Thursday Thirteen: Favorite Movies from the 80s

Today's Thursday Thirteen is my favorite movies from the 80s. Now this isn't a list of the best 80s movies that were ever made, these are the movies that when I was younger I probably watched 100 times each. Some I still do watch and others I say to myself, what was I thinking?

I'll tell you a little about each movie and if possible send you to a link with my favorite scene.

Okay lets start with one that I'm sure everyone can relate to and probably still loves.

1) The Breakfast Club

They were five total strangers, with nothing in common, meeting for the first time. A brain, a beauty, a jock, a rebel and a recluse. Before the day was over, they broke the rules. Bared their souls. And touched each other in a way they never dreamed possible.

I loved watching this movie when I was younger and I still love it. Judd Nelson is so sexy (still is) Click here for my favorite scene (I used to imitate Molly Ringwald's dance in this)

2) Pretty in Pink

Young Andie is one of the not-so-popular girls in high school. She usually hangs out with her friends Iona or Duckie. Duckie has always had a crush on her, but now she has met a new guy from school, Blane. He's one of the rich and popular guys but can the two worlds meet.

I know Molly Ringwald again, but she was the girl we all wanted to be and she always got the guy we dreamed about (wait there is one more with her can you guess which one?) I just love the characters in this movie and I love John Cryer. Here's my favorite scene, Duckie dancing to Otis Redding

3) Sixteen Candles

Samantha's life is going downhill fast. The sixteen-year-old has a crush on the most popular boy in school, and the geekiest boy in school has a crush on her. Her sister's getting married, and with all the excitement the rest of her family forgets her birthday! Add all this to a pair of horrendously embarrassing grandparents, a foreign exchange student named Long Duc Dong, and we have the makings of a hilarious journey into young womanhood.

Oh Jack Ryan who didn't have a crush on the most popular boy in school, I know I did and he didn't know I was alive lucky for Samantha she gets the guy. Here's the trailer (too many favorite scenes to pick one) but the trailer shows most of them.

4) Some Kind of Wonderful

A young tomboy, Watts, finds her feelings for her best friend, Keith, run deeper than just friendship when he gets a date with the most popular girl in school. Unfortunately, the girl's old boyfriend, who is from the rich section of town, is unable to let go of her, and plans to get back at Keith.

Yes I know another teen movie about the wrong side of the tracks wanting the person on the right side. Come on you know you love these movies too (I swear I have other movies that I loved too). My favorite scene I love how Watts makes Keith think he might not have the ability to kiss, and she kisses him and what a kiss that is. And I won't lie the last scene of the movie makes me cry every time. (I know big dork!)

5) The Lost Boys

Financial troubles force a recent divorcee and her teenage sons Mike and Sam to settle down with her father in the California town of Santa Carla. At first, Sam laughs off rumours he hears about vampires who inhabit the small town. But after Mike meets a beautiful girl at the local amusement park, he begins to exhibit the classic signs of vampirism. Fearing for his own safety, Sam recruits two young vampire hunters to save his brother by finding and destroying the head vampire.

See I told you I liked other kinds of movies. Lost Boys oh I think I still can recite this movie verbatim from memory. I used to have a VHF (yes back in the day before DVD) tape of this that I would watch rewind watch rewind and so on. I would pause so I could look at Corey Haim gotta love me some Corey Haim (I hear now he's fat, broke and homeless poor guy btw I actually got to meet him once). Favorite scene is when Sam figures out that his brother Michael is a vampire and he says:

Look at your reflection in the mirror. You're a creature of the night Michael, just like out of a comic book! You're a vampire Michael! My own brother, a goddamn, shit-sucking vampire. You wait 'till mom finds out, buddy!

Unfortuantely I couldn't find the scene anywhere so here is the trailer.

6) Stand By Me

Based on Stephen King's Short story "The Body", "Stand By Me" tells the tale of Gordie Lachance, a writer who looks back on his preteen days when he and three close friends went on their own adventure to find the body of a kid their age who had gone missing and presumed dead. The stakes are upped when the town bullies are close behind - and it becomes a race to see who'll be able to recover the body first

Such a great movie about boyhood friendships and adventures, and to think that fat kid is Jerry O'Connell (he sure did grow up nicely). Sad to say though River Phoenix in all his glory such a talented actor died way too young. Favorite scene when they are in the pond and poor Gordie gets a leech on his... well you watch and see

7) The Goonies

Mikey and Brandon Walsh are two brothers whose family is preparing to move due to a new development that is sure to be started unless enough money is raised, which is quite doubtful. But, when Mikey stumbles on a treasure map of the famed "One-Eyed" Willy's hidden fortune, he, his brother, and a few friends set out on a quest to find the riches in hopes to save their homes. The entrance to a cavern is found, but it is located underneath an abandoned restaurant occupied by the Fratelli family, a treacherous group of thieves who attempt to beat the "Goonies" to the treasure.

I remember the first time I watched this movie, I was in Finland visiting my grandparents and because this was so long ago, TV didn't start until after 6pm so my mom and I went to a video store and got a couple of videos for me to watch and Goonies was one of them. One of my favorite scenes is the Truffle Shuffle but one of my favorite lines is when Mouth talks to Brandon about failing his drivers test, both seen here.

8) Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Follows a group of high school students growing up in southern California, based on the real-life adventures chronicled by Cameron Crowe. Stacy Hamilton and Mark Ratner are looking for a love interest, and are helped along by their older classmates, Linda Barrett and Mike Damone, respectively. The center of the film is held by Jeff Spicoli, a perpetually stoned surfer dude who faces off with the resolute Mr. Hand, who is convinced that everyone is on dope.

What can I say about Fast Times, maybe the ultimate stoner movie out there. Spicoli is a character that you just love, and to think that is the amazing Sean Pean (who is a bit serious now), what a long way he has come. My favorite scene would have to be when Spicoli has pizza delivered in class and Mr Hand lets everyone else have a piece but him (you know you've always wanted to order a pizza while in class). But since I couldn't find that here's the trailer.

9) Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ferris Bueller has played hooky numbers of times, and this time he's got the entire school and more believing he is on the verge of death. On this special day off, Ferris invites his friend Cameron Fry and girlfriend Sloane Peterson to his day of fun, while taking Cameron's father's precious Ferrari for transportation. All the while, the principal Ed Rooney is determined to prove Ferris is faking his illness and Ferris's agitated sister Jeanie also has a goal to catch Ferris off guard. Ferris enjoys his day with his friends, until the mileage of the Ferrari reads one too many miles driven and Cameron has a blow out

Who didn't want to be Ferris for just one day, I only ditched school a handful of times and let me tell you the most exciting thing I did was probably hang out at a friends house worrying about getting caught (not by the school but by my mother ACK!)
Poor Matthew Broderick, he's done so much yet he will always be Ferris in my eyes. Favorite scene is when Ferris talks about how to trick your parents into thinking you are sick but again can't find it so here's the trailer


10) The Outsiders

Based on the novel of the same name. The story of young men growing up facing hard times where they have little going for them. Two opposing groups, the Greasers and the Socs, continually fight against each other and their "turf".

I love this movie for so many reasons, I always root for the underdog in movies and how can you not love the Greasers. It has to be tough to live in a town where if you are poor you don't have much respect. I love Ponyboy and Johnny and the innocence they still exume but that all changes one night. Matt Dillon has some of the best lines in this movie. "We gotta win that fight tonight. We gotta get even with those Socs! Let's do it for Johnny, man. We'll do it for Johnny!" Favorite scene when the Greasers beat the Socs.

11) The Princess Bride

When a young boy falls ill, his grandfather pops round to visit him. To cheer his grandson up, Grandpa has brought a storybook; The Princess Bride, a tale of the love between the beautiful Buttercup and the besotted Westley, a love cruelly interrupted by Westley's tragic apparent death at sea when seeking his fortune. Heartbroken, Buttercup has sworn never to love again, but accepts the marriage proposal of the rich and handsome Prince Humperdinck, heir to the throne of Florin; but death is no barrier to true love, and in a story filled with exotically-accented swordsmen, big-hearted giants, genius kidnappers, sadistic torturers, vile swamps, Rodents of Unusual Size, the Dread Pirate Roberts and a somewhat embittered miracle worker, the love between Westley and Buttercup twists and turns on a path filled with adventure. Will the True Love of Westley and Buttercup win the day? Will Inigo Montaya find the six-fingered man who murdered his father? Will Humperdinck's evil plans come to fruition? And, more importantly, will Grandpa be able to tell the story without any of the yucky kissing?

I still love watching this movie and I still love to hear, "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father prepare to die." over and over again, until he kills Count Rugen which is the best scene. I love this fairytale love story. "As you wish...."

12) Breakin 2 Electric Boogaloo

A developer tries to bulldoze a community recreation center. The local breakdancers try to stop it.

I know I know it is a bit cheasy but come on it's the 80s and this is one of the best break dancing movies of its time. The music was great and the dance moves were awesome. I love Ozone and Turbo god I was in love with Ozone (it was 1984 and I was 9 what can I tell ya). The street battles were the best, they don't fight one another they danced.

Last but certainly not least as we have all seen this and wish we were Baby.

13) Dirty Dancing

Spending the summer in a holiday camp with her family, Frances ('Baby') falls in love with the camp's dancing teacher and learns about life and herself.

What little girl (or big one) didn't want to be Baby, to fall for Johnny and dance with him. Patrick Swayze was the ultimate guy for a long time (especially for our mom's) he could dance, sing and was still sexy and masculine. I have probably watched this movie over 100 times and I have to say, that I can't watch it anymore. I've tried but I just can't do it. Favorite scene (any of the dancing ones).

Of course there are many many other ones that I could list but I could only pick 13 and this post is long enough already. Hope you enjoyed and please tell me some of your favorite movies from the 80s.