50. FATAL ATTRACTION

1987 was a great year for leading ladies, which is evident by looking at the 1988 Leading Lady Oscar nominees:  Cher, for her “snap-outta-it” best performance, Holly Hunter in a breakout year, and Meryl Streep doing what Meryl Streep does.  Yet, when they talk about how Glenn Close should have won an Oscar, what they really mean is that she should have won an Oscar for FATAL ATTRACTION.  She is absolutely chilling as Alex Forrest, a femme fatale who stalks a family after having an affair with husband.  Yet, Close nearly didn’t get the role at all: When her agent called to express her interest, director Adrian Lyne said she was “the last person Earth” who should play Alex.  How wrong he was.  After all, it’s Close’s performance that rises FATAL ATTRACTION above Lyne’s other films and transforms it into the most disturbing and horrifying psychological thriller of the ‘80s.

49. AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS

The inspiration for Louis Malle’s heartbreaking story of a Jewish boy who find solace in a boarding school run by priests is from the director’s own childhood.  It makes sense, since a film this intimate and heartbreaking has to be deeply personal.  The character of Julien is inspired by Malle’s childhood.  Julien is a young boy who at first resents a student named Bonnet, but they grow close after he discovers that Bonnet is Jewish.  AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS – which translates to Goodbye, Children – is a heartbreaking tribute to Malle’s childhood friend, as well as a way for him to cope with his past regrets. 

48. REDS

Shortly after filming Bonnie and Clyde in the late 1960s, Warren Beatty became interested in the story of John Reed, a socialist New York writer who packed his bags and traveled way east to report on the Russian Revolution.  And REDS also feels like a film that was inspired from the epics of the 1960s, like Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia – and not just due to its nearly 200-minute run time.   Instead, it greatly resembles those masterpieces with its passionate romance and beautiful cinematography.  Beatty is fine as an actor, but certainly shines brighter behind the camera, even if he reportedly annoyed some of his biggest stars by requiring nearly 100 shots of the same scene.  In the end, the effort paid off, as REDS is one of the best films of the eighties, and one that inspired the decade to boast an abundance of long, expensive epic romances.

47. BODY HEAT

I somewhat doubt that there has ever been an actress who emerged as a leading sex symbol quicker than Kathleen Turner did for her risqué role in BODY HEAT.  Although it was the actresses first film, she quickly received comparisons to Lauren Bacall for her smoky voice and knockout looks.  But she also could have received them for her brilliant acting, which gave her some of the juiciest roles throughout the eighties.  Yet, her costar, William Hurt, may have been helped even more by his breakout performance.  He would go on to star in many of the most acclaimed films of the eighties, including Broadcast News and The Big Chill.  Yet, BODY HEAT is mostly Lawrence Kasdan’s achievement.  Kasdan quickly emerged as one of the most talented writers in Hollywood after penning both Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Empire Strikes Back.  And I know I’m in the minority, but I actually believe he saved his best work for himself, when he made his directorial debut with BODY HEAT.  

46. THE COLOR OF MONEY

Released the same year as Aliens, a film that is often considered one of the great sequels of all time, Martin Scorsese’s THE COLOR OF MONEY doesn’t get praised enough as one of the great movie sequels of all time.  In fact, as this ranking insists, THE COLOR OF MONEY is far superior to Aliens, in my humble opinion.  In it, we meet up with Fast Eddie Felson, the character that Paul Newman made iconic 35 years earlier.  He’s no longer the cocky young pool shark, but instead a wise business man with an eye for talent.  After discovering Vincent (Tom Cruise) at a dive bar, the two team up to make one last pool hustle.  And, in doing so, they bring back the thrills of The Hustler.  THE COLOR OF MONEY is smart and entertaining, and it’s the best sequel of the 1980’s.  Sorry, Aliens.

45. A SUNDAY IN THE COUNTRY

So few films celebrate family in such a simple, wonderful way as Bertrand Tavernier’s A SUNDAY IN THE COUNTRY.  The film tells the story of an elderly painter whose two adult children pay him a visit over the weekend.  His son is a regular visitor who brings his family and a sense of routine along with his visit.  Visits from his daughter are far less common, and she brings an energy and liveliness to the house that uplifts the entire household.  A SUNDAY IN THE COUNTRY is one of the quietest films of 1984, but it – like a visit from an energetic loved one – brings a joy along with it that is rarely seen in the theaters.

44. THE TERMINATOR

Although most would argue that Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, which arrived two years earlier, is the superior action film, THE TERMINATOR also deserves a spot alongside Die Hard on the 1980’s action film Mount Rushmore.  Wildly underappreciated at the time of its release, THE TERMINATOR made a star out of Arnold Schwarzenegger and gave us a good deal of quotable lines.  But more than that, THE TERMINATOR is an action movie for the ages, directed masterfully by James Cameron.  It’s a film that managed to intertwine the thrills of a Hitchcock film with the testosterone of Stallone’s Rambo movies.  Cameron, Schwarzenegger, and Linda Hamilton would return for an even better sequel seven years later, fulfilling the promise that he’d be back, but THE TERMINATOR certainly doesn’t deserve to be overlooked by the brilliance of its sequel, either.

43. BULL DURHAM

Lately, baseball movies have been a dime-a-dozen, yet none have been as funny or as entertaining as the story of an upcoming pitcher and a washed-up catcher competing for the affection of the same woman.  And, thanks to writer/director Ron Shelton, it might even be one of the most accurate depictions of the sport.  That’s because Shelton is a former minor league player himself, and he understands the competitive spirit of the players and the affection they receive that allows their egos to expand exponentially.  The Natural and Eight Men Out were both solid hits, but BULL DURHAM is a home run. 

42. MY FAVORITE YEAR

1982 had so many great films.  Some, like E.T., Tootsie, Blade Runner and Sophie’s Choice are still remembered fondly today, but so many others have sadly been forgotten throughout the years.  Perhaps only mentioned now when the discussion arises about Peter O’Toole never winning an Oscar, MY FAVORITE YEAR may be the best example of how some of the best films of 1982 have now become forgotten.  It was a year where the best movies were enormously fun, and Richard Benjamin’s film was no exception.  Legend Peter O’Toole stars as Erroll Flynn, who was once the biggest action star in Hollywood but now is an out of control alcoholic, as he prepares to star on a variety TV show.  Benji Stone (played by Perfect Strangers’ Mark Linn-Baker) is the employee put in charge to make sure the screen legend remains on his best behavior.  Benjamin’s film is funny, enjoyable and clever, and one of the films that make 1982 my favorite year for movies in the 1980s.

41. MISSISSIPPI BURNING

Trying to pick the best movie of 1988 is a bit like trying to pick a favorite child.  Rain Man was the most popular movie of the year and A Fish Called Wanda was easily the funniest.  Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was the most innovative and The Thin Blue Line was the most important.  Yet, MISSISSIPPI BURNING, in my humble opinion, was the picture that made audiences the most emotional – and one that certainly deserves serious consideration naming the best movie of the year.  Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman are both great as a pair of FBI agents with very different backgrounds and work styles who are sent to Mississippi to review a case involving three missing teenage activists.  MISSISSIPPI BURNING has received plenty of criticism for its inaccuracies and for having white saviors, but it also deserves to be praised for its heart, passion and strong production values

40. ROGER & ME

Forget the complaints that it’s impartial and unfair – the only complaint one should have after watching ROGER & ME is that your stomach may hurt from laughing too much.  That’s because Michael Moore’s look at General Motor’s impact on Detroit’s financial state is the most original and funniest documentary ever made.  Much like last year’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, ROGER & ME is a film that refuses to follow the standard framework of a single genre.  And like Roger Rabbit, this Roger feels like the future of filmmaking.

39. FIELD OF DREAMS

The latest baseball flick to take the field may straddle the line between being oversentimental and downright ridiculous, but it also manages to be the most unique baseball movie ever made – one that is less about the sport than it is about following your dreams and overcoming regrets.  And that, along with the film’s uniqueness, makes FIELD OF DREAMS a winning hit.   

38. AFTER HOURS

Griffin Dunne is a word processor who is about to have the worst night of his life.  And it’s all because he decides to pursue a girl that he meets at a New York diner.  What follows, is one of the most unpredictable films of the eighties, as we watch Dunne try to make it out of SoHo and back into his Uptown apartment before he is attacked by an angry mob.  Directed by Martin Scorsese, AFTER HOURS isn’t a movie that gets much attention these days, but it remains one of his standout films of the eighties.  Pinched between The King of Comedy and The Color of Money, AFTER HOURS proves that Scorsese had no limits as a filmmaker.  And although it may not be one of his most recognizable films, AFTER HOURS still proves that Scorsese was at the top of his game in the mid-eighties.

37. WITNESS

After a young Amish boy witnesses the murder of a police officer, which soon uncovers a coverup from the Philadelphia Police Department, detective John Book must hide in an Amish village to protect both himself and the boy from the corrupt police department.  Peter Weir, who directs WITNESS, had hits with Gallipoli and The Year of Living Dangerously, but WITNESS is a significant upgrade from his two earlier breakout films.  Casting Harrison Ford certainly helps, but it also helped prove that he had acting chops to go along with the charm and good looks that he flashed as Indiana Jones and Han Solo.  Yet, WITNESS is really a writing achievement, and it rightfully won the Oscar to prove it.  You may have heard of films that have it all – “romance”, “thrills”, and “laughs,” but WITNESS is one of those few films that actually checks all boxes successfully.

36. CUTTER’S WAY

Cutter’s Way makes a pretty strong argument that some of the greatest movies ever made may not have ever found an audience at all.  That was nearly the case with Ivan Passer’s masterpiece, CUTTER’S WAY.  The film, originally titled Cutter and Bone, was nearly pulled after its first week because it received three negative reviews.  Fortunately, the film was rescued after it received the raves it deserved from a few prominent critics and rereleased to a broader audience.  Even today, it’s difficult to muster up the reasoning for its original harsh reviews.  After all, there are so many perfect qualities to the film: its wonderful performances from Jeff Bridges and Lisa Eichhorn, its engaging story of a man who witnesses a murder but can’t identify the suspect, and its nostalgic ability to capture the paranoia of the generation that grew up with the Kennedy assassination and Watergate. 

35. RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS 7

A film that originally was never intended to be seen by general moviegoers, John Sayles wrote and directed RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS 7 with the intention of showing it to movie execs as a resume builder.  Fortunately, the execs agreed that it deserved to be seen my movie lovers, as they gave it two separate releases and allowed fans to name it one of the best films of both 1980 and 1981.  Sayles’ debut film tells the story of a Massachusetts couple who invite five thirty-something college friends and their significant others to their home for an extended weekend.  There are no life changing events – just an occasional volleyball game, basketball game and dip in a nearby river, yet Sayles’ film is never boring as it captures the enduring friendship that lasts long after college ends.  RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS 7 may be one of the cheapest films made in 1980, which just proves that money has far less impact than story, acting and dialogue does. 

34. THE RIGHT STUFF

Consider for a moment that the best baseball players, musicians and politicians of all time may not even be widely known.  Well, that’s also the case with pilots, as depicted in Phillip Kaufman’s thrilling three-hour space saga, THE RIGHT STUFF.  Kauffman’s film is a cinematic feat, even though it bombed at the box office, making it clear that audience members in the early 1980s preferred fictitious jedis as their heroes over the brave men who took space to new levels in the 1960s.  I however, do not.  I’d take the heroics, tension, and brilliance of THE RIGHT STUFF over any of the Star Wars films, even though I’m in the minority.  But when a film is this well made, from it’s brilliant editing, thoughtful writing, controlling direction and strong performances – especially by Sam Shepard and Ed Harris – perhaps I shouldn’t be?  

33. MY LIFE AS A DOG

I was first introduced to Lasse Hallstrom when I was 16, shortly after The Cider House Rules was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar – a nomination I felt should have gone to Being John Malkovich.  One year later, his film Chocolat received another nomination, and I was even more frustrated by the nomination.  Needless to say, my relationship with Hallstrom’s later films left me dreading my viewing of MY LIFE AS A DOG.  Instead, I was completely won over by the story of a 12-year-old Swedish boy who spends most of his childhood learning on his own.  It’s a film that is incredibly nostalgic and deeply humane without an ounce of melodrama.  In fact, it’s a film that is so good that it might just make me forgive the Academy for nominating he later films.  After all, I’m too busy being bitter that MY LIFE AS A DOG didn’t receive the nomination it deserved at the 1988 ceremony. 

32. ORDINARY PEOPLE

It doesn’t take long for viewers to realize that Robert Redford’s debut certainly isn’t as upbeat or happy as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, despite the fact that it was Moore’s first big screen film since stealing America’s heart on the small screen.  ORDINARY PEOPLE tells the story of a family who struggles with emotions after the oldest son drowns in a tragic boating accident.  Although it could have quickly become too heavy and too melodramatic for viewers to handle, Redford masterfully blends the sadness with small happy treasures – like an “I Love You” from your only surviving son – that saves viewers from complete agony.  But as difficult as ORDINARY PEOPLE is to watch, it’s also a very important film that shows how we all have different coping methods, and how it’s often difficult to understand other’s ways of dealing with pain and hardship.  ORDINARY PEOPLE went on to win Best Picture at the 1980 Oscars, and like the film that preceded it – Kramer vs. Kramer – it still captures an era in Hollywood that was learning that tough subject matters had a place on the big screen.

31. JEAN DE FLORETTE

Has there ever been a film and a sequel released in the same year as good as JEAN DE FLORETTE and Manon of the Spring?  I highly doubt it.  The first of the two films is often considered the best, and it’s certainly less dramatic.  It tells the story of a rich uncle and his dimwitted nephew who decide to plug a spring to prevent a new neighbor from getting sufficient water to grow crops, in the hopes of purchasing his land for cheap.  But for me, it’s not really about which film is better.  I slightly prefer the unpredictable twists of Manon of the Springs, which wouldn’t have been possible without the perfect setup of JEAN DE FLORETTE.  What’s more important is that both films take us on an unforgettable journey of greed and vengeance that are very worthy of hogging two top ten spots in 1987.

30. MANON OF THE SPRING

Although the film was released just months after its prequel, the little girl from Jean de Florette is all grown up in MANON OF THE SPRING and ready to seek vengeance.  MANON OF THE SPRING may be the unlikeliest revenge tale of all time, because it’s a French period piece that is disguised a love story in its early frames.  But this is no tale of love.  Manon, whose beauty is the lust of all the townsmen, dreams of getting back at the two men whose cruelty towards her father led to his death.  When she discovers an opportunity to shut off their water supply – the same trick they played many years prior – she jumps on the opportunity.  MANON OF THE SPRING is great for many of the same reasons that make There Will Be Blood so great: it’s a story of greed, wealth, religion, and revenge with more twists than your favorite Greek tragedy. 

29. THE STUNT MAN

Unlike so many of the other best films of 1980, Richard Rush’s extremely entertaining action-comedy has since become nearly completely forgotten, which is too bad since its perfect and steady buildup to its climactic ending should be studied at film schools.  Steve Railsback – who is even more forgotten – stars as a fugitive who finds himself hired as a stuntman for a demanding movie director – played wonderfully by Peter O’Toole – after stumbling on a movie set while trying to escape from the police.  THE STUNT MAN fits into nearly every genre – comedy, romance, action, drama and thriller – which really makes it a picture for everyone.  At least, for everyone with good taste!

28. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY…

Rob Reiner – the director who turned mockumentaries up to an 11 with This Is Spinal Tap and turned fantasy into comedy gold with The Princess Bride is at it again with an equally funny and complex subject: the difficulties of maintaining a lifelong friendship with an attractive member of the opposite sex.  Obviously, Reiner has once again proven he’s far from the meathead that his father-in-law claimed him to be in All in the Family. Of course, he gets some help from Meg Ryan, the loveable breakout star who gives undoubtedly the most memorable performance at a diner ever.  WHEN HARRY MET SALLY… is sweet, truthful and the funniest romantic comedy in years.

27. DRUGSTORE COWBOY

With all the recent focus on crack addicts and the stricter regulations on marijuana possession, it’s easy to forget that addiction extends far beyond the typical street drugs.  And with all of the negative stereotypes that come with addicts, it’s easy to forget that many of them are not necessarily bad people, but rather good people with a very bad addiction.  That’s what Gus Van Sant’s brilliant prescription pill addiction opus reminds us.  DRUGSTORE COWBOY tells the story of four young addicts in the early 1970s whose addiction to prescription drugs keeps them paranoid and on the run from the law.  DRUGSTORE COWBOY isn’t just another drug opus, it’s one of the best – and one that finally tries to understand addicts rather than just portraying them as mindless criminals.

26. STAND BY ME

Of all the movies made about children throughout the 80s and the 90s, few are better – or better acted, than Rob Reiner’s STAND BY ME.  It tells the story about four 12-year-old boys who go searching for adventure after overhearing about the location of the body of a missing person.  Reiner, who made a string of hits in the eighties that included This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally, does everything right as a director other than keeping that pesky voiceover rolling throughout the film’s 89 swift minutes.  Yet, STAND BY ME is a film where the great moments clearly outshine its flaws.  It’s a story about losing the innocence that makes childhood so great and discovering the evils of the world.  But it’s also a love letter to the times when we held on that innocence and were able to roam around with friends all summer, as if it were a 90-day weekend. 

25. BLUE VELVET

After the success of Eraserhead and The Elephant Man, David Lynch was given the opportunity to direct his first big budget film: 1984’s Dune, which had a whopping budget of $45 million.  The result was a complete critical and box office failure that resulted in Dune 2 getting scrapped, and instead allowing Lynch to create a much more personal film, which would be called BLUE VELVET.  Although Eraserhead and The Elephant Man weren’t exactly easy watches, they’d feel as innocent as Sesame Street compared to BLUE VELVET, which told the story of a young mother who is brutally abused by a psychopathic drug lord.  The film is so disturbing, that Roger Ebert panned the film, calling it “disturbing” and “campy.”  It certainly is disturbing and one of my least enjoyable viewings of 1986.  But it’s also the only film that got my heart-pounding and, for better or worse, the one that remains sketched in my brain, haunting me like those nightmares I’d have as a kid.  And for that, it’s actually quite special.

24. LOST IN AMERICA

Oh, to escape the pressures and the greed of corporate America.  That’s the premise of Albert Brooks’ brilliant story of a wealthy thirty-something L.A. couple who decides to give it all up for a Winnebago and complete freedom.  However, they quickly find that living without an income in a money hungry America isn’t as easy as one might hope.  LOST IN AMERICA isn’t a film filled with belly laughs – although there are a few.  Rather, its brilliance lies in the fact that it understands how challenging it is to fight against the urges to break away from the orthodox ways of greedy America.  And, by doing so, Brooks has created a film that remains in your mind well after the closing credits.

23. THE LITTLE MERMAID

There’s no denying that Disney – the studio that once produced classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio – has been in a bit of a dry spell.  Perhaps that’s why THE LITTLE MERMAID feels so refreshing.  Or perhaps it’s because we get to spend 83 minutes under the beautiful sea.  Regardless of the reason, THE LITTLE MERMAID is Disney’s best animated film in nearly fifty years. 

22. THE KING OF COMEDY

This disturbing story of a psychopath will do anything to get on his favorite late night variety show is Martin Scorsese’s most underrated film.  Released just two years after Raging Bull, the film failed to find its audience, making it one of Scorsese’s biggest box office flops.  Yet, partially due to its influence on films like The Joker, it has gained some attention in recent years.  Fortunately so, because it’s a brilliant look at the cost of fame, led by another great performance by Robert De Niro.  At times, THE KING OF COMEDY is funny, but its real brilliance is in its unpredictability and Scorsese’s masterful direction.

21. ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA

No film in the history of cinema has demonstrated the importance of editing better than Sergio Leone’s nearly four-hour mobster drama.  After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, produces cut the film down to a measly 139 minutes for its American release to accommodate the perception that audiences would not support a film of its length.  The result was tragic, as the edited version was hated by critics and unseen by audiences.  The original version, however, remains one of the great gangster films of all time – and one that really depicts the regret felt by the choices made years earlier.  Leone made a series of Once Upon a Time movies, and many of them didn’t impress me as much as they did other movie lovers.  Fortunately, that’s not the case with ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, which proves that a four-hour movie can be well worth one’s time.

20. SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, many East Germans flocked to theaters in West Germany to see SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE, which the hopes of catching the type of frisky adult entertainment that was banned in East Germany.  Instead, they received so much more.  That’s because Steven Soderberg’s debut picture isn’t just cheap entertainment, but a real thinker – one that is willing to speak frankly about sex and relationships in a way that has seldomly been analyzed before.  SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE may be a small picture, but it has some very big characters played by a slew of actors who already seem destine to become the biggest stars of the nineties.

19. BLOW OUT

Jack has one job: to find the perfect scream for a sleezy slasher pic.  He’s a sound editor for a low-budget studio that specializes on quickly pushing out mediocre horror films, and we learn very early that Jack is much too talented to settle for this thankless job.  One day, while recording the sound of wind for a picture, he witnesses a car accident that derails a car and kills a governor destine to be the country’s next leader.  Shortly thereafter, two things become extremely clear very early regarding BLOW OUT: 1) that this was no accident and 2) that this is Brian De Palma’s masterpiece.  Sure, Scarface might have the cult following and Carrie might be his biggest blockbuster, but BLOW OUT – a film that was a complete bust at the box office – remains his best achievement to this day.  Powered by one of John Travolta’s greatest performances and plenty of twists, BLOW OUT captured political corruption with a Hitchcockian spirit and an edge than only Brian De Palma could master.

18. DIE HARD

Christmas in July happened for lovers of action movies, thanks to the pure adrenaline rush that Bruce Willis brings to DIE HARD.  So much, in fact, that I don’t hesitate to call DIE HARD one of the best action movies of its kind ever made.   Willis plays a New York cop who travels to Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his kids and with hopes of repairing his damaged marriage.  The situation he finds is even worse than he expected – his wife and coworkers are held hostage during a heist, and the only person who can stop them is an officer by the name of John McClane.  DIE HARD may not be brainy, but it’s one of the most purely entertaining pictures I saw all year.

17. BACK TO THE FUTURE

Most people go to the movies to have fun.  So why are so few movies fun?  At least, not at the levels that Marty McFly and Doc Brown brought to the screens in 1985.  Michael J. Fox plays Marty McFly, a high school slacker who is more interested in the inventions of local scientist Doc Brown – with his most recent being a time-traveling DeLorean.  BACK TO THE FUTURE was an instant hit, and quickly became the highest grossing film of 1985, and it’s one of the best.  Robert Zemeckis, who would later go on to direct Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Forrest Gump, had an enormous gift for making enjoyable films in the late eighties and early nineties.  His later films haven’t brought the same joy, but there’s still hope that he’ll someday get in his DeLorean and make one last masterpiece.  If not, BACK TO THE FUTURE, along with Forrest Gump and Roger Rabbit will have to do.

16. BRAZIL

And now for something completely different.  Terry Gilliam, who co-created Monty Python’s Flying Circus and wrote many of the Monty Python movies, creates the most unique and bizarre film of the year.  It tells the story of Sam Lowry, a lower-level bureaucrat who discovers that the agency arrested and killed an innocent man instead of a suspected terrorist.  With its multiple layers and unconventional strangeness, BRAZIL is a film that demands several screenings, but rewards audiences upon each additional viewing.  Yet, even if you can’t understand everything in it, Gilliam’s visuals make BRAZIL a feast for the eyes.  Perhaps that’s why it’s often considered a cult classic these days, although I’d argue that “classic” would be a more appropriate description.  BRAZIL feels like the offspring of Blade Runner and Mulholland Drive and deserves to receive similar praises. 

15. THE THIN BLUE LINE

How many films of 1988 released an innocent man from death row?  Although I’ve done no research, I’m fairly certain that the answer is one – and that film is Errol Morris’s intimate documentary that examines the wrongful accusation of a Texas man accused of killing a police officer.  When a Texas police officer was shot, they quickly pinned the murder of Randall Adams as if to send a quick message that such violence towards officers wouldn’t be tolerated.  Instead, thanks to THE THIN BLUE LINE, it sent a message that the detectives and police force assigned to the case were corrupt and incompetent.  THE THIN BLUE LINE isn’t just a documentary; it’s the final disposition that Adams deserved – unlike the one by his lawyer that failed to prove his innocence.

14. AIRPLANE!

With so many of 1980’s best films being full of darkness and misery – from Raging Bull to Ordinary People to Tess – it’s quite obvious that one of the most important films of the year was AIRPLANE!, for its enormous ability to make us laugh and actually enjoy our times at the theater.  And not just laugh a little: AIRPLANE! had me rolling in the aisles even more than the very funny films that came before it – including Animal House and 10.  In a way, AIRPLANE! is a tribute to the slapstick comedies of the 1930’s that unfortunately disappeared alongside the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy.  On the other hand, it’s a brilliant farce that was very aware that blockbusters and money was ruining the actual art of films.  Yet, regardless of how deep you think its humor is, it’s one where you surely can’t be serious if you say it’s not one of the funniest movies ever made.

13. RAIN MAN

Is there anyone outside of a few disgruntled K-Mart employees that didn’t like RAIN MAN?  Barry Levinson’s crowd pleaser is a perfect formula movie about two brothers – one handicapped by autism and the other handicapped by greed – who bond during a road trip from Cincinnati to Los Angeles.  Dustin Hoffman does about as good as a job as a non-autistic person can do playing an autistic person, and Tom Cruise proves himself to be a seriously good actor in a far less showy role.  During filming, the duo apparently was worried that the film was going to be so awful that it’d ruin both their careers.  On the contrary, RAIN MAN is a road trip that is well worth the ride.

12. PARIS, TEXAS

Paris, France may be the most romantic place in the world, but PARIS, TEXAS, at least in the eyes of Wim Wenders is a place of hurt and missed opportunity.  It’s the place where Travis Henderson purchased a small piece of land because of the stories his parents told of the place.  Now, many years later, Travis is found wandering the desert land of Texas, trying to forget the pain he caused to his wife and young son.  Wenders film starts out slow, but its final act is as moving as anything made in the 1980s not named E.T.  Nastassja Kinski, who plays Travis’s ex-wife, gives one of the finest performances ever to be completely overlooked by the film award circuit.  Fortunately, with time, her performance – and the film itself – has earned the recognition that is deserved. 

11. WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?

When it comes down to it, Hollywood is really just a fake world designed to entertain us.  The characters portrayed on the screens are really no more real than, say, Bugs Bunny, and WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? may be the first picture ever made to realize it. Director Robert Zemeckis brilliantly uses both live action and entertainment to create the most original film of the year as he tells the story of a toon-hating detective who is hired to prove the innocence of a beloved cartoon character and save the town he hates.  WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? may use the medium of choice for most toddlers, but it’s also the brainiest and most innovative film of the year.  And one of the most fun, too.

10. AMADEUS

There is a scene in AMADEUS where the powerful Emperor Joseph II lets out a single yawn during one of Mozart’s operas.  The play would only last nine days and the reason Mozart was given was that nobody could hold their attention for four hours.  Maybe not, but Milos Forman’s brilliant story of jealousy proves that an audience can remain engaged for at least 160 minutes, as long as the act is as engaging, funny, and heartbreaking as the 1984 Best Picture winner.  Powered by incredible dual performances from Tom Hulce – who plays Mozart – and F. Murray Abraham, who plays Antonio Saleri, a composer enraged by the brilliance and effortlessness of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  This is a biography of a brilliant man told by another, as it remains one of Forman’s greatest works.

9. THE BIG CHILL

If there’s one topic that’s no laughing matter, it’s suicide, yet Lawrence Kasdan’s THE BIG CHILL intertwines humor with the tears seamlessly.  The film realizes that there are happy times in the reunion of seven friends that rarely see each other, and that humor is what helps get them through the unexpected death of their college friend.  But even more than that, THE BIG CHILL captures the differences in feelings and lifestyles of thirtysomethings compared to their younger selves.  It’s a film with big ambitions, and a incredible cast that is talented enough to achieve those hefty goals.

8. TERMS OF ENDEARMENT

At its surface, TERMS OF ENDEARMENT seems to be a heartbreaking story about cancer, but at its core, it’s an affectionate portrayal of the love that mothers have for their children.  Shirley MacLaine, who won an Oscar for her performance, plays a fifty-something Texan widow who believes no man is good enough to marry her daughter.  The daughter, played wonderfully by Debra Winger, is a mother of three herself, whose life changes drastically when she discovers that she has cancer.  Considered one of the greatest tearjerkers of all time, and rightfully so, TERMS OF ENDEARMENT wins over our emotions by creating characters who are so full of love themselves.  It’s a different sort of love story – one that shows the everlasting bond between a mother and her daughter, and it’s one of the great love stories of the 1980s, if not the best.

7. BROADCAST NEWS

A lot has changed since the eighties.  Many relationships are formed through online dating and we now get our news on the internet.  Yet, relationships are still as challenging as they were forty years ago, which makes BROADCAST NEWS incredibly timeless.  The film, which was James L. Brooks’s follow up to Terms of Endearment, takes us back to a time when the 10 pm news was essential viewing and the nightly anchor felt like family.  Brooks first introduces us to Tom Grunick, Aaron Altman, and Jane Craig as children.  Tom is dimwitted but handsome, Aaron is brilliant but awkward, and Jane is smart obsessed about perfection.  Twenty some years later, he captures them with the same traits, but this time they are played to perfection by William Hurt, Albert Brooks, and Holly Hunter.  Rarely through the eighties did a film have such a perfect cast.  Yet, the real treat of BROADCAST NEWS is that it’s a romantic comedy that refuses to follow the cliches of the genre.  Instead, Brooks tells a story about love and relationships that feels far more authentic than the usual Hollywood fairytale.  He understands that relationships are challenging and often one-sided, yet manages to leave us incredibly satisfied with the resolution.  Terms of Endearment was the first film I ever saw as an adult that left my teary eyed, and yet, I think BROADCAST NEWS might just be Brooks’s masterpiece.

6. A FISH CALLED WANDA

It has been reported that a man died from laughter while watching A FISH CALLED WANDA.  For most movies, that would seem like nothing more than an old wives’ tale, but for A FISH CALLED WANDA, it’s completely believable.  That’s because Charles Crichton’s caper comedy of a group of manipulative jewel thieves is the funniest, laugh out loud film since This Is Spinal Tap.  And in a year where there is no clear best picture, it seems worthy to crown one of the funniest comedies of all time with the “Movie of the Year” title.    This is one comedy that you won’t dare call stupid!

5. THIS IS SPINAL TAP

At one point in Rob Reiner’s hilarious “rockumentary” THIS IS SPINAL TAP, the band agrees that there’s an incredibly thin line between stupid and clever, a line that the movie itself always manages to balance perfectly.  The film, which was one of the first mockumentaries, tells the story of the loud but not-too-talented British rock band whose popularity has dwindled in recent years.  The documentary filmmaker, played by Reiner himself, follows the band on their final U.S. tour as they belt out hits like “Sex Farm” and “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight.”  In just 82 minutes, THIS IS SPINAL TAP provides more laugh than nearly any film in history, and for that it deserves a score that goes to 11.

4. TOOTSIE

When Dustin Hoffman was interviewed to discuss TOOTSIE for an American Film Institute special, he broke down into tears stating that he missed out on the chance to meet many interest women due to his perceptions on physical appearance.  Well, make no doubt about it that few characters in the movies are as interesting as Dorothy Michaels, or Michael Dorsey – the man who plays her for a television soap.  Even with a stacked resumé that includes two Oscars and seven nominations, Dustin Hoffman has never been better than he was as a man who dresses like a woman out of desperation to get acting work.  Of course, he would have never agreed to the part of Michael Dorsey if it weren’t for its rich screenplay that was able to tackle sexism in a very funny way.  TOOTSIE isn’t just one of the great movies of 1982 – it is one of the great comedies of all time.

3. RAGING BULL

Perhaps Martin Scorsese was tired of seeing the comparably lightweight Rocky films collect huge dividends at the box office, or perhaps he just gave in to De Niro’s endless requests that he make RAGING BULL.  Whatever the reason, cinephiles everywhere are very fortunate that he eventually took on the story of Jake LaMotta, a middleweight boxing champion whose temper, jealousy and self-destructive personality outside the boxing ring helped make him an enormously talented boxer.  Scorsese admittedly was not a fan of the sport and was reluctant to take on the project, but LaMotta’s furious persona ended up being a perfect fit for Scorsese’s uncompromising skill of portraying violent lifestyles in a way that is both fascinating and devastating.  RAGING BULL pulls no punches – nor should it – and in doing so, it captures both the beauty and the ugliness of the sport.  This one is a complete knockout from start to finish, and is deservingly often considered the best film of the entire decade, as well as the magnus opus of Scorsese’s brilliant career.

2. DO THE RIGHT THING

Although 1989 had a slew of good films, there was only one that can be called a masterpiece, and that film is Spike Lee’s unforgettable study of racism and hate in America, DO THE RIGHT THING.  Lee, who proves to be wise beyond his years, wrote, directs and stars in the film as Mookie, a lazy but likeable delivery boy at a popular Italian pizza place in Brooklyn.  DO THE RIGHT THING isn’t simply the easy choice as the year’s best film, but it’s arguably one of the best and most important films ever made about racism and class in America.

1. E.T: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL

How E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL lost the Best Picture Oscar to Gandhi still puzzles me greatly.  The film shattered box office numbers, and even passed Star Wars as the highest grossing film of all time.  E.T. merchandise was everywhere, from stuffed dolls to school lunchboxes.  Children loved it, parents loved it, and even the critics loved it – so much, in fact, that it appeared as the number one film on nearly half of the top ten lists for 1982.  The only explanation, then, seems to be that Oscar voters had overdosed on E.T. by the time ballots were sent out.  Too many screenings, too many discussions and too many phone-home jokes.  Gandhi, on the other hand, had just opened in many cities and was the new obsession for a short time during Oscar voting.  The result was a shocking loss for the film that made Steven Spielberg a superstar.  Fortunately, classics aren’t determined by Oscar wins, but rather by the quality and longevity of the film itself.  And because of that, E.T. will forever remain a magical film for the ages.