What's Your Favorite 80's Movie?

Tell us your favorite 80's movie and what you liked about it. Share some information about where you lived or other memory about what was happening in your life at the time of the film.

Take Me Home Tonight

Take Me Home Tonight is a 2011 release. Though not a movie made in the 80’s, it is nevertheless is an outstanding 80’s movie. It’s got the setting, background, music, and vernacular that made the 80’s totally tubular. Take Me Home Tonight stars Topher Grace (That 70’s Show, Spider Man 3, Predators) as Matt Fanklin, Ana Faris (House Bunny, Yogi Bear) as Wendy Franklin, Dan Fogler (Kung Fu Panda, Good Luck Chuck) as Barry Nathan, and Teresa Palmer (I am Number Four, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) as Tori Frederking.

Matt just graduated from MIT, but has not idea of what to do with his life. As such he fills his time working at the mall chain Sun Coast video store, much to the chagrin of his father and friends. One day Tori, his secret crush walks in, turning his life upside down.

He’s got one chance to make an impression and change his destiny. He and his buddy Barry intercept her and follow her from party to party totally convincing her he is a high level banker.

Take Me Home Tonight has the formula for a great 80’s movie. Swimming pools, parties, drug use, exotic cars, beautiful women, young adult angst and a soundtrack of the most righteous songs from the decade. But wait, one last ingredient; the speech of all speeches Matt gives similar to those found at the end of great 80’s hits like Revenge of the Nerds.

Among the many in the awesome soundtrack, great songs include:

Video Killed The Radio Star-The Buggles

Hungry Like The Wolf-Duran Duran

Situation-Yaz

Der Kommisar-After the Fire

There’s even the one hit wonder Opus with Live is Life, a top hit in Europe.

I give Take Me Home Tonight 3.5 alligators for script, clothes and teen angst. The only reason it didn’t get four stars because it wasn’t filmed in the 80’s.

Take Me Home Tonight is rated R

The Experts

1989’s The Experts is fun movie starring John Travolta (Grease, Perfect, Staying Alive, Two of a Kind) as Travis and Ayre Gross (House II, Tequila Sunrise)as Wendell. Travis and Wendell know how to party. In fact, they are certified night club experts. That’s exactly why KGB Agent Cameron Smith, played by Charles Martin Smith (Starman, Untouchables) kidnaps them and brings them to Russia.

Smith is in trouble. His bosses with the KGB are totally boaged that their plan to bring down the USA has gotten nowhere. Sure they’ve made progress by replicating a Midwestern small town; that’s righteous. However, the Russians citizens have never developed the community beyond the 1950’s, the only reference the closed country has to American life. In fact, many don’t even know they aren’t American; bogus. Smith is ordered to make changes or else.

Travis and Wendell are on their way to open a new nightclub. On the way Smith hires them and brings them to what they think is small town Nebraska. Unknown to the experts, they’ve been drugged and shipped across the world to a small Russian town. Their mission, to open a club and make the poodle skirt and rolled up jeans Teeny Boppers into totally awesome 80’s New Wavers .

Except for blockbuster John Travolta, it’s awesome that The Experts offers a great cast of moderately known actors.  Even Travolta’s future wife Kelly Preston (Secret Admirer, Space Camp) gets into the act.

No particularly 80’s music you would recognize in the movie, but they are definitely of the awesome decade. KGB and cold war references remind you that this is indeed of the times. Hair styles and clothing will bring you back to the carefree time of posing 80’s style.

This movie is rated PG for adult situations.

Quick, Name the Movie

Here are some quotes from an awesome 80's movie. Think you can name it?

"That was number two...Do not let there be a third."

"You're right, I'm on drugs. I'm a junkie, you know, I mainline, I freebase, I put cocaine on my cornflakes..."

" No. Make that a double Whopper. With American cheese, and large American fries. And a great big American chocolate shake."

Think you know the movie? Click here and see if you guessed right

Gotcha

1985’s Gotcha stars Anthony Edwards (Top Gun, Revenge of the Nerds, Fast Times at Ridgemont High)is Jonathan, a quick witted, LA  college student , but innocent in the game of love.  He has the best hair ever and his  biggest past time is a game called Gotcha, a club where he and other members play an assassination game against each other with paintball guns.

Jsu Garcia (Nightmare on Elm Street) is Manolo, the ladies man who knows how to have a good time. They are best friends and travel to Europe during a break in classes. Beginning in Paris, France, the two young men start their European adventure. However, unlucky at love Jonathan suddenly breaks his streak when he falls for the beautiful but mysterious Sasha Banechek, Linda Fiorentino (Vision Quest).  Suddenly, Jonathan no longer needs Manolo and the two part company, bogus. Jonathan totally follows Sasha blindly, and starts the most radical adventure of his life.

It’s not long before Jonathan is in trouble-duh. The fine Check Sasha plays him like a Rubik’s Cube earning his trust before shattering him like fine Prague crystal. She drags him through Berlin with a mysterious message of “meet me at Café Friedrichstrasse,” as his only warning to get out of dodge.

Great 80’s songs such as Nick Kershaw’s Wouldn’t it Be Good, Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Relax and  Two Tribes, Bronski Beat’s Small Town Boy and of course the theme song Gotcha play throughout providing choice music.

There is some fine 80’s memorabilia and vintage products. TWA jet at the airport, main characters sport awesome Vaurnet sunglasses, almost everyone wears preppy sweaters all the time. The Berlin contrast to Paris classically in a Cold War Spy vs. Spy kind of way.

I’ve seen this movie four times and related well to Edward’s character. The first time I saw it was right after I got out of the Army and moved away from Germany. My first thoughts after seeing it were, “that’s me”. I spend three years stationed in Germany. Every weekend I was on a train travelling Europe and experiencing some pretty fascinating times including having guns pulled on in a case of mistaken identity in Monte Carlo, hearing a murder confession in a Vienna Jazz club, attending an ambassador aids’ party, and enjoying the company of German royalty.

Gotcha has some very funny scenes. My favorites included the Pernod exchange, the first meeting between Jonathan and Sasha, when Jonathan crosses the border back to West Berlin,  when he sees his first Burger King since the spy experience and the trip with the punk band.