too. These days I'd be ashamed to admit it publicly.
  
• The Secret of My Succe$s - I was a Michael J. Fox fan; did't care if the movie reeked. I thought it was a brilliant thing to do to make for yourself a non-superhero alter-ego.
  
• Oh God, You Devil - Had a valuable lesson.
  

My fave animated / children's movies from the 80's

• Annie - As far as i recall, this was the first movie I watched in the cinema
  
• The Explorers - with a very young but already cute Ethan Hawke
• The Little Mermaid (1989) - The first Disney fairy tale in a long while was certainly impressive, given its fresh, more modern flavor
  
• Transformers: The Movie
  

Baa weep gran na weep nin ni bong!

• Starchaser: the Legend of Orin - The one with the bladeless sword.
  
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - It fascinated me.
  
• Rainbow Brite - A girl cartoon, of course. I watched it before almost everyone else did and that was a big thing to me. My best friend and I had a make-believe game pattered around Rainbowland.
  
• Rock & Rule - I think it had a bit of adult things in it, but I recall enjoying it
  
• Macross: the Movie

Stage fright, go away ... this is my big day...

• The Secret of NIMH
• Troop Beverly Hills - Ever wonder how Tori Spelling looked before the nose job?
  

Action / Adventure ones

• Goonies
• Big Trouble in Little China -When I was a kid, i thought this was thrilling, fast-paced and complex. I caught it on cable lately and suddenly it seems a lot simpler than I thought it was - but still good. For an 80's flick i mean.
  
• Batman - Tim Burton trumps Joel Schumacher.
  
• The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - I wouldn't mind watching this now and letting my kids see it (except for the part with Uma's exposed breast prolly).
  
• Terminator - Another iconic flick.
  
• Inner Space - I found it fasciating, the thought of a miniaturized pilot baing able to explore the human body from the inside. I thought I wanted to do it too.
  
• Robocop - It was disturbing for me as a kid, but I liked it.
  
• Crocodile Dundee - There was something cool about it, but I can't seem to recall... the knife, perhaps?
  
• Jake speed (1986) - Cornball flick, but it grew on me since it was one of those TV movies that were played over and over as fillers in the afternoons.
  
• Indiana Jones - I grew up thiking i never saw a single 'Indiana Jones'. A year ago when before "Crystal skull' came out, I borrowed some DVDs of the first three 'Indies'. It turns out I already watched all of them as a kid, I just forgot. There were a lot of "treasure hunt" movies in the mid-80's and they all managed to merge into one in my head.
  
• Die Hard - Bruce Willis rocked. This is the only 'Die Hard' that I like.
  
  

To this day, i have never seen Top Gun.


Spookies i didn't necessarily enjoy but were nonetheless unforgettable parts of my childhood

• The Fly - Okay, not too spooky, but gross.
• The Abyss - Back then, the CGI in this one seemed flawless.
• Nightmare On Elm Street - I never wanted to watch this, but my mom shared an office with a video rental place and it was showing one afternoon.
  

One, two, he's coming for you,
Three, four, better lock your door
Five, six, get a crucifix,
Seven, eight, better stay up late,
Nine, ten, Freddie's back again

• Poltergeist - Darnit. Gave me paranoia for days. I watched it again recently and despite my adulthood and the movie's old-school visual effects, it still spooked me.
  
• The Shining
• Gremlins
• Jaws - This is another thing parents shouldn't let their kids watch.
  
• Beetlejuice - I loved this.