1980s Best Movies

Stand By Me (1986)

After learning that a stranger has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four Oregon boys decide to go see the body. On the way, Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), Vern Tessio (Jerry O’Connell), Chris Chambers (River Phoenix) and Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman) encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, as they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys’ adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.

The Monster Squad (1987)

Count Dracula has until midnight to retrieve an ancient amulet that will give him final control over the delicate balance between good and evil in the world. To help him, the creepy Count calls on some old friends; the weird Wolfman, grotesque Gill-Man, mildewed Mummy, and freaky Frankenstein. As the ghoulish group gets closer to the amulet, it’s up to The Monster Squad, headquartered in the local tree house, to pool its questionable resources and stop the monster mayhem!

The Sure Thing (1985)

Gib (John Cusack), a college freshman, keeps striking out with women. When he learns that a beautiful Californian (Nicollette Sheridan) wants to have a tryst with him, he decides to carpool all the way to the West Coast to meet her. Unfortunately, one of the other passengers on the trip is Alison (Daphne Zuniga), an attractive but domineering girl who has rejected Gib once before. The journey is a nightmare until a funny thing happens – Gib and Alison start to fall in love.

Risky Business (1983)

Ecstatic when his parents leave on vacation for a few days, high school senior Joel Goodsen (Tom Cruise) cuts loose with his best friend Miles. After an attempt at securing the services of a prostitute goes slightly awry, Joel hires gorgeous Lana (Rebecca De Mornay) for a night of delight. Stunned by the amount of Lana’s “bill” the next morning, Joel grows frantic after he crashes his father’s Porsche. In an effort to raise lots of money fast, a desperate Joel turns the house into a brothel.

Brewster’s Millions (1985)

After losing his position as a minor-league pitcher, Montgomery Brewster (Richard Pryor) learns his great-uncle has left him $300 million. To inherit it, Brewster must spend $30 million in 30 days under a complicated set of rules that forbid him from donating too much to charity or retaining any new assets when the period is up. Unable to share details about the will’s odd conditions with anyone, Brewster sets out to spend his money under the stern eye of paralegal Angela Drake (Lonette McKee).

One Crazy Summer (1986)

After graduating from high school, art school hopeful Hoops McCann (John Cusack) struggles to complete his application to the Rhode Island School of Design. Resigning himself to a summer of boredom, McCann agrees to go along with his best friend, George Calamari (Joel Murray), on a family trip to Nantucket, Mass. But, after McCann and Calamari meet rocker-in-distress Cassandra (Demi Moore), it suddenly looks like it’s going to be “one crazy summer.”

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

Clark Griswold, and his supportive wife, Ellen, take their two teenage children, Rusty and Audrey, on a cross-country trip from the suburbs of Chicago, all the way to sunny California’s Walley World amusement park. However, anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and before long, Ellen’s cousin, Catherine, and her husband, Eddie, enter the picture, and Clark is on the verge of blowing a gasket. How hard can it be to have the perfect vacation?

The Seventh Sign (1988)

Prior to his death on the crucifix, Jesus Christ (Jürgen Prochnow) was offered a drink of water, a kind act turned away by a Roman soldier. These events play a profound role in occurrences during modern times, which some construe as signs of Christ’s return and the apocalypse. While Abby Quinn (Demi Moore) believes the end is coming and that her unborn child may be in danger as a result, Father Lucci (Peter Friedman), a Vatican agent, is doubtful no matter what evidence she presents.