best movies of the 80s

Back to the Future

The 1980’s were filled with incredible movies including Back to the Future. Michael J. Fox played Marty McFly and the movie encompasses his friendship with Doc played by Christopher Lloyd. Marty is accidently sent to the future in a time machine and changes the past. He must reunite his future parents or he will cease to exist. 

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial 

ET is both a salute to childhood and a science fiction adventure created by Steven Spielberg. This is the story of a homesick alien and a young boy named Elliott played by Henry Thomas. Elliot is trying to help ET get back home. He learns how to communicate with ET telepathically while learning how to be brave. 

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters stars Bill Murray as part of a team of paranormal investigators including Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Harold Ramis. They use electronic paraphernalia to eliminate ghosties and ghoulies from the Big Apple in a film filled with comedy and special effects. 

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

This is George Lucas’s second entry in the Star Wars Trilogy. Mark Hamill is back as Luke Skywalker and he is now a seasoned space warrior. Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher return as Han Solo and Princess Leia to battle Darth Vader and the insidious Empire. The film goes from the Ice Plant Hoth to tropical Dagobah with consistent action and excitement.  

Sixteen Candles 

This is a teenage comedy starring Molly Ringwald as a suburban teenager. She is suffering angst during the night before her sisters wedding because her family forgot about her birthday. This is a compassionate movie with respect for the characters. 

The Shining

This horror film was based on a Stephen King novel. Shelly Duval and Jack Nicholson are acting as caretakers for the Overlook Hotel along with their son. The hotel is inaccessible due to the snow in the mountains. Jack Nicholson slowly descends into madness in this ghastly haunted hotel. 

Raging Bull

This is a Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro film about middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta. The film covers LaMotta’s troubled personal life and the jealousy, suspicion and rage towards his manager and wife. He is eventually left alone looking for redemption. 

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Harrison Ford portrays an extraordinary archeologist called Indiana Jones in this Steven Spielberg and George Lucas adventure. He is searching for the Ark of the Covenant which has long since been lost. This leads to non-stop action from snakes in the Well of Souls to finally unearthing the Ark.  

Do the Right Thing 

This Spike Lee film is a combination comedy and drama set in Brooklyn about a pizza parlor. The focus is on the Wall of Fame because it only contains famous Italian-American pictures and does not represent the blacks in the neighborhood. The result is tragedy and violence. 

The Princess Bride

Rob Reiner directed this sensational fairy tale that is a play on the damsel in distress concept. This is the story of a gallant hero who rescues the beautiful princess.

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