Well, I am continuing my series of articles of my favorite movies from each decade, and I am excited for this one because the 80s were a very important decade for things we have in movies now. New ground was broken in sci-fi and action, and teens finally got a consistently relevant voice in the late, great John Hughes. Once again, you might notice an inconsistency from my list of favorite movies which I cited on the 90s list, but that's life sometimes.

As always here is the countdown list of movies I considered for the list (ranked once again by preference, the first one on the list is number 11...

11. The ones that didn't quite make the cut.

"Return of the Jedi,"* "Aliens," "Ghostbusters," "Die Hard," "The Shining," "An American Tail," "The King of Comedy," "Amadeus," "Do the Right Thing," "Good Morning, Vietnam," "Full Metal Jacket," "Silverado," "Raising Arizona," "The Karate Kid," "Back to the Future Part II,"* "The Untouchables," "A Christmas Story," "Gremlins," "Brazil," "The Outsiders," "Airplane," "Grave of the Fireflies," "Rain Man," "Rocky III," "Secret of Nimh," "Chariots of Fire," "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior," "Caddyshack," "Goonies," "Blade Runner," "The Natural," "Land Before Time," "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?," "RoboCop," "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," "Sophie’s Choice," "Scarface," "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "Revenge of the Nerds," "Friday the 13th," and "The Muppets Take Manhattan."

So, without further ado, here are the ten:

10. "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial"

Quite possibly the greatest family film of all time, we see the story of a lonely young boy who befriends an alien visitor who was accidentally left on Earth. He and his siblings try to keep E.T. a secret from parents, friends, and prying government eyes. Of course, they can't keep him hidden forever (even though ALF did it for four years), so the race is on to try to return him safely home, despite Elliott growing more attached to the cute alien. This movie appeals to both children and the inner children in adults. It can be enjoyed at any age and is one of Steven Spielberg's defining masterpieces. In addition to being a great story, the music, acting, and practical effects (which still look surprisingly convincing) make this a great sci-fi landmark. Also, you ever notice how the movie is shot at Elliott's eye level, and anyone taller than him has to bend down, so the movie truly is through the eyes of a child? That's a stroke of genius right there.

9. "Raging Bull"

Having taken a bit too much cocaine and being hospitalized afterward, Martin Scorsese pulled himself together to make this movie because lead actor Robert De Niro was so passionate about this film's need to be made. So, despite a lack of interest in boxing, Scorsese and writer Paul Schrader put together one of the most well-crafted American films of all time. We see the true story of Jake LaMotta who was once a promising boxer, but his personal decisions ultimately ruined his life. He marries a young girl whom he keeps as a trophy and maintains an insanely jealous control over. Eventually, his paranoia, insecurity, and violent urges get the better of him and he lashes out at everyone he once held dear. (You know it's bad when even Joe Pesci's character can't handle him!)

Eventually he becomes a fat slob who fishes for attention at clubs. He does find somewhat of a solace in reciting poetry and monologues to audiences instead, and we do get a sense that he's looking for redemption even if he hasn't found it yet. The film serves as an interesting character study into the mind of a violent man. The film is in black-and-white and has an artsy, noir feel to it. When it came out, people were shocked at its realistic feel, which was due to the unrelenting violence/language used by the characters, and Scorsese's signature tendency to keep the film raw. The only time this rule is broken is during some artistic, slow-motion, silent boxing sequences. Scorsese suspected this might be his last film, so it makes sense he would go out of his way to make it one of the most emotional and beautiful films of the century! How it lost for Best Picture is still a mystery to this day.

8. "The Princess Bride"

If you did not grow up with this movie in your life, your childhood was severely lacking. This movie has everything a fantasy lover could ever want and more. Admittedly, it is a bit of a ridiculous story, but part of the fun is in how much the movie refuses to take itself seriously. It knows it's exploring a lot of cliched fantasy tropes and that makes it hilarious. This is probably one of the most quotable movies I have ever seen in my life because each character is so fun and interesting, and all of their lines have become legendary. I won't go into too much detail because most of us know it, and if you don't it's an experience you have to have on your own. So, if you're looking for a fun comedy-fantasy, this is for you!

7. "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

What can I say really? It's friggin' Indiana Jones! The guy became like the most iconic action movie hero of all time (except maybe James Bond) in his first, possibly best movie. I just can't imagine a time where he had to be introduced as a new hero from the creators of Jaws and Star Wars... We all know what happens. This guy Indiana Jones has to rescue the biblical Ark of the Covenant while fending off Nazis and snakes, at the time the two scariest things on Earth. Indy saves the day of course, and in doing so becomes an immediate pop culture icon and changes Hollywood blockbusters forever. But you guys know all this, right?

6. "Back to the Future"

Yet another movie that I can watch a bunch of times without it getting old! The possibilities for this premise are endless. You could stop the JFK assassination, you could prevent the Holocaust...or you could just narrowly avoid molesting your mother. Guess which one this movie goes with. As creepy as this sounds when you really think about it, it is a fun, classic movie. Marty McFly is sent back to the 50s by Doc Brown's time machine where he accidentally interferes with his parents' first meeting, so he has to make sure to fix it or else he will never exist! Of course, standing in his way is his mom, who has the hots for Marty now, the bully, Biff Tannen, and his teenage father's painful awkwardness. But of course he comes through and gets "back to the future," which has changed somewhat. I'll be honest, I like the second movie just a little bit better because I like how it expanded on this story's ideas in such a creative way. I decided to include this one, though, because it's the one that will remain a classic for generations, and also the only one that works as a stand-alone movie! The third one is good too, though. Oh, heck, just watch the trilogy!

5. "Dead Poets Society"

One of the most inspirational movies I have ever watched and one of my favorite performances by the late great Robin Williams. A group of boys find themselves in a strict boarding school with high expectations placed on them. But, then, they meet a new, innovative teacher named John Keating who discourages conformity and urges the boys to "seize the day" and make their lives extraordinary. This results in the boys finding courage they never knew they had and the ability to challenge the status quo. But, what I found unique about this movie was that it didn't just take the route of the typical 80s high school rebellion and try to say that all rules and authority figures are bad. When one of the boys takes his rebellion too far, Keating does step in to say that a wise man still understands when caution is called for. Of course, things don't go too well for all the parties involved. Someone dies, and the wrong person takes the fall for it. But, one thing is made perfectly clear in the end: The spirit Keating has inspired in the boys can't be quenched by any force now!

4. "The Breakfast Club"

For some, it's the definitive high school movie. Others see it as a throwback to 80s high school. Whatever your views, it is undeniable that the movie is pretty dated. But, it still feels universal in spite of it! Five high school students of different cliques have to spend a Saturday detention together. Of course, none of them want anything to do with each other at first. But, once they start talking, they discover they share a lot of the same problems, and they really aren't as different as they thought. With the onslaught of cheesy high school movies about cliques coming together we've had in recent years, you might be tempted to overlook this one, but thankfully, John Hughes knew how to make the concept actually meaningful! It relies almost entirely on dialogue between the students and pulls it off in a very real fashion that makes this movie truly timeless!

3. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"

Another gem from the "voice of youth," John Hughes, this one takes more of a comedic take on our high school years as we see a man on a mission to just take it easy and show his friends a good time before the school year ends and they're all thrown into different lives. He has to dodge his jealous sister and the vengeful school principal to have a day with his friends that none of them will ever forget. Yes, this is another I could watch a bunch of times. My only complaint is that I was actually much more interested in knowing how Cameron's day ended than Ferris'. But, that's not enough to keep me from enjoying this therapeutic film time and time again.

2. "Stand By Me"

Another coming of age adventure for you. As Peter Griffin put it, "it's about four boys who went searching for a dead body but instead find themselves...and also a dead body." Timid Gordie, tough guy Chris, cowardly Vern, and crazy Teddy go off on a journey through the woods to find a body of a boy their age. Each boy has his own problems though. Vern is the kid everyone (including their gang) picks on. Teddy has a crazy father who once held Teddy's ear to a stove. Chris comes from a bad family and has a bad reputation because of it. Finally, Gordie lost his brother in a car wreck a few months ago, and his parents, who always paid more attention to the brother, have shut Gordie out. Each boy confronts their problems on this journey and do their best to help the other three through it. Finally, when they find themselves confronting the neighborhood's gang of knife-wielding hoodlums, they find a courage they never knew they had. What I like about this movie is the reminder of simpler days past and the genuine bond forged between the four boys. It makes you remember who your close friends were at twelve. I like that the boys actually talk like boys instead of adults. They rib each other like middle schoolers would, curse because it's cool to them, and help each other on a level that preteen boys would. Finally, the movie's bittersweet ending just gets me every time, gosh...

1. "The Empire Strikes Back"

I am going with the majority bandwagon that says this is the best "Star Wars" movie. Sorry, you prequel-loving kids, but it's a fact that the originals are infinitely better! This one, to me, just feels like the most human of the movies. We identify with Luke's naivete and recklessness. We feel Han Solo's struggle to put aside his narcissism and become a leader for the Rebels. Also, I believe this was the movie where Darth Vader was at his most intimidating because he was always one step ahead of the protagonists. Not only that, but he knows how to get to you on a mental level. He always seems to know where Luke is on his hero's journey, and he knows where Luke's weak points are. Sounds like another bad guy I know of...hmm. But what's inspiring about this movie is that even though Luke, Han, Leia, and the rest have been beaten mercilessly by their enemies, we know they're not going down without a fight. They will face their foes together or not at all!

*Went straight to honorable mentions so as to avoid putting in two movies from the same series.