Arts & Entertainment
11 Nostalgic Movies That Will Transport You Back To The '80s
Take a walk down memory lane this weekend by watching classic '80s flicks like "Top Gun," "Back to the Future," "The Goonies" and more.
This weekend, get ready to sit back, relax and enjoy some beloved '80s movies that are sure to bring on a healthy dose of nostalgia.
Hoping for some death-defying aerial acrobatics? Look no further than “Top Gun,” starring Tom Cruise as Lt. Maverick, a Navy aviator competing for a prestigious prize, which you can watch before the highly-anticipated release of the sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick."
If you’re craving more action, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” starring Harrison Ford as the legendary archeologist Indiana Jones, will not disappoint, nor will Sigourney Weaver's performance in “Aliens.”
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Those in the mood for some light-hearted films can check out “Grease 2,” “Back to the Future”, “Tootsie” and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off.”
As if that’s not enough to get you sentimental, we've rounded up plenty of other iconic films for you to enjoy this weekend. Check out the full list:
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“Top Gun” — Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis; directed by Tony Scott
Tony Scott’s action-packed film became a worldwide hit in 1986, earning then 22-year-old Tom Cruise an A-list status in Hollywood. Catch all the vertigo-inducing aerial sequences as Navy aviators Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Cruise) and Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer) vie for the most-coveted award, “Top Gun.” Meanwhile, Maverick pursues a romantic relationship with an astrophysicist (Kelly McGillis).
“Aliens” — Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn; directed by James Cameron
The sequel to the 1979 sci-fi classic, “Alien,” is highly visceral, immersing audiences with unrelenting suspense and tension. Set in the distant future, the saga follows warrant officer Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) as she returns to the moon, 57 years after she survived a vicious attack from a powerful alien life form. This time around, our heroine will go head-to-head with the alien queen.
“Grease 2” — Michelle Pfeiffer, Maxwell Caufield; directed by Patricia Birch
Like its predecessor, “Grease 2” has gained widespread popularity over the years due to its vibrant and delightful ensemble cast. Picking up two years after the events of the original film, the saga continues with the love story of British exchange student Michael Carrington (Maxwell Caufield) and Pink Ladies’ leader Stephanie Zinone (Michelle Pfeiffer).
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) — Harrison Ford, Karen Allen; directed by Steven Spielberg
Another Steven Spielberg favorite, the action classic will keep you on the edge of your seat. Set in 1936, the story follows the adventures of Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), a famous archaeologist enlisted by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before time runs out.
“Poltergeist” — Jobeth Williams, Heather O’Rourke; directed by Tobe Hooper
A collaboration between producer Steven Spielberg and director Tobe Hooper, the clever horror-thriller takes place in a California suburb where a family’s home is haunted by malevolent ghosts. As the plot thickens, the younger daughter suddenly disappears, setting in motion the family’s journey into a mysterious, supernatural dimension to find her.
“The Goonies” — Sean Astin, Josh Brolin; directed by Richard Donner
The popular family-adventure classic centers around the “Goonies,” a group of young misfits who embark on a mission to save their homes from foreclosure. In the process, they unearth a crude map to the long-lost treasure of a legendary 17th-century pirate called One-Eyed Willy. Can they ever find the massive fortune, considering there are deadly booby traps along the way?
“E.T. the Extra Terrestrial” — Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore; directed by Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg dazzles us with childlike wonderment and magical adventure in this sci-fi classic, a profound story about a boy (Henry Thomas) and his sister (Drew Barrymore) who bravely accept the heartache of saying goodbye to a dear friend from outer space. Thomas and Barrymore — who were then 10 years old and 7 years old, respectively — will surely melt your hearts.
"Back to the Future" — Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson; directed by Robert Zemeckis
One of the most popular time-travel movies in American cinema, "Back to the Future" follows the story of 17-year-old Marty McFly, a high school student fortuitously zapped back 30 years into the bygone era of the 1950s in a time-traveling DeLorean. What will the 1980s kid do now, considering Marty has already become his future mother's (Lea Thompson) object of affection?
"Tootsie" — Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange; directed by Sydney Pollack
What if you were an actor and every movie producer in town wouldn't work with you because of your prima-donna behavior? Well, that's exactly the premise of the rom com "Tootsie." Meet Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman), a talented actor who has burned his bridges with every producer in New York City. Unfortunately, he is financially strapped and needs money now. Luckily, he may have just found the role of a lifetime that could save him from dire straits — and possibly lead him to the love of his life.
"The Breakfast Club" — Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald; directed by John Hughes
Teenage angst is front and center in John Hughes' 1985 classic film about five high school students who end up together in Saturday detention. Each of them comes from various cliques of the student body at Shermer High, including the stuck-up, popular girl Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald), the stoic wrestler Andrew Clark (Emilio Estevez), the geeky bookworm Brian Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall), the foulmouthed rebel John Bender (Judd Nelson) and the eccentric outcast Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy). As the day progresses, the bunch of misfits will learn about the bond of friendship and the importance of mutual understanding and trust.
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" — Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Grey; directed by John Hughes
In this irresistible coming-of-age comedy, Matthew Broderick charms as the titular Ferris Bueller, a teenager notorious for cutting classes and for his uncanny ways of not getting caught in the act. But his string of good luck may soon run out, as high school Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) is feverishly hot on the young man's trail.
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