Top 5ish 80s Movies - Endurance

Recently I was talking to a friend and they told me how they had missed out on (an unacceptable) number 80s movies. As I threw one fantastic suggestion after another [all of my suggestions in any matter range from incredible to amazing] I started to wonder how my list would change if a particular film was viewed for the first time today.

This brings me to a confession. This isn't the first time I encountered this question in my head. I've dated a younger girl or two in my time. Age gaps mean less to me as I'm getting older but when I was 26 I was dating a 21-year old for a bit. She had a lot of great qualities but our music/movie tastes did not sync up at all. INXS, George Micheal, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, The Cure, ... nothing. Instead it was Simple Plan or something like that. Never again.

So either I'll significantly cut off a pipeline of eligible girls because of their lack of exposure to the wonders that the 80s provided (and if they've already suffered so much from being deprived of the 80s, should I really punish them by ensuring them a bu-less existence? Too cruel...) or I can come up with some methods to test how compatible with the 80s they are.

Here's a list of the Top 5 80s movies that would utterly break my heart if they did not hold up over time:

Top Honorable Mention: The Lost Boys


The Lost Boys is the preemptive male counter to Twilight. Ladies, feel free to swoon over Edward and Jacob, I'll take horrible effects and choice dialog such as, "Death by stereo!" any day. This is exactly the type of movie that SHOULDN'T hold up over time, but it's so 80s that it'd be tragic if it doesn't stand the test of time.

I give the Twilight series a pretty hard time. Let me offer some praise. I love the setting. The first 1/2 of Twilight (the first book) introduced some questions I wanted answers to. And...the music is awesome?

5. Rocky IV


I don't know that Rocky IV is the best Rocky, but it's my favorite. The movie has the Russians portrayed as crazy communists who dope up their athletes to unheard of levels... and it's totally TRUE! Wrap it up with a Baboa speech about acceptance and tolerance after we stereotyped the ish out of you. Love it.

4. Real Genius


Out of the others on this list, this one is probably the most obscure. Val Kilmer wasn't bloated looking and was too cool for school. The use of Tears for Fears, "Everyone wants to rule the world" was on point.

3. Beverly Hills Cop / Die Hard


Where are my detonators, Mr. Cowboy. Die Hard is the best action movie from the 80s. There aren't a ton of special effects, Carl Weathers isn't in it... but it's still legit.

Beverly Hills Cop was the first R movie I saw. My mom loved/loves this movie so much that she didn't care to that we watched it with her.

2. Breakfast Club

Confession. I didn't see this start to finish, unedited, until about three years ago. One of my top errors. Claire is a fat girl's name.

1. Top Gun


I'm a guy. Was there any doubt? The quintessential 80s movie. Overly aggressive males. Motorcycles. Jet planes. Kenny Loggins.

As a special treat, this is one of the best videos I've ever seen:


I took movies series off the list (save for Die Hard - I refuse to recognize the other Beverly Hills Cop movies), so Karate Kid, Indiana Jones, National Lampoons, Ghostbusters, and Back to the Future didn't make the cut. Here are some others that are worthy: Better off Dead, Can't Buy Me Love, The Big Chill, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Risky Business, Labyrinth, Legend and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?