Memorable '80s Movies

I'm a '90s kid but it dosen't mean I'm too young to love movies from the decade I missed. So going year by year here are some great movies of that decade. (these are just some ideas, if you don't like my opinion I don't care)

Friday the 13th (1980)

This is a timeless classic slasher. Anyone who likes horror movies should watch this. Mrs. Voorhees is really scary. A middle-aged severely dellusional woman who is obsessed with revenge is nightmare fuel all on its own. Also, Jason's first appearance is great too. Who could forget a decomposing child trying to drown someone? Besides a bunch of interesting kills, it was a rarely flawless open ending. One other thing about this movie that makes it unique is that most horror movies would become a drama without the murderer, this one would become a porno.

Caveman (1981)

Here's a great comedy. The actors are great, Ringo Starr being one of them. It's just so much fun to watch and extra credit if you learn to speak the language after one viewing. This movie dosen't tend to seem like much but if you give it a chance, it's really funny with great charachters and over-the-top comedy.

Poltergeist (1982)

This is the only horror movie that manages to be truly scary without a body count. There are great scares including the clown and the face ripping off. The cliche idea of a haunted house done really well here. I know people who generally dislike horror movies who like this one. Also, this should be noted Heather O'Rourke, the little girl who played Carol Anne died because of a medical mistake in 1988, she was only 12. The Poltergeist trilogy were her only movies. RIP Heather!

A Christmas Story (1983)

Arguably, the best christmas movie ever made. This is deffenitely one of the best comedies of all time. The jokes are ongoing throughout the movie. It's truly a fun movie for the whole family. Ralphie is a great charachter with a huge imagination. Not only is he relatable, but always interesting to watch. Also, most of the quotes from this movie like, "You'll shoot your eye out!" and "Oh FUUUUDGE!" are truly classic.

Gremlins (1984)

This is one of the few movies considered a comedy-horror. It's truly fun to watch and well done. The kills are interestingly done, the charachters are complex and memorable, and it also manages to be a christmas movie. That takes some great writing. One of the greatest scenes is when the gremlins watch Snow White as Billy blows up the theater. Another great one is Mrs. Deagle's death scene, when her chair lift goes too fast and she flies out the window. Here's an interesting fact, the violence and Kate's monologue about why she hates christmas stirred up a controversey causing the American rating system to create a PG-13. However, this movie did not go back into the rating system after that.

Follow That Bird (1985)

This is the first ever and the best Sesame Street movie and is truly nostalgic. The plot is simple enough, the songs are catchy, and if you were raised on the street it will deffonitely tug on your heart strings. In a truly cheerful movie, it also manages to have a sad moment where Big Bird is kidnapped by some people running a carnival and he sings about it. It's pretty surprising how Sesame Street can do more than make people laugh here. As a whole, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, Gordon, Maria, Susan, Big Bird, Snuffy, Oscar, Telly, the Count and everyone else in this movie make it great for the whole family. It's also a showcase to Jim Henson's work. He died from bacterial pneumonia. RIP Jim Henson!

An American Tail (1986)

This is one of Don Bluth's better movies. The songs are memorable and it's a history lesson for children that manages to be accurate. The charachters are cute and the animation is fantastic. Its dark elements show that the audience is taken seriously. This also shows decent knowledge of Russian Jewish culture. Looking at it all, a history lesson pared with dancing mice is a truly unlikely combination but it works so well here.

the Lost Boys (1987)

If there was ever a craze for this movie, I missed it. This is what fangirls should be raving about because the vampires, as well as the kills here are amazing. All the charachters, like Star, the Frog brothers, and of course, David make this a great soft-core horror movie. Most horror movies, like A Nightmare on Elm Street tend to simply rely on the antagonist, this one does not. There are a lot of cliches here, like a small town and the mom dating a suspected vampire. They're done truly well. It also has a rare happy ending for a horror movie and a low body count.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

This movie has a lot to offer and it uses it all. The charachters are amazing, meaning Roger, Jessica, Eddie, Baby Herman and Benny. Also, all the classic cartoon charachters who make well-deserved appearances add more charm to this movie. The villian, Judge Doom is truly scary and threatening. Anyone who appreciates animation would like this movie. The time and effort it took to get the rights to all those charachters and use all of them well is truly impressive. Here's a movie that's truly for everyone except for very small children.

the Little Mermaid (1989)

Here's the start of the disney renaissance. The charachters are great, the music is really good, and disney stopped being upstaged by Don Bluth with this movie. Also, Ursula is a uniquely scary villian. Not only is the movie really good, it's also become a success on broadway.

So here you go. I hope you liked it! I tried to make the movies diverse and I only used ones that are fresh in my mind.