Lefty Side of the Dial

80's Theme Week is winding down. Today I present my top ten favorite 80s movies, prepare to be scared by my picks...

Top Ten 80's Movies

10. The Pirate Movie

This is by no means a good film, but it's a film I've seen many many times. I like it a lot, even though I may by just a handful that did. If you ever get a chance throw it on your Netflix cue and enjoy on of the hidden "classic" of the 80's. It's a loose "modern"...well early 80's modern retelling of the Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, complete with a short animation music montage, and a lightsaber/sword duel. Cult classic.

9. The Princess Bride

Speaking of cult classic, Princess Bride continues to bring new fans into its fold since it hit theaters in 1987. I saw it many times in the theaters, and even more on VHS and DVD. I think I've had a few conversations that consisted of nothing but dialogue from this movie. It's the film that taught me the difference between dead and mostly dead.

8. 9 To 5

I haven't seen this film in a while, so it's time to through it in my Netflix queue. I have seen it many times, and every time I've always enjoyed the hell out of it. I even enjoyed the short-lived T.V. series that grew out of the film. I had a hard time deciding between using this film as my pick or Dustin Hoffman's Toostie, but in the end I liked the conflict in this film more. This comedy is almost a precursor to the "dark comedies" we'd see crop up more in the 90's. I loved, loved, LOVED Lily Tomlin in the film...so much I even saw the lame "Incredible Shrinking Woman" later...wow, that was a bad movie.

7. Pretty In Pink

Let's get the obvious out the way. Ducky should have gotten Andie in the end. However, besides that historic let-down, this is my second favorite John Hughes directed film. In fact, the original ending DID have Andie choosing Duckie. In any event, I loved the film. It made me a big fan of Jon Cryer, and kept my flame burning for the lovely Molly Ringwold.

6. Some Kind of Wonderful

Although this film was directed by Howard Deutch, the screenplay was written by John Hughes. Further, it is just about the same concept of Pretty in Pink but with the gender roles reversed....and we get the happy ending as "Duckie" gets her guy. I dug this film so much, and had such a huge crush on Mary Stuart Masterson. I remember getting chocked up in a certain scene with Keith and his dad. Oh, and I love the soundtrack, so much so that I recently picked it up again on CD.

5. Airplane!

"I am serious... and don't call me Shirley." If this movie is on cable and I happen to flip through it, I end up watching it. For me, it's one of the funniest movies ever made. I think I've seen it at least 25 times in my life.

4. Fast Times At Ridgemont High

Fast Times could have become a formulaic high school teen comedy, and I would have been fine with that. However, Fast Times has that extra magic that pushes the film over the top into respectability. The film deals with a few serious issues amidst amusing Spicoli bits, the oft-referred to Phoebe Cates swimming pool scene, and a killer soundtrack.

3. Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Bueller...Bueller...Bueller. This film taught me that Jennifer Grey is surprising good at playing a cold-hearted...well not a nice girl. I loved the film for its breaking of the fourth wall. I wanted to be Ferris Bueller, but really it was Cameron’s growth as a person I later wanted to emulate. When you think of it, Ferris is almost a mythical Peter Pan character. Wow, I just blew my mind.

2. Say AnythingThis is one of the greatest romantic films starring a character named Lloyd. Cameron Crowe proves once again (he wrote the screenplay for Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which was adapted from his book he wrote) he is capable of taking the teen romance comedy and making it more substantial. This movie is a much about family relationships as it is about a guy meeting a girl.

1. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

I think we can all agree that this was the best movie of the original trilogy. This is one of the first movies I remember going to, seeing it in some theater in San Antonio, TX, and coming away just amazed. It would be a year later I would be able to see the first movie when it was re-released, but by then I was a huge fan. I read anything Star Wars related, purchased as many action figures as I could, and continued the ending of Empire with the various plastic cast I had assembled (which sometimes also including various other action figures like Star Trek: The Motion Picture figures.

Man, there are a lot of films that rank high with me during the 80's so it was real hard choosing these ten. But I have to mention other films I absolutely love, in no particular order: Clue, Top Secret, The Blues Brothers, Stripes, Wargames, A Christmas Story, Stand By Me, Amadeus, and yes even Cloak & Dagger was especially near and dear to me.