What, in your opinion is the best or are the best movies set in the '80s? I like Adam Sandler's staddp and music, but, for whatever reason, I'm not a big fan of his movies, so I just thought Wedding Singer was alright at best, mostly for Drew Barrymore, who I always liked, but even some of her later movies I can't sit through. Take Me Home Tonight I still have to see, it looks like it's right up my alley, because I love the '80s and teen movies. I heard Adventureland takes place in the '80s? After The Wedding Singer came out, I started wondering how many other movies set in the '80s there are out there or even shows, like Freaks and Geeks. That '80s Show I actually liked and thought the writing would've improved had the show been renewed, they probably wouldn't have used as many '80s references as the show went on. That '70s Show even used a lot of '70s pop culture early on, until the show hit its stride.
Any others I should look out for?
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
Here's a fairly recent thread with several choices:
"The Wedding Singer" has always been #1 on my list and remains there still, but after seeing "Take Me Home Tonight" at the theater it is #2 currently. And after Ronnie mentioned "Wet Hot American Summer" on the aforementioned thread .. I watched it again and decided it deserves my #3 spot!
Posted by Anthony33 (Member # 9820) on :
So Wet Hot American Summer is set in the '80s? Cool, I think I have that somewhere, I gotta watch that.
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
just added wet hot american summer to my rental list,never heard of this one before,looks like fun!
Posted by Anthony33 (Member # 9820) on :
I believe it's written by and maybe directed by and I know starring some cast members from the famous comedy group The State. They did sketches for the Jon Stewart hosted You Wrote It, You Watch It, where viewers told crazy stories about themselves, which the cast dramatized, which you can now see on the site Vimeo. They then went on to star in their own self-titled sketch comedy, also on MTV before moving on to many other projects since then, most notably Reno 911!, which aired on Comedy Central and led to a theatrical movie.
Posted by Ronnie (Member # 465) on :
awww Valdude, i completely forgot to post in the Take Me Home Tonight thread! that movie was a blast. i have to agree it is definitely one of the better newer movies, set in the 80s. i can't wait for the blu-ray.
also, there's a few page article on Wet Hot American Summer in this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly, talking about all the actors in the movie and how they've blown up since then.
give it a shot, everyone. i think it's a fun little movie. Posted by Helen_S (Member # 5804) on :
A Christmas Tale (2005) is a cool little spanish horror set in '85. One of the kids is a big Karate Kid fan and winds up crane kicking a zombie woman who is dressed in a Father Christmas suit haha Posted by kevdugp73 (Member # 5978) on :
*I've never heard of Take Me Home Tonight...I'll track it down.
* I still stand by Napolean Dynamite....I freakin love that movie...
* And I'm with you re: That 80's Show Anthony...I was one of the few fans....I have the 14 episodes. The TV show Glory Daze was also pretty good, though did not last long either.
Posted by Anthony33 (Member # 9820) on :
Napolean Dynamite was set in the '80s? I thought it just looked that way because it took place in a rural area. Do they ever specify what year it takes place in?
Posted by saturnchick (Member # 7524) on :
How about Donnie Darko, Hot Tub Time Machine, Lords of Dogtown, and Monster House (animated)?
IMO, though, Freaks and Geeks is the best "nostalgic" look back at the 1980s. It's one of the greatest TV shows ever, and it's a shame it was cancelled after just one season
Posted by Anthony33 (Member # 9820) on :
Amen saturnchick. I definitely need to check out Hot Tub Time Machine as well. Love Freaks and Geeks. I loved Judd Apatow's followup as well, Undeclared, but of course that had a modern setting. I'm glad he's done a lot better in movies at least.
Posted by Anthony33 (Member # 9820) on :
What is Glory Daze about?
Posted by Lovers with Cassie (Member # 7794) on :
quote:Originally posted by Anthony33: What is Glory Daze about?
It is about a group of friends who make a promise to join a male students society at Hayes University in 1986.
Posted by P_a_u_l (Member # 1022) on :
Some Kind Of Wonderful was set in the '80s. That's my favorite....
Posted by Helen_S (Member # 5804) on :
Booo Posted by TerdNthePoolGGB (Member # 9818) on :
quote:Originally posted by Anthony33: Napolean Dynamite was set in the '80s? I thought it just looked that way because it took place in a rural area. Do they ever specify what year it takes place in?
Nap Dynamite took place in the present time when it was released. In the beginning credits he pulls a school I.D. out of his wallet with the years 2004-2005. It certainly looks 80's. Just another reason to like it.
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
i really enjoyed take me home tonight,it was way better than i had imagined it being, it turned out to be a very entertaining and feel good flick with the big bonus of it being set in the 80s.
http://youtu.be/GyJq7ydc3Ug - edited dance off scene from take me home tonight
Posted by TerdNthePoolGGB (Member # 9818) on :
Will keep an eye out for that one but is it on vhs? Thanx
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
I watched Take Me Home Tonight couple of months ago and liked it very much. Especially the first half rocks with the Suncoast video store scenes and all. Dan Fogler was funny and it was cool to see Michael Biehn.
Posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless (Member # 9826) on :
How about this one :
Posted by Riptide (Member # 457) on :
Just got Totally Awesome(2006) over the holidays. Have yet to watch it. Looks like a spoof. One other one I wanted to mention is Hysterical Blindness (2002) with Uma Thurman as a rocker chick set in 1987. Also a Canadian film from 2009 called Victoria Day, which is set in 1988. Not as many references and pop culture I was hoping for, but could relate to the small town Canadian kid vibe. I know there are more, but names are escaping me.
Posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless (Member # 9826) on :
I know it's not set in the 80's, but it's probably the best coming-of-age movie that came out in recent years.
The Way Way Back (2013)
There is definitely some nostalgia going on in this one, and it's reminiscent of the very best teen-movies. (plus there's also a hilarious pop-culture reference joke concerning the Mr. Mister song Kyrie) If you haven't seen this one yet, i urge you to check it out a.s.a.p. !
I loved that movie johnny,how cool would that have been to hang out in a waterpark everyday during the summer as a kid. Steve carell definitely played against type in this one he was such a jerk.
Really great movie and you can't go wrong with a bit of Mr mister on the soundtrack.
Posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless (Member # 9826) on :
Absolutely, definitely one of those wish-i-was-there type of movies.. totally awesome !
This one kinda flew under the radar here in Holland, but i imported the UK disc about a year ago, and i have seen it three or four times ever since.. it's really that good !
Anyone else seen The Way Way Back ?
Posted by TKO (Member # 1471) on :
quote:Originally posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless: it's probably the best coming-of-age movie that came out in recent years.
Totally agree.
"Ok, listen up... I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night..."
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
Haven´t seen it but i trust you guys. The blu-ray seems to be 7,5 euros here so i´m getting it.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
Sam Rockwell. Steals. Every. Movie. That. He's. In. I read an interview where he said that he was trying to channel Bill Murray in "Meatballs." He succeeded brilliantly. I only wish that there would have been more of him in the film. I could've done with less of the "Steve Carell as Mom's evil boyfriend" stuff.
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
quote:Originally posted by aTomiK: Haven´t seen it but i trust you guys. The blu-ray seems to be 7,5 euros here so i´m getting it.
You can trust me atomik,did I lie to you when I told you Leonard part 6 was the best 80s movie ever made.
No I reckon chances are mate you would definitely like it,it's a really good movie.
PS. To everyone the bit about leonard part 6 was a joke by the way,honest!
Posted by MIKE THE PIPER (Member # 9873) on :
Owning Mahowny
Posted by TerdNthePoolGGB (Member # 9818) on :
Just saw McFarland. It was set in 1987.
Posted by aTomiK (Member # 6575) on :
Anyone seen Everybody Wants Some!!! (2016) from Richard Linklater?
"A group of college baseball players navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood."
I´d like to see this one, lots of cool tunes on the soundtrack.
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
quote:Originally posted by aTomiK: Anyone seen Everybody Wants Some!!! (2016) from Richard Linklater?
"A group of college baseball players navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood."
I´d like to see this one, lots of cool tunes on the soundtrack.
No not seen it yet Atomik but would definitely like to,hits Blu Ray/DVD here in the UK this coming Monday the 19th September.
Reading very mixed reviews so I don't know what to expect but like you say the soundtrack's got some cool numbers on it!
Posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless (Member # 9826) on :
It's a good one.. Trust me !
But -as always- it's going to be released on a no-name label here in Holland, probably with lousy sleeve design, none of the extra's of the US and UK release ported over, and in a worst case scenario, non-removable Dutch subs.
I will be getting the UK blu-ray instead.. definitely !
Posted by Nostalgic for the '80's (Member # 37454) on :
My favorite modern '80's-era film (not actually filmed in the '80's, but set during that decade) is definitely Sandler's "The Wedding Singer" (1998). It came out less than 10 years after the '80's had ended, and was definitely one of the first "'80's nostalgia" films. It truly captured the '80's to a great extent.
Also liked the cameo of Billy Idol (on the airplane) towards the end of the film - nice homage, since his music was huge during the '80's era.
"Take Me Home Tonight" is probably my second '80's-era film. Excellent film, which really brought back memories of the '80's time period & the films from that era as well. The music was amazing & nostalgic - Duran Duran, The Buggles, etc. However, possibly my favorite song was the cover of the iconic '80's hit "Don't you Want me Baby" by Atomic Tom, that they played over the credits...this was as good as the original version by "The Human League", and far better than most cover songs I've heard.
And, I can't be the only one that thought the actress who played Tori Fredericking strongly resembled a blonde Kirsten Stewart...to the extent than I actually thought she was KS at first.
It's too bad this film was on hold for so long - by the time it was released in 2011, the whole "80's nostalgia" craze that we saw in the 200X's was already fading away. IMHO it would have been better received if it had come out in 2007/2008, as originally planned....that being said, it was still a great film.
[ 06. October 2016, 12:41: Message edited by: Nostalgic for the '80's ]
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