Whether it be action, comedy, fantasy, thriller, or something else, most people tend to have a favorite genre or "vibe" of movies they like. I tend to gravitate towards movies that feel almost like time capsules of the decades they take place in. I love the feeling of being immersed in a time period while I'm watching the movie and wishing I lived in it by the end of the movie. I'll be upfront and say that these decades are largely concentrated in the era of the 1960s through the 1980s, which happen to feature most of my favorite musical artists. However, though they fall into similar genres, they're all movies worth watching when you feel like escaping to another decade for a couple of hours.
1. "Grease"
If there's one movie in history that's practically a walking nostalgia trip, it's this one. Everyone and their mother knows "Grease" for its popular songs, occasionally questionable thematic elements, and the "electrifying" chemistry between John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. "Grease" also showcases teenage life as carefree and jubilant, yet injects themes of teenage pregnancy, body insecurity, and frustrating romance that ground the movie a bit and keep it from being totally happy-go-lucky. Still, I feel nostalgic whenever I watch "Grease" because everyone seems free to act totally spontaneously and have fun whenever they feel like it. It brought back the 50s while the 70s were in full swing, making for a well-timed, unforgettable movie.
2. "Sing Street"
This movie is one of the newer ones on the list, but after I saw it a couple of years ago it quickly became one of my favorite movies ever. The plot centers on a group of kids growing up in the 1980s in Ireland who form a band to impress a model that lives across the street. This may sound a little shallow, but "Sing Street" actually is very emotionally touching and deals with several heavier family-related issues. Beyond that though, this movie is filled wall-to-wall with popular music from the time, such as Joe Jackson, Duran Duran, and The Cure. I can't quite explain what I love so much about this movie, but I think a lot of it has to do with the fantastic soundtrack, the characters chasing their dreams, and the intangible feeling of nostalgia I get when I watch it. It transports me to a time when everything seemed simpler and everything was cooler.
3. "American Graffiti"
Before watching this movie, I was surprised to learn that this was directed by "Star Wars" director extraordinaire George Lucas. It takes place in 1962 and presents itself as a nostalgic look back at one night in the lives of high schoolers about to head off to college, yet it came out only 11 years later in 1973. "American Graffiti" was, to my knowledge, one of the first classic "teen movies" and paved the way for many later movies, several of which are on this list. The cars are the real star of this movie, as nearly every scene features at least one character driving a beautiful vintage car from around that time period. Those cars, along with the late 50s/early 60s soundtrack and the endless stream of mischievous adventures, are what I love most about "American Graffiti."
4. "Saturday Night Fever"
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While working in Brooklyn this summer, at least once a day I've play the soundtrack to "Saturday Night Fever" in my head while walking around. This movie, though based on a false story about teenage life in 1970s Brooklyn, does present New York City as exciting, dangerous, and filled with adventure in 1977. It also makes me nostalgic for a time when, at least in my opinion, club music was much more fun. The unforgettable Bee Gees disco songs and John Travolta's sizzling dance moves make this movie a winner for me. It does have some problematic thematic elements, but it's so full of iconic New York imagery that it makes me nostalgic about a state that I've lived in my whole life.
5. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
John Hughes essentially created his own genre of relatable, lighthearted teen movies in the 1980s, and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" to me represents the height of his comedic achievements. Ferris is fun-loving, spontaneous, and truly cares about the people he's with, which adds some heart to this hilarious movie. "Ferris Bueller"'s many extended montages give this movie a nostalgic, classic 80s feel throughout, along with its memorable soundtrack and featured Chicago landmarks. Every time I watch it, I wish I could travel back to the 80s and have my own carefree day off.
6. "Fast Times At Ridgemont High"
This movie is generally of the same era as other classic 80s movies, but it depicts high school nostalgia as a bit naughtier and more R-rated than, say, "Ferris Bueller." That sets it apart from the many classic John Hughes movies from the 80s, and also adds a lot of quality entertainment value. "Fast Times," like "Grease," deals with some weightier teenage problems amidst its many fun plot points, but never dwells on them enough to depress the audience. Instead, it relies on its cast to portray earnest, yet careless teenagers who don't have to worry about anything beyond their own world. Without any sense of what's happening far beyond Ridgemont High, the audience can happily forget their modern troubles while watching this movie.
7. "Dazed and Confused"
"Dazed and Confused" borrows heavily from the formula first brought to the big screen in "American Graffiti," depicting a group of teenagers partying it up on their last day of high school. It is set in 1976, a few years after "American Graffiti" was released. Like many of the other movies on this list, I think its nostalgic touch is rooted in its classic rock soundtrack and archetypal "let's drive around and just have fun all night" teenage characters. It's also got a memorable performance from a vintage Matthew McConaughey to boost its credibility. He takes this movie from "all right, all right, all right" to a whole lot of fun.
8. "A Hard Day's Night"
If I could travel back to one day in any past decade, I'd travel back to 1964 just to know what it was like to be around when the Beatles were surging towards the height of their popularity. I discovered their music mostly via YouTube when I was just starting high school, and I noticed right away that I had never seen audiences more excited about anything than the Beatles' fans were about seeing them. "A Hard Day's Night" gives us a glimpse, via a mockumentary-style movie, of what life at the height of Beatlemania was like for John, Paul, George, and Ringo. It's fast-paced, funny, and exciting, and always makes me wish I could have somehow been a Beatles fan in 1964.
9. "The Graduate"
"The Graduate" is widely regarded as one of the seminal movies of the 1960s, and based on what I know about the 60s I can see why. Its main character, Benjamin Braddock, is a recent college graduate who has no idea what he wants to do with his life and spends his summer lusting after an older woman, without really thinking about his future prospects. I think the most nostalgic thing about this movie for me is that in today's world, college graduates are a lot more stressed about finding jobs immediately than Benjamin seems to be in "The Graduate." This makes me nostalgic for a time when there was less intensity and competition surrounding college in general. The iconic soundtrack from Simon and Garfunkel also mentally transports me to the 60s, to a time when artists were constantly reinventing the music industry, and everything people felt comfortable with was constantly being turned on its head.
10. "Forrest Gump"
This movie is unique compared to the others on this list because it, as most of you probably know, follows the life of the title character all the way from the 1950s through the 1980s. In each decade of Forrest's life, it uses music popular in the time period, as well as topical historical events, to set the backdrop for Forrest's lifelong relationships. Its beautiful score and perfectly chosen soundtrack create little pockets of time throughout the movie that feel like they could have existed in those actual time periods. While it doesn't exactly paint a dreamy picture of all of these decades, it always makes me wish I could time travel to be right next to Forrest as he experiences many seminal historical events.
After writing this, I've noticed that music is often the defining characteristic that makes movies feel unmistakably nostalgic. In fact, I think an ideal movie for me is one that gives me this intangible feeling of nostalgia, like I could have been in the movie in a past life. I love movies that mentally transport me to the future as much as the next person, but more than that, I love "slice of life" movies that feel like they could have really happened.
