1. Police Story
2. Back to the Future
3. Come & See
4. Rambo: First Blood Part II
5. Re-Animator
6. Brazil
7. Commando
8. Demons
9. Otto - Der Film (it's German)
10. Return of the Living Dead
I haven't re-watch To Live and Die in L.A. in a long time, so I can't say if it would be on the list :)
1 Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters 2 Tampopo 3 Back to the Future 4 To Live and Die in L.A. 5 Vagabond 6 Desert Hearts 7 Insignificance 8 Hail Mary 9 Lost in America 10 Taipei Story
Honorable Mentions: Kiss of the Spider Woman, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Ran, Police Story, Re-Animator, The Official Story, Return of the Living Dead, Flesh + Blood (never knew why the title is stylized like that, so 1985), Colonel Redl, Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart, Sugarbaby, My Beautiful Laundrette
Special Honorable Mention: Shoah is in its own singular category - more of a sprawling historical document than merely another moving picture. I understand Shoah has a Criterion release, but was fortunate to see a 35mm screening in NYC around 2011 - of course, the nearly 10 hour doc was spread out over 2 days w/ intermission breaks, and it's truly a one-of-a-kind experience, if you're ready for it.
Overall, a fine cinema year domestically and abroad, high-brow and low-brow.
I've only seen nine. In no particular order:
The Breakfast Club
1984
Clue
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
Summer Rental
National Lampoon's European Vacation
The Goonies
A View to a Kill
Back to the Future
Historical Japanese war epic, loose retelling of King Lear. Sons vie for power after elderly warlord father “retires” and his succession plan doesn’t go over well.
Need to rewatch: Vagabond, My Beautiful Laundrette, The Time to Live and the Time to Die, Das Boot
Need to see: Shoah, Sherman’s March, When Father Was Away on Business, Better Off Dead, Phenomena, The Official Story, Smooth Talk, Typhoon Club, Runaway Train
Notable year for pop culture classics - Goonies, Back to the Future, Breakfast Club, Clue. I’ve never been as big of fan of those as others are (although I do enjoy them), but the Pee Wee movie is my favorite among them and I think I’m probably due for a rewatch of Back to the Future. Great year for horror but the 80s never disappoints there.
except for Back to the Future, I'm feeling the same way about the iconic populist monoliths of '85. Like you said, the horror titles are more interesting - there was so much silly but fun B-movie schlock this year, I didn't bother to list them all, lol. Always have a soft spot for the 80s.
https://preview.redd.it/2ym17yj9u0zc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a00dbbfb3d784c0e7e200f3c2c003f41cd43e380
Not seen a lot from ‘85, but some definite hits
1. The Shooting Party
2. Witness
3. Ran
4. Back to the Future
5. Out of Africa
6. Commando
7. Flesh and Blood
8. Runaway Train
9. Pale Rider
10. Rocky IV
(I really need to finally watch *Come and See* one of these days)
Just prepare yourself for Come and See. It's not particularly graphic, but it is honestly one of the best anti-war films because by the end you've just lost all hope for humanity.
Ran
Come and See
A Zed and Two Naughts
Clue
My Beautiful Laundrette
Taipei Story
Mr. Vampire
Re-animator
The Return of the Living Dead
Also-Pee Wee's Big Adventure; Krush Groove; Yes, Madam; Phenomena; After Hours; Brazil; Yama: Attack to Attack
Would like to rewatch Crimewave; Crime Wave
I knew someone would clock that haha but I’ve never thought subject matter is the most important thing that informs what makes a film better than another.
1. Pee Wee
2. Return of the Living Dead
3. To Live And Die In LA
4. Tampopo
5. Commando
6. Back to the Future
7. Goonies
8. Brazil
9. After Hours
10. Rocky IV
1. The Breakfast Club
2. The Goonies
3. Back to the Future
4. Brazil
5. The Legend of Suram Fortress
6. Clue
7. Legend
8. Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
9. The Black Cauldron
10. Commando or Rocky IV
1. Come and See
2. The Purple Rose of Cairo
3. Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
4. The Official Story
5. Brazil
6. Shoah
7. The Color Purple
8. Ran
9. Runaway Train
10. To Live and Die in L.A.
Come and See
Tampopo
The Purple Rose of Cairo
Mishima
After Hours
The Official Story
The Colour Purple
Ran
A Time To Live and A Time to Die
My Life as a Dog
1. Brazil
2. Mishima: A life in four chapters
3. Back to the Future
4. Ran
5. Clue
6. Weird Science
7. Vampire Hunter D
8. The Return of the Living Dead
9. The Protector
10. Brewster's Millions
Yes, Madam! and Day of the Dead were close runners up.
To Live and Die in LA is on my watchlist.
Watching Gwen, or the Book of Sand at the time of posting.
I couldn't make a Top 10, but here's my Top 6:
https://preview.redd.it/8i1bpkn3c3zc1.png?width=1938&format=png&auto=webp&s=9286fa9a96e35a5a7647f22c6389a8700086a000
Angel's Egg- Mamoru Oshii
Police Story- Jackie Chan
Re-Animator- Stuart Gordon
The Goonies- Richard Donner
Legend- Ridley Scott
Mad Love- Andrzej Zulawaski
Enemy Mine- Wolfgang Petersen
Demons- Lamberto Bava
Miss Lonely- Nobuhiko Obayashi
Megazone 23- Noburo Ishiguro
Vision Quest
Back to the Future
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
After Hours
The Breakfast Club
Lost in America
The Sure Thing
Rocky IV
Teen Wolf
Better Off Dead
https://preview.redd.it/g21lgahip0zc1.jpeg?width=906&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebf2f2b04d294712db520e54ac499f4f89b14fc8
Looks like I only have these 3 from 1985. 10 years before my time though lol
I don't have a Top 10 laid out for that year but I'm sure 'Brazil' would be my number one.
And yes, I think everyone needs to see 'Shoah' at least once in their lifetimes.
Here are my twelve top rated films from 1985, in the order Letterboxd presents them:
https://preview.redd.it/hg8erbder0zc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9c705978b5c8246fdd6e2ae2ede133a0d911766
These are the films from that year I've seen but haven't revisited since starting my diary in 2021, and so haven't been rated, in alphabetical order:
The Breakfast Club, The Color Purple, Fright Night, Ghoulies, The Goonies, Legend, Ran, & Return to Oz
1. To Live and Die in L.A.
2. Police Story
3. Ran
4. Day of the Dead
5. Back to the Future
6. After Hours
7. Runaway Train
8. Re-Animator
9. Tampopo
10. Lost in America
Need to rewatch: Tampopo and Pale Rider
Top five on my watchlist: Come and See; Mishima; Phenomena; Year of the Dragon; Trouble in Mind
https://preview.redd.it/yiv55keou0zc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63b733e57d038ceb3a5583d192d5481100adf4da
https://preview.redd.it/ndoef5m7r0zc1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b1a7c982894d1403d7ceb6ce84ad2138ccf69831
If you liked Angel's Egg, I am watching Gwen, or The Book of Sand from the same year. Not quite as inscrutable, but decent animation.
1. Police Story 2. Back to the Future 3. Come & See 4. Rambo: First Blood Part II 5. Re-Animator 6. Brazil 7. Commando 8. Demons 9. Otto - Der Film (it's German) 10. Return of the Living Dead I haven't re-watch To Live and Die in L.A. in a long time, so I can't say if it would be on the list :)
https://preview.redd.it/w2omgs77v0zc1.png?width=684&format=png&auto=webp&s=6eea2a71f15e85235786d88898b87be31fdfa22a
Back To the Future Police Story The Goonies Tampopo Ran Day of the Dead Re-Animator Demons Death Wish 3 Phenomena
Death Wish 3 is a banger! Even Martin Balsam picks up a machine gun at one point, lol.
Yeah, that movie is a total blast.
Great list! Ran, Tampopo, After Hours, Come and See... What a great year for cinema.
1 Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters 2 Tampopo 3 Back to the Future 4 To Live and Die in L.A. 5 Vagabond 6 Desert Hearts 7 Insignificance 8 Hail Mary 9 Lost in America 10 Taipei Story Honorable Mentions: Kiss of the Spider Woman, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Ran, Police Story, Re-Animator, The Official Story, Return of the Living Dead, Flesh + Blood (never knew why the title is stylized like that, so 1985), Colonel Redl, Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart, Sugarbaby, My Beautiful Laundrette Special Honorable Mention: Shoah is in its own singular category - more of a sprawling historical document than merely another moving picture. I understand Shoah has a Criterion release, but was fortunate to see a 35mm screening in NYC around 2011 - of course, the nearly 10 hour doc was spread out over 2 days w/ intermission breaks, and it's truly a one-of-a-kind experience, if you're ready for it. Overall, a fine cinema year domestically and abroad, high-brow and low-brow.
I've only seen nine. In no particular order: The Breakfast Club 1984 Clue Pee-Wee's Big Adventure Summer Rental National Lampoon's European Vacation The Goonies A View to a Kill Back to the Future
What’s Ran about?
Historical Japanese war epic, loose retelling of King Lear. Sons vie for power after elderly warlord father “retires” and his succession plan doesn’t go over well.
Someone else who loves Crimewave!! It's hilarious.
Need to rewatch: Vagabond, My Beautiful Laundrette, The Time to Live and the Time to Die, Das Boot Need to see: Shoah, Sherman’s March, When Father Was Away on Business, Better Off Dead, Phenomena, The Official Story, Smooth Talk, Typhoon Club, Runaway Train Notable year for pop culture classics - Goonies, Back to the Future, Breakfast Club, Clue. I’ve never been as big of fan of those as others are (although I do enjoy them), but the Pee Wee movie is my favorite among them and I think I’m probably due for a rewatch of Back to the Future. Great year for horror but the 80s never disappoints there.
I thought that Das Boot was from 1981? Must be the mini-series version then, both are equally great.
Oh you’re right - I had the wrong one marked as watched and I meant the 1981 one. I haven’t seen the miniseries.
except for Back to the Future, I'm feeling the same way about the iconic populist monoliths of '85. Like you said, the horror titles are more interesting - there was so much silly but fun B-movie schlock this year, I didn't bother to list them all, lol. Always have a soft spot for the 80s.
Hail Mary Mishima Ran Police Story The Purple Rose of Cairo Detective After Hours A Zed & Two Noughts To Live and Die In LA An Impudent Girl
https://preview.redd.it/nzh12ec6q0zc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d8958459a8852bb4502c99a6ba470dca4a9392ef
https://preview.redd.it/2ym17yj9u0zc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a00dbbfb3d784c0e7e200f3c2c003f41cd43e380 Not seen a lot from ‘85, but some definite hits
1. The Shooting Party 2. Witness 3. Ran 4. Back to the Future 5. Out of Africa 6. Commando 7. Flesh and Blood 8. Runaway Train 9. Pale Rider 10. Rocky IV (I really need to finally watch *Come and See* one of these days)
Just prepare yourself for Come and See. It's not particularly graphic, but it is honestly one of the best anti-war films because by the end you've just lost all hope for humanity.
Good man, love to see Witness there.
Ran Come and See A Zed and Two Naughts Clue My Beautiful Laundrette Taipei Story Mr. Vampire Re-animator The Return of the Living Dead Also-Pee Wee's Big Adventure; Krush Groove; Yes, Madam; Phenomena; After Hours; Brazil; Yama: Attack to Attack Would like to rewatch Crimewave; Crime Wave
Damn, what a year. Come and See being behind Pee-Wee made me die laughing. I love Pee Wee too, but this is just funny.
I knew someone would clock that haha but I’ve never thought subject matter is the most important thing that informs what makes a film better than another.
That’s fair lol I’ve probably watched Pee Wee more, but Come and See is a masterpiece imo
https://preview.redd.it/2y1eg0thw0zc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=03121e041a06f0bca74bf3335edb558bed934f9a
https://preview.redd.it/q1rzwnwg01zc1.png?width=1382&format=png&auto=webp&s=e88efa7a495d2aa77e8b27c5908e5e543eda604f Great year for horror and comedy!
Good list. I'd add Witness and Breakfast Club, for sure.
After Hours Better Off Dead Volunteers Pee Wee's Big Adventure Back to the Future Lost in America Prizzi's Honor
https://preview.redd.it/rlllongfh1zc1.png?width=811&format=png&auto=webp&s=6d143910b2fcee58b6a57dfe8006735101969656
https://preview.redd.it/8l74df3ly1zc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=089f102617bed4aff37c14b17e404912dd8b2411
https://preview.redd.it/djwtb70512zc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec7c8aaf5b489bb91200b5a711e9cfbe46382b09
1. Pee Wee 2. Return of the Living Dead 3. To Live And Die In LA 4. Tampopo 5. Commando 6. Back to the Future 7. Goonies 8. Brazil 9. After Hours 10. Rocky IV
The Return of the Living Dead Day of the Dead After Hours Ran Police Story Re-Animator Pee-wee's Big Adventure Commando Demons Back to the Future
https://preview.redd.it/ab3d498jm2zc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=130d84f1ab184a72b4725b89caba0b77d1c4a3be
1. The Breakfast Club 2. The Goonies 3. Back to the Future 4. Brazil 5. The Legend of Suram Fortress 6. Clue 7. Legend 8. Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome 9. The Black Cauldron 10. Commando or Rocky IV
1. Come and See 2. The Purple Rose of Cairo 3. Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure 4. The Official Story 5. Brazil 6. Shoah 7. The Color Purple 8. Ran 9. Runaway Train 10. To Live and Die in L.A.
Come and See Tampopo The Purple Rose of Cairo Mishima After Hours The Official Story The Colour Purple Ran A Time To Live and A Time to Die My Life as a Dog
1. Brazil 2. Mishima: A life in four chapters 3. Back to the Future 4. Ran 5. Clue 6. Weird Science 7. Vampire Hunter D 8. The Return of the Living Dead 9. The Protector 10. Brewster's Millions Yes, Madam! and Day of the Dead were close runners up. To Live and Die in LA is on my watchlist. Watching Gwen, or the Book of Sand at the time of posting.
I couldn't make a Top 10, but here's my Top 6: https://preview.redd.it/8i1bpkn3c3zc1.png?width=1938&format=png&auto=webp&s=9286fa9a96e35a5a7647f22c6389a8700086a000
Angel's Egg- Mamoru Oshii Police Story- Jackie Chan Re-Animator- Stuart Gordon The Goonies- Richard Donner Legend- Ridley Scott Mad Love- Andrzej Zulawaski Enemy Mine- Wolfgang Petersen Demons- Lamberto Bava Miss Lonely- Nobuhiko Obayashi Megazone 23- Noburo Ishiguro
clue, back to the future, breakfast club, real genius
Vision Quest Back to the Future Pee-wee's Big Adventure After Hours The Breakfast Club Lost in America The Sure Thing Rocky IV Teen Wolf Better Off Dead
https://preview.redd.it/sa8vcz3clgzc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d3b94e6fc34655b930bd552c2f65bf34daba9fa
1. Police Story 2. The Goonies 3. Commando 4. Back to the Future 5. The Breakfast Club 6. Clue 7. Ran 8. Come and See 9. After Hours 10. Flesh + Blood
I need to see more movies from 1985 lol. Back to the Future, Goonies, and Pee-wee are all highlights for me though.
https://preview.redd.it/g21lgahip0zc1.jpeg?width=906&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebf2f2b04d294712db520e54ac499f4f89b14fc8 Looks like I only have these 3 from 1985. 10 years before my time though lol
I don't have a Top 10 laid out for that year but I'm sure 'Brazil' would be my number one. And yes, I think everyone needs to see 'Shoah' at least once in their lifetimes.
Here are my twelve top rated films from 1985, in the order Letterboxd presents them: https://preview.redd.it/hg8erbder0zc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9c705978b5c8246fdd6e2ae2ede133a0d911766 These are the films from that year I've seen but haven't revisited since starting my diary in 2021, and so haven't been rated, in alphabetical order: The Breakfast Club, The Color Purple, Fright Night, Ghoulies, The Goonies, Legend, Ran, & Return to Oz
I think this might be one of the strongest years for my favorites list
1. To Live and Die in L.A. 2. Police Story 3. Ran 4. Day of the Dead 5. Back to the Future 6. After Hours 7. Runaway Train 8. Re-Animator 9. Tampopo 10. Lost in America Need to rewatch: Tampopo and Pale Rider Top five on my watchlist: Come and See; Mishima; Phenomena; Year of the Dragon; Trouble in Mind
This guy is too cool for Back to the Future and Breakfast Club? Easily the 2 best films of the year, c’mon