Children of the 80s

A coworker was asking me about movies I liked as a kid, since they were having a hard time find movies to watch with their children. That got me thinking, it's been a while since I posted a good old fashioned list. So here you go, my favorite movies from childhood.

#10: The Last Starfighter.

Reasoning: Isn't it every kids dream that some freaky guy in a limousine that turns into a spaceship comes and tells him because of his video game playing skills he's the only one who can save the universe from evil aliens? Maybe not, but still a fun movie. Especially the weird robot impersonator who makes out with his girlfriend at the lake.

#9: The Never Ending Story.

Reasoning: Who doesn't cry when Artax, or Ajax, or whatever the horse's name was, sinks into the swamp? Plus the movie stared Greg Oden (maybe before he was even born). Plus the eighties aspects of this movie are quite enjoyable. And on top of everything else, it encourages kids to read.

#8: The Secret of NIMH.

Reasoning: One of the best examples of eighties style animation. The animals are the heroes, the humans the villains. There's the cool wise owl, plus the silly raven. And it's a "veiled" jab at the advance of technology and the dangers of performing science without morals.

#7: The Goonies.

Reasoning: Has a crap load of future stars, and of course Sloth. The nerdy shy kid gets to be the hero (not that I related to that or anything). Involves pirates without out actually portraying them, and it was shot in Astoria Oregon. Gotta support the home state team.

#6: Labyrinth.


Reasoning: Do I have to explain? David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, and Muppets?

#5: Krull.

Reasoning: Okay, on further review this is a terrible movie, so if you haven't seen it, I don't really recommend that you do. But it was one of my childhood favorites. I mean come on, a sci-fi/fantasy epic with knights, aliens, lasers, cyclops, magic, AND a flying-five-pointed-knife-boomerang-thing? Hell yeah! I probably watched this movie a billion times. Too bad it's terrible, cause it could be so good.

#4: The Black Hole.

Reasoning: This is Disney's lost masterpiece. True, it is pretty much just a rip off of 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea, but it's set in Freakin' Space. Maximillion is the coolest evil robot this side of the original Terminator. There's the old beat up robot that talks like a prospector. There's a ship of perfection that is run by an evil genius, which of course eventually gets destroyed by the "good" guys (why do god guys always hate progress so much?) and finally a black hole that cleans up the mess.

#3: Enemy Mine.

Reasoning: This movie is just great, and I think still holds up. It does what science fiction should do and explores human problems in metaphor. In this case you have a human and an alien who are enemies in a galactic war. They're both fighter pilots and end up shooting each other down. Stranded on a deserted and dangerous planet they eventually fall in love (sort of), and have a kid (though I think the gloss over the how by explaining that the aliens can breed by themselves). Adventures abound, including evil slavers and an eventual rescue. The movie is tragic and exciting. Actually, I think I need to watch it again.

#2: The Dark Crystal.

Reasoning: Like Labyrinth, but only if it had a better plot, better sets, and better puppets. This is a great movie. It's beautiful, and the puppetry (I may or may not have an unholy attachment to puppets, and in fact think that's probably the main reason the new Star Wars movies sucked; no puppets) is incredible. Some of the designs the Jim Henson and Co., thought of and built are awesome. Plus it's a great story, and explores the concept that good and evil are really just different sides of the same coin.

#1: Dune.

Reasoning: Here's where I'm sure most people in the world disagree with me, but that's because they're all crazy. You have an adaptation of what is the greatest science fiction novel of all time, that was panned by critics and fans of the book alike. But they don't know what they are talking about. For the most part the movie tells the story as it should (yes with some added crap they didn't need, but oh well). This is probably David Lynch's best work in a motion picture. Some of the characters are brilliantly played, and for sci-fi fans the cast is a virtual who's who of sci-fi actors. Visual it's a pleasant movie, with sound bytes that'll stick in your head, and change your life.


So there you have it, one boy's list of movies. Before I wrap it up, there are some honorable mentions:

Clash of the Titans
The Black Cauldron
Predator
Watership Down
and probalby some others I've forgotten.