10 "Bad" 80's Movies You Probably Haven't Seen....but should.

I don't actually know the average age of my readers, but I assume that many of you were not part of the movie watching public in the 1980's.  For those of you that were, you will enjoy this as a bit of nostalgia.

All of these movies were relatively dissapointing at the box office, but are very entertaining.  Most of them were on HBO round the clock in the 80's and early 90's.  Some are considered to be not very good, but don't trust "them", these are movies you'll enjoy watching.

1. Big Trouble in Little China

This movie is incredibly awesome.  John Carpenter directed and Kurt Russell owns this movie as the ridiculously over self-confident Jack Burton. There are so many quotable lines in this movie it's ridiculous. In the commentary on my DVD Kurt Russell says that whenever he gets on an elevator with random dudes, they always make a reference to this movie. It is one of my life goals to ride an elevator with Kurt Russell to do just that.

2. Tremors

Another intentionally "bad" movie. This is probably Kevin Bacon's defining role and what catapulted him into the stratosphere of megastardom and having his own trivia game named after him.  This movie is about giant worms, but don't let that scare you off.  The worms are just an excuse to bring amazing characters together and let them do what they do best, be amazing characters. Michael Gross (of Family Ties fame) and Reba McIntire (of bad country music fame) are hilarious in smaller supporting roles.  Also, you'll be saying "Hey there Old Fred" alot after watching this movie. One last thing, Tremors and Big Trouble in Little China share one cast member. Below is the one of the best scenes in the movie....

3. Spies Like Us

Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd, as 2 decoy spies in this theatrical bomb.  This is probably one of the last times that Chevy Chase was funny, but man, when he was on, he could deliver a great line better than anyone. Akroyd is perfect using faux technical jargon, and his wife, Donna Dixon, plays Chevy's love interest. This scene is from early in the film. It isn't my favorite scene, but it is pretty indicative of the humor.

4. Three O'Clock High

There is almost no way you have seen this movie, no matter how old you are.  It's about a high school fight that is meant to take place at 3 o'clock, and the tension that builds as that hour approaches. Casey Siemaszko plays the lead, you may remember him from Young Guns. Also, be sure to catch the voice of Lisa Simpson. The first 10 minutes are in this link. The clocking ticking off and on throughout the movie really helps build the tension. 

5. Midnight Madness

1980. Virtually still the 70's.  Michael J. Fox's first role.  A wacky story about several teams of kids who are on a giant city wide scavenger hunt. This is the definitive scavenger hunt movie. Also an 80's cable classic.  Fun movie, with a cameo by Paul Ruebens (aka Pee Wee Herman). Michael J. Fox shows up about 3:00 in this clip.

6. Can't Buy Me Love

This is the quintessential 80's movie.  It encapsulates all the rest of the classic 80's movies (Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink) into one film.  The trailer below explains the plot. Which is the classic nerd becomes cool 80's story. The nerd is played by none other than McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey) from Grey's Anatomy. Also, Seth Green plays Dempsey's overly mature younger brother.

7. Inner Space

Dennis Quaid is a test pilot who gets shrunk down to microscopic size and accidentally injected into the body of Martin Short. Hilarity and adventure ensue. Also, young Meg Ryan is in this movie too.

8. The Best of Times

Robin Williams plays a guy who dropped the winning touchdown pass in the big game in high school. He has spent his entire life being the "guy who dropped the ball", so he arranges to have the game played again 20 years later.  Kurt Russell plays his best friend and the famous quarterback who threw the pass. Great freaking movie!

9. All The Right Moves

Another high school football movie. This one starring Tom Cruise. It was on every afternoon in February in 1985.

10. Mr. Mom

This one wasn't a theatrical bomb, but it has fallen off the radar. Michael Keaton doesn't even have a career anymore, but that dude was a beast in the 80's and this is him in the perfect role (long before he played Batman). He gets laid off from a Detroit auto-company and in order to pay the bills his wife (Teri Garr) goes back to the corporate world, leaving him at home with the three kids. We get to watch him spiral down into the hysterical abyss of a stay at home dad, and then rise again, in a great training montage parody. 

There you have it. 10 movies you should watch if you have insomnia, get your wisdom teeth out, are trapped in a room with Netflix or you have no purpose in life.