Something weird happened to me this weekend: I found a bunch of flicks from the ’80s on Amazon Prime that I hadn’t seen in years and re-discovered why I loved the decade so much in the first place.
In all fairness, I subscribe to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime these days. But I’m finding it harder to turn off Amazon Prime. They keep surprising me by re-releasing flicks I hadn’t thought about in 30 years. (Sure, the service still offers the big hits – Dirty Dancing and Pretty in Pink – are also available.)
Here are 10 forgotten flicks from the ’80s that you should watch on Amazon Prime right now. (They are currently free to watch for Prime members.)
1. GLEAMING THE CUBE (1989): Christian Slater as a skateboarder/boy detective? We’re game. Thrown in a cameo by Tony Hawk and we’re hooked.
2. MY MOM’S A WEREWOLF (1989): Remember when monster movies were campy first and creepy second? Yep, the ’80s.
3. HOT PURSUIT (1987): One of John Cusack’s forgotten classics, especially when paired with Robert Loggia and a very young Ben Stiller.
4. THE BURBS (1989): Oh, Tom Hanks. Even after the genius of Big, you had a few landmines left in your career. Still, this one is beloved without shame by the ’80s generation.
5. OVER THE TOP (1987): Best part of this movie? Kenny Loggins sings Meet Me Halfway. Other than that, just get a plate of tortilla chips ready for all the cheese.
6. ROBOT CARNIVAL (1987): This anthology of eight short films from Japanese animators is revered by anime fans.
7. THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BONZAI (1984): I just watch this for the John Lithgow scenes. “Laugh-a while you can, monkey-boy.”
8. BAT 21 (1988): A forgotten Vietnam War classic. Gene Hackman stars as a military strategist who is shot down during a recon mission and must survive on the groups with his wits and the help of an Air Force pilot (played by Danny Glover). Catch this one while you can.
9. SPACEHUNTER: ADVENTURES IN THE FORBIDDEN ZONE (1983): When you consider the talent involved (Molly Ringwald, Ivan Reitman, Elmer Bernstein), you will do a double-take when you realize just how forbidden this movie really is. Dreadful, but still a great answer to any trivia challenge.
10. RUNAWAY (1984): Long sigh here, because I just finished watching this. Tom Selleck and Cynthia Rhodes are cops specializing in taking down wayward robots. But the real villain is – wait for it – Gene Simmons from Kiss! God bless our decade!