The 100 Project: Top 10 Movies of 1982

The 100 Project arrives at 1982! '81 was a bad year for movies as far as I'm concerned. 1982 is a sizable step up. Not only that, it's where the decade really starts to form its cinematic identity. The two prior years were more about shaking off the 70s and those first baby steps on their way to becoming something new. As a result, I had a tougher time limiting myself to just 10. Though I've seen a good number of movies from this year, it's not to the point where I feel comfortable expanding beyond a top 10. So, let's see what made the cut.

My Top 10 Movies of 1982

• According to my Letterboxd account, I've seen 50 movies released during 1982.
• I made six trips to the theater. Only two of those movies made my top 10.
• For the first time in the 80s, kiddie flicks show up! I'd say there are two on the list. Some would say none. At the very least, there are two, maybe three "family" movies - depending on how you feel about one of the two horror flicks on the list.

10. The Last American Virgin

I first saw this on one of those late summer nights on HBO and must have watched it a dozen times or more. Back then, I thought it was funny and it had boobs. What more could a teenage boy want. In the 90s, I revisited the movie and, to my surprise, found a story that I really enjoyed. I found it on DVD a few years back and rewatched it again and enjoyed it even more. Because of its lineage as part of the Cannon filmography it's become one of the more underrated movies of its decade. It didn't happen often, but I think they slipped up and made a good movie with this one. (My full review)

9. The Dark Crystal

For a kiddie flick, this movie is damn slow. At least, that's what you might think as, ya know, a kid. Watching it later, you call this movie a slow burn. And man, does it burn. The story just builds and builds until it finally explodes. Jim Henson, the mastermind behind the Muppets went dark with this one and I love him for it.

8. 48 Hrs.

If you're under thirty, you might only know Eddie Murphy as a guy who does lame family comedies, but has been really good as a voice-over actor in animated flicks. The only way you would know that he had any edge at all would be if you saw 2006's Dreamgirls. Back in '82, Eddie Murphy didn't just have edge, he was the edge. This is his big screen debut, and he absolutely steals the show from vet Nick Nolte in this buddy cop flick. He let us know there's a new sheriff in town, and his name is Reggie Hammond!

7. First Blood

When the name Rambo comes up, your first thoughts are probably of an over-muscled Sylvester Stallone toting an automatic machine gun, grunting, and screaming as he mows down an army of soldiers in the jungles of whatever small Asian nation he happens upon. He's invincible, and while not quite mindless, the movies are - except this one, the first. It's not just an action movie, it's a thoughtful exploration of a man suffering from PTSD. It's been over-shadowed by all of the bulked up and progressively cartoonish sequels, but it really is one of the better Vietnam related movies ever made.

6. Sophie's Choice

I don't have the personal connection with this movie that I have with any other movie on this list. I only saw it for the first time a couple years ago. That's a pretty good indicator that this is a remarkable film. It had to fight through all my nostalgia to claim a spot on this list. And it's completely worthy of this spot. It's Meryl Streep before she was just automatically Oscar nominated for just showing up on screen. She truly earns it here. And that writing! Man, what an ending! (My full review)

5. Poltergeist

When they released the remake to this a couple years, I decided to revisit this. The special effects don't really hold up, but the story, the directing, and the acting all do. There are some thrills to be had along the way, but it's much more fun than most horror flicks. It certainly isn't the dark, dreary type like most of what passes for PG-13 horror. It's just a blast to watch and that helps it remain one of the best haunted house movies ever made. (My full review)

4. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

KHHHHHAAAAAANNNNNN! I could probably stop there and totally justify why this movie is here. It's the first Star Trek that felt like it belonged in the canon. Where it's predecessor was just a long, boring love letter to the USS Enterprise, this one expands on a classic story from the original TV series, with many of the same actors reprising their roles, and none of them feeling past their prime. The characters we love all get to do their thing, but it's the one we hate who keeps us coming back for more. In true, classic film fashion, it earned an inferior remake - Star Trek Into Darkness. The failures of that movie only serve to highlight the greatness of this one. KHHHHHAAAAAANNNNNN! (My full review)

3. The Thing

Though I was fully immersed in horror when this came out, I didn't see it until years later, well after I reached adulthood. When I watched it, I had one of those moments great movies give us when we've seen them long after the cinematic world has stamped it a classic. I sat back when it was over and said to myself "Woah, that's what the big deal is." It was over a quarter-century old at the time, but it all still worked - the story, the performances, and best of all, the practical special fx. There's a certain charm that comes with seeing a monstrosity that we know was really in the room with the performers rather than something that was added in later, via computer. These fx however, don't just charm, they unsettle.

2. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

One of the reasons I didn't see The Thing was because it wasn't a hit. It came and went in theaters, and I was only vaguely aware of its existence, so I didn't really want to see it. E.T., on the other hand, was everywhere. And it was a Spielberg flick. I had to see it, in the theaters, so I begged Mama Dell and made it happen. Instantly, I was overwhelmed with the one thing this movie has as much of as any movie ever made - magic. I saw it a few times as a kid, then went a couple decades without seeing it until I showed it to my own kids. They experienced the same feelings I had all those years ago, and so did I. We can quibble over which aspects don't work from a critical standpoint, but magic has a way of making all that stuff irrelevant.

1. Fast Times at Ridgemont High

When I saw this a few times as a youngster, I liked it okay, but thought it was just a lesser version of my beloved Porky's. It had some boobs and a few great gags, but overall, it's just not as funny. For a number of years, I saw it in bits and pieces whenever I came across it on TV, but not really watching it in full. Shortly after adding it to my movie collection, I decided to give it a full spin for old time's sake. Those same few gags worked again, so I wasn't surprised there. What did surprise me was how much better the story, the story-telling, and the acting were than any teen movie out there. Parts of it hit very close to home, and I could still parts that weren't necessarily part of my own experience. Director Amy Heckerling gives us a more honest and down-to-earth version of teen life than anything John Hughes ever cooked up. It's deeper cuts makes it resonate far beyond some funny bits. (My full review)


Honorable Mention: Blade Runner, Rocky III, Zapped!, Creepshow, Night Shift, The Toy, Friday the 13th Part III

A word on Blade Runner:

Experience tells me Blade Runner is the movie people will give me the most grief about. I know, I know, "greatest sci-fi movie EVAR!" At least that's what you keep telling me. Here's my experience with this movie, as brief as I can describe it. Back in the 80s, I saw bits and pieces of it here and there, but couldn't get into it. When I worked for Blockbuster in the 90s, I finally gave it a full watch. It was amazing from a visual standpoint, but the story dragged horribly and again struggled to hold my interest. A few weeks ago, I gave it another shot to refresh my memory ahead of watching Blade Runner 2049. I liked it better. A lot better. But did I love it? No. Maybe after the next watch.

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