As promised in the second installment of the Nine Words or Less podcast, here are my favorite nine movies of the 80s!  I have not listed my least favorite nine movies of the 80s.  Partially because I’m trying to stay positive (Ha!), partially because I hope by this point I have forgotten many of the bad movies I saw during fifth-grade slumber parties.  Night of the Comet, however, will haunt me forever. You too, Give My Regards to Broadstreet.

The 80s weren’t exactly when I came of age, but it’s when my tastes were deeply rooted, from smart television (Family Ties) to new wave music (Duran Duran) to gourmet food (Taco Bell on my sixth birthday, yo!). I started the decade at five years old and cruised out of it at 15.  Thanks to Simon Le Bon, Kim Fields, George Michael, Michael J. Fox, John Hughes, Bill Cosby, Phil Hartman, Alan Hunter, and others, for helping me get through the world’s longest awkward stage (roughly 1982 through 2000) with a sense of humor.

The movies listed below may not be the greatest 80s movies in terms of critical acclaim or awards gathered. But they made a strong impression on me when I watched them, and I believe all but one of them I did actually watch during the 80s (as well as afterwards).  All hold up in some way, either for nostalgic purposes, as a sign of the times, or because they are just wonderfully conceived/scripted/performed. All are worth watching unless you hate freedom.  And only three involve one or more Coreys.

Nine-word reviews of the movies listed below to follow over the next few days.

1. Back to the Future (1985: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Directed by Robert Zemeckis)

2. The Lost Boys (1987: Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Haim, Directed by Joel Schumacher)

3. This is Spinal Tap (1984: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Directed by Rob Reiner)

4. Lucas (1986: Corey Haim, Kerri Green, Directed by David Seltzer)

5. The Big Chill (1983: Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, WIlliam Hurt, Directed by Lawrence Kasdan)

6. Sixteen Candles (1984: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Schoeffling, Directed by John Hughes)

7. Stand By Me (1986: River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, Directed by Rob Reiner)

8. Heathers (1988: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Directed by Michael Lehmann)

9. Amadeus (1984: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Directed by Milos Forman)

Honorable Mentions: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Obvious Omissions: E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Terminator, Platoon, Blue Velvet, Do the Right Thing, Gandhi