Matt and Jay here.
Now we continue our list of the best 50 movies of the 1980's with 10 more great films to debate. This is where Jay and Matt start to agree on the movies which should be on the list! But it's also where things get tough because there are SO many great films that came out during this decade and to narrow them down to the best is extremely difficult! Again, we developed the list creating our own personal lists and then combining through a process that included eliminating some pictures on each others' lists we disagreed with and also using vetoes to save some the other tried to knocked off. It's complicated, we know, but it provides a great opportunity to compare our tastes and debate and disagree about certain movies that made it on. Also, please note that some of these picks are not your usual '80s movies picked for these kinds of lists! For those who may have missed the first three installments, here are numbers 50-41, numbers 40-31, and numbers 30-21.
Here are numbers 20-11 . . . .
20. Say Anything ... (1989)
Directed by Cameron Crowe
Starring John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney, Joan Cusack, and Lili Taylor
Lloyd Dobler: "She's gone. She gave me a pen. I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen."
Jay: One of my favorite romantic comedies of the 1980's, Say Anything ... is much more than your typical teenage love story. It arguably has much more to say about a young woman's coming-of-age, deciding to make choices about her love life and future on her own, and the difficult realities she is confronted with about her father. This was Cameron Crowe's directorial debut, and along with Almost Famous (2000) is probably my favorite of his films. It boasts the quintessential John Cusack performance as Lloyd Dobbler, a lovable idealist who decides to act on his crush and ask out the school valedictorian, Diane Court (Ione Skye). They fall in love but her father (John Mahoney) feels that Lloyd's lack of ambition and direction will hold his daughter back from the success she seems destined to achieve. Mahoney is fantastic in a role that one the surface is pretty unlikeable. I think what Crowe was going for was a kind of juxtaposition between two types of unconditional love. Lloyd wants nothing more from life than to be with Diane and spend the rest of his days making her happy. Diane's father is willing to commit crimes against the very people he is charged with caring for at the retirement facility he runs, in order to ensure his daughter gets everything and more out of her life. In the end, he only loses his daughter when he is found out, but it doesn't make it any less sad. Say Anything ... rises above the typical 80's teen fare by exploring deeper themes that these kind of movies usually explored.
Matt: Say Anything ... was Cameron Crowe's directorial debut and it remains one of his best films to date (right behind Almost Famous)! There's not much to say that Jay didn't already say above. What I loved about this film was Crowe's voice of the characters, launching John Cusack into fame and establishing one of his classic acting motifs that I call "Cusacking" -- when he paces back and forth, and rambles in his charming-yet-awkward way (see the scene in this film where he's talking to Diane over the phone, asking her on their first date; that's Cusacking)! I think most young men fell in love with Ione Skye after watching this film (I know I certainly did!), and having the story tackle the reality of loving someone who has issues is something explored in rom-coms but not in the manner in which Crowe does here. One of my favorite rom-coms of all time!
19. Airplane! (1980)
Directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker
Starring Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, and Robert Stack
Ted Striker: "Surely, you can't be serious."
Rumack: "I am serious ... and don't call me Shirley."
Jay: Now pretty much recognized as the King of all silly comedies, Airplane! broke ground in it's genre in many ways, but in the end it still remains quite simply one of the funniest movies ever made. The sheer genius in casting serious actors like Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves and Robert Stack only served to heighten the hilarity of the absurd situations and dialogue that this movie is crammed with. It is one of the most quotable films ever with so many iconic lines. "Joey, have you ever been in a .... in a Turkish prison?" "No thank you, I take it black . . . .like my men." "Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue." I could go on and on. It really hasn't aged much or lost any of its hilarity.
Matt: My favorite comedy of all time (next to Young Frankenstein)! I remember watching this film so much as a kid, I practically wore out the video cassette tape! The humor is my favorite kind: a mix of sick humor and quick-thinking wit, mixed with physical comedy! Airplane! is a spoof of the 1974 disaster drama Airplane 1975, particularly about a passenger jet who loses its crew and must be flown by a former pilot, Ted Striker (Robert Hays). As Jay said, there are SO many quotable, funny lines, it would take too long to list them all! To me, Leslie Nielsen as straight-laced-but-hilarious passenger Dr. Rumack, as well as Robert Stack's Captain Rex Kramer and Lloyd Bridges' Steve McCloskey are the most notable and hilarious! This film helped form a lot of my humor and I always joyfully watch it whenever I see it on TV!
18. Amadeus (1984)
Directed by Milos Foreman
Starring F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice, Jeffrey Jones, and Simon Callow
Antonio Salieri: [addressing a crucifix] "From now, we are enemies ... You and I. Because you choose for Your instrument a boastful, lustful, smutty, infantile boy and give me for reward only to recognize the incarnation. Because you are unjust, unfair, unkind, I will block You, I swear it. I will hinder and harm Your creature as far as I am able. I will ruin your incarnation."
Jay: So much more than simply a period biopic on the life of infamous composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Milos Foreman's masterpiece of a film has much more to say about the nature of envy and how perceived greatness can consume one man with jealousy and hate. Actually, Amadeus isn't really a biopic at all. For all it's technical perfection (the sets, costumes, and score are all without peer for the movie's era), Foreman's adaptation of Peter Shaffer's stage play takes many liberties with historical accuracy in order to present it's central themes of "murder, madness and music". Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) was one of the world's most popular and successful composers. His decent into his own personal Hell begins when he first meets the young prodigy, Mozart (Tom Hulce). Salieri is seemingly the only one who can recognize Mozart's vastly superior talent and it drives him nearly insane with envy. It doesn't matter to him that this immature and offensive lout struggles to find any success and simply pay his bills. For Salieri, it is a betrayal by God himself that he can see the brilliance in Mozart's compositions and finds his own work lacking. He decides to murder his "enemy", but not before commissioning and then stealing a Requiem Mass that he can pass off as is own. The scene where Wolfgang reinterprets Salieri's "Welcome March" in front of the Emperor and a room full of peers is a masterclass in how to convey internal emotions without any dialogue. The look on Salieri's face as Mozart turns a piece he worked on for hours, and in mere moments creates a version that is vastly superior is one of my favorite moments in the movie. Abraham is so fucking brilliant in this film. For me, he gives the very best performance of the decade as the tortured Salieri. Hulce deserves lots of credit too as his over-the-top performance serves as a fitting counterpoint to Abraham's brooding and simmering manipulator. There is no world where Amadeus should be as far down on this list as 18. It is, at the very minimum, a top 10 film of the 1980's and I had it as high as #5 on my personal list and, on any given day, it could be vying for #1. There is no better movie that explores the darker jealousies of the creative.
Matt: This is Jay's pick so he's more excited about its entry than me, but I do admit it is one of the best of the 80's. Top 10? Don't think so. But it is a wonderful film. The acting, direction, sets, costumes, story are all well done and Amadeus is a must-see for any Mozart fan! Unfortunately, it's easily forgettable and, to me, doesn't have much of a re-watchability factor. While this doesn't completely set the standard for what makes a great film, it still is a part of it. Hulce does a wonderful job as Mozart and, I agree with Jay, deserves a lot of credit. But it is Abraham who steals the show here as, though this film is named after the great composer, it is mostly about Abraham's Salieri. Amadeus may be a heavy film for some to ingest, but it's a satisfying one and definitely worth watching.
Jay: So much more than simply a period biopic on the life of infamous composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Milos Foreman's masterpiece of a film has much more to say about the nature of envy and how perceived greatness can consume one man with jealousy and hate. Actually, Amadeus isn't really a biopic at all. For all it's technical perfection (the sets, costumes, and score are all without peer for the movie's era), Foreman's adaptation of Peter Shaffer's stage play takes many liberties with historical accuracy in order to present it's central themes of "murder, madness and music". Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) was one of the world's most popular and successful composers. His decent into his own personal Hell begins when he first meets the young prodigy, Mozart (Tom Hulce). Salieri is seemingly the only one who can recognize Mozart's vastly superior talent and it drives him nearly insane with envy. It doesn't matter to him that this immature and offensive lout struggles to find any success and simply pay his bills. For Salieri, it is a betrayal by God himself that he can see the brilliance in Mozart's compositions and finds his own work lacking. He decides to murder his "enemy", but not before commissioning and then stealing a Requiem Mass that he can pass off as is own. The scene where Wolfgang reinterprets Salieri's "Welcome March" in front of the Emperor and a room full of peers is a masterclass in how to convey internal emotions without any dialogue. The look on Salieri's face as Mozart turns a piece he worked on for hours, and in mere moments creates a version that is vastly superior is one of my favorite moments in the movie. Abraham is so fucking brilliant in this film. For me, he gives the very best performance of the decade as the tortured Salieri. Hulce deserves lots of credit too as his over-the-top performance serves as a fitting counterpoint to Abraham's brooding and simmering manipulator. There is no world where Amadeus should be as far down on this list as 18. It is, at the very minimum, a top 10 film of the 1980's and I had it as high as #5 on my personal list and, on any given day, it could be vying for #1. There is no better movie that explores the darker jealousies of the creative.
Matt: This is Jay's pick so he's more excited about its entry than me, but I do admit it is one of the best of the 80's. Top 10? Don't think so. But it is a wonderful film. The acting, direction, sets, costumes, story are all well done and Amadeus is a must-see for any Mozart fan! Unfortunately, it's easily forgettable and, to me, doesn't have much of a re-watchability factor. While this doesn't completely set the standard for what makes a great film, it still is a part of it. Hulce does a wonderful job as Mozart and, I agree with Jay, deserves a lot of credit. But it is Abraham who steals the show here as, though this film is named after the great composer, it is mostly about Abraham's Salieri. Amadeus may be a heavy film for some to ingest, but it's a satisfying one and definitely worth watching.
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17. Ghostbusters (1984)
Directed by Ivan Reitman
Starring Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts
Dr. Raymond Stanz: "Everything was fine with our system until the power grid was shut off by dickless here."
Walter Peck: "They caused an explosion!"
Mayor: "Is this true?"
Dr. Peter Venkman: "Yes, it's true . . . . . . . This man has no dick."
Jay: Certainly one of the most popular and commercially successful blockbusters of the 1980's, today Ghostbusters is revered as an important part of any kid's childhood who grew up in that era. I remember first seeing it and actually being scared most of the time instead of laughing, but hey, I was only 7 years old. Bill Murray simply owns this movie in so many ways. His Peter Venkman is a cocky and arrogant, but so, so funny. I also think this is Rick Moranis at his nerdy best as annoying neighbor Louis Tully. Ghostbusters is essential viewing for anyone who is serious about watching 80's movies. I don't know what more to write about it other than it may the most pure fun out of any movie on this list.
Matt: I don't anyone at the time of Ghostbusters' release could have foreseen the massive impact this film would have on the pop culture scene and many future generations. Sure, the marketing for material items slapped with the Ghostbusters logo was well put in place (this was the 80's, after all!); but what I speak of is more of how the movie inspired legions of fans to band together and form regional chapters of members who serve their communities by raising money for charities. There's even a 2016 documentary, Ghostheads, about the cultural and personal impact of the film on many people's lives. This is another great comedy which warrants many, many quotable lines as a group consisting of three scientists (and failed college professors) and a cynical working-class man decide to investigate the paranormal and capture free-roaming spirits causing havoc across New York City. A fun film all around and wildly entertaining for all ages!
Jay: Certainly one of the most popular and commercially successful blockbusters of the 1980's, today Ghostbusters is revered as an important part of any kid's childhood who grew up in that era. I remember first seeing it and actually being scared most of the time instead of laughing, but hey, I was only 7 years old. Bill Murray simply owns this movie in so many ways. His Peter Venkman is a cocky and arrogant, but so, so funny. I also think this is Rick Moranis at his nerdy best as annoying neighbor Louis Tully. Ghostbusters is essential viewing for anyone who is serious about watching 80's movies. I don't know what more to write about it other than it may the most pure fun out of any movie on this list.
Matt: I don't anyone at the time of Ghostbusters' release could have foreseen the massive impact this film would have on the pop culture scene and many future generations. Sure, the marketing for material items slapped with the Ghostbusters logo was well put in place (this was the 80's, after all!); but what I speak of is more of how the movie inspired legions of fans to band together and form regional chapters of members who serve their communities by raising money for charities. There's even a 2016 documentary, Ghostheads, about the cultural and personal impact of the film on many people's lives. This is another great comedy which warrants many, many quotable lines as a group consisting of three scientists (and failed college professors) and a cynical working-class man decide to investigate the paranormal and capture free-roaming spirits causing havoc across New York City. A fun film all around and wildly entertaining for all ages!
16. The Terminator (1984)
Directed by James Cameron
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, and Paul Winfield
Kyle Reese: "Listen, and understand! That Terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop ... ever, until you are dead!"
Jay: This was the very first R-rated film I ever saw. I thought, at that time, it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the most badass and terrifying of all movie monsters. His relentless pursuit of a young woman named, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), provided moment after moment of great action set pieces, combined with Stan Winston's fantastic, cheap effects. More importantly, though, this was the movie that announced James Cameron to the world. He would go on to dominate the box office for decades with other great hits like Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009). The Terminator was another in a long line of darker, more dystopian sci-fi films. But it was much more gritty and violent and took the action down to the street-level. It also delt with time travel in a much more clever way then had ever been seen before. Kyle Reese's (Michael Biehn) mission to save Sarah Connor from an unstoppable killing machine so that her son, John, can be born and save the human race from extinction doesn't seem like such a complicated plot nowadays. But back then audiences hadn't seen anything as violent and smart at the same time.
Matt: James Cameron's sci-fi action film set a standard in Hollywood when it came to visual effects and story. And while its sequel was really good, the rest have fallen by the wayside of mundanity. Arnold Schwarzenegger was appropriately cast as the unstoppable T-800 Model 101, or Terminator, who is on a mission from the apocalyptic future (2029) to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) so that she may not give birth to a son who will be the leader of the resistance, which plans to stop the uprising of the machines. On its face, the movie seemed as if it would be some B-movie of the time, but it went on to become one of the most popular and sophisticatedly-written sci-films since its release. Sadly, I think Cameron has been on a downslope since 1997's Titanic, specifically with Avatar, a film that may be technologically impressive and visually stunning but its story and acting falls completely flat! But, to go back to a better time in his career, this was the start of it all!
Jay: This was the very first R-rated film I ever saw. I thought, at that time, it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the most badass and terrifying of all movie monsters. His relentless pursuit of a young woman named, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), provided moment after moment of great action set pieces, combined with Stan Winston's fantastic, cheap effects. More importantly, though, this was the movie that announced James Cameron to the world. He would go on to dominate the box office for decades with other great hits like Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009). The Terminator was another in a long line of darker, more dystopian sci-fi films. But it was much more gritty and violent and took the action down to the street-level. It also delt with time travel in a much more clever way then had ever been seen before. Kyle Reese's (Michael Biehn) mission to save Sarah Connor from an unstoppable killing machine so that her son, John, can be born and save the human race from extinction doesn't seem like such a complicated plot nowadays. But back then audiences hadn't seen anything as violent and smart at the same time.
Matt: James Cameron's sci-fi action film set a standard in Hollywood when it came to visual effects and story. And while its sequel was really good, the rest have fallen by the wayside of mundanity. Arnold Schwarzenegger was appropriately cast as the unstoppable T-800 Model 101, or Terminator, who is on a mission from the apocalyptic future (2029) to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) so that she may not give birth to a son who will be the leader of the resistance, which plans to stop the uprising of the machines. On its face, the movie seemed as if it would be some B-movie of the time, but it went on to become one of the most popular and sophisticatedly-written sci-films since its release. Sadly, I think Cameron has been on a downslope since 1997's Titanic, specifically with Avatar, a film that may be technologically impressive and visually stunning but its story and acting falls completely flat! But, to go back to a better time in his career, this was the start of it all!
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15. The Princess Bride (1987)
Directed by Rob Reiner
Starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Andre the Giant, Peter Falk, and Fred Savage
Inigo Montoya: "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
Matt: Based on the 1973 novel by William Goldman, The Princess Bride remains one of the most beloved fairy tales of all time. A tale promising "fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, and miracles," along with a wonderful score by Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler, this story has it all! Not only is it a fairy tale but it sort of satires fairy tales. Overall, an enjoyable film from start to finish -- no matter who you are, you're bound to like this film!
14. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Directed by John Hughes
Starring Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones, and Jennifer Grey
Ferris Bueller: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
Jay: I think every kid who watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off wanted to be Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick). He really has everything. The hottest girlfriend (Mia Sara), the coolest stuff in his bedroom, and "no sweat" attitude that seems to get him whatever he wants in life. Now when I watch this movie, I realize I may have missed the underlying message of the movie. The effortless coolness with which Ferris goes through life is there to serve as counter to the problems that his best friend, Cameron (an underappreciated Alan Ruck), has in his life. The favoritism that Ferris enjoys from both of his parents is intentionally overblown in order to highlight the absence and literal abuse that Cameron gets from his, particularly his father. Ferris's sister, Jeannie (Jennifer Grey), also has to learn to not live her life hating her brother, and when the moment she has been waiting for comes and she can finally get one over on him, she chooses instead to cover for him. Also, the musical parade scene near the end, played to Ferris lip-synching to The Beatles' "Twist and Shout" is a personal favorite.
Matt: I would be lying if I said I never used some of Ferris Bueller's tactics to fake sick and get out of school! I'd also be lying if I said I never wished I had the personality or popularity of Ferris. After all, everybody loves him -- "the sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore him." But, he's there to remind us to not take life too seriously. While everyone loves filmmaker John Hughes' teen ensemble films, Ferris is my second favorite of his! And that's because it is fun, funny, and the characters are the most likable. Who wouldn't want to hang out with Ferris, Sloane, or even Cameron and Jeannie? Hell, even being around Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) would be a riot! The film also teaches the different perspectives of life of either being a Ferris, a carefree, take-life-as-it-comes personality; being a Cameron, who doesn't take charge of his life (at least, not til the end of the film); or being a Jeannie, always thinking life is unfair and wanting to consistently suck the happiness from others because you are unhappy. Broderick will forever be one of my favorite all-time actors after this film and any time I see the film now, a smile always crosses my face.
Matt: I would be lying if I said I never used some of Ferris Bueller's tactics to fake sick and get out of school! I'd also be lying if I said I never wished I had the personality or popularity of Ferris. After all, everybody loves him -- "the sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore him." But, he's there to remind us to not take life too seriously. While everyone loves filmmaker John Hughes' teen ensemble films, Ferris is my second favorite of his! And that's because it is fun, funny, and the characters are the most likable. Who wouldn't want to hang out with Ferris, Sloane, or even Cameron and Jeannie? Hell, even being around Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) would be a riot! The film also teaches the different perspectives of life of either being a Ferris, a carefree, take-life-as-it-comes personality; being a Cameron, who doesn't take charge of his life (at least, not til the end of the film); or being a Jeannie, always thinking life is unfair and wanting to consistently suck the happiness from others because you are unhappy. Broderick will forever be one of my favorite all-time actors after this film and any time I see the film now, a smile always crosses my face.
13. Poltergeist (1982)
Directed by Tobe Hooper
Starring JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O'Rourke, Beatrice Straight, and Zelda Rubinstein
Tangina: "Now clear your minds. It knows what scares you. It has from the very beginning. Don't give it any help, it knows too much already."
Jay: Out of respect for the late Tobe Hooper, I will refrain from getting into, yet another back-and-forth with my good friend, Matt, about the well-documented facts around who really directed this landmark film of my childhood. If you would like to read a bit about this longstanding argument we've had since high school read about it here. Poltergeist was the first horror film I can remember seeing. When the Freelings start experiencing strange phenomena in their new suburban home, their initial reaction is of both curiosity and amusement. But when ghosts punch a hole into our world and steal their young daughter, Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke), their family must reach out for help from a paranormal researcher (Beatrice Straight) and an eccentric psychic (Zelda Rubinstein) to help get her back. As I have grown older, I have come more and more to appreciate this film, especially the performances of Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams as the terrified parents trying to keep their family together in the most dire of circumstances. Williams portrayal as Diane is particularly great as she remains one of my favorite moms in movie history, daring many horrifying obstacles (including a unfinished swimming pool full of decaying bodies) to save her children from an unimaginable force trying to tear her family apart.
Matt: Poltergeist has to be one of my all-time favorite scary movies! That says a lot since most horror movies don't scare me let alone usually make any "great movie" lists of mine; and most of them are nearly as predictable as rom-coms (they have a formula). On its face, it's a simple haunted house type of story, but there is a lot more going on! As most people know, the story centers around middle class family, the Freelings, and their ordinary life in a newly developed suburb. Soon, strange things begin happening, first starting with their youngest daughter, Carol Anne, and taking over the entire house. However, when you look into the metaphors running throughout, you come to appreciate this film even more. Like most horror, writers use the antagonistic threat as a metaphor for an aspect of life or person who they feel is a threat. At the time of the writing of Poltergeist, television was taking off and most old-timers felt people watched too much damn TV! Perhaps it's no coincidence that the device in which the threatening spirits choose to contact little Carol Anne is through a television. Next, the idea of the evil spirit threatening a middle class family in a suburb which is built over the dead can be viewed as a metaphor for the greedy capitalism of the time (as represented by the developer Steven (Craig T. Nelson) works for) and how it corrodes the middle class family unit. Or, the evil may be also viewed as representation of the fact that no one really knows what goes on in the house, with the family next door. Or, you may simply view it as a spooky haunted house-type film. Either way, the writing, acting and directing are all spot on, even when the scary is not taking place. That scene where matriach JoBeth Williams masterfully builds her terrifying shout to a screaming crescendo, repeating, "The swimming pool! The swimming pool! The swimming pool!" That is such a powerful scene that works on so many levels of terror -- not just the horror aspect of the daughter being abducted (by a vengeful spirit) -- but mostly the mundane, routine stomach-dropping concerning nightmare of a young child drowning.One of my favorite scenes in the film is the "sleepover scene," when the Freelings, paranormal researcher Dr. Lesh (Beatrice Straight), and her crew are staying the night in the Freelings' living room, and the discussion soon turns to death and the afterlife. The speaking cast in that scene -- consisting of Williams, Straight, and Oliver Robins -- all talk in hushed tones because of the late sleeping hour, but their hushed tones and what they're talking about add to the creepiness of the film. Of course, this comes full circle once psychic Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein) comes in and tells the Carol Anne's parent point blank about the good spirits who seek Carol Anne's help and the evil one who wants to take her. Rubinstein's performance here was extremely under-appreciated and underrated, and she deserves a lot of credit for setting the drama and tension in the film. And, for anyone who thought 80's films didn't have enough kick-ass female protagonists, I would steer them toward this film's Diane Freeling (Williams), the mother who, alone, confronts the threat in act 3 of the story and saves her children. Poltergeist is not just a great horror/spooky film, it's a great film ... period! Now, my good friend Jay can complain all he wants and reference as many online articles about who directed this film as he wants, but the name of the director on the title card is Tobe Hooper, and that was what the movie trivia game we played at the time (where this all started) was focused on! Nevertheless, as Jay said, you can read his article above for more of his reasoning; if you want to hear my side, just ask!
12. Die Hard (1988)
Directed by John McTiernan
Starring Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, and Reginald VelJohnson
Hans Gruber [reading what McClane wrote on the dead terrorist's shirt]: "Now I have a machine gun. Ho ... ho ... ho."
Jay: The very pinnacle of action films, Die Hard was the beginning of something new - a transition from the superhuman hero (think Sylvester Stallone in Rambo or Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando) and introduced to John McClaine (Bruce Willis), the "Everyman" hero who can be certainly be hurt and services only on his wits and sometimes dumb luck. What set Die Hard above the crowd and changed everything was not how good the action was, but how smart it was. It was also buoyed by one of the best villains in cinema history, Hans Gruber (played brilliantly by a then unknown, Alan Rickman). Everything about Die Hard is perfect. Bruce Willis would make the transition from mostly comic actor to total badass. Rickman would make a career out of sneering and brooding evilly. Due to its success there would be sequel after sequel, each one more terrible than the one that preceded it. But no matter how bad they were, they never diminished the greatness of this, the original guy-takes-on-a-bunch-of-terrorists-with-a-hidden-agenda movie.
Jay: The very pinnacle of action films, Die Hard was the beginning of something new - a transition from the superhuman hero (think Sylvester Stallone in Rambo or Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando) and introduced to John McClaine (Bruce Willis), the "Everyman" hero who can be certainly be hurt and services only on his wits and sometimes dumb luck. What set Die Hard above the crowd and changed everything was not how good the action was, but how smart it was. It was also buoyed by one of the best villains in cinema history, Hans Gruber (played brilliantly by a then unknown, Alan Rickman). Everything about Die Hard is perfect. Bruce Willis would make the transition from mostly comic actor to total badass. Rickman would make a career out of sneering and brooding evilly. Due to its success there would be sequel after sequel, each one more terrible than the one that preceded it. But no matter how bad they were, they never diminished the greatness of this, the original guy-takes-on-a-bunch-of-terrorists-with-a-hidden-agenda movie.
Matt: I clearly remember going to see this in the theater with my dad when it was first released. And I remember thinking, even then, that this was the start of a new type of action genre. Sure enough, Die Hard was the beginning of a style of action film that a lot of filmmakers have duplicated or taken a page from ever since its release. I remember seeing this film in the theater when it was originally released and the crowd's reactions made the viewing fun, scary and breath-taking all in one; you just knew you were watching a new classic! And the film has gone on to be just that! Now, people (me included) consider Die Hard a Christmas film -- mostly due to the fact that it takes place at Christmas time and, at its core, is about the family unit of Willis' John and Bonnie Bedelia's Holly (for more on this, read Jay's article, "Jay Makes the Case for Christmas and Die Hard"). Die Hard is one of the BEST action movies ever made and while some have desperately tried to copy it since, none have come close!
11. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Directed by Sergio Leone
Starring Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Joe Pesci, Burt Young, William Forsythe, Tuesday Weld, and Treat Williams
Noodles: "There were two things I couldn't get out of my mind. One was Dominic, the way he said, 'I slipped,' just before he died. The other was you. How you used to read me your Song of Songs, remember? ... Nobody's gonna love you the way I loved you. At times I couldn't stand it. I used to think of you. I'd think, 'Deborah lives. She's out there. She exists.' And that would get me through it all. You know how important that was to me?"
Jay: This would be the great Sergio Leone's final film before he passed away. While it is not my favorite of his movies (I place The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West, and A Fistful of Dollars all a bit higher) it still deserves to be considered one of the best of the 80's and should be recognized as one of the very best crime dramas of all time. Not nearly revered as much as The Godfather Part I & II or Scorsese's Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in America should be considered just as good as those iconic mafia films in many ways. Both a nostalgic snapshot of America in the early 20th century and also in a touching personal story of regret and redemption, Leone's final work deals with the fracturing of friendships and lost love. After Leone turned in a final cut that was nearly 5 hours long, the studio came in behind him without his knowledge or consent and both cut it to just over 2 hours and put all the scenes in chronological order. The result was a critical and commercial flop. Now, after being restored to nearly its original length, the "European Cut" is considered one of the very best gangster epics of all time.
Matt: A masterpiece of a film! My favorite Sergio Leone film! You definitely have to watch the "European Cut"/director's cut of the film! It clocks in at a very lengthy run time of 4 hours, but it is completely worth a watch! To me, this is the second best gangster/mafia film of all time -- coming in just behind The Godfather Part I & II. Based on the Harry Grey partially-autobiographic novel, The Hoods, the story follows five juvenile delinquents who become successful mobsters. When the co-leader of the group, Noodles (Robert De Niro), goes away to juvie for murder, and is released as an adult, he takes back up with this pals to become a part of the booming criminal empire. However, there is betrayal and the film flashes back-and-forth between 1933 and 1968, where the elder Noodles returns to New York to follow up on a mysterious letter he received regarding his former friends. I don't want to say anymore as it would give away the story, but, whenever anyone asks me what gangster/mob film I like best, besides The Godfather, Once Upon a Time in America is the answer I give! Regret, hope, violence, love, hate, betrayal, politics, gangsters, sex, revenge, and repentance -- it's all here!
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