Yesterday, I watched Back To The Future, for the first time in about 10 years.  That coupled with an 80s theme day at my school, got me thinking about the best movies made in the 1980s.  The criteria is very simple, which movies still hold up well today, and that you could still watch a trillion times without getting bored.

#6 - BREAKIN’ 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO.  If plot is what you crave, then this movie has got a doozy!  The local urban rec center is about to be demolished.  How in the world can the kids save it?  Through the magic of break dancin’.  Everything goes great until one kid gets tossed down a flight of stairs.  I don’t want to spoil the ending for you, but I think the 4H club will still have a safe and crack free habitat.  While, not in itself a terrific movie, it makes one of the best 80s movie references that you can throw down at your next party.

#5 - INDIANA JONES & THE LAST CRUSADE.  The 3rd installment of the series brings Indy face to face with Nazis and a really old knight who can seem to guard cups without water or food.  I loved every bit of this film from the rats to the Venice boat race, to the lasting image of that dude’s face melting.  Plus you have Sean Connery in their to boot, with little quips every now and then.  Action packed and the search for ever lasting life make this one of the best.  Make sure “You Choose Wisely” and go for the crappy cup next time your at a watering hole, tavern or saloon and you may enjoy ever lasting life.

#4 - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. While not generally lumped in with the John Hughes films that are considered cult 80s hits, this is by far the best Star Wars.  No other movie ends on such a downer.  Luke now needs mechanical assistance to clap his hands, Han is put on ice, and the Dark Side has seemed to triumph.  I love a movie that makes you leave the theater disappointed.  Not disappointed, like I accidentally watched a Jimmy Fallon movie, but a good disappointment.  Like, “Aw Man, the good guys ain’t gonna win!”  This movie is an epic and fairs out far better than Return of The Jedi: Starring The Muppets.

#3 -GOONIES. How can you not love Goonies? Well, if you are a card carrying member of the I Hate Josh Brolin Club, then you can, but otherwise this is a truly awesome movie.  Little asmatic Mikey leading around a bunch of misfits including Corey Feldman and the Booby Twap kid, make for excellent cinema.  Throw in the creepy old lady from “Throw Mama From The Train” and you got an Oscar worthy film.  How many boys wish they were down in the waterfalls with Andie?  This was the first movie since the one about Rocky Dennis to make utterly disfigured humans cool again, thanks to Sloth.  Seriously, does anyone hate this movie?

#2 - TOP GUN. Every day in 6th grade, when I got home I grabbed a sleeve of saltines, a can of Pepsi and watched Top Gun every day after school.  It’s that damn good.  Action, romance, death, and a pre-nut job Tom Cruise make this one of the 80s best movies.  Fighter jets and a guy code named Goose.  What else do you need?  How many us cried when Goose died, or wondered why Slider did muscle poses while playing volleyball in tight jeans, or why in god’s name did Val Kilmer click his teeth at Tom Cruise?  No one did it before, and no one has done it since.  The best part is that they didn’t go and mess it up with a cheesy sequel.  The only thing that surprises me is that there are a fair amount of people that actually haven’t seen this film.  If you haven’t, shame on you.  You are why this economy is in a recession and why the WB still exists!

#1 - FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF. The penultimate 80’s movie.  The guy everybody wanted to be.  He did what he wanted and he never got caught.  Plus, his keyboard took 5 1/2 floppy disks.  Did your keyboard do that?  Nope.  That cheesy little Casio one only recorded your voice for 5 seconds, but that’s it.  Everybody can find a character in that movie they can relate to.  I relate best to Cameron, but you might be that girl that Rooney thought was Ferris in the arcade.  Who knows?   What I do know is that when Ferris talked to the camera, it was a brilliant piece of filming.  He made you feel like one of the gang.  And then there’s Sloan in the pool.  Damn.  This movie to me epitomizes everything that an 80s movie should be.  About a kid, who owns the world and in the end gets what he wants without the responsibility of his actions.  Essentially the American Dream.

So there you have it.  Now feel free to bash the list and talk amongst yourselves in the comment section.