Listomania Sunday: 80's Movies I Loved as a Kid

This week for my Best Picture challenge I watched the Ordinary People which won in 1980. Since this is the first movie of the 80’s to win and the 80’s is the decade that I grew up in, I thought I would do my Top 5 movies from the 80’s I loved as a kid. This is not a list of the best movies from the 80’s just the ones that when I was growing up I watched a lot. We had the Disney channel for a little bit while I was growing up so there are some movies that I saw a lot on Disney and really liked. Looking at this list you will see a theme that I think carries over to the movies I love now.

1. The Goonies-A classic. About a bunch of kids who go on a treasure hunt for pirate gold. Every kid’s fantasy.

2. Stand by Me-Another classic. I always thought of this like The Goonies only a lot darker. Here instead of going on an adventure looking for gold they are looking for a dead body. Also instead of the feel good ending there is a depressing ending that I always like.

3. Antarctica-This is one of those movies they showed a lot on Disney. Very few people ever heard of it and it’s not even available in the U.S. on DVD. It is the story about a Japanese dog sled team that have to leave their dogs in Antarctica . If that sounds familiar Disney remade the movie in 2006 as Eight Below. But that movie doesn’t have the emotional impact as Antarctica that might have something to do with the music by Vangelis(the same guy who did the theme to Chariots of Fire). But great movie and I don’t remember it being in Japanese but they might have dubbed it for Disney. Probably the first movie to make me cry.

4. The Princess Bride-Almost more of a chick flick I know but just like the Grandfather says in the movie its got "Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles". I felt like the grandson in the movie  you don't mind the little bit of "kissing stuff" by the end of the movie. 

5. Explorers-What a surprise another movie about kids going on an adventure. This time they have a dream about some gizmo that lets them fly into space where they encounter strange aliens. River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke’s first movie.

Honorary Mention
The NeverEnding Story- This was the first movie I ever rented on VHS tape so it is a special movie to me. A fantasy story about a kid who constantly gets picked on and teased at school then gets sucked into a book and becomes a hero in this other world. A classic tale of going from zero to hero. Don’t know about anyone else but I could relate to wanting to go someplace else and be the hero.

Other movies that just missed the top 5.
Flight of the Navigator-Another movie about aliens and probably Sarah Jessica Parker’s best movie.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure-came out in 1989 but it’s still an 80’s movie.
Bloodsport-I remember watching this movie then wrestling with my friends.