This is definitely a top-heavy list , but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy everything on here. Hopefully you, the reader, can find something new to watch from this. There's definitely variety to this countdown. Alright, here we go.
#10
The Entity
This movie took a little while to grow on me, but now I'm pretty convinced it's one of the best horror movies of the '80s. The music, performances, and pacing of this movie are all great, and can I mention the music again? That thumping, rhythmic pounding during the supernatural scenes is probably the most memorable thing about the movie -- and that's not an insult.
#9
Swamp Thing
I love me some cornball superhero stuff, and this movie is about as cornball as you can get. The fight scene at the end is enough reason alone to make this one of the most entertaining films of its genre, but the setting and sense of humor definitely are a bonus. I'd take this over 90% of the MCU any day.
#8
Poltergeist
Another awesome horror movie, this one is a little less challenging and more just a great example of sci-fi/fantasy/horror for the whole family! Unless of course your family doesn't like being creeped out, cuz this one has a few fantastic scenes and a really spooky atmosphere. Great cast, and almost too iconic for its own good.
#7
Five Element Ninjas
The Shaw Brothers released a ton of fascinating and/or baffling movies during the '70s and '80s and one of the most entertaining of them all (at least of the ones I've seen) was this hilariously weird action film. I love cheesy martial arts action, and this is one of the more accessible ones around. It's fun regardless of your level of intoxication.
#6
The Secret Of NIMH
One of the few indisputably fantastic movies of Don Bluth's somewhat inconsistent career, The Secret Of NIMH is dark, beautifully drawn, and never afraid to take risks. I've liked this one since I was a kid, and that hasn't changed as I've become a much older kid. It's a wonderful fantasy that ought not be regarded as anything less than an animation classic.
#5
First Blood
One of the most awesome action movies ever made and the first Rambo movie, which still stands as surprisingly reserved compared to the sequels (especially considering the rapidly escalating kill-count) and a pretty great post-Vietnam PTSD drama. One of Stallone's greatest performances, and a total game-changer for the genre.
#4
Fanny And Alexander
Though this one is kind of a cheat pick (it was originally intended as a TV miniseries), I couldn't help but to include this dark and sinister late Bergman masterpiece. He is one of my all-time favorite directors (behind only Kurosawa), and with the exception of some of his late '50s and early '60s movies, this is his best. It's dense, but powerful.
#3
The Thing
And here's the best horror movie of 1982, a loose remake of the 1951 classic, starring Kurt Russell, Keith David, some other people, and some of the coolest practical effects in the history of film. I love the atmosphere of this movie, which captures the cold as well as the original, and the creature designs are completely incredible. It almost hurts me to put this as low as #3.
#2
Blade Runner
But Blade Runner is a pretty compelling reason to keep 'The Thing' down, as this one still holds up as one of the greatest sci-fi/dystopia films ever made. While I've never been a big fan of noirs, this is the way I like seeing them handled, blending enough elements from other types of films to keep it from being too hard-boiled of a detective story. It's a visual masterpiece that's influenced thousands of movies and TV shows since its release. Also, Rutger Hauer gives (probably) his best performance in it.
#1
Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
Yeah, I almost feel like this is another unfair pick considering how much I've been digging into Star Trek lately, but if I'm being totally honest with myself here, I loved this movie long before I became a fan of the franchise. When I was much younger I would have definitely picked any Star Wars movie over this, as I didn't fully understand the point in Star Trek. But over the past half-decade, this has been a movie I've come back to again and again, and only find myself loving it more on every rewatch. It's smart, filled with great character moments, awesome space fights, and some genuinely powerful emotional scenes. My most recent rewatch has solidified this as one of my favorite movies of the 1980s, easily my favorite of '82, and possibly a top 25 contender for favorites of all-time. And no, you don't need to love Star Trek to love this movie. But it helps.
So there you have it, let's hope I can get my 1983 list done soon (I still have a few movies I want to watch first), so until then, I hope my Star Trek posts will be satisfactory. - He says, as his ever-dwindling readership dwindles even more.
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