Wall Street

Junior stockbroker is obsessed with forming a partnership with a ruthless Wall Street player, and learns a thing or two in the process.  Classic urban drama perfectly captures the zeitgeist of 1980s excess.  Director Oliver Stone’s intelligent script wisely simplifies stock market lingo in a way anyone can understand and highlights a fascinating relationship between Bud Fox and his business idol, Gordon Gekko .  Michael Douglas’ portrayal of the corporate raider is so charismatic, something unexpected happens.  He becomes a villain you admire as well as despise.  It’s a masterful performance and one that rightly earned him the Oscar for Best Actor.  He’s ably supported by star Charlie Sheen, a naïve go getter who gets caught up in the dizzying frenzy of buying and selling corporations to make a profit.  His scenes with his father, Carl, fittingly played by his real-life father Martin Sheen, are also particularly affecting.

Near Dark

Horror story is equal parts vampire film and western. While these vampires behave like a violent biker gang, they’re also prone to falling in love. Second teen vampire story to be released in 1987 after The Lost Boys, is perhaps less well known, but still, a wholly original, entertaining film. Director Kathryn Bigelow’s eerie and stylized film is memorably atmospheric. Dangerously-in-love couple, Caleb and Mae make Edward and Bella irrelevant.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Classic 80s odd couple comedy. Steve Martin and John Candy, who had worked together the year before in Little Shop of Horrors , are comedic gold as a mismatched pair who together make their way back to Chicago by any means necessary. Of course, nothing goes right. One classic scene after another: Steve Martin has a memorable tirade against a car rental agent. And remember, “Those aren’t pillows!”