My Ten Favorite '80s Movies

Hello people of the Internet!

I love '80s movies. Not all of them, of course, but I like a lot of them. Hence this post. 

This list is not in order. Well, I mean, it is in order, but the order is 'the order I thought of them in'. I had enough trouble picking just ten. Picking between them would probably break me [or, y'know, something less dramatic]. Also, the PG-13 rating wasn't invented until 1984, so anything made before that [and even a few after that] are rated PG when I think PG-13 would suit the film better. If I think that's the case, I'll say so when I list the rating. Ok, onto the post.

#10: Ghostbusters

Director: Ivan Reitman

Writers: Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis

Cast: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, William Atherton, Ernie Hudson. 

Rating: PG

Summary: Three former parapsychology professors set up shop as a unique ghost remover service. 

Why I Like It:

Ghostbusters is just such a classic. Raise your hand if you've heard the Ghostbusters song. 

Also, it involves ghosts, and I love the supernatural in fiction, so that was an element that I really liked. It's also really funny, and all the actors do a really good job. Also, the part with marshmallow man. I haven't seen this movie in awhile, so my memory of it is a little fuzzy [I might rewatch this. Actually, y'know what, I'm just gonna re-watch every movie on this list], but, trust me, it's really good. 

#9: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Director: John Hughes

Writer: John Hughes

Cast: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones, Jennifer Grey.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: A high school wise guy is determined to have a day off from school, despite what the Principal thinks of that: 

Why I Like It: 

Okay, but this is actually pretty good advice.

This is yet another movie I like because it's so funny and quotable. I also like how Ferris breaks the fourth wall a lot. It's just a neat little thing that I like in movies. Also, the whole playing sick so you can ditch school plot is so iconic, and is used and parodied in so many movies and shows that it's cool to see how it started. 

#8: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

Director: Steven Spielberg

Writers: Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas

Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Alfred Molina, Wolf Kahler, Anthony Higgins, Don Fellows.

Rating: PG [I think that rating suits it pretty well, but there are a few parts that are somewhat gruesome, so it depends on the person. I saw it when I was pretty little, and was fine with it, but that's just me].

Summary: In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before Adolf Hitler's Nazis can obtain its awesome power. 

Why I Like It: 

Who doesn't like Indiana Jones? When I was a kid, I wanted to be him. He was a history teacher and an adventurer [#livingthedream]. The action scenes in this one are so good, the music is great, and I love Indy as a character. This miiight be one of my favorite action movies of all time, too. It's so good. 

#7: Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure

Director: Stephen Herek

Writers: Chris Matheson, Ed Solomen

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, Terry Camilleri, Dan Shor, Tony Steedman, Rod Loomis, Al Leong, Jane Wieldon, Robert V. Barron, Clifford David, Hal Landon Jr.

Rating: PG

Summary: Two seemingly dumb teens set off on a quest to prepare the ultimate historical presentation with the help of a time machine. 

Why I Like It: 

For some reason I never hear people talk about this movie. It could just be because I haven't mentioned it before, but if it's because nobody has seen it then that's kinda sad because it's a great movie. The humor is excellent, and seeing famous historical figures [like Abraham Lincoln and Napoleon] trying to figure out the '80s is awesome. It's so quotable, too. I haven't seen it in forever and I can still quote a good portion of it.

#6: Clue

Director: Jonathan Lynn

Writers: John Landis, Jonathan Lynn

Cast: Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Colleen Camp, Lee Ving, Bill Henderson, Jane Wieldon, Jeffrey Kramer, Kellye Nakahara

Rating: PG [I think I would probably rate this one PG-13, too. Mild PG-13, but still]. 

Summary: Six guests are anonymously invited to a strange mansion for dinner, but after their host is killed, they must cooperate with the staff to identify the murderer as the bodies start piling up. 

Why I Like It: 

I like a lot about this movie. My mom and sister were watching this movie a few nights ago, and it reminded me of why I love it so much.

First of all, I love the originality! How many movies do you know that are based on board games? Also, I love how there are three different endings. The actors also all do such a good job, and, yet again, this movie is both hilarious and quotable. I could list some of my favorite quotes buuut then we'd be here all day. 

#5: Back to the Future

Director: Robert Zemackis

Writers: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale

Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson, Claudia Wells, Marc McClure, Wendie Jo Sperber, George DiCenzo

Rating: PG [I think PG-13 might fit this one better, but that's just my opinion]

Summary: Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean, invented by his close friend, the eccentric scientist Doc Brown. 

Why I Like It: 

Well, first of all, I love a good time travel movie. Second of all, Christopher Lloyd is fabulous in his role. 

Also, I like the '50s, so having Marty travel back to that time was really fun. Also, there's just a lot of small things I love in movies/shows that was in this one [cute dogs, skateboards, good music, etc]. Again, lots of the dialogue is great, and this is another that's just a classic. 

#4: The Goonies

Director: Richard Donner

Writers: Chris Columbus, Steven Spielberg

Cast: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy Quan, John Matuszak, Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, Anne Ramsey. 

Rating: PG [I think I'd also rate this one PG-13 just because of the language]. 

Summary: A group of young misfits called The Goonies discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate's long lost treasure. 

Why I Like It: 

I will never forgot when my dad first bought this movie. My whole family watched it for Family Movie Night. The next week he asked us what movie we wanted to watch, and we all said we wanted to watch this movie again. I adore so much about it, really. It's a fun and funny adventure movie, and, I mean, what kid didn't dream of going on an unsupervised adventure to find pirate treasure? Also, it's so fun to see Josh Brolin and Sean Astin when they were kids. 

#3: Beetlejuice

Director: Tim Burton

Writers: Michael McDowell, Larry Wilson

Cast: Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O'Hara, Glenn Shadix. 

Rating: PG

Summary: The spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit to drive them out. 

Why I Like It: 

I really like Tim Burton's directing style, in general. The weirdness of this movie appeals to me. All of the sets are so cool, too, and the premise is really interesting. Again, I really like the dialogue. And the characters! Beetlejuice completely steals the show, Adam and Barbara are super sweet [Hufflepuff power couple right here, folks], and Lydia is just amazing. 

I can't believe I only saw this movie for the first time last year. Child McKayla would've been in love with it [I was that one kid who was kind of morbid and goth-y and loved Halloween and the supernatural].

#2: Heathers

Director: Michael Lehmann

Writer: Daniel Waters

Cast: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker, Penelope Milford, Lance Fenton, Patrick Labyorteaux, Glenn Shadix, Renee Estevez, Jeremy Applegate, Carrie Lynn

Rating: R

Summary: At Westerburg High where cliques rule, jocks dominate and all the popular girls are named Heather, it's going to take a Veronica and a mysterious new kid to give teen angst a body count. 

Why I Like It:

I have come to the conclusion based on the fact that both this and Clue made my Top Ten list, that I just really like dark comedies. Again, the dialogue in this one is really good, and I like how it kind of makes fun of popular movie tropes at the time. Again, it's an original idea, and I like that. And the characters are all interesting and complicated, even if none of them are really likable [except Betty. That girl's an absolute sweetheart]. Also, Winona Ryder [look, I am an extremely biased person, okay? I will want to see something more if it has an actor/actress I like in it].

#1: The Breakfast Club

Director: John Hughes

Writer: John Hughes

Cast: Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Paul Gleason

Rating: R

Summary: Five high school students meet in Saturday detention and realize they have a lot more in common than they thought.

Why I Like It:

Can I just say that I love the underlying message of this film? People don't exist to be sorted into neat little categories. We're a little bit of everything. And the characters are all so well-developed. I also think it's really interesting that the whole movie only has a handful of characters and it mostly takes place in one room and it works. Also, the dance scene. The dance scene is the best. 

So, let's chat. What are some of your favorite '80s movies? Do we have any of the same favorites? If so, why do you like those movies? Do you have any recommendations for me? I want to allllllll your thoughts. 

I'm putting this here because we could all use some more Winona Ryder in our lives.