Moviefone's top 40 movies of the 80's

DiamondDave

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Jun 30, 2008
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40. 'Ghostbusters' (1984)
39. 'Diner' (1982)
38. 'The Thing' (1982)
37. 'Room With A View' (1985)
36. 'Gandhi' (1982)
35. 'Moonstruck' (1987)
34. 'Brazil' (1985)
33. 'Do the Right Thing' (1989)
32. 'sex, lies and videotape' (1989)
31. 'The Princess Bride' (1987)
30. 'Ordinary People' (1980)
29. 'Tootsie' (1982)
28. 'Die Hard' (1988)
27. 'The Breakfast Club' (1985)
26. 'Blood Simple' (1984)
25. 'Trading Places' (1983)
24. 'Hoosiers' (1986)
23. 'Platoon' (1986)
22. 'The Verdict' (1982)
21. 'Back to the Future' (1985)
20. 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial' (1982)
19. 'Full Metal Jacket' (1987)
18. 'Terms of Endearment' (1983)
17. 'Stripes' (1981)
16. 'My Left Foot' (1989)
15. 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' (1982)
14. 'The Shining' (1980)
13. 'The Terminator' (1984)
12. 'When Harry Met Sally' (1989)
11. 'Glory' (1989)
10. 'Aliens' (1986)
9. 'Bull Durham' (1988)
8. 'Caddyshack' (1980)
7. 'Blue Velvet' (1986)
6. 'Sophie’s Choice' (1982)
5. 'This Is Spinal Tap' (1984)
4. 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980)
3. 'Raging Bull' (1980)
2. 'Blade Runner' (1982)
1. 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1982)

First off.. let me say that I do appreciate that it is not some list fully populated with Best Picture winners and artsy fartsy crapola...

That being said, I must say that there are a few on here that have me personally saying "What the fuck?"... both on the artsy fartsy aspect and on the plain "You gotta be kidding me!" aspect...

Ghostbusters, Do the Right Thing, Sex Lies and Videotape, The Breakfast Club, My Left Foot, Glory, and Sophies Choice would not even come close to top 500 on my list.. 1, maybe 2, could be considered amusing.. but none would be one that I would even stop channel surfing to catch a glimpse of when I would come across it.... horrible, HORRIBLE choices

Good to see that very underrated movies such as Blade Runner and Diner get some props....

But no Amadeus? No Rain Man? No Stand By Me? No Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure? No Ferris Bueller's Day Off? No Scarface?... IMHO those would HAVE to be in ANY top 80's movie list

Thoughts?
 
Its hard to argue with the top 4. I will admit I never saw 5-7! But I would have to put Trading Places (I still love this movie), Platoon, Hoosiers, Full Metal Jacket and Glory (might be the best war movie this side of Saving Private Ryan). higher!

40. 'Ghostbusters' (1984)
39. 'Diner' (1982)
38. 'The Thing' (1982)
37. 'Room With A View' (1985)
36. 'Gandhi' (1982)
35. 'Moonstruck' (1987)
34. 'Brazil' (1985)
33. 'Do the Right Thing' (1989)
32. 'sex, lies and videotape' (1989)
31. 'The Princess Bride' (1987)
30. 'Ordinary People' (1980)
29. 'Tootsie' (1982)
28. 'Die Hard' (1988)
27. 'The Breakfast Club' (1985)
26. 'Blood Simple' (1984)
25. 'Trading Places' (1983)
24. 'Hoosiers' (1986)
23. 'Platoon' (1986)
22. 'The Verdict' (1982)
21. 'Back to the Future' (1985)
20. 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial' (1982)
19. 'Full Metal Jacket' (1987)
18. 'Terms of Endearment' (1983)
17. 'Stripes' (1981)
16. 'My Left Foot' (1989)
15. 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' (1982)
14. 'The Shining' (1980)
13. 'The Terminator' (1984)
12. 'When Harry Met Sally' (1989)
11. 'Glory' (1989)
10. 'Aliens' (1986)
9. 'Bull Durham' (1988)
8. 'Caddyshack' (1980)
7. 'Blue Velvet' (1986)
6. 'Sophie’s Choice' (1982)
5. 'This Is Spinal Tap' (1984)
4. 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980)
3. 'Raging Bull' (1980)
2. 'Blade Runner' (1982)
1. 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1982)

First off.. let me say that I do appreciate that it is not some list fully populated with Best Picture winners and artsy fartsy crapola...

That being said, I must say that there are a few on here that have me personally saying "What the fuck?"... both on the artsy fartsy aspect and on the plain "You gotta be kidding me!" aspect...

Ghostbusters, Do the Right Thing, Sex Lies and Videotape, The Breakfast Club, My Left Foot, Glory, and Sophies Choice would not even come close to top 500 on my list.. 1, maybe 2, could be considered amusing.. but none would be one that I would even stop channel surfing to catch a glimpse of when I would come across it.... horrible, HORRIBLE choices

Good to see that very underrated movies such as Blade Runner and Diner get some props....

But no Amadeus? No Rain Man? No Stand By Me? No Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure? No Ferris Bueller's Day Off? No Scarface?... IMHO those would HAVE to be in ANY top 80's movie list

Thoughts?
 
Also notably missing, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989) which to me, easily was the best Indy film.

And no "Batman?" Jack Nicholson as the Joker?
 
Also notably missing, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989) which to me, easily was the best Indy film.
Really? I thought that one was far inferior to the previous 2!
Temple of Doom sucked on toast. Last Crusade was alot more in keeping with the "B" movie concept.

Look at the list carefully again, and tell me ALL of those are great movies.
 
Great ones left off:
Untouchables,
Scarface
Field of Dreams
The Road Warrior
Predator
Rambo
Good Mourning Vietnam
The Temple of Doom
The Color Purple
Return of the Jedi

Other Good ones:
The Color of Money
Poltergeist
Nightmare on Elm Street
Fatal Attraction
War Games
Romancing the Stone
Karate kid
Crocodile Dundee
The Naked Gun
Coming to America
 
The Breakfast Club...would not even come close to top 500 on my list..

Are you serious? The Breakfast Club is THE definitive 80's movie. I'm shocked it's not higher up on the list.

I had the definitive 80's movie in Ferris Bueller's Day Off... in terms of the culture, humor, etc of the teens of that era

Breakfast Club was that angst movie... angst without having a reason for angst... the 'popular kids' movie.. FBDO was one that every kind of teen liked... funnier, wittier, more adventuresome, and frankly more memorable parts
 

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