This follows up my list from last week and there will be one more by the end of this week. I was surprised going through my list of 80s movies. There were a lot of movies that I really liked but I didn't think were good enough for my list. Also many of these movies wouldn't make my all-time great lists. Cmon people I want to see your lists.
Honorable Mention: The Princess Bride, A Christmas Story, The Killing Fields, The Terminator, and Once Upon a Time in America, and Ghostbusters all were real close but just barely missed out. Like I said a lot of good movies but few great movies.
#10A Caddyshack: You should know by now that Bill Murray is one of my favorite actors and this is the first movie I saw him in. I was never a big SNL fan. Him and Akroyd are wonderful just like another Harold Remis movie that just missed my list. Ghostbusters is really interchangeable here but I will go with the one that I quote more regularly.
#10B Die Hard: When this movie came out they took an actor known for his role on Moonlighting and turned him into one of the biggest action stars on the planet. Bruce Willis was actually the fifth choice for the lead to this movie and they gave him a then ridiculous amount of money, 5 mil, to do the part. It worked out for all and this is a wonderful action movie for the ages.
#9 Raiders of the Lost Arc: I went back and forth with what order I should put my two favorite Indiana Jones movies on this list. Spielberg is masterful delivering this George Lucas story. I think it is safe to say that George Lucas is single handily the person to thank for the success of Ripon College dropout Harrison Ford.
#8 The Shining: I am kind of indifferent on Kubrick films I either love them or hate them. When watching this film pay attention to the music score. Suspense in film often is make or break on the music played. This film hits it right on the head. Not to mention a wonderful performance by Jack Nicholson.
#7 Last Crusade: The other Indiana Jones movie on my list. The second movie is not really that good but they hit gold on the third one. How bringing back the Nazis as the villain, adding River Phoenix as young Indiana, and adding Sean Connery as Indiana's father. Throw in a cool story about the cup of Christ and you have a great movie.
#6 Full Metal Jacket: Like I said like love him for this movie and the Shining, could have done without Space Odyssey and Clockwork. The first hour of this movie is as captivating as any movie I have ever seen.
#5 Empire Stikes Back: My favorite Star Wars movie. I really don't know why this is my favorite usually #2 of a trilogy usually blows. This movie like all three of the early released one is just very well done. Way ahead of its time as far as movies go.
#4 Raging Bull: This would probably be my 3rd favorite Scorscese film, but that doenst mean it is not wonderful. I think I would have like this film more if it was in color but I understand what Scorscese was trying to do. Great performances by De Niro and Pesci make this a wonderful but chilling look at the life of boxing great Jake LaMotta.
#3 Scarface: This is the signature performance of Al Pacino and what a wonderful one it is. This movie like all of Oliver Stones is very violent. I remembering my dad renting this movie and I was like 11 or 12 and thinking he shouldn't have let me watch this. I'm glad he did as I still haven't killed anyone and got to see one of my favorite movies ever.
#2 Platoon: A another Oliver Stone film that some how got over looked the first time I did this list. The first Vietnam movie that I have seen that really made me understand what type of mess we had gotten ourselves into. This is as powerful of a film as I have ever seen. Great performances by Berenger, Dafoe, and Sheen. I cannot believe I left this movie off the first time I did this it is one of my all time favorites.
#1 Stand By Me: I know i am going to get ripped by all Steven King fans but to me this is his best story, well at least best that has been adapted to screen. Growing up during the 80s this quickly became my favorite. I remember liking oldies because my mom got me the tape of this soundtrack. Great soundtrack by the way.
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4 comments:
We've got some disagreements here. Personally, I think each of the following easily bump onto your list.
Platoon - Wow.
Blue Velvet - David Lynch directing is usually interesting enough for me to watch, but throw in a loose ear, a depressed and deranged stripper and Dennis Hopper sucking on nitrous and you've got a whale of a film.
Wall Street - Gordon Effing Gekko? Are you fucking shitting me? Has any film captured the essence of its era and setting better than Wall Street captured the capitalist renaissance of the 1980s?
Moonstruck - I almost hate to say it, but this is an outstanding film and Cher could actually act. Lots of great performances in that flick, including a beautifully over-acted, overly dramatic Nick Cage, in the one role where it really makes sense.
Ordinary People - Robert Redford says, "Gee, I think I'll try directing for the first time and just win the fucking Oscar while I'm at it." Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Tim Hutton, Judd Hirsch, amazing story and script with great performances.
Wow is right on me missing Platoon. It was on my top ten films list before now it doesnt make top 10 80s. Its ommision was an a huge error on my part. If I did the list again it would be at or near the top of my list. As for your other movies.
Blue Velvet- I really enjoyed this movie, the imagery, the acting, even parts of the story I really liked but like most other Lynch films I failed to realize the point so it fails to make the top 10.
Wall Street- This just barely missed my list. Your point about this film capturing an era during the early to mid 80s is valid. Michael Douglass is also phenomal in this movie. I have seen this movie many times, but I never felt like I was watching a great film. Good but not great.
I have seen Moonstruck with my mom a long time ago and dont remember it well enough for it to even deserve mention by me.
Ordinary People- is a film sadly I havent seen but will be on my list. How can you not be a Redford fan, he has been pretty much amazing in all aspect of film. As a writer, director, and actor. I really enjoy his movies and I will check this one out.
Timmay, Im glad you are on top of your 70s and 80s movie game. You are probably really going to rip my 90s list. Anyone else have a list they would like to share?
I have to echo the Wall Street addition as this is one of my favorite movies of all time. The early 80's tycoon, the origination of the true market tycoons of all time was a prominent fixture in the decade....
As overall 80's movies, I suppose Platoon would prevail in the public's eye, but Wall Street must be there alongside...
Good list..
I guess I am just not seeing the overall importance of this film. I guess things, like Enron, Big Govt contracts given without competition, Microsoft Monopolies, and internet billionaires, kind of make a movie about a guy who is using an insider to make get ahead in the market. I mean to me it seems like this type of corruption or "greed is good" portrayal we have seen in a ton of movies since. Maybe thats why I dont think that Wall Street is one of the best of its decade.
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