For this week’s ponderings: What is your favorite ’80s Action/Adventure/Fantasy Movie?
(Broad categorization, yes. But necessary since there are so many wonderful ones!)
The Goonies – The quintessential adventure movie. Everyone fantacized about finding One Eyed Willies treasure after watching this one.
Willow –Fantasy before the days of overwhelming CGI, complete with great acting, scary villains, and a sexy Val Kilmer.
Stand By Me – Another coming of age classic, based on Stephen King’s novella “The Body”.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure – Duuude! Wyld Stallyns rules. So-crates, Mrs. Arc (Noah’s wife), and the infamous Mr. Abe “PARTY ON DUDES” Lincoln.
Labyrinth – The Bowie! The beautiful Jennifer Connoley! Jim Henson muppets rule, why don’t we make any more fantasy movies using these?
The Princess Bride – The Classic! The Dread Pirate Roberts, Buttercup, and those three little words that make your heart melt… “As you wish.”
The Dark Crystal – Another Henson masterpiece. The special edition dvd just came out, highly recommend anyone that isn’t familiar with this classic to at least give it a rental!
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome – Two men enter, one man leaves! Two men enter, one man leaves!
Back to the Future – Classic time travel romp with a kickass soundtrack.
Top Gun– Probably one of the saddest deaths in movie history. Goose! *cries* Also, the coolest call signs EVER. Iceman, Maverick, Jester…brilliant.
Commando – Now a cable movie staple, one of those movies that are so bad it’s good. So many production errors, it’s mind-bottlingly wonderful.
Terminator – Last Ahnold flick, I promise! No introduction needed.
Die Hard – As if John McClaine, Nakatomi Plaza, Hans Gruber and Argyle need ANY introduction. Yippie-ki-yay motherf…” you know how it goes.
The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi – Star Wars saga continues as Luke discovers his parentage and becomes a Jedi. Pure, unfiltered brilliance.
Indiana Jones movies – Indy! Snakes! Kali-ma! Nazis! All kinds of awesome.
Aliens – Ellen Ripley pwns. Damn that last scene with the exosuit where Ellen faces down the Queen is freaking incredible.
Batman – The original! I may never have been completely sold on Michael Keaton as Batman *gasps* but this is a classic. Jack Nicholson’s Joker scares the crap outta me. “Ever dance with the devil by the pale moonlight?”
Star Trek movies – First off, I LOVE this picture of Khan! The Search for Spock had everyone in tears, and who can deny the excellence of “Thar be whales!”
Ghostbusters – Do….Ray…..Igon!! Crossing the streamers! Slimer! The freaky hermeaphrodite Gozer that looks like Michael Jackson! Both movies rock.
8 Comments
Thea
March 22, 2008 at 10:28 amGaah! So many choices. This was a fun one to make. I gotta go with…Die Hard. It’s my favorite movie of all time. Although I truly do love each and every movie on this list!
Ana
March 22, 2008 at 12:22 pmLOL, what a great selection!
How can one choose between Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, Empire Strikes Back?
Or the Goonies??????
Gaah, I say.
But if I have to , then I need to go with The Princess Bride and one of the best sentences ever: “My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!”
Shannon
March 22, 2008 at 3:11 pmOh! So many wonderful choices! I recently rewatched Goonies for the first time in years. The commentary on the DVD is fun.
I’m not sure I can pick just one. It would be a toss up between Goonies, Return of the Jedi, and Top Gun. I love them all for very different reasons.
Mollie
March 22, 2008 at 7:48 pmAHH. Totally agree..to many choices. Love ’em all. Have to say my top picks would be The Princess Bride, The Goonies, Willow and Labyrinth.
Anyone else remember Legend with Tom Cruise??!!!
Kristie (J)
March 23, 2008 at 7:50 amI haven’t seen all of those movies – but I have seen most of them and yeah – they are all great ones! But if I had to go with just one – I think it would be Ghost Busters.
Thea
March 23, 2008 at 11:51 amMollie–I *almost* put Legend on the list! That was a great one, like a full length surreal music video. The devil guy (played by the wonderful Tim Curry!) used to scare the crap outta me. Eek. And I loved the pretty unicorns too 🙂
Katie(babs)
March 23, 2008 at 2:54 pmSo hard to pick!
Labyrinth because I wanted David Bowie to have his way with me on those crazy stairs.
Top Gun and Tom could have had me on his motorcycle.
bob
June 17, 2011 at 8:43 pmlooking at this list, i kind of realize, the 80’s certainly had its moments.