1. Heathers (1989)
Christian Slater’s character is kind of a 1980s rebel without a cause (remember the James Dean film?). I imagine, then, that the writers thought long and hard about the character’s name before they settled finally on Jason Dean. Now Dean is a rebel, but not so much of a rebel that he doesn’t go to school. He does go to school but only so that other kids can see him being a rebel. This one sneaks onto my list purely because of the scene in the school canteen where Dean, the new kid, is hassled a couple of part-time school bullies and full-time clichés, Kurt and Ram. Dean is unhappy to have his lunch disturbed and pulls out a handgun. General merriment ensues.
Best quote: ‘Dear Diary, my teen-angst bullshit now has a body count.'
2. The Secret Of My Success (1987)
I like this because Michael J Fox is in it. Literally no one is cooler than Michael J Fox. He plays Brantley Foster, a kid who has just finished college and starts work for his uncle who is the top dog at Pemrose Inc. For some reason, he starts in the mailroom. Anyway, he decides he doesn’t want to work in the mailroom – he wants to be a ‘suit.’ So he lies, manipulates and deceives his way into an executive office. He also steals his uncle’s mistress and executes a successful hostile takeover bid. At the end of the film, he replaces the experienced Board of Directors with himself, his mailroom pal and his aunt. The genius is that we like him for it!
Best quote: ‘Look, I like you, I really like you, but I gotta tell you, I have become seriously and emotionally involved with someone who isn't my aunt.’
3. Young Guns (1988)
I actually prefer Young Guns 2, primarily because of the classic and emotional Bon Jovi song, ‘Blaze of Glory.’ However, Young Guns 2 was released in 1990 so it doesn’t make this list. I suppose I could change the list to being the best movies from 1980 to 1990 inclusive, but I feel I would be changing the world to fit my own selfish desires. So we are stuck with Young Guns 1 or simply Young Guns. The cast is basically the 1980s Brat Pack and includes Emilio Estevez, Keifer Sutherland and Charlie Sheen. Tom Cruise also makes a cameo appearance as a cowboy with big sideboards (or sideburns if you are American). See it here. Apparently he turned up during filming and wanted to have a go at being in a gunfight. Young Guns is a great film but for the longest time I felt something was missing. Recently, I have identified the missing element as Michael J Fox. I am sure with all the digital wizardry available now, some big studio could use CGI to include MJF. I hope you agree that this would benefit us all.
Best quote: ‘If we're caught, we're gonna hang... But there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip.'
4. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Surely everyone has seen this movie. If you haven’t, you should consider skipping a day of work or school to watch it. There is nothing more to say about this movie. Except that Matthew Broderick plays the lead and Michael J Fox isn’t in it. MJF was probably first choice but had to decline because he was being Marty McFly in Back To The Future. Who is the better actor, Matthew Broderick or MJF? MJF.
Best quote: ‘Life moves pretty fast; if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you're gonna miss it.’
Feel free to pick up any of these movies over the weekend and provide full and frank feedback in my comments section. I won’t take any film comments personally as I had no actual involvement in the making of any of these films.
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