Sometimes, you watch a film as an adult, and it just takes you back to when you viewed it for the first time as a kid. That's what rewatching 2011's Footloose did for me.

Throughout the age of film, there have been movies that have changed a generation or made an impact on those who watched them. Some of those come from the best rom-coms, or others from the best horror movies, but for me, it was always dance. The best dance movies pretty much defined me as a kid. I loved to dance.

But there was always one dance movie that stood above the rest, and that was Footloose. No, not one of the best '80s movies ever, but the 2011 remake. And now, rewatching it as an adult, I'm finally starting to realize just how much this film changed the direction of my life…and it might not be for the reason you think.

I've Said Before That I Love The Newer One Compared To The Older One

Okay, before you come at me with the pitchforks and tomatoes, let me preface this by saying that 2011's Footloose was the version that I grew up with. It's strange to think that there are two different versions of this film. Some people grew up with the 80's version, but for me, it was the remake.

And honestly, it's because it came out during a big time in my life. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of older films, original movies, and more that I consider my personal Roman Empire. I could go on and on about some of the best '90s movies because I watched them on repeat as a kid.

But 2011 Footloose was a cultural reset in my mind because of the rise of hip-hop dancing at the time (which was legit everywhere online) and the kind of music we listened to. It was the perfect time for a dance movie like this… and it seriously changed the course of my life.

But Watching Them Dance In The 2011 Film Reminds Me Of Little Me

If you're reading this, you're probably wondering how on Earth a 2011 remake of a classic '80s film could somehow change the course of a little girl's life. The answer is pretty simple.

I wanted to be like Julianne Hough.

I mean, don't we all? But jokes aside, I fell in love with her from Footloose. While she is a professionally trained dancer, the moment I saw her in this film, I knew I wanted to be like her, to have that same kind of walk and persona and looks and everything. Was this the right thing for a twelve-year-old to think at the time?

Probably not.

Regardless, I still wanted to be her, and now, watching the 2011 version of this movie, I really do realize that it just reminds me of little me and how much she wanted to change in order to be accepted, to be the stereotypical kind of pretty and skilled you would see in movies like this.

I Tried So Hard To Get Healthy In Order To Dance Like That

The dancing in Footloose really made me analyze who I was as a person, and how much I wanted to get to that point where I could easily dance like that. So I made it my mission because of Footloose to get healthy.

I've mentioned this in other articles, but I was bullied immensely as a kid. I didn't quite know how to take care of my Puerto Rican hair, which was always thick and curly and in knots and never quite looked good. I had bushy eyebrows and grew too fast, and to top it all off with a cherry, I was pretty overweight. It was the perfect recipe for trauma as a kid, and it hit hard from the words kids would hurl at me.

I knew I always looked different from the people in Footloose, just based off of my ethnicity, but I also knew that I could still get healthy, so I could, at the very least, dance like them.

From there, I did everything I could to lose weight. It was not necessarily healthy that a girl my age at the time was so focused on weight loss, but I also think I needed to be. If I hadn't tried so hard to achieve what I did, I don't know how my life would've gone from there.

While there was no bullying within the film of Footloose (just really the typical high school bully stuff you would see in any of these films), I really did connect with the plight to want to dance - but I couldn't get there if I didn't get healthy. Now, years later, I live a much healthier lifestyle than I ever thought I would. And it all stemmed from a 2011 movie about a town unable to dance like they want to.

And Now I Genuinely Feel Proud Of Myself For How Far I've Come Because Of A Movie

Did I ever get to the level of being as good at dancing as Julianne Hough? Ha, that's a laugh. No one can quite get there. That's why I'm sitting here writing this.

But I do dance as a hobby now, and it's fun to go out there and find other people who have that same passion. And it's not even just from this movie that I learned to love dance – I learned to love so many other things, all because I wanted to get healthy and to become better.

It's been a long road to get here. I won't sugarcoat it, there were so many bumps and potholes in that curvy drive to where I am now. Of course, I've come out with bumps, bruises, and scars from it. I still think about the times I had to go through just to become okay with who I am now as a person and as a healthy individual.

But upon rewatching Footloose, I can't help but chuckle at the fact that this is because of a movie—a remake.

I still enjoy it, don't get me wrong. The dancing is still some of the best I've seen in modern-day movies, but it makes a girl think.

There are so many times that I've met people who don't understand why I have a passion for film and television. Why I'll recommend the best shows to binge on Netflix for you get obsessed with, or how detailed I can get into the Harry Potter films or any of that. But truthfully, it's because most of the time, these shows changed me for the better, just as Footloose did.

Something like this makes me realize how many cinephile's or TV lovers have a genuine fondness for a movie or show, not even because of the content within – it's because of the feelings they experienced while watching. Their lives changed afterwards because of that singular moment when they decided to sit down and watch. And I think that's just beautiful because now, I get it too.

Maybe I'm getting too emotional over here, but I know what I feel, as do plenty of others. I think it's time for another movie marathon and another slew of emotions.

Kevin Bacon has roles in some of the best movies of the ‘80s, but arguably his most famous performance is Ren McCormack in Footloose. In what has become an iconic pop culture moment, the epic dance sequence at the end made Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose” an instant classic. The song plays anywhere in America, and many people are instantly up and tapping their feet. Well, all but one: Kevin Bacon himself.

While the You Should Have Left actor is happy to participate in Footloose social media trends of his own accord, he’s not interested in being someone else’s viral sensation. Bacon recently appeared on a SXSW panel and revealed via People his ‘nightmare’ scenario when he attends weddings, and the steps he takes to prevent it:

I’m not sure which part would make me more uncomfortable in his position: being pressured to do the Footloose dance surrounded by a tight circle of phone cameras, or stealing the attention away from the happy couple. Neither one is ideal. The fact that Kevin Bacon has been put in that awkward spot one too many times is quite sad.

That’s a tough loss for the wedding party though. “Footloose” is the best let-down-your-hair party song. Footloose has one of the greatest movie soundtracks of all time, and I must say, whether you liked it or not, the 2011 remake’s score is not too shabby either. Given everyone in Hollywood is six degrees from Kevin Bacon, that’s a lot of wedding DJs that have to deal with this request. But you can’t deny the G.O.A.T.

As he made clear, the A Few Good Men actor doesn’t hold anything against the “Danger Zone” singer or his music, nor does he seem to hate the movie that made him a household name. Historically, he has engaged enthusiastically with Footloose shoutouts, such as Guardians of the Galaxy honoring the time he questioned authority with his smooth moves in a traditional Midwestern town.

That doesn’t mean he’s up for cutting loose anytime soon. The Apollo 13 actor has said he sees no reason for a Footloose sequel, unlike another popular ‘80s franchise he recently filmed, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

To be honest, I agree with Bacon on this one. In an age where classic ‘80s films are getting successful sequel treatment, like Top Gun and Twister, Footloose should not be one of them. While I liked the remake well enough, it could never compare to the original, and I fear this would be the case for any additional attempt.

Besides, Kevin Bacon's career has entered its villain era, and he’s killing it. His new show The Bondsman is set to premiere this spring on the 2025 TV schedule, in which he hunts demons for Satan. So the time for dancing is long gone anyways (unless it’s with the devil, of course). You can check out this new twisted dark comedy on April 3 with a Prime Video subscription.

There are two things about the 1980s that will be forever linked, the movies and the music. It was a unique decade for both and there are so many great songs that came from movie soundtracks that it's almost impossible to limit this list, but we're going to do our best. Here is our list of some of the very best music moments in classic 1980s movies like Dirty Dancing and Top Gun.

"Don't You (Forget About Me)" - The Breakfast Club

One thing fans of The Breakfast Club will never do is forget about you. The song, written and performed by Simple Minds, is one of the most iconic songs of the decade. The use of it in The Breakfast Club is equally iconic, as Bender and the rest of the "club" leave detention at the end of the day.

"Playing With The Boys" - Top Gun

The Top Gun soundtrack produced multiple hits and the whole album is full of bangers. If we're going to pick one iconic moment in the movie that fits the music perfectly, we have to go with the Kenny Loggins' hit "Playing With The Boys" during the volleyball scene. The moment you hear the song, you think of those fit guys playing on the beach... even if Tom Crusie is inexplicably wearing jeans.

"Fight The Power" - Do The Right Thing

While there are great songs all over movies from the '80s, there are few that had the cultural impact as Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" from the equally impactful Spike Lee joint, Do The Right Thing. Both exploded onto the scene and neither music nor movies were the same after them.

"Neutron Dance" - Beverly Hills Cop

Not only is Beverly Hills Cop one of the funniest movies of the decade, but it's also a great action movie, and to top it all off, it's filled with fantastic songs, including the theme song "Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer. But there is no more memorable scene than the opening with Axel (Eddie Murphy) swinging from the back of the truck in an amazing chase with "Neutron Dance" by The Pointer Sisters blasting in the background.

"Holding Out For A Hero" - Footloose

Yet another '80s movie with an iconic soundtrack is Footloose. Sure, we could have gone with the theme song here, but is there a more memorable scene than the game of chicken on heavy construction equipment with "Holding Out For A Hero" by Bonnie Tyler accompanying the ridiculous (and amazing) scene? We think not.

"I Still Believe" - The Lost Boys

There is just something that is just so 1980s about. greased up, topless Tim Cappello shouting out "I Still Believe" as he gyrates around with his saxophone. That scene in The Lost Boys is both ridiculous and ridiculously awesome.

"Christmas in Hollis" - Die Hard

When John McClain asked Argyle if he had any Christmas music in Die Hard and the chauffeur answered with "Christmas in Hollis" it was a revelation for millions of middle-class Americans who had no idea there was Christmas hip hop. It's still the best seasonal rap song, don't you agree?

"Mess Around" - Planes, Trains And Automobiles

A whole bunch of things really go wrong for John Candy and Steve Martin in Planes Trains And Automobiles. The wildest has to be when Candy's character burns down the rental car while he smokes and jams out to the Ray Charles classic "Mess Around."

"Adagio For Strings" - Platoon

The most powerful moment in Platoon is when Elias (Willem Dafoe) is killed with his arms out in a Christ-like pose. Without question, a big reason the scene is so emotional is the choice by director Oliver Stone to use the piece "Adagio For Strings" by composer Samuel Barber. It's the perfect piece of music for the scene and really adds to the incredible impact of it.

"Partyman" - Batman

Sometimes people who weren't around in the 1980s don't really understand what a huge cultural moment Tim Burton's Batman was. It was a huge deal and Burton getting the enigmatic Prince to write some songs for the movie was an inspired moment. The Purple One's "Partyman" is the perfect song for the scene when The Joker (Jack Nicholson) and his henchmen break into Gotham's art museum and deface the art.

"Old Time Rock And Roll" - Risky Business

Is there any way we could put together this list without Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear in Risky Business to the Bob Seeger classic "Old Time Rock And Roll"? No, there isn't and there really isn't anything else to be said here, It's a classic film moment.

"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" - Dirty Dancing

Nobody puts Baby in the corner, and only one person can launch Baby up in the air. When Johnny and Baby finally pull off that lift at the end of Dirty Dancing is one of the most triumphant moments of '80s film. The song that accompanies the moment, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes became just as iconic.

"In Your Eyes" - Say Anything

Walking a fine line between romantic and psychotic is Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) holding his boom box over his head while playing "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel outside Diane's (Ione Skye) window in Say Anything. We're saps at our core, so we'll call it 100% romantic and 100% iconic.

"You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Big Chill

Boomer culture was in full nostalgia mode in the 1980s and nothing sums that up more than The Big Chill. That's not to say that the movie doesn't have its moments. One of the coolest tricks the movie pulls off is near the beginning when the organ player at the funeral starts playing "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones. It segues perfectly into the actual song as the funeral procession drives across a long bridge. It's probably the best scene in the movie if we're honest.

"Oh Yeah" - Ferris Bueller's Day Off

"Oh Yeah" by Swiss electronic band Yello was used in a few movies in the 1980s, like Uncle Buck and The Secret Of My Success. With all due respect to the Michael J. Fox classic, the best use of the song came at the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off when Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) is forced to ride the school bus and learns that he does, in fact, "eat it."

"Let's Go Crazy" - Purple Rain

Prince was one of the biggest stars of the 1980s and his magnum opus was the soundtrack to his movie Purple Rain. Obviously there is a ton of great music in the movie, but the best scene has to be when Prince plays "Let's Go Crazy" in a club before jumping up on an amp and shredding that amazing guitar solo at the end of the song.

"Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" - Beetlejuice

Even songs from the 1950s were able to create amazing musical moments in the 1980s. Take the Harry Bellefonte song "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" in Beetlejuice for example. The wild scene that the song accompanies is when the dinner party is interrupted by the ghosts living in the attic and it's the most memorable moment in the whole movie.

"Moving In Stereo" - Fast Times At Ridgemont High

In the interest of keeping this list rated G, we won't say much about the scene in Fast Times At Ridgemont High that features The Cars' song "Moving In Stereo." expect to say it involves Phoebe Cates in a red bikini and IYKYK.

"If You Were Here" - Sixteen Candles

Director John Hughes had a knack for creating amazing musical moments in between the hilarious quotes from his movies. In Sixteen Candles one of those classic moments happens at the end when Jake and Sam finally kiss over Sam's birthday cake as "If You Were Here" by Thompson Twins plays over the scene.

"Holiday Road" - National Lampoon's Vacation

Fleetwood Mac veteran Lindsey Buckingham provided the classic "Holiday Road" for National Lampoon's Vacation and while it only plays briefly as the Griwolds first hit the road in Chicago, it's been an enduring hit ever since.

"Magic Dance" - Labyrinth

1986's Labyrinth not only launched Jennifer Connelly's career, but if gave one amazing musical moment when the villain, played by the legend himself, David Bowie, sings his song "Magic Dance" along with a whole slew of Jim Henson puppets. It's as magical and the name of the song implies.

"Eye Of The Tiger" - Rocky III

In the first Rocky movie, audiences were treated to that amazing moment of Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) climbing the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum to "Gonna Fly Now." Of course, that doesn't count for this list of '80s movies, but luckily in Rocky III, we get "Eye of the Tiger" for the training montage. It's a toss-up for which is better.

"Tequila" - Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

For years after Pee-Wee's Big Adventure was released, people were still doing the Pee-Wee dance whenever they heard "Tequila" by The Champs. The '60s classic created a classic '80s moment.

"These Boots Are Made For Walking" - Full Metal Jacket

What makes "These Boots Are Made For Walking" by Nancy Sinatra so amazing in Full Metal Jacket is that it feels so upbeat immediately after the darkest moment in the movie when Private Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) kills his drill sergeant and then himself. It's director Stanley Kubrick at his finest.

"Big Bottom" - This Is Spinal Tap

Well, once again, we've come to a movie that there was no way we could leave off this list. The rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. There are at least a dozen scenes we could choose here, but the most iconic has to be the song "Big Bottoms" and that was proven years later when literally dozens of bass players joined the sort of fake, sort of real band for the song at Live Earth concert in 2007.

"The Power Of Love" - Back To The Future

We just had to include the meta moment in Back To The Future when the fictional band led by Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) starts playing a rocking version of the movie's theme song "The Power Of Love" only to be shut down by a teacher played by Huey Lewis who, with his band The News, actually played the song for the movie. It's just too darn loud.

"Werewolves Of London" - The Color Of Money

Warren Zevon is one of the most beloved songwriters in rock history, but he didn't have a ton of hits. One exception is "Werewolves of London" a song that was a hit when it came out in 1978 and then fans fell in love with it again when it appeared in an amazing scene in The Color Of Money in 1986.

"If You Leave" - Pretty In Pink

Like all his other movies, John Hughes using "If You Leave" by Orchestral Movements in the Dark in Pretty In Pink created one of the all time combos of music and movie. It's still weird that Andie didn't end up with Duckie, though.

"Lollipop" - Stand By Me

For many in Gen X, their first introduction to classic early '60 music came from Stand By Me. One of the songs used, "Lollipop" is almost a novelty song, but it's an incredibly infectious earworm too, so it ended up being one of the most iconic moments in the movie, music-wise.

"Into The Groove" - Desperately Seeking Susan

Desperately Seeking Susan isn't a great movie. It feels rushed and half-baked, and it was, really, as it was an attempt to capitalize on Madonna's burgeoning fame. It's the Material Girl's first major foray into film and the most memorable moment came when she is in a bar, listening to her own song, "Into The Groove."

"Gimme Shelter" - Adventures In Babysitting

If you aren't paying attention, you might miss "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones in Adventures In Babysitting, but it adds a real foreboding as the kids hitch a ride back to the station wagon that they hope has been repaired and they can finally wrap up their crazy night.

"Imagine" - The Killing Fields

John Lennon, and later Yoko Ono, were very protective of the former Beatles' music, especially his iconic "Imagine." Ono gave permission to the producers of The Killing Fields to use it at the end when the two protagonists are reunited after the horrors of the Khmer Rouge are finally over and it's an incredible emotional moment, in no small part to the song.

There are plenty of celebrity fashion looks that have been immortalized on the big screen, but there are also plenty of other famous dresses that never hit a red carpet. Maybe they should have. We've compiled a list of some of the best gowns (and looks) from films that could totally have worked on a red carpet, if given the chance. Here are some of the coolest takes.

Lily James In Cinderella

When I think of a ball gown, to me the 2015 Cinderella look of Lily James is a great example of a dress that’s carpet ready. It’s somehow timeless and modern, it’s an indescribable blue color, and it brought an animated concept to life in just the perfect way. A top-notch stunner for any era.

Emma Watson In Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1

I know you thought I was going to bust out Hermione’s iconic Yule Ball gown look here, even though she’s said the scene was uncomfortable in the past. While it’s a sweet dress for a teenager, it’s the stunning red number Watson’s character wears to Bill and Fleur’s wedding I deem to be most red carpet-worthy.

Jennifer Lopez In Maid In Manhattan

Jennifer Lopez played a maid who borrowed a gown for a night out on the town in Maid in Manhattan. While the flick may not make anyone's list of best rom-coms, the dress is perfect for any best list. It was a peachy pink and very on trend in the early aughts, and its silhouette – and the iconic jewelry she paired it with – would very much still be on point on the carpet today.

Halle Berry In Die Another Day

Halle Berry may be more known for an iconic bikini scene in Die Another Day, but it's her purple dress that really stands out when she's playing Jinx. The color and silhouette are stunning years later, but this is one dress that's also even more brilliant once you see it from behind.

Julia Roberts In Pretty Woman

A far cry from the look we meet her in, Julia Roberts’ Vivian Ward dons a romantic red dress for a night out with Richard Gere’s Edward. The two end up entangling their lives in myriad ways, but the dress is still the most memorable moment from the movie for me.

Margot Robbie In The Wolf Of Wall Street

Black dresses will never go out of fashion, and Margot Robbie looks like a cool woman in a little black dress in Wolf of Wall Street. It's not the only fashionable moment in Scorsese's film, but it's the look I would choose if I were having to go to a fun event. The earrings amp the look up considerably, too. Her whole vibe has me rethinking my wardrobe.

Aubrey Hepburn In Sabrina

One of the most iconic ball gowns of all time, Hepburn’s famous Sabrina dress may never have happened if she hadn’t pushed and befriended designer Givenchy. They made movie history together, and red carpet history in other cases. This dress would not have been out of place there.

Natalie Portman In Black Swan

Black Swan may be one of the best psychological films, but the costume design is also superb, from outfits worn on the stage to everdaywear. The white gown Portman’s character wears from Rodarte has one of the coolest backs I’ve ever seen. Nearly 15 years later, I wish she or someone would bust it out again.

Lady Mary In Downton Abbey

Lady Mary was a bit of a fashionista across the entirety of the Downton Abbey series and its two subsequent movies, but this lush sapphire blue Prussian gown from 2019’s Downton movie stands out as a favorite and also the one that’s most red carpet worthy. Maybe in this day and age I’d drop the gloves, though (even if celebs like Taylor Swift and JLo are bringing gloves back).

Billy Porter In Cinderella (2021)

The Cinderella cast all had amazing outfits, but Billy Porter's fabulous godmother (Fab G) dress in the 2021 Cinderella is all bold colors and lush satin. It's very much a Porter-perfect look that still stands out years later.

Keira Knightley In Atonement

Keira Knightley’s green dress in Atonement is very much a dress of the era it is portraying, but it’s also the sort of classic look in the perfect color and fabric that could be worn by anyone, in any formal situation, in any time period. If I had to choose a dress to rock to a movie premiere or a wedding or pretty much any occasion, this look from the 2007 (but period) movie would be it.

Charlize Theron Snow White And The Huntsman

Hear me out: Charlize Theron looks so extra in Snow White and the Huntsman but she never looks more extra than when she’s wearing the dress with the extravagant shoulders. Puff sleeves come in and out, but I’m really ready for some avante garde looks to hit the red carpet and this is a great take on a totally unique style.

Kate Hudson In How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days

The early aughts were a prominent time for formalwear gowns dominating movie posters, and the Kate Hudson rom-com era was no exception. The good news is the gold dress she sported opposite Matthew McConaughey still holds up more than 20 years later and is a color she should continue to sport on the red carpet.

Grace Kelly In Rear Window

Grace Kelly had a lot of iconic dresses in a lot of movies that could have fit the criteria of this list, but my favorite has to be her tulle look from Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window. It's no wonder the ballet-inspired look has come back in 10 Things I Hate About You and other movies.

Jennifer Lawrence In Catching Fire

The Hunger Games has some solid fashion design, particularly when it comes to characters like Snow, Effie and others living in the capital. But if you really want to make a statement, how about a dress that catches fire and turns into a second fashion statement? Tell me you wouldn’t like to see this on the red carpet!

Kate Winslet In Titanic

When Jack and Rose meet in Titanic, she’s dressed for dinner in a gorgeous red and black beaded dress that would stand out in any crowd. It’s a good thing she catches Jack’s eye in this dress, or Titanic would have been a different movie.

Angela Bassett In Jumping The Broom

Listen: Paula Patton’s character has a lovely wedding dress in Jumping The Broom (not to mention a really cute purple plaid dress at the beginning of the movie), but Angela Bassett is the actress to keep your eye on. As the matriarch in a wealthy family, Bassett’s character is the one with the polished, structured looks I’d feel most confident in on the red carpet.

Rita Hayworth In Gilda

I’m not sure how many people revisit Rita Hayworth’s Gilda these days, but when I think of old Hollywood glamor, her satin gown and matching gloves always come to mind. This was the role that made Hayworth a household name and that dress would still have a moment if it debuted today.

Sonoya Mizuno In Crazy Rich Asians

There's a lot of just epic fashion in 2018's Crazy Rich Asians, but the stellar standout moment is Araminta's wedding, which just has so many great looks from the main cast. At the end of the day, despite the gorgeous setting and shiny, happy people, it's the dress that's to die for.

Vivien Leigh In Gone With The Wind

Leigh gets the opportunity to wear a lot of lovely fabrics in 1939’s Gone with the Wind but none seem as carpet worthy (somewhat ironically) as the dress made out of curtains. It's a memorable color combo and an all-time great movie look.

Hilary Duff In A Cinderella Story

While allegedly Sam is wearing an "old" wedding dress when she shows up in this gorgeous white number, the tulle look is a classic one. Hilary Duff wore the dress with pink Chuck Taylors on the cover for the film, and casualizing a dress with sneakers has become a popular trend in the time since.

Emma Watson In Beauty And The Beast

A Disney ballgown that really hits the mark, Emma Watson’s yellow Belle dress does the animated character justice while fitting the actress like a glove. The color might not work on everyone, but it’s such a perfect fit.

Whitney Houston In The Bodyguard

I think Whitney Houston’s Queen of the Night costume is probably the one we all think about first when we think about The Bodyguard, but it’s her simple black halter dress and beaded hair and bracelet accessories that would really stand out on a red carpet and give something a little special.

Aubrey Hepburn In My Fair Lady

Eliza may have made a bet with Professor Higgins to help her sound like a lady, but it's not hard to believe Audrey Hepburn at least looks like a lady in this dress. The thick, sparkling necklace gives it an additional upgrade. Beautiful.

Ariana DeBose In West Side Story

Ariana DeBose's yellow dress in Spielberg's West Side Story is a direct nod to the 1961 movie musical, but it's an updated take on the look. Originally, Rita Moreno wore a famous lavender dress, but DeBose's is an upgraded color and has a little more swish in it. It's gorgeous and the type of look I hope is popularized again.

Marilyn Monroe In How To Marry A Millionaire

Marilyn Monroe rocked lots of iconic gowns over the years, but the thing I like about this satin dress is the one shoulder strap. It's fitted like a glove and the pink color is fabulous. It's hard to pick one thing about this dress that is most successful. It's just perfect.

Barbara Bach In The Spy Who Loved Me

Plenty of Bond girls have had great outfits over the course of more than 50 years, but when Bond meets Anya Amasova, her navy gown really pops thanks to the Swarovski crystal trim. I love that it's not a flat color, and the leg slit adds a sweet extra touch.

Lana Condor In To All The Boys I've Loved Before: P.S. I Still Love You

Lana Condor has a lot of beautiful clothing in the To All The Boys movies. Of all her sweet looks, my favorite is the one in the sequel that Stormy lends her from her impeccable collection. It's vintage perfect, and a lovely color to boot.

Lori Singer In Footloose

Lori Singer’s Ariel dress looks great on her, and it fits the character well. Despite the movie coming out in the eighties, the off-shoulder style comes in and out, and its simple silhouette would be perfect for a low-key movie premiere. As vintage is making a big comeback, perhaps it’s a style we’ll see back on the carpet in coming years.

Rachel Leigh Cook In She’s All That

Laney’s red makeover dress is on-trend now the ‘90s and early aughts are making a comeback. Its spaghetti straps and slim silhouette are simple, but would still really would turn heads on the red carpet today. I love the matching red pumps she pairs the look with as well.

Margaret Avery In The Color Purple

Shug Avery's bright looks in The Color Purple stand out. It may be more of a show dress, but if I had to kick it on the red carpet, I'd want something just as sequiny. Maybe I'd throw in some pearls to boot.

Anne Hathaway In The Idea Of You

A lot of people would say Ms. Hathaway's iconic fashion movies are either The Princess Diaries or The Devil Wears Prada, and while neither are wrong choices, my pick has to go to her character in The Idea of You. When Solene meets Hayes in her beautifully tailored, creamy Fendi number, his head was turned, but so was mine.

Luckily, we're likely to see many more red carpet-worthy looks on the big screen for years to come!

1984 was a wild year in cinema history. Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom, Karate Kid, Beverly Hills Cop and Footloose are a handful of titles that made up the box office’s top ten films that year, and perhaps by coincidence, all of them have recently seen a reboot or a sequel featuring the original stars. That is, all of them except for one, as Kevin Bacon has yet to reprise Ren McCormack from Footloose. I asked him if he was going to follow that 1984 trend, and he had an interesting take on whether or not a new Footloose “makes sense.”

Here’s another fun coincidence about this iconic collection of nostalgia-inducing films: while Kevin Bacon hasn't returned as Ren, he just joined his former competition in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. When I mentioned that the trend indicates Footloose is next, he said this:

OK, so he threw a little shade at the 2011 Footloose reboot, but he is right. I didn't know the film existed until he told me. To his point, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F does make a lot more sense as a sequel, but only because it was done well. Our official Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F review mentions that it’s “way better than you would expect,” and critics have been sending the film plenty of love. This isn’t a given for the franchise, as we’ll never forget the 1994 Beverly Hills Cop III misfire, but thankfully Jerry Bruckheimer and co. really pulled this one off. Now, with the film available to people with a Netflix subscription, it’s time to see what the audience at large thinks.

Also, to Kevin Bacon’s point, Footloose is largely considered to be one of his best movies. It’s not in franchise territory like Beverly Hills Cop, so maybe it’s best to keep this one sacred and not tarnish the name of Ren McCormack. After all, dancing is legal now, so where would they go? His Axel F costar Joseph Gordon-Levitt mentioned that the Footloose sequel’s lack of success is due to its lack of Bacon, and he’s definitely right. However, he also said there’s “less pressure” in somebody else’s franchise, so maybe he’s just looking out for Kevin Bacon. Check out the delightful exchange between the two actors at the top of this article, and also watch our interviews with the full cast, including Eddie Murphy.

You can see Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on Netflix right now! As for future updates on what’s hitting the box office in 2024, keep it right here at CinemaBlend.  

While Broadway and Hollywood are often thought of as their own entities on the opposite side of the United States, they share a lot more in common than one might think. Particularly, a ton of popular and very good musicals over the years have been created thanks to the movies they are based on. Check out all these instances of Broadway musicals being inspired by Hollywood movies! 

The Lion King 

Following Disney’s The Lion King becoming the highest-grossing animated movie of all time upon its release in 1994, it was developed into a rare stage musical that has gone on to become one of Broadway’s mainstays. The Lion King musical reimagines the 2D animated epic into an impressive visual experience complete with elaborate animal costumes and giant hollow puppets. The stage show also includes six indigenous African languages which are spoken throughout the show. 

Little Shop Of Horrors

In 1960, director Roger Corman made The Little Shop Of Horrors, which is about a florist’s assistant who grows a plant that turns into a flesh-eating monster. Twenty years later, legendary composer-lyricist duo Alan Menken and Howard Ashman developed a musical version of the storyline which premiered off-off Broadway in 1982 to a successful five-year run. It has since been on Broadway numerous times. Plus, the musical was adapted into a movie in 1986 starring Rick Moranis, Steve Martin, John Candy, James Belushi, and Bill Murray. 

Waitress

In 2007, Adrienne Shelly’s Waitress became an indie darling when it premiered at Sundance at the front of the year. The movie stars Keri Russell as a small-town waitress who unexpectedly gets pregnant amidst an abusive marriage. In 2015, with the help of Sara Bareilles, who wrote the music and lyrics, Waitress became a smash hit on Broadway from 2016 to 2020. The musical is so beloved, the production was filmed and brought to theaters in 2023. 

Hairspray 

Back in 1988, John Waters made a cult classic in Hairspray. The movie follows an overweight teen Tracy Turnblad living in Baltimore, Maryland in the year 1962, who dreams of appearing on the popular local TV program The Corny Collins Show. In 2002, it was turned into a Broadway musical that would go on to win eight Tony awards, including Best Musical. Its musical version was adapted into a movie in 2007. 

School Of Rock

One of the best music movies of all time has to be School of Rock starring Jack Black. The Richard Linklater movie is about Dewey Finn, a down-on-his-luck musician who impersonates his roommate and becomes a substitute teacher for a prep school where he forms an underground band on campus made up of his students. The 2015 Broadway musical, composed by the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber, ran in New York until 2019. 

Some Like It Hot

One of Marilyn Monroe’s most famous movies is 1959’s Some Like It Hot, which also stars Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. It's about two men who make their escape from Chicago after witnessing a Mafia murder by dressing as women and joining an all-female jazz band, led by Monroe’s sultry singer character. In 2022, the movie was turned into a musical by Hairspray’s composer, Marc Shaiman. The show is set to embark on its first North American tour in the fall of 2024. 

The Color Purple 

In 2023, The Color Purple stage musical was turned into a movie. The release came nearly 20 years after the Broadway version of the story first opened with the likes of Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey as producers. Before The Color Purple ran from 2005 to 2008 and had a successful revival back in 2015, it was first a novel by Alice Walker before Steven Speilberg adapted it in 1985. The beloved story revolves around an African-American teen named Celie as she is raised in rural Georgia in the early 1990s. 

Beauty and the Beast 

Disney’s “tale as old as time” became a Broadway musical just two years after the animated hit became a huge success for the House of Mouse in 1991. Just like the movie, the stage production is about the book-loving Belle who stumbles upon an enchanted castle while looking for her father where a Beast lives. While she’s initially held there against her will, she starts to fall in love with her captor, who is a lot more than meets the eyes. 

The Producers 

Back in 1967, Mel Brooks wrote and directed The Producers starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. It’s about two con artists who decide to oversell a stage musical in order to get rich. While it was controversial when it came out, it later became a cult favorite and in 2001 a Broadway version of the storyline was created starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. The show won a record-breaking 12 Tony awards (out of the 15 it was nominated for) including Best Musical. 

Back To The Future 

When it comes to the best ‘80s movies, Back To The Future instantly comes to mind! The blockbuster is unforgettable for its quotable dialogue, great banter between Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd’s Doc Brown, and its iconic DeLorean, of course. In 2020, a musical version of the movie, with a book by one of the movie’s writers, Bob Gale, emerged in England and quickly became a hit. Back To The Future: The Musical made its Broadway debut in the summer of 2023 and is going strong in New York City, with a tour on the way. 

Kinky Boots 

2005’s Kinky Boots had Joel Edgerton playing a shoe factory owner who ends up teaming up with a drag queen, Chiwetel Ejifor’s Lola to save his dying business by making footwear for other drag queens. Shortly after, Kinky Boots was developed for the stage with none other than Cyndi Lauper working on its music and lyrics. Like many shows on this list, Kinky Boots is one of those Broadway shows that have been so popular that they’ve run for a crazy amount of time.

Billy Elliot 

Set during England’s miners’ strike in the ‘80s, 2000’s Billy Eilliot is about a young working-class boy who falls in love with ballet. After Jamie Bell played the leading role at the age of 13, Elton John helped develop it into a stage musical for the West End. (Fun fact: Tom Holland famously once starred as one of the West End Billy Elliots before he was Spider-Man, which Zendaya can do an A+ impression of.) It later moved to Broadway, of course! 

Moulin Rouge! 

Baz Luhrmann wrote and directed a stunning jukebox musical movie starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor back in 2001 with Moulin Rouge! The romantic drama takes place in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris where a writer (Ewan McGregor) stumbles upon a troupe of performers and helps them write a show. In the midst of this, he falls in love with Kidman’s Satine. While its musical started in Boston, it quickly moved to Broadway a year after its premiere. 

The Little Mermaid 

Disney’s big “Under The Sea” masterpiece, 1989’s The Little Mermaid, was a no-brainer for a Broadway show after its smash commercial success. The musical went to Broadway in 2008 and has since gone across the globe.  

Beetlejuice 

Tim Burton’s beloved horror comedy, Beetlejuice, saw Michael Keaton playing a hilarious and rather creepy poltergeist that is hired by a recently deceased couple to drive away the new inhabitants of their home. A Broadway musical version of the movie debuted in 2019. The show unfortunately had a short first run due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but since returned, toured, and may even be better than the original movie. 

Once

John Carney’s Once is a sweet romantic musical from Ireland about a busker who forms a connection with a Czech immigrant woman over their love for music. A few years after the 2007 movie won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly”, it was transformed into an equally sweet Broadway musical in 2011. 

Sunset Boulevard 

Back in 1950, Sunset Boulevard, which continues to be thought of as one of the greatest movies of all time, hit theaters. It’s about an aging movie star, who once ruled the silent film era, who hires a screenwriter to help her make a comeback. Forty years later, the black-and-white classic was brought to the stage with music from Andrew Lloyd Webber. There’s an interesting story behind it because the star of the original actually worked on a musical version back in the ‘50s, but it never came to fruition. Luckily, the musical implemented some of Gloria Swanson’s work. 

Bring It On 

About a decade after Bring It On became a cult classic of an early ‘00s flick about the world of cheerleading, Bring It On: The Musical took its school spirit to Broadway. Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tom Kitt wrote the music and allowed its cast to bring some impressive gymnastics from the popular sport to a massive NYC stage.  

Shrek

Dreamworks’ hit spin on fairy tales, Shrek, turned into a Broadway in 2008. Brian d’Arcy James and Sutton Foster originated the roles of Shrek and Fiona in the original Broadway production about a love story between a green ogre and a princess. Unlike many movies-to-musicals on this list, Shrek The Musical borrows from multiple Shrek movies that were made over the years.  

Mean Girls 

“Fetch” may never happen, but Mean Girls has certainly become not only a favorite high school flick, but one of the best movies of the 2000s. After Tina Fey wrote the original script about a new student who shakes up the dynamics of her school’s hottest clique, the SNL alum wrote the musical’s book. Recently, a Mean Girls remake was released based on the stage production as well. 

Newsies 

Back in 1992, two Disney legends came together to make a new musical called Newsies. Director Kenny Ortega, who would later do the High School Musical movies, and Alan Menken, who composed the music. The movie about newspaper boys during the newsboys’ strike in 1899 stars Christian Bale, Bill Pullman, and Robert Duvall. Twenty years later, a stage version hit Broadway with tons of new numbers not seen in the movie. 

An American In Paris

Gene Kelly dazzled with his mega-star power in the 1951 musical comedy (and Best Picture winner), An American In Paris. He even choreographed many of the dance numbers himself! It follows his character Jerry Mulligan, a World War II veteran who tries to make it as an artist in Paris. In 2014, a stage version premiered in Paris before coming to Broadway the following year. 

The Band’s Visit 

2007’s The Band’s Visit is an Israeli movie that starts when a group of eight men that comprise Egypt's Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra arrive in Israel to play at an Arab cultural center. However, through a miscommunication, they accidentally end up in a small town in the Negev Desert where they are taken in by a small restaurant owner. In 2017, the Broadway version became a Tony-winning Best Musical that initially starred Monk’s Tony Shalhoub.

Aladdin

“10,000 years will give you such a crick in the neck!” So why keep the Genie in the bottle? It only took about twenty years for Disney to take its Arabian Nights animated movie into a Broadway production that continues to be a popular ticket for those to grab while they are in New York City. 

Sister Act

Whoopi Goldberg will always be remembered for her hilarious leading role in 1992’s Sister Act. So, it’s no wonder that the comedy about a lounge singer who is placed in a convent as a nun after witnessing a murder would be a great place to start for a stage production. Alan Menken composed the music, and Goldberg produced the production that first debuted in Pasadena, California back in 2006 and continues to tour more cities. 

Finding Neverland

Funny enough, 2004’s Finding Neverland, was based on a play called The Man Who Was Peter Pan from a few years prior. The movie, starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet, told the story of J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan. Since its release, it has been adapted for Broadway, where it had a 17-month run in New York City. 

Mary Poppins

Walt Disney and the Sherman Brothers made an all-time great movie musical in 1964 starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. It was only a matter of time before it found a place on Broadway, wasn’t it? Audiences have been having a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious time with the British nanny since it debuted at the West End in 2004. 

Anastasia 

In 1997, audiences learned the tune of hit songs like “Once Upon A December” and “Journey To The Past” with the animated film, Anastasia. The movie loosely based off the legend of the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia starred Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, Hank Azaria and Angela Lansbury. Two decades after the children’s movie came out, it landed on Broadway with a mix of its fan-favorite songs and new ones. 

Footloose 

After Kevin Bacon’s Footloose overturned the ban on dancing in a small town with the hit 80s movie, Ren McCormack was revived for the stage with the 1998 Broadway musical, yes, with Kenny Loggins among the creatives in the mix. 

American Psycho

Yes, even movies about serial killers can be fodder for Broadway! Back in 2013, Doctor Who’s Matt Smith actually debuted the role of Patrick Bateman on the stage in London before the musical went to Broadway three years later. American Psycho was a 2000 movie starring Christian Bale, and based on a 1991 novel by Bret Easton Ellis.

Frozen 

Do you want to build a snowman? After Disney’s Frozen became a certified phenomenon with its earworms that had stars like Kristen Bell hilariously apologizing to parents, the production became an on-stage extravaganza to see on Broadway in 2018. The story is about Elsa, a royal who embraces her longtime secret powers by freezing her kingdom and her sister’s journey to find her. 

Tootsie 

After Tootsie, led by Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange, became one of the biggest movies of the ‘80s, it was transformed into a Broadway musical in 2019. The production follows an actor who decided to present as a woman in order to land a job following a disintegrating reputation. While the movie is about a daytime soap opera, the musical version is about Michael trying out for a Broadway musical. 

And this trend is not expected to stop! A lot of musicals based on movies are also rumored to hit the stage in the years to come. 

If you are looking for some of the best music movies of all time, Netflix has you covered. From masterful adaptations of Broadway musicals to concert films about some of the finest musicians working today to hilarious comedies about music, the streamer has a little bit of everything. All you need is a Netflix subscription to access it all.

Tick, Tick...Boom!

Tick, Tick…Boom! is single-handedly one of Andrew Garfield’s best movies, and that’s because of his masterful performance that allowed Jonathan Larson’s story and legacy to leap off the screen. The film tracks Larson’s life as he struggles to make it as an artist, which leads him to write the musical Tick, Tick…Boom!

This autobiographical musical, which features Garfield singing beautifully, is a love letter to musical theater and the man behind Rent, and it’s because of its star’s gorgeous performance and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s loving direction. 

Stream Tick, Tick…Boom! On Netflix

Matilda The Musical

Matilda The Musical is an underrated masterpiece; yeah you heard me. Of course, the 1996 version is an ultimate classic. However, there’s also no question that the adaptation of the stage musical that came out in 2022 is brilliant in its own right.

Alisha Weir shines as our leading lady, and she’s supported by an expert cast that includes Emma Thompson as the evil Miss Trunchbull and Lashana Lynch as the loving Miss Honey. Plus, all the kiddos in this movie shine as they help Matilda take down the evil principal, and they absolutely rock the house when they perform the banger that is “Revolting Children.”

Stream Matilda The Musical On Netflix

Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé

The standout moments from Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé are countless. The concert film shows not only the musician's historic 2018 Coachella set but also how she developed it. It’s an immaculate representation of both the show she put it on and all the work that went into making it happen. Immaculately shot and brilliantly choreographed, this film is a masterclass that proves, once again, why Beyoncé is one of the greatest performers of all time. 

Stream Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé On Netflix

Eurovision: The Story Of Fire Saga

What happens when you take Will Ferrell’s wacky and brilliant sense of humor and mix it with the wild and genius viral reality competition Eurovision? You get the crazy comedy Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga. Also starring Rachel McAdams and Dan Stevens, this movie follows Icelandic musicians Lars (Ferrell) and Sigrit (McAdams) – a.k.a. Fire Saga – as they compete in Eurovision, and it’s bonkers in the best way.

Stream Eurovision: The Story Of Fire Saga On Netflix

Work It

If you want a sweet lil rom-com that centers around music and dance, look no further than Work It. The Netflix movie follows Quinn as she works to create a dance crew who can help her win a big competition that could help her get into her dream college. 

What truly makes this film worth your time is its stars. Quinn is played by Sabrina Carpenter, who has recently risen as a major voice in pop music through songs like “Nonsense” and “Espresso,” and her love interest, Jake, is played by Broadway’s Jordan Fisher. So, when it comes to the music and dancing in this movie, you are in great hands, because these two are fantastic performers.

Stream Work It On Netflix

Baby Driver

While no one sings and there are no dance numbers, make no mistake, Baby Driver is a musical. The music Baby constantly has playing in his ears while he works as a getaway car driver is also always with the audience, and his relationship to music drives the story forward.

Not to mention, the musical direction from Edgar Wright is incredible. Also, the way he was able to time high-stakes action with incredible throwbacks – like “Neat Neat Neat,” “Brighton Rock” and “Bellbottoms”– makes Baby Driver a one-of-a-kind action film.

Stream Baby Driver On Netflix

Trolls 

The movie Trolls follows Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) as they work to save their home from Bergens. This story, of course, is also a jukebox musical, and seeing the rainbow-colored trolls singing songs like “September” and “Move Your Feet” is fun for the whole family. Plus, the movie is also what brought us the banger, “Can’t Stop The Feeling.” 

Stream Trolls On Netflix

Springsteen On Broadway

Springsteen on Broadway is a mind-blowing concert film of Bruce Springsteen’s Broadway residency he had in 2017 and 2018. The one-man show featured The Boss playing his music on guitar and piano, and he told very personal life stories from his autobiography, Born to Run. The 15 songs he performed took audiences on a journey through his legendary career, and you, too, can be whisked on this journey with the "Born to Run" singer by checking out this film on Netflix. 

Stream Springsteen on Broadway On Netflix

The Greatest Night In Pop 

Throwing it back to 1985, The Greatest Night in Pop is a Netflix documentary about the recording of “We Are The World.” It documents the night “the greatest artists of a generation came together to save some lives,” and it features interviews from some of said singers, musicians producers and more who were part of this incredible recording. With new interviews from Bruce Springsteen, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick and more, the film showcases an incredible number of talents through archival footage and present-day discussions while also taking viewers on the rollercoaster that was creating this song. 

Stream The Greatest Night In Pop On Netflix

Miss Americana: Taylor Swift  

Miss Americana is possibly the most candid look we’ve ever gotten into Taylor Swift’s life. The documentary specifically follows Swift through the end of her Reputation era and the start of the Lover chapter. In it, she speaks about her struggles with fame, the fear of speaking out politically and the aftermath of one of the toughest points in her career that led to the creation of Rep. Now, Swift’s list of upcoming projects shows just how far she’s come since then, while this documentary gives us a detailed and raw look into a pivotal moment in the pop star’s life. 

Stream Miss Americana: Taylor Swift On Netflix

La La Land

Following Emma Stone’s aspiring actress Mia and Ryan Gosling’s starving jazz musician Sebastian over the course of a year, Damien Chazelle’s La La Land is a love letter to Los Angeles, music and artists everywhere. The Oscar-winning musical is set in modern-day LA, however, it’s also an ode to Old Hollywood with its sweeping score and classic musical numbers. All around, this film is a celebration of art, music and love, and it’s sure to become a classic, much like the musical films that inspired it.

Stream La La Land On Netflix

Sing Street

After you watch Sing Street, I can almost guarantee you’ll be humming tunes like “Drive It Like You Stole It” for days on end. For some context, this movie takes place in the ‘80s as a boy decides to form a band simply to impress a girl. They end up being very good, and the coming-of-age story is equally impressive as it shows our crew falling in love with music. Overall, it’s a lovely film that will have you singing along and smiling from ear to ear by the end. 

Stream Sing Street On Netflix

 All around, Netflix offers a diverse and acclaimed collection of musicals and music movies. So, if you are looking for a film to sweep you into a musical world, one of the best streaming services is the place to go.  

You can typically tell who is meant to be considered the “hero” of a movie by identifying the title role or looking at the top-billed cast member. However, there are many ‘80s movie characters who often go overlooked for the pivotal role they play in bringing things to a satisfying conclusion. We took a deeper look at some of the best movies of the 1980s, identified who we believe is the real hero, and decided to give them the credit they deserve.

Short Round (Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom)

While many like to criticize Raiders of the Lost Ark by claiming Indiana Jones' actions have no bearing on the plot, it is more surprising that Harrison Ford's intrepid archaeologist gets more credit for defeating the Thuggee Cult than he really deserves in the sequel. If not for Short Round (Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan in his debut role) freeing Indy from their captors' spell, 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom would not have had the happy ending the bleak thriller so thankfully concludes on.

Sgt. Al Powell (Die Hard)

In arguably the greatest action movie ever made (let alone one of the best Christmas movies), 1988’s Die Hard, as John McClane (Bruce Willis) is single-handedly warring against violent thieves invading Nakatomi Plaza, his only real ally at ground zero is Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson). At the very end, the L.A. cop actually ends up taking out the last of Hans Gruber’s (Alan Rickman) goons, Karl (Alexander Gudunov), with the first shot he gained the courage to take in years.

Boy In Police Station (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)

At the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the title character (Matthew Broderick) probably would have gotten caught without help from his sister, Jeanie (Jennifer Grey), who would not have been willing to help if she hadn't met Charlie Sheen's character at the police station. Not to mention, despite his off-putting appearance, the unnamed teen gives off a more genuine and endearing aura than the central character of John Hughes's 1986 classic.

George McFly (Back To The Future)

When Marty McFly's (Michael J. Fox) plan to get his future mother, Lorraine (Lea Thompson), and father, George (Crispin Glover), to fall in love goes awry courtesy of Biff (Tom Wilson), George gains the courage he needs to knock the ruthless bully out himself. This ensures that Marty will one day be born and changes his family's fate for the better at the end of the 1985 time travel movie masterpiece, Back to the Future.

Chunk (The Goonies)

Out of the entire Goonies cast — a stunning who’s who of future A-listers, including Sean Astin and Josh Brolin — it is Chunk (Jeff Cohen) who has the most memorable and inspiring character arc. He goes from being the butt of every joke to the one who helps rescue his buddies from The Fratellis (with help from Sloth, of course).

Jessica Rabbit (Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

In 1988’s groundbreaking fusion of live-action with animation, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Jessica Rabbit (voiced by Kathleen Turner) assures private eye Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) that she is not bad, but “just drawn that way.” She goes on to prove that her words ring true by becoming a pivotal role in Valiant’s effort to clear her husband (Charles Fleischer in the title role) for murder.

Wang Chi (Big Trouble In Little China)

Kurt Russell may get top billing and his character, Jack Burton, may kill Lo Pan (James Hong) by the end, but did you ever notice that is really his only heroic act in 1986's Big Trouble in Little China? His Chinese-American best friend, Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), is the one who makes the smartest decisions and kicks the most butt in John Carpenter's cult-favorite fantasy that is lauded for its predominantly Asian cast at a time when such representation was scarce.

Rebecca "Newt" Jorden (Aliens)

Aliens may have solidified Sigourney Weaver's Scream Queen status and made a heroic icon out of her character, Ellen Ripley, but the most courageous and resourceful character in James Cameron's 1986 sci-fi sequel has to be Carrie Henn as Newt. The young girl manages to survive on a planet overrun with Xenomorphs all by herself before the arrival of a crew of marines, who also might not have survived as long as they did without her tips and tricks.

Rufus (Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure)

If you think about it, the plot of 1989’s Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is not so different from The Terminator, which makes George Carlin's Rufus the sci-fi comedy's own Kyle Reese. The time-traveler ensures a bright future by helping the titular messianic duo (Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter) at every turn, including in 1991’s Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey when he disguises himself as Pam Grier’s character, Mrs. Wardroe, to let them into Battle of the Bands.

The Ewoks (Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi)

There are many Star Wars fans who see the Ewoks as nothing but a cheap  gimmick to attract younger audiences to the franchise. Whether or not that is true, the cute, cuddly warriors were pivotal to the Empire's downfall at the end of 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

Grandpa (The Princess Bride)

In 1987’s The Princess Bride, there is no real doubt that Westley (Cary Elwes), Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and Fezzik (Andre the Giant) are the heroes of the enchanting, action-packed fairy tale. However, to us, the hero of the whole movie is Peter Falk's character, who takes the time to visit his ill grandson (Fred Savage) and read to him the story within the story.

Roy Batty (Blade Runner)

The main protagonist of 1982’s Blade Runner is, of course, Harrison Ford's Rick Deckard, but his job as a cop assigned to retire Replicants makes him a better qualifier for the villain of the story. It is Roy Batty's (Rutger Hauer) bid to try to give artificial humans like himself a chance at a better, longer life that makes him the real hero of Ridley Scott's groundbreaking, futuristic noir.

Ophelia (Trading Places)

After losing everything as part of an experiment to make him poor and give his job to the impoverished Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy), hot shot investor Louis Winthorpe (Dan Aykroyd) crosses paths with a street walker named Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis). While she was initially hired by Clarence Beeks (Paul Gleason) to make life even worse for him, she takes him in, cares for him, and attempts to help him get back on his feet, making her the true hero of 1983’s Trading Places.

Cabbie (Escape From New York)

One of Kurt Russell’s most iconic roles is Snake Plissken — a hardened criminal tasked with rescuing the President (Donald Pleasance) from a penal colony that used to be Manhattan in a dystopian 1997 in John Carpenter’s 1981 cult favorite, Escape from New York. The only incarcerated individual who is selflessly willing to help the anti-hero complete his mission in time is Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine’s Cabbie, whose own taxi ends up being Snake’s escape vehicle.

Carl Fox (Wall Street)

Oliver Stone’s 1987 drama Wall Street chronicles the rise and fall of ambitious stockbroker Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), as a result of taking orders from the devil on his shoulder: the ruthless Gordon Gecko (Academy Award winner Michael Douglas). If only he had listened to the angel on his shoulder — his father and the moral center of the story, Carl (Sheen’s real-life father, Martin Sheen) — he might not have wound up behind bars.

Queen Aoleon (Coming To America)

In Coming to America, Akeem’s (Eddie Murphy) chances at a life with his true love, Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley), are almost ruined by his father, King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones), if not for the support of his mother, Queen Aoleon, who we assume talked sense into her husband offscreen. Her tender-hearted performance and truly majestic presence in the 1988 comedy makes us sad that the late Madge Sinclair could not reprise the role in 2021’ Coming 2 America.

Bub (Day Of The Dead)

Never did a horror fan have any reason to feel empathy or admiration for a zombie until writer and director George A. Romero introduced “Bub” in 1985’s Day of the Dead. Played by Sherman Howard, the reanimated corpse displays an unusual level of intelligence, endearing human characteristics, and a strong compassion for his handler, Dr. Matthew Logan (Richard Liberty) which drives him to seek vengeance on his murderer and the film’s true villain, Capt. Henry Rhodes (Joseph Pilato).

The Gopher (Caddyshack)

As far as we are concerned, anyone who proves to be a source of frustration for Judge Smails (Ted Knight) is on the side of heroism in the classic 1980 comedy, Caddyshack. That being said, absolutely no one gets under that man's skin like the Gopher who lives underneath Bushwood Country Club and makes burrows in the golf course grounds wherever he goes.

Cousin Eddie (National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation)

When Eddie (Randy Quaid, reprising his role from 1983’s Vacation) arrives at the Griswolds’ house unannounced, Clark (Chevy Chase) believes his holidays are destined for disaster. He is right, but his otherwise annoying and absent-minded cousin is responsible for very few of the uproarious mishaps in 1989’s National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. In fact, he really comes through at the end when he brings Clark’s boss, Frank Shirley (Brian Doyle-Murray), to the house, where he becomes ultimately convinced to give Clark the bonus he deserves.

Dawson (Adventures In Babysitting)

We are not just including Dawson, Vincent D’Onofrio’s garage mechanic character from 1987’s Adventure in Babysitter, because he happens to look like one of Marvel Comics’ iconic depiction of Thor. Then again, if not for that striking resemblance, he might not have been coerced into giving Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) a $5 dollar discount for her car repair by young Sara Anderson (Maia Brewton) who calls him her hero. 

Carl (The Breakfast Club)

The character who forever changed the way high schoolers perceive their custodial employees was Carl (John Kapelos) from 1985’s The Breakfast Club, who has a bit of a heart-to-heart with the nearly sadistic Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason). We like to think that the janitor's defense of the students in detention that day got through to the uptight teacher so, by the time he reads their letter at the end of John Hughes’ quintessential teen dramedy, he may have seen them in a new, more sympathetic light.

Vi Moore (Footloose)

In Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) refers to Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon) as the hero of Footloose for bringing the joys of dancing back to the small, conservative town of Bomont. However, there is one character from the 1984 classic of equal (or even greater) importance that he should have also mentioned: Vi Moore (Dianne Wiest), who breaks her long silence and ultimately convinces her strict preacher husband, Shaw (John Lithgow), to give the town’s youth the freedom the dance.

Billy Francis Kopecki (Big)

In 1988’s Big, when 13-year-old Josh’s (David Moscow) wish to be a grown-up mysteriously comes true, turning him into Tom Hanks, the only one coming to his aid (after some convincing) is his best friend, Billy (Jared Rushton). He tries to be there to get his buddy through his strange situation in any way he can, even helping him get a job, but when Josh starts act a little too grown-up, it is Billy who brings him back down to Earth, reminding him it is time become his real self again.

Mr. Green (Clue)

Determining the real hero of Clue depends on which ending of the 1985 board game-inspired whodunit you consider canon. The conclusion we like to settle on reveals that Mr. Green (Michael McKean) is an undercover FBI agent, which he announces after shooting Wadsworth (Tim Curry), who also turns out to be the real Mr. Boddy.

The Gyro Captain (The Road Warrior)

Things between Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) and a fellow loner known only as The Gyro Captain (Bruce Spence) get off to a rough start in the second installment of George Miller’s Mad Max franchise, released as The Road Warrior in the States. However, the gyrocopter pilot comes to see the hardened former cop as a great teammate, later rescues him from a near-fatal accident, and assists him in his race to bring the rig to the Oil Refinery compound.

Mrs. Parker (A Christmas Story)

There are countless cinematic mothers, especially from the 1980s, who deserve more credit than they receive, and the quintessential example has to be Melinda Dillon’s role in 1983’s A Christmas Story. The classic moment when she keeps her son, Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), out of trouble with The Old Man (Darren McGavin) after his tussle with Skut Farkus (Zach Ward) is just one way she shows her loving devotion to her family and undisputedly earning the honor to be called a hero. 

Curtis (The Blues Brothers)

The heart and soul of the best movie based on Saturday Night Live characters, The Blues Brothers, is Cab Calloway's Curtis, who served as a father figure for the titular siblings, introducing them to music in their youth. Not to mention, he motivates them to attend a church service that ends up giving them the idea to put the band back together to save the orphanage.

Ken Pile (A Fish Called Wanda)

It comes as a surprise to see the stuttering, accident-prone goof, Ken Pile (Michael Palin), take down the true antagonist of 1988’s A Fish of Wanda, Otto West (Oscar winner Kevin Kline). To avenge the death of his beloved fish, Ken runs over Otto with a steamroller when he is stuck in cement, seemingly putting an end to his career in thievery, until we discover at the end that he survived the ordeal. Nonetheless, to see Ken get even with his enemy is one of the hit comedy’s most satisfying moments.

Otto (Airplane!)

When food poisoning incapacitates the entire piloting staff on a commercial flight, former fighter pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays) is asked to help bring the also ill passengers to safety, but he is not the only one equipped for the job. Lest we forget, a great deal of the classic 1980 spoof movie, Airplane! sees an inflatable automatic pilot — aptly named “Otto” — at the helm of the aircraft. 

Lt. Andrew Bogomil (Beverly Hills Cop)

When Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) first blows into town in 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop, he immediately comes at odds with Lt. Andrew Bogomil. However, because the Detroit detective helps Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggert (John Ashton) take down local traffickers while he is supposed to be on vacation, he fabricates a story to cover for him and helps smooth things out with Inspector Todd.  

Yori (Tron)

In 1982’s Tron, Flynn (Jeff Bridges) and the title character (Bruce Boxleitner) might have never managed to take down the Master Control Program without the help of Yori (Cindy Morgan). She gives Tron the chance to get pivotal information from his user outside the grid after convincing a guard named Dumont to let him. 

Merlin (Top Gun)

At the end of 1986’s Top Gun, Maverick (Tom Cruise) is still reeling from the death of his best friend, Goose (Anthony Edwards), which distracts him from his current aerial battle. Luckily, Merlin (Tim Robbins) is in the other seat and helps bring him back to Earth, leading him to victory.

So, next time you watch a flick and think you know who the real hero is, think again.

Rob Lowe was one of the most prominent young actors of the ‘80s. The Ohio-raised celebrity was a member of the never-aging Brat Pack starring in St. Elmo’s Fire, The Outsiders and About Last Night, to name a few. Believe it or not, Lowe was also close to playing the character of Ren in the musical drama Footloose. Unfortunately, he said it was apparently an “awful” experience losing to Kevin Bacon.

It’s hard to believe how close we were to seeing Rob Lowe show off his dance moves playing the Chicago native shaking things up in a new town that prohibits dancing. The 9-1-1: Lone Star actor recalled to USA Today why it was so “awful” having to miss out on starring in one of the best dance movies:

It’s a shame that injuring himself while auditioning for one of the best ‘80s flicks cost Rob Lowe the part. After all, we did see the talented actor do a little shimmy-ing in Oxford Blues; a short, but wild dance number in Parks and Recreation; and dance with Snow White in the controversial opening ceremony for the 61st Academy Awards. Then again, casting directors might have interpreted that the former Brat Pack member’s dance injury during the audition showed he wasn’t the right man for the job, especially considering the amount of dancing the young actor would have to go through scene after scene. 

Interestingly enough, Rob Lowe admitted how twisted it was that not getting the part benefitted the actor who ultimately snagged it. Footloose became one of Kevin Bacon’s best films, and he went on to star in critically acclaimed films like Diner, JFK and A Few Good Men. In fact, when Lowe spoke to Bacon about losing the part of Ren to him, the Golden Globe winner responded with “You wouldn’t have gotten it, anyway.” I still would have been curious to see how the former teen idol would have fared dancing to Kenny Loggins and picking up his Sunday shoes.

The Primetime Emmy Award nominee may not have gotten to play the lead in Footloose, but he still went on toward a prolific acting career. Other than the Brat Pack films that turned him into a Hollywood star, Lowe had a successful TV career starring in The West Wing, Brothers & Sisters and currently 9-1-1: Lone Star. Lowe is also behind some works you can find on your Netflix subscription like the biopic drama he starred and executive produced as well as starring with his son in the Netflix comedy Unstable. Clearly the 59-year-old actor didn’t need Footloose to have the career he has now.

American actor and filmmaker Rob Lowe had an “awful” experience losing out the lead of Footloose to Kevin Bacon. But even without the 1984 film, the veteran actor still continued to wow audiences for over four decades without the use of dance shoes to do so. If you’re still up for seeing Bacon in Footloose, it’s available to watch with your Max subscription.

During this week’s episode of Dancing With The Stars, How I Met Your Mother’s Alyson Hannigan and her dance partner Sasha Farber nabbed themselves a place in the show’s finale after jiving to “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins. But, in a funny exchange with Season 32’s new host, Julianne Hough, the sitcom actress got super confused about how the 35-year-old could have been in one of the best movies of the ‘80s.    

And, hey she’s right. Hough was a toddler when 1984’s Footloose came out. What Hannigan must have been confused about during the hilarious moment was the fact that the DWTS host was in the 2011 remake. Check out how the interaction went as the co-host stood with the actress and her partner awaiting their scores for the jive: 

Sasha Farber: “Weren’t you in the movie Footloose?”
Julianne Hough: “Indeed, I was.”
Alyson Hannigan: “Were you a baby?”
Julianne Hough: “I was a baby.” 

Alyson Hannigan looked rather surprised when her dance partner pointed out that their host had been part of Footloose during the “Semi-Finals” episode. The actress must not know there was a remake as she hilariously asked Hough if she was “a baby” in the movie. But in true professional fashion, the co-host brushed off the comment, admitting she “was a baby,” likely referring to the fact that she was just 23 when the film came out. 

Now in Hannigan’s defense, the 2011 remake of Footloose flew under the radar when it came out. When it arrived in theaters, its box office was overshadowed by Shawn Levy’s Real Steel, which won the weekend instead and barely cracked the top 100 highest-grossing movies worldwide of that year, in 98th place (per Box Office Mojo). The original Footloose on the other hand was the seventh highest-grossing movie of 1984. While the original Footloose starring Kevin Bacon is more popular, the remake actually has its big fans.

Even so, after Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber spent the week practicing the jive for “Footloose,” one would have thought that Julianne Hough’s remake might have come up somewhere given her legacy with Dancing With The Stars. Oh well. If anything, the moment was an instance of humbleness for Hough, who won two seasons of DWTS before being a judge for the show and replacing Tyra Banks this season following her exit after three seasons as host.

This Tuesday, December 5, Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber will compete for the title of Dancing With The Stars champions against reality star Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov, The Bachelor’s Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev, Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach and Marvel star Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy, the latter of which had a perfect score in the Nov. 29 episode. You can catch up with DWTS now either with a Disney+ subscription or Hulu subscription. 

Music can sometimes make or break a scene in a movie, but there are some films that take that idea to the next level and feature soundtracks that take on a life of their own. Sometimes they are an amazing way to reflect on a feature’s best moments, and other times, they produce a very special vibe on their own.

While far from exhaustive, this is a list of movies that take their use of music to special levels and both inspired and produced fantastic soundtracks.

Reservoir Dogs

More than just a collection of needle drops from the movie, the Reservoir Dogs soundtrack is distinctive in that it’s curated as though it’s beaming the radio show featured in the film: K-Billy’s Super Sounds Of The '70s. From George Baker Selection’s “Little Green Bag” to Harry Nilsson’s “Coconut,” every song is a delight – but the true centerpiece is Stealer’s Wheel' “Stuck In The Middle With You."

Tron: Legacy

There’s only one issue with the Tron Legacy soundtrack, and that’s that it is too short. Daft Punk made its debut as film composers for the 2010 sci-fi sequel, and listening to it instantly immerses you in The Grid. The highlights are the two tracks in the middle of the track listing: “End Of Line” and “Derezzed.”

High Fidelity

You’d expect any movie about the influence and power of music to have an influential and powerful soundtrack, and that’s one of the many great aspects of Stephen Frears’ High Fidelity. As depicted in the film, “Dry The Rain” immediately instigates curiosity about The Beta Band; Bob Dylan’s “Most Of The Time” is used to brilliant effect as John Cusack’s Rob Gordon reflects on his greatest relationship in the pouring rain; and Jack Black’s performance of “Let’s Get It On” (as part of Barry Jive And The Uptown Five) is unforgettable.

The Social Network

Arguably the best movie of the 21st century partially earns that credit because it has arguably the best film score of the 21st century. The music for David Fincher’s The Social Network let the world know that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are among the best composers on the planet, and that was properly recognized with an Academy Award. The soundtrack sucks you in with “Hand Covers Bruise” leading to “In Motion,” and by the time "In the Hall of the Mountain King" hits, your mind is wholly blown.

Drive

Everything about Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive is a feast for the ears. The movie’s sound design and editing is genius, and there is a terrific blend of score and needle drops on the soundtrack. Composer to Cliff Martinez delivers an endlessly cool atmosphere, but the true MVPs here are "Nightcall" by Kavinsky feat/ Lovefoxxx, "A Real Hero" by Electric Youth College, and "Under Your Spell" by Desire.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Though Beck is the primary inspiration of the fictional band Sex Bob-Omb in Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and the source of some amazing original songs, the entire soundtrack is an wide-ranging wonder that at one moment rocks with The Black Lips'  “Katarina” but then hypnotizes with T. Rex's “Teenage Dream." It should also be noted that the cover of “Black Sheep” sung by Brie Larson is even better than the Metric recording.

The Graduate

Easily one of the most iconic soundtracks of all time is the music of Mike Nichols’ The Graduate – and there’s an argument that it’s one of the best albums of all time. “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson”, “April Come She Will,” and “Scarborough Fair/Canticle” by Simon & Garfunkel will forever be tied to the classic coming-of-age story of Dustin Hoffman’s Benjamin Braddock.

True Romance

How amazing is the soundtrack to Tony Scott’s True Romance? It only takes hearing a couple notes played on a marimba to identify Hans Zimmer’s “You’re So Cool” and reflect on one of the badass movies of the 1990s. The score is also brilliantly paired with the thumping beat of Nymphomania’s “I Want Your Body” (memorably used during the confrontation with Gary Oldman’s Drexl Spivey) and the soothing sounds of Robert Palmer's “(Love Is) The Tender Trap."

8 Mile

Eminem was at the height of his powers in 2002 when he starred in Curtis Hanson’s 8 Mile, and equally as anticipated as the semi-biographical film was the soundtrack that would accompany it. Fans were most definitely not disappointed, as the tracklist is outfitted with excellent Marshall Mathers originals (including “Lose Yourself” “8 Mile” and “Rabbit Run”) alongside killer contributions from D12, 50 Cent, Nas, and Macy Gray.

Star Wars

This list could be primarily populated with the music of John Williams, but Star Wars deserves special recognition if not simply because of how many of the tracks register as iconic. The blast of trumpets that start the film with the title card is by itself an important piece of cinema history, and everything that follows is magic.

Almost Famous

With a personal history that includes time as a writer and editor at Rolling Stone, Cameron Crowe knows a thing or two about music, and that deep knowledge is beautifully reflected in his semi-autobiographical hit Almost Famous. The soundtrack is a stellar arrangement of songs from some of the 20th century’s greatest artists, including Simon & Garfunkel, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Cat Stevens and David Bowie, but the most memorable track, of course, is Elton John's “Tiny Dancer."

The Shining

Would the opening helicopter shots of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining have anywhere near the same kind of impact if it weren’t for the blaring synth-heavy score from composer Wendy Carlos? The answer is an obvious, “no,” and the same can be said of the rest of the music she made for the beloved horror film. The impact that the music has on the atmosphere of The Overlook Hotel is incalculable and it perfectly ratchets up tension and horror as Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance further descends into madness.

Do The Right Thing

Spike Lee wastes no time musically telling the audience what Do The Right Thing is all about, kicking off the powerful 1989 film with Rosie Perez pumping her arms, shuffling her feet and jamming to the sound of Public Enemy's “Fight The Power." It sets the table for what is an all-around exceptional soundtrack with additional hits including Perri's “Feel So Good” and Guy's “My Fantasy."

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas

In Terry Gilliam’s fantastic adaptation of Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, dedicated fans of Gonzo legend Hunter S. Thompson will recognize hits directly mentioned in his beloved book, but the audible experience from the cinematic wonder also bends your mind with three wild Tomoyasu Hotei & Ray Cooper instrumental recordings and songs like "Mama Told Me Not to Come" by Three Dog Night and "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" by Bob Dylan.

(500) Days Of Summer

What are the songs for falling in and out of love? That’s a question that demands a subjective answer, but director Marc Webb and his collaborators do a pretty incredible job curating that experience with the soundtrack for (500) Days Of Summer. Two songs by The Smiths are the big standouts – “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” and “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” – but the eclectic track listing also features everything from The Black Lips, to Hall & Oates to Wolfmother.

Blade Runner

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is a visual spectacle, with the mind-blowing work of neo-futurist concept artist Syd Mead and the production team transporting audiences to a captivating vision of Los Angeles in the year 2019 – but taking the who experience to new levels is the dark, synth-centric score from Vangelis, which makes for a particularly special listen on a rainy day.

O Brother Where Art Thou

The soundtrack for Joel and Ethan Coen’s O Brother Where Art Thou would be included on this list if the only song it featured was The Soggy Bottom Boys’ “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” (performed by Dan Tyminski, Pat Enright, & Harley Allen), but the truth is that the entire film is filled with wonderful bluegrass, country and folk music that make for a gentle listen whenever the world is feeling stressful.

Shaft

The spectacular soundtrack for Gordon Parks’ Shaft is pure testament to the unyielding grooviness of Isaac Hayes. The “Theme From Shaft” is one of the greatest piece of movie music ever made, and the funky bass lines and horns in the score helps define Richard Roundtree’s titular detective as a king of cool.

Dazed And Confused

Released in 1993, Richard Linklater’s Dazed And Confused is recognized as one of the great films throwing back to the 1970s, and that’s accomplished through plot, costumes, production design, and definitely music. The legendary song that opens the film, Aerosmith's “Sweet Emotion," isn’t featured on the commercially released soundtrack, but the tracklist is packed with rock n’ roll royalty including Kiss, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Foghat and War.

Empire Records

Rex Manning Day (a.k.a. April 8) most definitely isn’t the only day that cinephiles should celebrate the soundtrack for Allan Moyle’s Empire Records. It’s an awesome ‘90s throwback with alternative rock from bands like The Cranberries and Better than Ezra, but it hits its peak with Track 15: Coyote Shivers' “Sugarhigh."

Kill Bill Vol. 1

Want to feel like the coolest person in the world? All you need to do is throw on a pair of headphones, put on Tomoyasu Hotei's “Battle Without Honor Or Humanity," and go for a walk. It’s the highlight of Quentin Tarantino’s perfect soundtrack for Kill Bill Vol. 1, but every chosen track is a proper brain-melter – from the whistling in Bernard Herrmann’s “Twisted Nerve” to the hyper trumpets of Al Hirt’s “Green Hornet.” Just be careful listening to “Woo Hoo” by The 5.6.7.8's, as it will get stuck in your head for days.

Guardians Of The Galaxy

There are many great scores and themes for superhero movies, with John Williams’ work on Superman: The Movie and Danny Elfman’s music for Batman being examples that immediately spring to mind, but James Gunn crafted something extraordinary with his collection of carefully curated needle drops in Guardians of The Galaxy. From “Come And Get Your Love” by Redbone to “O-o-h Child” by The Five Stairsteps, you can put this album on loop for hours and never grow sick of it.

Inside Llewyn Davis

Anyone who has watched Oscar Isaac in film or television knows that he is a talented actor, but Joel and Ethan Coen’s Inside Llewyn Davis adds a whole new dimension to the performer – showing that he can really sing. The whole soundtrack is a true folk music-laden treat, but I would challenge anybody to listen to “Please Mr. Kennedy” by Justin Timberlake, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver and not at least crack a smile.

Pulp Fiction

Many of the soundtracks listed here open with a bang, but in the fight to pick which one’s the best, it’s hard to vote against Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and the crazy guitar skills of Dick Dale demonstrated with “Misirlou.” The album keeps those surfer vibes going with The Tornadoes’ “Bustin Surfboards,” The Revels’ “Comanche,” and The Lively Ones’ “Surf Rider,” but also mixed in is great soulful tracks like Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," Kool & The Gang's "Jungle Boogie" and Dusty Springfield's "Son Of A Preacher Man."

Garden State

The legacy of Zach Braff’s Garden State is mixed one, but far less controversial is the film’s marvelous needle drops – the album it spawned very much earning the Grammy it won for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album. It’s a fascinating collection of cerebral indie rock with two tremendously well-utilized songs by The Shins (“Caring Is Creepy” and “New Slang”) living alongside Zero 7’s “In The Waiting Line,” Cary Brothers’ “Blue Eyes” and Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Only Living Boy In New York.”

A Hard Day’s Night

Director Richard Lester’s A Hard Day’s Night was an essential part of Beetlemania in the 1960s, with the soundtrack being their third studio album and a key part of their place in music history. It’s 60th anniversary will be celebrated in 2024, and the titular song along with “Can’t Buy Me Love” remain an indelible part of pop culture.

Footloose

A big part of the intention of Herbert Ross’ Footloose is trying to get audiences to get up and dance, and while part of that effort is accomplished with fun on-screen choreography, the other half is an outstanding soundtrack. Obviously the titular track by Kenny Loggins is the headlining song, but "Let's Hear It for the Boy" by Deniece Williams, "Bang Your Head” by Quiet Riot and "Hurts So Good" by John Mellencamp all get your pulse racing.

This Is Spinal Tap

It’s one thing to make a funny rock and roll mockumentary, but it’s a completely different thing to make a funny rock and roll mockumentary that also truly rocks. Rob Reiner’s This Is Spinal Tap is very much that, as the full soundtrack of songs (all written by Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Rob Reiner) is a roster of excellence – with standouts including “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight” and “Gimmie Some Money.”

Waiting To Exhale

In the 1990s, R&B was one of the biggest genres in the music world, and with Whitney Houston being a major force behind it, it’s no surprise that the soundtrack for Forest Whitaker’s Waiting To Exhale (starring Houston) plays like an all-star assembly. Toni Braxton, Aretha Franklin, Brandy, TLC, Mary J. Blige, and more showcase their remarkable voices in the compilation, and Houston’s song "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" ended up winning the Grammy for Best R&B Song.

Trainspotting

In addition to supporting a stunning film that is reflected on as one of the best of its decade, the soundtrack to Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting is an experience unto itself – taking audiences on a journey through genres and time. The impressive significance of the work is illustrated in the fact that the album inspired its very own sequel (which came out 20 years before the release of Danny Boyle’s cinematic sequel, T2: Trainspotting)

Pretty In Pink

New wave music, particularly in John Hughes scripted/produced films, has a way of transporting listeners back to the 1980s, and that’s certainly part of the magic of Pretty In Pink. The eponymous song from The Psychedelic Furs is well joined on the soundtrack by great bands like INXS, Echo & The Bunnymen, New Order, and The Smiths.

Velvet Goldmine

The soundtrack for Todd Haynes’ Velvet Goldmine doesn’t feature any tracks by David Bowie despite the fact that he was a major influence for the film, but the album is still a tremendous celebration of glam rock full of originals and covers – with music from Lou Reed, T. Rex, the New York Dolls and more.

A truly great soundtrack can turn a good film into an excellent film, and an excellent film into a classic, and all of the titles listed here prove that fact.

High school and college movies and TV shows are staples of cinema. Everyone loves them and some of our most beloved classics fit into one or the other group. Of course, if your school was anything like mine, most movies and TV shows are entirely unrealistic. That doesn’t make us love them any less, but it makes us wonder what the giveaway would be if we were living in a movie or TV show. 

Massive House Parties

Ok, so there were a few big house parties in my high school years, but not every weekend, and none like the ones you often see in movies. We certainly never had a band like Love Burger play like they (almost) did in the classic teen flick Can’t Hardly Wait. We also never had a bunch of bikers crash the party like Weird Science. The only realistic movie was Dazed & Confused when Pickford’s parents found out about the party in advance and shut down the whole thing. 

Magical Proms

I had a blast at both my junior and senior proms. But it was just a dance in a theater at my school with minimal decorations and water as the only refreshment. It wasn’t anything magical, like you see in movies, with decorations clearly done by crack set designers and big-time bands, like Chuck Berry’s cousin in Back to the Future we just had a crappy rent-a-DJ that played '80s hip hop. And don’t even get me started on the undercover “prom” in Footloose that looks like professional party planners spent weeks setting it up. Where did the money for all those balloons come from? And no one actually lost their virginity after prom, did they?

Everyone Looks 25 Years Old (Or Older) 

Did everyone who went to your high school look like they had to have “flunked about nine grades” like Carolyn Mumford in 16 Candles? Yeah, me neither. We didn’t have anyone who looked like he was stressed out about his mortgage payments like Dylan McKay, played by legendary Luke Perry, did on Beverly Hills, 90210, either. Did anyone at West Beverly look like high school kids? And I know Rizzo in Grease is supposed to be the wise, street-smart one, but she looks old enough to have done time in prison (she’s still my favorite character though and Stockard Channing is an American treasure). 

All The Parents Look 35 Years Old And Are Never Around

While all the kids look 25, all the parents look way too young to be their parents. Like, for example, Amy Poehler in Mean Girls, who was just 33 when playing Rachel McAdams' mother (McAdams was 26). Or they look way too old. And that’s when they are around! What is it with parents constantly being out of town during the school year in the movies. I wish my parents went on luxury vacations and left me free to run the house when I was a teenager, like Tom Cruise’s parents in Risky Business or Emma Stone’s parents in Superbad. I wish. 

Everyone Is Worried About The Main Characters’ Problems

We live in a world of people suffering from “main character syndrome” but in our world, no one really cares about the main character. On-screen, however, it’s all anyone seems to care about. Yes, this is a bit obvious, but does every student need to have an opinion on the main character’s problems like they do in teen movies? In Cruel Intentions, for example, the entire school seems to be caught up in Kathryn’s drama, right up until the end. 

All The Time In The World Between Classes

This one drives me the most nuts. When I was in school, we had 5 minutes between bells. That was five minutes to get up from class, get to your locker, grab your books, and be in your seat for the next class. How is it that kids seemingly have hours between classes? Sure, Not Another Teen Movie is just making fun of teen movies, but they spend more time in the hallway than actually in class. On Saved By The Bell, there never seemed to ever be a bell, just shenanigans in the stairwell! 

Classes Only Exist For The Last Five Minutes Of A Period

When kids actually do make it to class, those classes all seem to exist for only the last couple of minutes and teachers are forced to yell out the homework assignments over the bustle of everyone rushing to the hallway to hang out for a while. My teachers had watches, they knew when the bell was going to ring, why was the teacher in Dazed and Confused struggling to get out her point in the last seconds of the school year? Even Indiana Jones seemed to only teach for the final few minutes of class, even when his students loved him! 

Everyone Is Always Hanging Out In Front Of School In The Morning

Another trope that drives me nuts is how many kids are just hanging out in front of school before the first bell. If I was on time for school, I was just on time and I certainly wasn't tossing around a football or playing hacky sack on the steps of school waiting to go in. No one was. We were all rushing to get in on time. No one at my school would have been there to laugh at Billy when he showed up in his Trans Am in Billy Madison. There wouldn't have been dozens of girls to choose from when Laney Boggs is chosen in that terrible bet in She's All That, either. 

The New Kid Gets Introduced Before Every Class

How many times did you get a new kid join in the middle of the year? How many times did that kid get dramatically introduced in class? Never? Yeah, didn’t happen to me either. That would be torture for a new kid, yet there it is, all over high school movies and TV shows. Like the slow-mo walk-in for Christian in the Gen X classic  Clueless. They certainly weren’t embarrassed by the teacher like Josie in Never Been Kissed.

Over The Top Pronouncements Of Love

Nothing says “teen flick” like an overly dramatic gesture of love and while we all may think about doing it, no one actually stands outside someone’s house with a boombox like John Cusack in Say Anything or Heath Ledger singing with the school band in 10 Things I Hate About You. How did the band learn “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” so quickly anyway? Wouldn’t that take weeks of rehearsal? While we all love the way these scenes play out in movies, and they all bring a sweet tear to our eye, it’s never going to happen in real life, right?

Everyone Is In A Clique

Cliques exist in school, sure. There are the cool kids and the “math kids” and the football players and the greasers... ok, maybe not the greasers anymore. If your school’s cliques are so pronounced that everyone always sits at the same lunch table, every day, however, you need to evaluate if you’re living in an AI simulation of a movie. Mean Girls and Heathers have good examples of this in film,  but nowhere is this more clear, though less true, than the honest, realistic characters in The Breakfast Club mocking the whole idea as “A Brain... And An Athlete... And A Basket Case... A Princess... And A Criminal.” 

Everyone Fits A Stereotype

Speaking of cliques, another popular trope is that everyone in the movie fits exactly into one stereotype. Sure, it’s so movies can quickly develop a character. The jocks are always idiots, like in Revenge of the Nerds,  the cheerleaders are always mean, like Revenge of the Nerds and the good students are always nerds, as in Revenge of the Nerds. Well, I guess that movie is problematic for a few reasons (at least the nerds win). I don’t know about you, but when I was in school, the lines were way more blurred. The best athlete in my school was also student body president and starred in every musical. People don’t fit into boxes! 

Everyone Is In A Relationship

I don’t know about you, but the number of couples that were consistently together in my high school (and college for that matter), was pretty low. Mostly, it was a bunch of teenagers scamming each other and randomly hooking up at parties. In movies, however, it seems everyone is in a committed relationship, and those relationships are destined to last forever. From Marty McFly in Back to the Future to Ferris Bueller, everyone has found their soul mate. It’s no wonder because when we’re kids we all think love will last forever, though most of us find it more often it was fleeting when we look back. 

Your Freshman Year Roommate Is Your New BFF

I was friends with my freshman-year roommate in college for about a semester. We got along great, but as the year wore on, we found our social groups and our own friends. After freshman year, I don’t think we hung out once, while on TV like Max's breakout hit The Sex Lives of College Girls, everyone is immediately best friends with their roommates. The same thing happened when Denise Huxtable moved into her dorm on A Different World. It’s too bad we can’t all live with our best friends like they did. 

Everyone Is Dressed Like A Fashion Show

Yes, this too is a bit obvious, but just because the characters are on TV doesn’t mean they have to dress like they are going to a country club like the "richies" in Pretty In Pink, nor do even the most popular girls ever coordinate colors like Heathers and Mean Girls (those two sure have a lot in common). Most of the kids at my school showed up in tee shirts and jeans, once again, Dazed and Confused got this one right. 

Your Dorm Room Is As Big As An Apartment

This is another one that never seems to have any basis in reality. Again, I can point to The Sex Lives Of College Girls. Sure, it’s hilarious, but their dorm room in the first season is bigger than my first apartment. I barely had a closet, much less my own bathroom or a living room. In Gilmore Girls, Rory had not one, but two fireplaces in her dorm room at Yale. Although to be fair, that might actually be true of some of those old dorms at the Ivy League school, I wouldn’t know. 

You Show Up Alone For Your Freshman Year Of College

My mom took me to college. I was grateful to have her, even if I was embarrassed. I don’t don’t know anyone who showed up alone. It seems in movies, though, it’s pretty common for a freshman to just show up alone, usually with little in the way of stuff. In Every Wants Some! Jake shows up for school, by himself, with nothing, it seems, but one box and a small duffel bag, enough for a long weekend, but that’s about it. Traveling even lighter is Beca (Anna Kendrick) in Pitch Perfect. Not only does she arrive on campus by cab, she’s by herself with only one suitcase. That’s going to be a lot of trips to the laundry room. 

There are plenty of good reasons in the context of telling a good story for all of these tropes and weird occurrences for those living in movies and TV shows, and we don't really think of them much as we're watching. We keep streaming these teen movies and we love the characters, so odd things don't really stand out, but when you really think about how unrealistic things are sometimes, it can get bizarre. So be grateful you're living in the real world! 

I’m a big fan of dance movies. Have been for a while, always will be. Whether that be the Step Up series or Flashdance, I’ve always loved the genre because they take me back to a time where all I wanted to do was get up and move. But there’s one film that rules over all of them, and that’s Footloose. No, I’m not talking about the 1984 version. I’m talking about the 2011 remake: the superior version in my mind. 

I know what you’re thinking: “This uncultured swine! How dare she say that the redo is better than the classic!” All is fair in what you think and how you feel, but there are many reasons as to why I love the 2011 Footloose so much more than the 1984 movie, and today, we’re going to get into it.  

No Disrespect To The Original Soundtrack, But I Like The New One More

The original soundtrack from the 1984 version of Footloose is a banger. There’s a reason why the movie was later on turned into a full-on Broadway musical. Also, several of the songs from the first movie were also in the remake, and Kenny Loggins’ version of Footloose will always be superior to Blake Shelton’s.

That being said, there’s just something about the new songs in 2011’s Footloose that make me want to get up and dance more. I love the song “Where The River Goes,” and I have “Fake I.D.” blasting on my phone literally every single day (and I don’t even like country music). Another one I also personally enjoy is “Dance The Night Away,” because – surprise, surprise – I always want to dance the night away whenever I listen to it.

Again, I’m not saying the music from the original movie is bad, because it’s not. There are some brilliant songs from there that I still listen to on a constant basis, such as “Holding Out For A Hero” and “Let’s Hear It For The Boy.” But the 2011 version just ticked a little more with my ears, so that’s why I rate it a little higher. 

The Story From The Original Was Made Better With Modern Touches

The story in both versions of Footloose is identical. A city kid moves into a small town and finds out that dance and music is banned because the local reverend thinks it leads to “evil things,” so the kids decide to rebel. 

There’s really not much changed from the actual plot of the movie in the remake, and to an extent, I appreciate that. I like that they kept it in line with what you would expect from a Footloose movie so that nothing is too surprising. What makes it better is that while it's the same narrative, it's improved upon with modern touches. 

I’m talking about the additions of modern-day dancing – such as the hip-hop/country infused line dance of “Fake I.D.,” or the dancing out near the race track which wasn’t really featured that much in the original. The usage of modern-day appliances like iPods and headphones make it feel like the 1984 version just got transported to a modern-day world. 

I Also Like The New Cast More

The original Footloose cast is full of talent. Obviously there's Kevin Bacon, but there are plenty of other great actors who are featured in that have gone on to have impressive careers, such as the amazing John Lithgow, the wonderful Sarah Jessica Parker, the late Chris Penn and so many others. They are extremely talented. 

But again, it’s a case of “different generations, different actors,” and I adore the actors in this adaptation of Footloose. Specifically, Julianne Hough is freaking awesome as Ariel Moore. She still has the character's sweet attitude but has added-on flair that makes her so much fun to watch on screen. And obviously her dance moves are fantastic. 

Another person I love from the main cast is Miles Teller. While he’s been getting bigger the last few years, with him being a part of Top Gun: Maverick and The Offer cast, this was one of the first movies I ever saw him in and he is terrific as Willard. He is goofy but good-hearted and he plays is perfectly. Even Dennis Quad as Reverend Shaw Moore is an excellent casting decision.

The Dance Scenes Feel Cleaner And Better Choreographed

Whenever I talk to people about 2011’s Footloose, the one thing they always bring up is that the dancing is amazing. While 1984’s Footloose was revolutionary in many ways, I think the dancing is better in the remake. 

Not only are there different varieties of dancing, but it’s just better choreographed. Everyone feels so much more in sync, and the skilled performers make the movie that much more entertaining. On a more personal note, this movie’s dancing meant so much to me that I started to learn how to dance like the characters because I thought it looked so cool. To this day I still know the line dances and dance moves.

The film made me want to become a dancer, and I have no regrets about saying that the dancing is just better. 

I Love Kevin Bacon As Ren McCormack – But Kenny Wormald Did A Great Job Too

I will be the first to say that Kevin Bacon as Ren McCormack is another level of perfect casting. It’s hard to replace him and find someone suitable. 

There were several actors who were attached to the role of Ren when the 2011 Footloose was announced, including Zac Efron, and even Chace Crawford from the Gossip Girl cast (or from The Boys, depending on when you discovered him). But the role ultimately went to Kenny Wormald after the two actors before had to leave due to conflicting projects, and does a great job. 

Kenny Wormald has mainly kept to smaller roles since Footloose, appearing in other dance movies (since he is a professional dancer) and minor parts in shows like Fear the Walking Dead, but he is great as Ren. He brings the swag that the protagonist needs as well as the charming smile and the dance moves. Kevin Bacon has a certain charismatic edge over Wormald's version, but he does a standout job all the same.

While we can all like what we’re going to like, I’ll still stand by my thoughts and say I enjoy the 2011 Footloose a heck of a lot more. If you’ve never had the chance to see the remake, be sure to check it out. You’ll have a fun time – and all you'll need to watch it right this instant is a Paramount+ subscription.  

Stream Footloose on Paramount Plus.
Rent/Buy Footloose on Amazon.

There are certain genres of movies that are always there to get you up on your feet. I always love musicals for that, but there’s another genre that I’ve become quite a fan of, and that is dance movies. There are some great ones streaming right now, and in honor of Magic Mike’s Last Dance, we’re going to talk about the best dance movies that you can check out right now. 

Step Up (2006)

Released in 2006 as the first movie in the Step Up franchise, this film, starring Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan, tells the story of a rebel student and a ballet dancer pairing up for a dance showcase after they meet while the rebel is doing community service. But, as they dance together, they find a lot of common ground. The film was arguably one of the best in the Step Up franchise, and also led to Tatum and Dewan being married for several years. 

Rent/Buy Step Up on Amazon.

Cabaret (1972)

One of the most classic dance movies there is, Cabaret stars Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles, a cabaret singer in 1931 who enters into a romance that is doomed to fail from the start, due to her lover's questions about his own sexuality. The musical/dance film was directed by Bob Fosse, who is known for choreographing some of the most famous musicals of all time, so you know that this dance movie is going to be stellar from the start. 

Stream Cabaret on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Cabaret on Amazon.

Magic Mike (2012) 

Another dance movie starring Channing Tatum, Magic Mike is all about Mike Lane, who works as a roofer during the day, but at night, he works as a male stripper to make extra money. Soon, he starts to teach others the way of the life of a male stripper – while also dealing with relationship troubles at the same time. The film itself has one sequel already – Magic Mike XXL – and is set to have another coming out in 2023, Magic Mike’s Last Dance.

Stream Magic Mike on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Magic Mike on Apple TV+.

All That Jazz (1979)

Released in 1979, All That Jazz, also directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, is a semi-autobiographical dance film, which is based on the life of Fosse himself, and details his life as a choreographer, dancer, and a storyteller. While it’s not the most dramatic out of many of these features, it does offer some really excellent dance sequences by one of the kings of dance. 

Stream All That Jazz on Crackle.

Chicago (2002)

Arguably one of the best movies on here, Chicago is a movie musical that details the story of Roxie and Velma, two murderers who end up in jail together and become rivals for public affection, both trying to use their newfound fame to their advantage. Chicago is an excellent movie and one of the only musical films to win the Academy Award for Best Picture – and it truly, has some outstanding dance sequences that will make you want to get off your feet. 

Stream Chicago on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Chicago on Amazon.

Flashdance (1983)

What a feeling! Flashdance is one of the best movies from the 1980s (memed in so many ways), in my opinion, and stars the lovely Jennifer Beals. This iconic film combines elements of romance and drama with excellent dance sequences as we follow a young dancer who is aiming to become a ballerina, and is doing everything in her power to succeed and get to the level she wants. Combining different elements of dance, such as both ballet, breakdancing ,and more, this is one of the best dance movies out there. 

Stream Flashdance on Pluto TV.
Rent/Buy Flashdance on Amazon.

Black Swan (2009)

If you’re looking for something that has a lot more thrilling aspects to it, be sure to check out Black Swan. While not strictly categorized as a dance movie like many of the others on this list, it follows the story of a ballerina and her need to be utterly perfect, going to drastic lengths in order to do so. If you want a movie with expert ballet scenes, this is the one to look at. The film was heavily praised by critics, and stars Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, and more. It also won Portman the Academy Award for Best Actress. 

Rent/Buy Black Swan on Amazon.

Strictly Ballroom (1992)

Released in 1992 and directed by Baz Luhrmann, the man behind Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby, and Elvis in 2022, Strictly Ballroom is based on the stage play of the same name, following Scott Hastings, an Australian ballroom dancer who comes from a family of ballroom dancers, but because he dances differently than everyone else, he is outcast by ballroom dancing professionals. He takes matters into his own hands and ends up partnering with a beginner in order to show the world that his style of dancing can also be ballroom dancing. 

Stream Strictly Ballroom on Paramount Plus.
Rent/Buy Strictly Ballroom on Amazon.

Dirty Dancing (1987)

We can’t have a dance movie list and not include Dirty Dancing. The iconic 1980s movie, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, follows Frances Houseman, otherwise known as “Baby,” who ends up going on a vacation. But, while she’s there, she learns about the beauty of dance while also falling in love with the dance instructor, aiming to be in the talent show that the resort holds every year. Dirty Dancing is probably one of the most known dancing films out there, so if you’ve never seen it, be sure to watch – at least just for the ending talent show. 

Rent/Buy Dirty Dancing on Amazon.

Footloose (1984/2011)

While both versions of Footloose are on here, they have the same premise. Footloose details the story of the new kid in town, Ren McCormack, who just loves to dance, but this new town has forbidden it. However, the teenagers begin a revolution to bring dancing back to their area, one party at a time. The 1984 version is the original, but the 2011 film features some more modern music – and more stars you might recognize, like Miles Teller and Julianne Hough. However, the original stars Kevin Bacon – and you can’t get better than that. 

Rent/Buy the 1984 Footloose on Amazon.
Rent/Buy the 2011 Footloose on Amazon.

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

One of John Travolta’s most popular films is Saturday Night Fever. Released one year before Grease (a movie I think people are wrong about), another very big hit for Travolta, this dance drama tells the story of Tony Manero, an Italian-American from Brooklyn who spends his weekends dancing away, even though on the outside, he feels trapped by where he comes from and what he does for work. Dancing is one of the only ways he can feel free, and you’ll be wanting to get up and dance, too – and you can’t help but love that opening scene. 

Stream Saturday Night Fever on Paramount Plus.
Rent/Buy Saturday Night Fever on Amazon.

Center Stage (2000)

If you’re looking for a teen drama, Center Stage is the one for you. This film, directed by Nicholas Hytner, features the stories of ballet students who enroll at a fictional New York City school that centers on the art of dance. Even if they have gotten into their dream school and are being given the chance to perform at center stage, however, there are still plenty of problems that come with stepping into the spotlight in the world of professional dance. The film also features the debuts of Zoe Saldaña and Amanda Schull, and features other actors such as Donna Murphy, Peter Gallagher, and more. 

Rent/Buy Center Stage on Amazon.

Save The Last Dance (2001)

Starring Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas, Save the Last Dance is a well-known dance film that details the story of an interracial couple working together to help Stiles’ character, Sara, get into Juilliard. But despite it all, there are still problems that arise, and plenty of issues that the two have to overcome in order for dance to truly be a part of her life again after the passing of her mother, and moving to a whole new environment. It was a huge hit for Julia Stiles at the time of release. 

Stream Save the Last Dance on Paramount Plus.
Rent/Buy Save the Last Dance on Amazon.

Billy Elliot (2000)

Last but not least, we take a look at Billy Elliot, a coming of age dramedy that featured some excellent dancing. The movie, starring Jamie Bell, is about a young boy who discovers his love for ballet dancing, and will do anything to achieve his goal of becoming a ballet dancer despite his father’s negative perceptions of it. The film is adapted from a play called Dancer, and is so much fun, featuring some really entertaining dance scenes, that it was eventually turned into a successful Broadway musical. 

Rent/Buy Billy Elliot on Amazon.

These are just a handful of some of the excellent dance movies that you can check out on streaming right now. And I’m sure that as soon as you watch them, you’ll be wanting to get up and dance, too.

For more than a century, Paramount Pictures has given the world some of the best movies of all time with franchises like Mission: Impossible, the Star Trek movies, and countless others bringing audiences to crowded theaters time and time again. The impact of the iconic studio’s stunning films can still be felt today in the age of streaming with a subscription to Paramount+, which is chock-full of countless classics and hidden gems that are hard to find on other streaming platforms. To help make your selection of what to watch easier, the following are our picks for the best movies on Paramount+ at the moment.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

During World War II, a modestly sized crew of American soldiers must risk their lives to find a young private after he becomes the sole surviving son of his family. While Steven Spielberg fortunately earned acknowledgement from the Academy for his captivating direction of Saving Private Ryan, many still believe this heart-wrenchingly realistic portrayal of war starring Tom Hanks deserved a Best Picture Oscar as well.

Stream Saving Private Ryan on Paramount+.

Galaxy Quest (1999)

A washed-up actor (Tim Allen) and his former co-stars (including Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman) are given the chance to be real heroes by friendly aliens who believe their canceled, cult sci-fi series was real. Considered a fun cult favorite itself these days, Galaxy Quest is a clever satire of Trekkie culture, but also with all the thrills of the best Star Trek movies and TV shows, that hopefully gets a sequel someday.

Stream Galaxy Quest on Paramount+.

The Beverly Hills Cop Movies (1983-1994)

Eddie Murphy first headlined a film on his own as Axel Foley – a Detroit-based detective who frequently finds himself chasing criminals in the Golden State – in Beverly Hills Cop and would reprise the role in two more action-packed comedies. All three Beverly Hills Cop movies (which have a fourth installment in the works) are currently available to stream on Paramount+. 

Stream the Beverly Hill Cops movies on Paramount+.

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)

A pair of infamous outlaws (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) find themselves on the run after a train robbery gone wrong in early 1900s Wyoming. Winner of four Academy Awards (including for the iconic original song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of the most exciting westerns and buddy adventure stories of all time.

Stream Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on Paramount+.

Beavis And Butt-Head Do America (1996)

Two brainless teenagers (both voiced by co-writer and director Mike Judge) travel across the country in search of their stolen TV and unwittingly get wrapped up in an FBI manhunt along the way. Before you see the titular infantile icons return in Paramount+’s “very stupid, but very funny” sci-fi comedy Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe, be sure to check out their first star-studded, smarter-than-it-seems feature length adventure, Beavis and Butt-Head Do America.

Stream Beavis and Butt-Head Do America on Paramount+.

Charlotte’s Web (1973)

A wise spider (Debbie Reynolds) and her barnyard animal friends try to help prevent an innocent, young pig (Henry Gibson) from suffering an early fate as a breakfast table item. Based on the classic, inspiring book by E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web is a delightful, animated musical film the whole family can enjoy.

Stream Charlotte’s Web on Paramount+.

Mission: Impossible Movies (1996-2018)

Tom Cruise has been risking life and limb (literally) to play daredevil secret agent Ethan Hunt for six movies now (with two more installments in the works as we speak). Excluding the third chapter from 2006, you can watch all of the Mission: Impossible movies so far in order now on Paramount+.

Stream the Mission: Impossible movies on Paramount+.

Face/Off (1997)

In order to prevent an impending attack, a burdened FBI agent (John Travolta) undergoes a revolutionary procedure to assume the identity of his comatose arch nemesis (Nicolas Cage), who suddenly wakes up and turns the tables by wearing his face. Director John Woo gets breathtaking performances out of his main leads in Face/Off – one of the craziest and most fun action thrillers of the ‘90s that has a sequel in the works from Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett.

Stream Face/Off on Paramount+.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

A rebellious, fourth wall-breaking teen (Matthew Broderick) decides to skip school and show his best friend (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend (Mia Sara) a good time in Chicago, putting them under suspicion of their ruthless principal. John Hughes wrote and directed some of the most insightful and simply best high school movies ever made, but Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is easily the most cleverly hilarious and thoroughly joyful of that bunch.

Stream Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on Paramount+.

Into The Wild (2007)

A college graduate (Emile Hirsch) decides to abandon all of his belongings and his life in favor of a cross-country hitch-hike to Alaska. Based on the non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer documenting the tragic true story of Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild is a beautifully told, wonderfully acted, and even inspiring adventure from writer and director Sean Penn.

Stream Into the Wild on Paramount+.

The Sonic The Hedgehog Movies (2020-2022)

A lightning-fast, blue animal (Ben Schwartz) enlists the help of a cop (James Marsden) and, later, a speedy fox (Colleen O’Shaughnessy) to help defeat an eccentric scientist (Jim Carrey) and, later, his own furry ally (Idris Elba). Director Jeff Fowler’s Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the few movies based on a video game to score big with audiences of all ages and spawn an almost equally beloved follow-up.

Stream the Sonic the Hedgehog movies on Paramount+.

Grease (1978)

A bad boy teen (John Travolta) and a meek Australian girl (Olivia Newton-John) fall in love and try to change for one another in 1950s California. Based on the Tony-nominated stage production of the same name, Grease is one of the most exhilarating and romantic movie musicals of all time and has a Paramount+ original TV spin-off in the works.

Stream Grease on Paramount+.

The Addams Family Movies (1991-1993)

The patriarch (Raul Julia) of an eccentric and morbidly inclined family is delighted by the surprise return of his brother (Christopher Lloyd) and, later, by the announcement that his wife (Anjelica Huston) is having a baby. Director Barry Sonnenfeld’s dazzling comedies The Addams Family and Addams Family Values both provide a gold standard for how to adapt beloved properties such as the creepy and kooky clan for live-action cinema.

Stream the Addams Family movies on Paramount+.

The Fighter (2010)

An aspiring prize fighter (Mark Wahlberg) from Boston is mentored by his older half-brother (Christian Bale) – a well-known former boxer himself consumed by his own destructive habits. Bale received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar and Melissa Leo also received a win for Best Supporting Actress for one of David O. Russell’s most gripping dramas, The Fighter, which is inspired by the true story of boxer Micky Ward.

Stream The Fighter on Paramount+.

A Fish Called Wanda (1994)

The unlikely team-up of four master thieves quickly turns into a bitter rivalry as they all try to trick each other out of the loot from a jewel heist. Monty Python star John Cleese co-wrote and co-starred in one of the smartest and funniest crime movies of its time, A Fish Called Wanda – which is also one of the best Jamie Lee Curtis movies outside of her horror reputation.

Stream A Fish Called Wanda on Paramount+.

Planes, Trains And Automobiles (1987)

An advertising executive (Steve Martin) is forced to travel from New York City with a talkative, bumbling shower curtain ring salesman (John Candy) in an attempt to make it home to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving. Writer and director John Hughes crafted the ultimate road trip disaster movie with Planes, Trains and Automobiles, which is also one of Steve Martin’s best movies.

Stream Planes, Trains and Automobiles on Paramount+.

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

A cunning young man (Matt Damon) poses as the friend of a former Princeton student (Jude Law) and is initially successful, until the ruse takes a deadly turn, in 1950s Italy. One of the most gripping, unique, and simply best Matt Damon movies is The Talented Mr. Ripley – director Anthony Minghella’s winning adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel. 

Stream The Talented Mr. Ripley on Paramount+.

Clerks (1994)

A disillusioned convenience store employee (Brian O’Halloran) is forced to work on his day off, during which he contemplates the state of his life as a whole. Writer and director Kevin Smith made a surprisingly huge impact on the world of indie film with Clerks — his hilarious, poignant, and influential debut shot on the cheap in black and white.

Stream Clerks on Paramount+.

The A Quiet Place Movies (2018, 2021)

In a world overrun by vicious, extra-terrestrial beasts that track their prey purely by sound, a family struggles to keep things silent at their homemade safe haven which they are later forced to abandon. Real-life couple John Krasinski and Emily Blunt lead A Quiet Place — a brazenly intense and clever post-apocalyptic family drama that spawned an equally impressive sequel, both of which Krasinski also directed.

Stream A Quiet Place on Paramount+.
Stream A Quiet Place Part II on Paramount+.

48 Hrs. (1982)

A grizzled veteran detective (Nick Nolte) is forced to team up with a fast-talking parolee (Eddie Murphy) on a two-day manhunt. Witness Murphy’s instant transformation into a movie star in director Walter Hill’s 48 Hrs. — the ultimate buddy cop comedy.

Stream 48 Hrs. on Paramount+. 

The Jackass Movies (2002-2022)

A group of intrepid and immature people subject themselves to stunts and high-wire visual gags of varying consequence. After hitting it big with the Jackass series on MTV, Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, and others continued to embarrass and torture themselves for our enjoyment with a hit movie franchise whose second installment is, unfortunately, not available on Paramount+ at the moment.

Stream the Jackass Movies on Paramount+.

Top Gun (1986)

An ace naval pilot (Tom Cruise) finds himself falling for one of his instructors (Kelly McGillis) at an elite training facility. From Tony Scott’s visceral action direction, iconic original songs, and captivating romantic plot, it is easy to see how Top Gun became the highest grossing film of 1986.

Stream Top Gun on Paramount+.

There Will Be Blood (2007)

An oil tycoon (Daniel Day-Lewis) comes into opposition of a young preacher (Paul Dano) and other citizens of a small California town as he steadily pushes himself on a path of both success and self-destruction. Day-Lewis won his second Academy Award for his chilling performance in There Will Be Blood — writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson’s gripping period piece partially inspired by Upton Sinclair’s Oil!

Stream There Will Be Blood on Paramount+.

Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)

A bright, posh socialite (Audrey Hepburn) attracts the attention of a gentleman (George Peppard) who recently moved into her apartment building in New York City. Very loosely based on the novella by Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of the most beloved romantic comedies and one of Hollywood’s most iconic titles in general.

Stream Breakfast at Tiffany’s on Paramount+.

Scream (2022)

Two generations of Woodsboro natives are forced to come together to solve the mystery of who is behind the Ghostface mask this time when a new string of brutal murders begin to happen. Filmmaking collective Radio Silence made what some agree is the best Scream movie since Wes Craven’s 1996 original with this commentary on the recent trend of horror movie “requels.”

Stream Scream on Paramount+.

Interstellar (2014)

A former scientist (Matthew McConaughey) and others embark on a journey across time and space to find a new home for mankind as Earth reaches the brink of uninhabitability. Also one of the best Jessica Chastain movies, Interstellar is one of writer and director Christopher Nolan’s most visually stunning and ambitious sci-fi blockbusters.

Stream Interstellar on Paramount+.

The Kid (1921)

There are few figures from the olden days of Hollywood who are as recognizable as Charlie Chaplin. Watch where it all started for the silent film star in 1921’s The Kid, a masterpiece about a tramp and a young orphan who strike up a unique and unbreakable bond.

Stream The Kid on Paramount+.

The Star Trek Movies (1979 - 2013)

You can’t watch all of the Star Trek movies on Paramount+, but the streaming service does feature 10 films from the franchise, which should be more than enough to hold any Trekkie over while we wait to find out what’s coming next for the series.

Stream The Star Trek Movies on Paramount+.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Steven Spielberg’s excellent 2002 crime drama Catch Me If You Can sees Leonardo DiCaprio take on the role of real-life con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. as he becomes one of the most infamous criminals of the 20th Century, all while Tom Hanks’ Carl Hanratty is hot on his tail.

Stream Catch Me If You Can on Paramount+.

Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead is one of the best horror movies of all time and just so happens to be one of the most readily available. See how it all began for the modern zombie genre in this black-and-white feature about a small group of survivors trying to survive the night (and each other) in a small farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania.

Stream Night of the Living Dead on Paramount+.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movies (2004 - 2021)

A square, yellow sea sponge (Tom Kenny) races to save his hometown from an evil fast food restaurateur (twice) and, later, journeys to the Lost City of Atlantis in search of his pet snail, Gary. Check out Nickelodeon’s most iconic and beloved animated character in his first two big screen adventures and his third feature-length outing, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, which was released exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States.

Stream The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie on Paramount+.
Stream The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water on Paramount+.
Stream The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run on Paramount+.

This may seem like a ton of movies, but this list barely scratches the surface of all the great titles featured on Paramount+. If you want even more streaming options after reading about all these great films, take a look at our lists on the best movies on Netflix and best Amazon Prime movies, both of which are updated regularly. 

It’s been an especially great summer for Miles Teller, as the actor reclaimed his heartthrob status as a mustachioed, aviator-wearing pilot in Top Gun: Maverick, the No. 1 movie of 2022 thus far. As Teller becomes a key character in the “Danger Zone” of Paramount’s successful action flick, we reminded him Maverick isn’t the only movie Kenny Loggins has soundtracked, and he wasn’t shy about declaring himself to be in the Loggins “fan club.” 

When CinemaBlend sat down with Miles Teller for Top Gun: Maverick, our own Sean O’Connell pointed out to the actor he was also in the Footloose remake back in 2011, where the Kenny Loggins tune was spun for a version sung by Blake Shelton. Teller said this about the funny connection between two of his films: 

As Teller told us, he’s all in on Kenny Loggins. At the time, he was already planning to see the singer in concert at the Hollywood Bowl in a show he’s doing with Jim Messina, which is taking place next month. It sounds like Teller is a real fan of the singer behind “Danger Zone” in Top Gun and many other soundtracks and pieces of music. 

While Kenny Loggins' work in Top Gun is among the most iconic movie songs today, Loggins recently reflected on having a lot of competition to get on the soundtrack to the classic. When he and a ton of artists were invited to see the film though, he became attached to Top Gun's volleyball scene and decided to use “Playing With The Boys” as his way in. It led to him becoming the singer on “Danger Zone.” 

Loggins' memorable Top Gun song was featured in Maverick along with Lady Gaga’s exclusive track for the film, "Hold my Hand," which has a double meaning within the movie. The singer is certainly a legend, and Miles Teller is a massive fan of not only Kenny Loggins, but ‘80s music. While his other dip into ‘80s pop culture, Footloose, was not nearly as big as Top Gun: Maverick, it was overall enjoyed by the masses and made over double its production budget. 

Although Miles Teller and the rest of the Maverick cast had to wait two more years for the movie to hit theaters than they expected, Maverick's success has been well worth it. Along with the movie pleasing audiences (and blowing them away with its stunts), it has been a huge commercial hit and one of few studio movies to really bring audiences back to movie theaters in droves. Plus, there’s definitely more people joining the Kenny Loggins fan club! 

There are only so many movies that fall under the category of “musical,” but most movies do have a musical element to them that lends much to their timelessness. I am not specifically talking about film scores here, but of the catchy and powerful pop hits that have accompanied some of cinema’s iconic moments - most of which were written specifically for the movie and helped launch its popularity, and vice versa. The stories behind how these iconic movie songs came to be (and other intriguing relative facts) are almost as fascinating as the films they appear in.

"Writing's On The Wall" - Sam Smith (Spectre)

While co-writing "Writing's on the Wall" -- from 2015's Spectre -- brought him great success -- including the Best Original Song Oscar -- Sam Smith does not enjoy singing his James Bond theme. Before singing the song for an audience for the first time on The Graham Norton Show, the Grammy winner revealed that he was "dreading" that very performance because it requires him to hit such a painfully high note. He then joked he would have to "grab [his] balls" to achieve the right pitch. 

“Danger Zone” - Kenny Loggins (Top Gun)

The secret as to why the opening scene of Top Gun - the highest grossing film of 1986 - is so unforgettable is the accompaniment of the infectious rock hit “Danger Zone,” which was composed and produced by Giogio Moroder with lyrics from Tom Whitlock. Vocalist Kenny Loggins recalled to MovieWeb that the film’s director, the late Tony Scott, also helmed the song’s music video, which was rare for a major Hollywood filmmaker to do at the time.

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” - B.J. Thomas (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid)

Of the four Academy Awards that the seminal western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid earned in 1970, one of them was for its equally seminal original song, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head.” While the iconic track was memorably sung by B.J. Thomas, the late singer revealed in an interview for The Tennessean that co-writer Burt Bacharach approached folk legend Bob Dylan about singing the vocals. 

“Moon River” - Audrey Hepburn (Breakfast At Tiffany’s)

Composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics from Johnny Mercer, “Moon River” became a unique standout after its appearance in the classic romantic-comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s as sung by its star, Audrey Hepburn, who was not known as a singer at the time. According to The Telegraph (via Southern Living), that is why Paramount Pictures’ then-president, Barney Balaban, wanted to remove the song from the 1961 adaptation of Truman Capote’s novel, but Hepburn said that would only happen over her dead body.

“Lose Yourself” - Eminem (8 Mile)

Seventeen years after it won the Oscar for Best Original Song for its appearance in 8 Mile, Eminem took the stage at the 2020 Academy Awards for a surprise performance of his powerful track, “Lose Yourself.” Co-writer Jeff Bass told Billboard in 2017 that it took roughly a year to complete the song, partly because it was not until after receiving Scott Silver’s script that the rapper (born Marshall Mathers) began developing the autobiographical lyrics.

“Theme From Shaft” - Isaac Hayes (Shaft)

Isaac Hayes became the first Black man to ever win a music Oscar for the theme song of the 1971 Blaxploitation classic, Shaft. In 2000, the late musician-turned actor told NPR that, after he was hired to score the film, he requested to audition for the title role before it went to Richard Roundtree.

“Fight The Power” - Public Enemy (Do The Right Thing)

One of the most striking hits in the history of rap music is Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” which got a lot of exposure in writer, director, and star Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. According to an oral history by Rolling Stone, Lee wanted the “anthem” for his influential, and still socially relevant, 1989 classic to be a hip-hop rendition of the iconic hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing” as performed by the rap group, until co-writer Hank Shocklee of the Bomb Squad suggested making something new that would “resonate on the street level.”

“Don’t You (Forget About Me)” - Simple Minds (The Breakfast Club)

According to a Guardian article written by lead singer Jim Kerr, Simple Minds initially turned down the offer to perform “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” for John Hughes’ influential teen dramedy, The Breakfast Club until the song’s writer, Keith Forsey, spent some time with the band and they hit it off. Kerr also improvised the “la, la-la-la-la” at the end and planned to incorporate real lyrics later, but Forsey insisted it should stay.

“Mrs. Robinson” - Simon & Garfunkel (The Graduate)

In an interview for The Game 365, Paul Simon recalled a time he happened to spot Joe DiMaggio - who is mentioned in the Grammy-winning song from The Graduate - at a restaurant, approached him, and was questioned why the song asks where the baseball legend has gone. The singer-songwriter explained that the namedrop in “Mrs. Robinson” was a nod to a seeming absence of great American heroes at the time, which DiMaggio was then flattered by.

“St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion)” - John Parr (St. Elmo’s Fire)

The ultimate film from the “Brat Pack” era would have to be director Joel Schumacher’s star-studded 1985 drama, St. Elmo’s Fire, for which John Parr wrote and performed the theme song. When speaking to NPR, the British musician revealed the unlikely source for the lyrics to “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion),” which has little to do with the actual plot of the film, but with the inspirational story of a wheelchair-using Olympian from Canada named Rick Hansen.

“See You Again” - Wiz Khalifa Feat. Charlie Puth (Furious 7)

Charlie Puth told Entertainment Weekly that he wrote the chorus for the Oscar-nominated “See You Again” in 10 minutes while thinking of a friend of his who had passed in a similar way to Paul Walker. The actor’s untimely death in 2013, caused by a car crash, inspired Universal to approach Puth to pen a song for the end of Furious 7, which pays tribute to Walker.

“Shallow” - Lady Gaga And Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born)

While having a more romantic meaning in the context of the story from 2018’s A Star is Born, Lady Gaga told Variety that she believes the popularity of “Shallow” stems from a more serious real-world topic. She said that, in the wake of the #MeToo movement, the content of the Oscar-winning hit’s lyrics being a conversation between a man and a woman who are connecting and openly listening to each other is “why people cry when they hear it.”

“(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” - Bill Medley, Jennifer Warnes (Dirty Dancing)

The Dirty Dancing cast played writer Franke Previte’s original demo of “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” while filming the iconic ending performance, which was also the first scene they shot. Previte told American Songwriter that star Patrick Swayze later thanked him at the Oscars for the on-set camaraderie that the demo provided them.

“Eye Of The Tiger” - Survivor (Rocky III)

Survivor guitarist and “Eye of the Tiger” co-writer, Jim Peterik, revealed to Songfacts that Sylvester Stallone initially wanted to use “Another One Bites the Dust” in the montage where the song appears in Rocky III. When he could not get Queen’s permission, he hired the ‘80s rock outfit, who originally thought to call the Oscar-nominated power ballad “Survival,” which would have been the last word of the chorus to rhyme with the lyric “rising up to the challenge of our rival.”

“Ghostbusters” - Ray Parker Jr. (Ghostbusters)

With only a few days given to complete the Ghostbusters theme song (the film itself was conceived, shot, and released within a year), Ray Parker Jr. struggled with the lyrics, especially with figuring how to incorporate the title, as he recalled on an episode of Netflix’s The Movies That Made Us. His breakthrough came when the titular paranormal exterminators’ TV ad in the film reminded him of bug exterminator commercials and inspired him to lead into the famous “Ghostbusters!” shout with the equally iconic phrase “Who you gonna call?”

“Stayin’ Alive” - Bee Gees (Saturday Night Fever)

According to ProCPR.org, a study proved that CPR trainees can maintain the technique at the recommended momentum of 100-120 compressions per minute even more effectively while listening (or singing aloud) to the Bee Gees hit which opens the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. How fitting that a song called “Stayin’ Alive” really can help save lives.

“Purple Rain” - Prince And The Revolution (Purple Rain)

The title song from the soundtrack for Purple Rain was originally recorded by Prince and The Revolution during their live performance of it in the movie’s final scene, which was also the first time the band ever played it on stage. Alan Light, who wrote a book about the making of the 1984 film called Let’s Go Crazy, assured NPR that only minimal editing was applied to the track as it appears on the album, such as the omission of a verse and few notes in Prince’s guitar solo.

“9 To 5” - Dolly Parton (9 To 5)

According to Biography, Dolly Parton agreed to star in the 1980 comedy 9 to 5 on the condition that she could also write the theme song. The country music legend came up with its baseline (which resembles the sound of a typewriter) on the set while strumming her acrylic fingernails in between takes, which is why “Nails by Dolly” can be found in the soundtrack credits.

“Kiss From A Rose” - Seal (Batman Forever)

While it is impossible to separate “Kiss From a Rose” from Batman Forever, the song was not originally written for the superhero film and, in fact, Seal wrote it in 1987 - years before he was even signed to a label, according to People. In response to Joel Schumacher’s passing in 2020, Seal posted an Instagram video recalling how the director’s inclusion of the song in the 1995 blockbuster turned the romantic ballad - previously a flop - into the defining hit of the artist’s career.

“Footloose” - Kenny Loggins (Footloose)

When speaking to Bart Herbison of Nashville Songwriters Association International for an interview published by The Tennessean, Kenny Loggins made a “confession” about the title song from the 1984 Kevin Bacon-led hit Footloose. The lines “Please, Louise, pull me off of my knees” and then “Jack, get back. Come on before we crack” were inspired by a similar lyrical device Paul Simon used for “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” specifically when Simon sings, “Slip out the back, Jack / Make a new plan, Stan,” etc.

“My Heart Will Go On” - Celine Dion (Titanic)

Penned by James Horner, the love theme from Titanic, “My Heart Will Go On,” won the hearts of many - including those at the Academy Awards - but, initially, not its vocalist, Celine Dion, who told Billboard, “When I recorded it, I didn’t think about a movie; I didn’t think about radio. I thought, Sing the song, then get the heck out of there.” Additionally, director James Cameron was, at first, against the idea of adding a pop song to the end of his historical tragedy, but after a push from the studio and some convincing from Horner, he conceded and came to really admire the ballad’s resonance to the film’s romantic plot.

“I Will Always Love You” - Whitney Houston (The Bodyguard)

Whitney Houston’s career-defining song, “I Will Always Love You,” was recorded specifically for her 1992 romantic thriller The Bodyguard, but it is actually a cover of a Dolly Parton classic. Curiously enough, according to an oral history by EW, producer David Foster actually based his arrangement of the song on a previous cover by Linda Ronstadt, which was the only version he could find at the time.

“Gangsta’s Paradise” - Coolio Feat. L.V. (Dangerous Minds)

As Coolio revealed to Rolling Stone, Stevie Wonder had a few conditions that had to be met before he and L.V.’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” - the de facto theme for 1995’s Michelle Pfeiffer-led drama Dangerous Minds - could be released, because it samples his 1976 song “Pastime Paradise.” Ironically, the rapper himself was not happy with “Weird Al” Yankovic’s parody, “Amish Paradise,” and would not make peace with it until years later.

“A Whole New World” - Alan Menken, Tim Rice (Aladdin)

Alan Menken has won several awards for iconic, sweeping songs from some of the best animated Disney movies, including “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. The composer revealed in an interview with Jake Hamilton (co-host of the ReelBlend podcast) that the original title he had in mind was “The World At My Feet” until lyricist, Tim Rice, suggested that “the word ‘feet’ would be better not in the title of a Disney love song.”

“Goldfinger” - Shirley Bassey (Goldfinger)

We all know that the title track from Goldfinger (one of the all-time greatest Bond movie theme songs) is sung brilliantly by Welsh songstress Shirley Bassey, but less people are aware that a young Jimmy Page played guitar in the orchestra. The future Led Zeppelin founder recalled to GQ how Bassey performed the session in one take and, after holding the huge final note, ran out of breath and collapsed on the floor.

“The Power Of Love” - Huey Lewis & The News (Back To The Future)

Huey Lewis & The News wrote and performed two songs for 1985’s masterful time travel adventure, Back to the Future - most famously the Oscar nominated hit, “The Power of Love.” As Lewis recalled in a video for Rolling Stone, the musician makes a funny, uncredited cameo as a Battle of Bands judge who believes the rendition of the song that Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and his band perform for their audition is “too darn loud.”

“That Thing You Do!” - The Wonders (That Thing You Do!)

The titular, Oscar-nominated 1960s-style pop song from Tom Hanks’ 1996 directorial debut, That Thing You Do!, was actually written by Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger, who went on to compose Howard Stern’s theme music, became the musical director for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and other notable works. When he passed away from Covid-19 in 2020, the members of the fictional band from the film, The Wonders, reunited over Zoom for a livestream as a pandemic relief benefit.

“Rainbow Connection” - Jim Henson (The Muppet Movie)

One of the most celebrated achievements of prolific songwriter Paul Williams is “Rainbow Connection,” which Kermit the Frog (voiced by Jim Henson) performs in The Muppet Movie from 1979. In a video interview shot for The Tennessean in 2016, Williams told Bart Herbison that he and and co-writer Kenneth Asher wanted to give Kermit a song as heartwarming and “spiritual” as Jiminy Cricket’s “When You Wish Upon A Star” from 1940’s animated Disney classic Pinocchio, which served as a jumping-off point for the Oscar-nominated ballad.

There really is nothing like dropping the needle on your favorite movie soundtrack and reminiscing about the scenes in which each killer song appears. Now you have many more stories to associate them with.

The list of the best ‘80s movies is a massive and diverse list of everything from iconic action movies to Best Picture winners, and so much more. With so many great movies having come out in the penultimate decade of the 20th century, keeping track of all those rom-coms, sci-fi thrillers, horror flicks, and tear-jerking dramas is no easy task.

Looking for a way to revisit your favorites from the ‘80s while waiting for those new releases on the 2025 movie schedule? Well, come with us as we explore the best the ‘80s had to offer and how to watch those movies on some of the best streaming services. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s go back to the ‘80s with these great movies…

The Big Chill (1983)

The Director: Lawrence Kasdan

The Cast: Glenn Close, Kevin Kline, William Hurt

What It’s About: A group of college friends reunite to bury one of their own who has committed suicide. Together for the first time in years, the once close-knit gang examine their college experience and what has changed.

What To Expect: With one of the best movie soundtracks ever assembled, incredible performances by some of the biggest ‘80s stars, and an unflinching story about friendship and identity, The Big Chill has it all.

• Stream The Big Chill on Max.
  Rent/Buy The Big Chill on Amazon.
• Get The Big Chill on DVD on Amazon.

Major League (1989)

The Director: David S. Ward

The Cast: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Wesley Snipes

What It’s About: After discovering that their team’s new owner is planning on tanking the team to relocate to sunny Florida, the ragtag group of misfits that make up the Cleveland Indians take matters into their own hands and attempt to pull off the impossible.

What To Expect: One of the best baseball movies of all time, Major League hits the triple crown of a sports flick: comedy, drama, and all kinds of web gems.

• Rent/Buy Major League on Amazon.
• Get Major League on DVD on Amazon.

Clue (1985)

The Director: Jonathan Lynn

The Cast: Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Michael McKean

What It’s About: Six seemingly random strangers, who appear to have nothing in common with one another, are summoned to a mansion for dinner, only to discover they are in the middle of a murder mystery where no one can be trusted, not even the staff.

What To Expect: With its multiple endings, hilarious gags, and unforgettable performances by some of the funniest people in Hollywood, Clue takes a classic board game and turns it into a classic whodunit comedy.

• Rent/Buy Clue on Amazon.
• Get Clue on DVD on Amazon.

Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989)

The Director: Joe Johnston

The Cast: Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Amy O’Neill

What It’s About: After being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a group of teenagers are turned into a fraction of their normal size and are forced to survive the dangerous hellscape that is their backyard.

What To Expect: One of the most hilarious Rick Moranis movies, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, is full of great practical effects, a wild story, and some of the most iconic movie moments of the ‘80s.

• Stream Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on Amazon.
• Get Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on DVD on Amazon.

Field Of Dreams (1989)

The Director: Phil Alden Robinson

The Cast: Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta

What It’s About: Ray Kinsella’s (Kevin Costner) life is forever changed after hearing a mysterious voice whisper “If you build it, he will come” while out in his cornfield.

What To Expect: What follows is one man’s journey to “ease the pain” of his hero, an odyssey that concludes with one of the most emotional scenes in any sports movie.

• Rent/Buy Field of Dreams on Amazon.
• Get Field of Dreams on DVD on Amazon.

Raising Arizona (1987)

The Director: The Coen Brothers

The Cast: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, John Goodman

What It’s About: A down-on-their-luck couple goes to extreme lengths to have a baby of their own, even if that means kidnapping one from a wealthy family.

What To Expect: One of the Coen Brothers’ best movies, Raising Arizona has a perfect blend of comedy and crime, as well as no shortage of iconic and unforgettable characters.

• Rent/Buy Raising Arizona on Amazon.
• Get Raising Arizona on Blu-ray on Amazon.

9 to 5 (1980)

The Director: Colin Higgins

The Cast: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton

What It’s About: A trio of fed-up secretaries team up to get even with their sexist boss, but things get out of hand when they learn their dream may have come true.

What To Expect: In addition to having one of the best movie songs of all time, 9 to 5 also has one of the best premises of the ‘80s and a cast that is untouchable.

• Rent 9 to 5 on Amazon.
• Get 9 to 5 on DVD on Amazon.

A Christmas Story (1983)

The Director: Bob Clark

The Cast: Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon

What It’s About: A young boy named Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) tries to convince everyone from his parents to his teacher and even Santa Claus himself to bring him a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

What To Expect: Made up of a series of vignettes showcasing life in 1940s Indiana, A Christmas Story perfectly captures childhood obsession and what happens when reality brings your dreams crashing down.

• Rent/Buy A Christmas Story on Amazon.
• Get A Christmas Story on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Adventures In Babysitting (1987)

The Director: Chris Columbus

The Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Anthony Rapp, George Newbern

What It’s About: After being stood up by her boyfriend, high school senior Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) decides to spend the night watching a group of young siblings. What at first seems like a quiet night and easy money quickly turns into anything but.

What To Expect: Adventures in Babysitting, one of the best movies set in Chicago, is full of great and hilarious moments, all kinds of danger, and Elisabeth Shue in all her glory.

• Stream Adventures in Babysitting on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy Adventures in Babysitting on Amazon.
• Get Adventures in Babysitting on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Airplane! (1980)

The Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

The Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen

What It’s About: With the crew and passengers incapacitated and no one else left to land the plane, a nervous pilot has to rise to the occasion and save the day.

What To Expect: The 1980 disaster film spoof, Airplane!, answers the question: what happens when a man who’s afraid to fly is the only one who can prevent a jumbo-jet from crashing?

• Rent/Buy Airplane on Amazon.
• Get Airplane! on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Aliens (1986)

The Director: James Cameron

The Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Lance Henriksen, Michael Biehn

What It’s About: After spending decades floating through space, Ellen Ripley is awoken and sent with a group of highly-trained space Marines to investigate a mining colony that has gone dark.

What To Expect: Ripley is back with a vengeance in James Cameron’s 1986 sci-fi action flick, Aliens, and she isn’t stopping until the final Xenomorph is launched into outer space.

• Rent/Buy Aliens on Amazon.
• Get Aliens on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Back To The Future (1985)

The Director: Robert Zemeckis

The Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Llyod, Lea Thompson

What It’s About: When Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) steps into a DeLorean time machine and is transported back to 1955, he must avoid high school bullies and a younger version of his own mom if he wants to get back to 1985.

What To Expect: With great time-traveling scenes, Michael J. Fox at his best, and some hilarious scenarios (both in the past and the present), Back to the Future has everything you’d want in an ‘80s movie.

• Rent/Buy Back to the Future on Amazon.
• Get Back to the Future on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Batman (1989)

The Director: Tim Burton

The Cast: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger

What It’s About: After falling into a vat of toxic chemicals, one of Gotham’s most ambitious and dangerous criminals is transformed into the prince of crime, and only Batman can stop him.

What To Expect: Tim Burton’s dark and moody 1989 unconventional superhero film, Batman, forever changed the face of comic book movies and gave audiences one of the best representations of the iconic character.

• Stream Batman on Max.
• Rent/Buy Batman on Amazon.
• Get Batman on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Beetlejuice (1988)

The Director: Tim Burton
The Cast: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin

What It’s About: When the efforts by a ghostly couple (played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) to scare away the new owners of their country home are fruitless, they turn to a spirit by the name of Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to regain control.
What To Expect: More than 35 years after its release, Beetlejuice remains one of the most inventive, iconic, and hilarious additions to Tim Burton’s massive library of movies.

• Stream Beetlejuice on Max.
• Rent/Buy Beetlejuice on Amazon.
• Get Beetlejuice on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

The Director: Martin Brest

The Cast: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton

What It’s About: A wise-cracking and rebellious Detroit police officer comes to Los Angeles to track down those responsible for his best friend’s murder.

What To Expect: Expect to laugh, like a lot, because this Eddie Murphy classic starts and doesn’t stop until the credits roll.

• Stream Beverly Hills Cop on Paramount+.
• Rent/Buy Beverly Hills Cop on Amazon.
• Get Beverly Hills Cop on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Big (1988)

The Director: Penny Marshall

The Cast: Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia

What It’s About: When 12-year-old Josh Baskin (David Moscow) wishes he was a little bigger, he gets his wish and then more when he wakes up to find he has been transformed into a full-grown adult (Tom Hanks).

What To Expect: Penny Marshall’s timeless comedy sees Baskin navigate 1980s New York City, but as a child trapped in a man’s body and various situations.

• Stream Big on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy Big on Amazon.
• Get Big on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

The Director: Stephen Herek

The Cast: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin

What It’s About: Strange things are afoot at the Circle K in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure when two dopey high schoolers (played by Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves) are given access to a time-traveling phone booth to pass their history exam and keep their band together.

What To Expect: Looking for righteous time-traveling sequences, air guitar, and Napoleon going to a water park? Well, look no further.

• Rent/Buy Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure on Amazon.
• Get Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Blade Runner (1982)

The Director: Ridley Scott

The Cast: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young

What It’s About: Blade Runner follows replicant hunter Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) as he tracks down four escaped criminals who have returned to Earth from an off-world colony.

What To Expect: What starts off as a simple game of cat and mouse slowly turns into something much more complex.

• Rent/Buy Blade Runner on Amazon.
• Get Blade Runner on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Blue Velvet (1986)

The Director: David Lynch

The Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Isabella Rossellini

What It’s About: College student Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) becomes involved with the dark and twisted world of his town’s criminal underbelly after finding a dismembered ear.

What To Expect: Come in expecting Lynchian twists and turns, unforgettable characters (that you’ll want to forget), and a great soundtrack.

• Rent/Buy Blue Velvet on Amazon.
• Get Blue Velvet on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Director: John Landis

The Cast: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Carrie Fisher

What It’s About: Two brothers attempt to get their old band back together to help save the orphanage in which they were raised.

What To Expect: In the mood for great music, even better characters, and quite possibly the best car chase of all time? Well, look no further than The Blues Brothers.

• Stream The Blues Brothers on Prime Video.
• Rent/Buy The Blues Brothers on Amazon.
• Get The Blues Brothers on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Broadcast News (1987)

The Director: James L. Brooks

The Cast: Holly Hunter, Albert Brooks, William Hurt

What It’s About: In addition to presenting the news day in and day out, a news producer finds herself in the middle of a love triangle with her longtime best friend and a dreamy yet under-qualified anchorman.

What To Expect: James L. Brooks’ romantic comedy, Broadcast News, finds the perfect balance between drama and comedy, composure and awkwardness, and so much more.

• Stream Broadcast News on Starz.
• Rent/Buy Broadcast News on Amazon.
• Get Broadcast News on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Caddyshack (1980)

The Director: Harold Ramis

The Cast: Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase

What It’s About: Set at the Bushwood Country Club, which is infested with rodents and yuppies alike, Harold Ramis’ 1980 sports comedy, Caddyshack, follows caddies (led by Michael O’Keefe), grounds crew (led by Bill Murray), and all other sorts of characters who spend a summer at the prestigious club.

What To Expect: Considered one of the best sports comedies ever made, Caddyshack has some of the subgenre’s most quotable scenes and one of Hollywood’s most hatable villains.

• Rent/Buy Caddyshack on Amazon.
• Get Caddyshack on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Coming To America (1988)

The Director: John Landis

The Cast: Eddie Murphy, James Earl Jones, Arsenio Hall

What It’s About: John Landis’ 1988 comedy, Coming to America, follows Prince Akeem Joffer (Eddie Murphy) as he travels to Queens to find a wife to bring back to the African nation of Zamunda.

What To Expect: If you’re in the mood for classic Eddie Murphy moments, some outrageous characters, and a great look at ‘80s NYC, this will do the trick.

• Rent/Buy Coming to America on Amazon.
• Get Coming to America on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

The Director: Peter Weir

The Cast: Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke

What It’s About: Set in a prestigious college prep academy, the 1989 drama Dead Poets Society follows newly arrived English teacher John Keating (Robin Williams) as he spends a semester opening the eyes and changing the lives of his students, for better or for worse.

What To Expect: Dead Poets Society, one of the great coming-of-age stories of all time, is at times incredibly hopeful while at others utterly heartbreaking.

• Rent/Buy Dead Poets Society on Amazon.
• Get Dead Poets Society on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Die Hard (1988)

The Director: John McTiernan

The Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia

What It’s About: NYPD officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) finds himself in the right place at the right time in Die Hard when his wife’s holiday Christmas party is overtaken by a group of international terrorists who hold them hostage in hopes of securing unfathomable wealth.

What To Expect: Bruce Willis’ wisecracks, explosive action scenes, and one of Alan Rickman’s great villains all make Die Hard an unforgettable classic.

• Stream Die Hard on Hulu.
• Rent/Buy Die Hard on Amazon.
• Get Die Hard on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Dirty Dancing (1987)

The Director: Emile Ardolino

The Cast: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Jerry Orbach

What It’s About: Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) goes to spend a summer in the Catskills with her family in Dirty Dancing. Thinking she’ll spend the time bored out of her mind, Baby quickly finds herself learning what it means to dance, love, and stand up for herself, thanks to her dance instructor-turned-lover Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze).

What To Expect: There is no short order of romance, drama, dancing, and legendary ‘50s music in this decorated classic.

• Rent/Buy Dirty Dancing on Amazon.
• Get Dirty Dancing on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Do The Right Thing (1989)

The Director: Spike Lee

The Cast: Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis

What It’s About: What initially starts out as a disagreement over which actors should or shouldn’t be included on the wall of a Brooklyn pizzeria quickly escalates into a full-blown riot in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing.

What To Expect: If you’re looking for comedy, drama, and a large dose of social commentary, give Do the Right Thing a shot.

• Stream Do the Right Thing on Prime Video.
• Rent/Buy Do the Right Thing on Amazon.
• Get Do the Right Thing on Blu-ray on Amazon.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The Director: Steven Spielberg

The Cast: Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore

What It’s About: Steven Spielberg’s 1982 sci-fi adventure E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial follows a young boy (Henry Thomas) as he forms an unbreakable bond with a gentle alien who is trapped on Earth and just wants to go home.

What To Expect: This 1982 sci-fi classic is full of wonder, adventure, and quite possibly one of the best John Williams scores of all time.

• Rent/Buy E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial on Amazon.
• Get E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Blu-ray on Amazon.

Escape From New York (1981)

The Director: John Carpenter

The Cast: Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine

What It’s About: John Carpenter’s 1981 dystopian thriller, Escape From New York, sees Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) attempt to save the U.S. President from a group of fanatical criminals who run the streets of Manhattan, which has been turned into a prison colony.

What To Expect: With one of Kurt Russell’s most badass characters, some great practical effects by James Cameron, and a legendary John Carpenter score, there’s a lot to love here.

• Stream Escape from New York on Prime Video.
• Rent/Buy Escape from New York on Amazon.
• Get Escape from New York on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

The Director: Amy Heckering
The Cast: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold
What It’s About: The school lives, social lives, and love lives of several teenagers are explored both in and outside their California high school.
What To Expect: If you’re looking for a movie that captures the heart and soul of the ‘80s high school experience, look no further than Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Yes, that includes the good, the bad, and the unbearingly uncomfortable.

• Rent/Buy Fast Times at Ridgemont High on Amazon.
• Get Fast Times at Ridgemont High on DVD on Amazon.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

The Director: John Hughes
The Cast: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara

What It’s About: John Hughes’ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off follows the charismatic titular high school senior (Matthew Broderick) as he convinces his girlfriend and best friend to skip class and have an epic adventure in Chicago.

What To Expect: A quintessential ‘80s movie, and one of John Hughes’ best cinematic experiences, there are few teenage comedies that hit as hard (or as often) as this one.

• Rent/Buy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on Amazon.
• Get Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on DVD on Amazon.

Footloose (1984)

The Director: Herbert Ross

The Cast: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow

What It’s About: When Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon), a dance-obsessed high schooler, moves to a small town that has banned all forms of music and dancing, he does what any teenager would do in his position: rebels with loads and loads of dancing, in Footloose.

What To Expect: If you’re in the mood for angry dancing, John Lithgow villains, and great movie songs, look no further than Footloose.

• Rent/Buy Footloose on Amazon.
• Get Footloose on DVD on Amazon.

Friday The 13th (1980)

The Director: Sean S. Cunningham

The Cast: Betsy Palmer, Kevin Bacon, Adrienne King

What It’s About: The slasher film Friday the 13th follows a group of counselors as they are picked off one by one by a sadistic killer with one hell of a backstory involving Camp Crystal Lake.

What To Expect: You won’t see Jason Voorhees tracking down and killing teenagers this time around, but the killer in this iconic slasher is just as brutal and perhaps even more unhinged.

• Rent/Buy Friday the 13th on Amazon.
• Get Friday the 13th on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Ghostbusters (1984)

The Director: Ivan Reitman

The Cast: Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson

What It’s About: Who ya gonna call? Well, Ghostbusters if you’re looking for a fun supernatural comedy involving college professors who use their knowledge to rid New York City of ghostly threats.

What To Expect: Want to go back and see how the Ghostbusters got started? Want to see the Marshmallow Man walk through NYC again? Want to experience one of the best ‘80s movies? Here’s your chance!

• Rent/Buy Ghostbusters on Amazon.
• Get Ghostbusters on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Gremlins (1984)

The Director: Joe Dante

The Cast: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton

What It’s About: Written by Chris Columbus and directed by Joe Dante, the 1984 horror flick Gremlins answers the question: What’s the worst that could happen when you spill water on your new pet and feed them after midnight?

What to expect? Well, you’ll find out what happens when you feed a gremlin after midnight. That’s for sure!

• Rent/Buy Gremlins on Amazon.
• Get Gremlins on DVD on Amazon.

Lethal Weapon (1987)

The Director: Richard Donner

The Cast: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey

What It’s About: Los Angeles police detectives Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) are forced to look past their differences and opposing lifestyles to uncover a massive drug-trafficking ring in Richard Donner’s Lethal Weapon.

What To Expect: If you want to see one of the premier buddy action movies, Lethal Weapon is going to do the trick, and then some.

• Rent/Buy Lethal Weapon on Amazon.
• Get Lethal Weapon on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Midnight Run (1988)

The Director: Martin Brest

The Cast: Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, John Ashton

What It’s About: Bounty hunter Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) sets out to capture mob accountant Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas (Charles Grodin), who has skipped out on his bail.

What To Expect: What follows is a cross-country adventure involving two personalities that mix like oil and water. But with mobsters, bounty hunters, and the FBI hot on their tail, they’ll have to work together.

• Rent/Buy Midnight Run on Amazon.
• Get Midnight Run on Blu-ray on Amazon.

National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)

The Director: Harold Ramis

The Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Anthony Michael Hall

What It’s About: Bumbling father, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase), takes his wife and two children on what is supposed to be two weeks of family bonding but quickly devolves into a trip from hell in National Lampoon’s Vacation.

What To Expect: Expect chaos. Pure chaos!

• Rent/Buy National Lampoon’s Vacation on Amazon.
• Get National Lampoon’s Vacation on Blu-ray on Amazon.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

The Director: Wes Craven

The Cast: Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp

What It’s About: Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street follows a group of teenagers who are being terrorized by the undead killer Freddy Krueger, who attacks them when most vulnerable: while they sleep.

What To Expect: If you came looking for an iconic horror villain to be both unbelievably brutal yet undeniably hilarious, as well as terrifying dream sequences, this franchise starter will do the trick.

• Rent/Buy A Nightmare on Elm Street on Amazon
• Get A Nightmare on Elm Street on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Platoon (1986)

The Director: Oliver Stone

The Cast: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe

What It’s About: Oliver Stone’s 1986 Academy Award-winning military drama, Platoon, follows a group of American soldiers in the Vietnam War who are pushed to the brink of losing what little humanity they have left.

What To Expect: Don’t go into Platoon looking for a happy-go-lucky or romantic view of war, because this brutal, realistic, and unflinching military drama doesn’t hold back.

• Rent/Buy Platoon on Amazon.
• Get Platoon on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Raging Bull (1980)

The Director: Martin Scorsese

The Cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty

What It’s About: Robert De Niro plays Jake LaMotta, a former heavyweight champ whose life is falling apart in Martin Scorsese’s 1980 acclaimed, all-time great boxing movie, Raging Bull.

What To Expect: You won’t find likable or redeemable characters, but you will find one of the most engaging and hard-hitting stories ever told in and out of the boxing ring.

• Rent/Buy Raging Bull on Amazon.
• Get Raging Bull on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

The Director: Steven Spielberg
The Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies
What It’s About: The world is introduced to Harrison Ford’s iconic archeologist in Steven Spielberg’s 1981 adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark, which kicked off the Indiana Jones franchise with a story about the mysterious Ark of the Covenant.
What To Expect. You can expect legendary movie sequences, Nazis losing their faces, and Harrison Ford being charming as all hell.

• Stream Raiders of the Lost Ark on Disney+.
• Stream Raiders of the Lost Ark on Paramount+.
• Rent/Buy Raiders of the Lost Ark on Amazon.
• Get Raiders of the Lost Ark on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Rain Man (1988)

The Director: Barry Levinson
The Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino

What It’s About: Barry Levinson’s 1988 drama, Rain Man, netted Dustin Hoffman an Academy Award for his portrayal of Raymond Babbitt, an autistic man who has a knack for counting cards and the game of blackjack.

What To Expect: Rain Man features what could be one of Hoffman’s best performances as well as a story that is both heartwarming and incredibly maddening at times.

• Get Rain Man on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Scarface (1983)

The Director: Brian De Palma
The Cast: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer

What It’s About: Brian De Palma’s sprawling 1983 crime epic, Scarface, follows Cuban immigrant Tony Montana (Al Pacino) as he climbs from the bottom of the food chain to the top of Miami’s booming cocaine market.
What To Expect: Though being a remake itself, Scarface would go on to become one of the most influential crime films of the ‘80s and of all time, thanks to its electric tone, over-the-top violence, and one of Al Pacino’s most unhinged characters.

• Rent/Buy Scarface on Amazon.
• Get Scarface on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Spaceballs (1987)

The Director: Mel Brooks
The Cast: Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, John Candy

What It’s About: Mel Brooks’ 1987 sci-fi spoof Spaceballs takes plot points from the likes of Star Wars and other classic adventures and creates a farcical race to save the galaxy from the evil President Skroob (Brooks) and Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis).

What To Expect: Spaceballs has some of the most hilarious spoof movie gags, great comedic moments, and one of the wildest villains of the decade.

• Rent/Buy Spaceballs on Amazon.
• Get Spaceballs on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Stand By Me (1986)

The Director: Rob Reiner
The Cast: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell

What It’s About: Based on a story by Stephen King, Rob Reiner’s 1986 coming-of-age story, Stand By Me, follows a group of childhood friends as they spend the final days of their summer break looking for the dead body of a missing boy.

What To Expect: This is perhaps the best “end of childhood” movie ever released, as well as a drama that never gets old no matter how many times you watch it.

• Rent/Buy Stand By Me on Amazon.
• Get Stand By Me on DVD on Amazon.

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (1982)

The Director: Nicholas Meyer
The Cast: William Shatner, Ricardo Montalban, Leonard Nimoy
What It’s About: The 1982 sci-fi adventure film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan sees Enterprise commander Captain James Kirk (William Shatner) cross paths with the villainous Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán), a genetically enhanced superhuman he never thought he’d have to see again.
What To Expect: In the mood for one of the best Star Trek movies as well as an iconic space film, look no further.

• Stream Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on Paramount+.
• Rent/Buy Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on Amazon.
• Get Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Steel Magnolias (1989)

The Director: Herbert Ross

The Cast: Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton

What It’s About: The 1989 Golden Globe winner, Steel Magnolias, follows a tight-knit group of women in northwestern Louisiana who stand together through thick and thin.

What To Expect: Expect to laugh, cry, and then cry some more. Seriously, try watching this movie without crying.

• Stream Steel Magnolias on Max.
• Rent/Buy Steel Magnolias on Amazon.
• Get Steel Magnolias on DVD on Amazon.

The Abyss (1989)

The Director: James Cameron

The Cast: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn

What It’s About: James Cameron’s 1989 sci-fi thriller, The Abyss, follows a group of Navy Seals and petroleum engineers as they go to the bottom of the ocean to make a remarkable discovery, one that could destroy or save humanity.

What To Expect: If you want to see state-of-the-art visuals from the late ‘80s that stand up 36 years later, an engaging story, and one of Ed Harris’ best performances, check out The Abyss.

• Rent/Buy The Abyss on Amazon.
• Buy The Abyss on DVD on Amazon.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

The Director: John Hughes

The Cast: Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson

What It’s About: John Hughes’ 1985 “Brat Pack” classic, The Breakfast Club, follows five high school students from different walks of life who are brought together during Saturday detention, forever changing their lives.

What To Expect: This is one of the best “Brat Pack” films and a movie that everyone needs to watch at least once.

• Stream The Breakfast Club on Peacock.
• Rent/Buy The Breakfast Club on Amazon.
• Get The Breakfast Club on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Goonies (1985)

The Director: Richard Donner

The Cast: Josh Brolin, Sean Astin, Corey Feldman

What It’s About: Richard Donner’s 1985 coming-of-age film, The Goonies, centers on a group of friends who set out for one more adventure together before their neighborhood is demolished and turned into a multi-million-dollar development.

What To Expect: An adventure like no other, The Goonies is all of your childhood dreams (and nightmares) come to life. Pirate ships, mobsters, a “monster” who’s actually a hero, and so much more.

• Rent/Buy The Goonies on Amazon.
  Get The Goonies on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Director: Irvin Kershner

The Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher

What It’s About: The best Star Wars movie, 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back starts off with an epic battle on the ice planet of Hoth and only picks up from there as Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) uncovers a dark secret about his past.

What To Expect: Seriously, this is the greatest sequel ever made.

• Stream The Empire Strikes Back on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy The Empire Strikes Back on Amazon.
• Get The Empire Strikes Back on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Karate Kid (1984)

The Director: John G. Avildsen

The Cast: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue

What It’s About: When high schooler Daniel LaRusso is forced to pack up his life and leave the East Coast, he lands in Southern California, where he finds himself the target of the evil Cobra Kai dojo. That is, until he learns a few tricks of his own in The Karate Kid.

What To Expect: You want karate? You want drama? You want evil dojo owners willing to do anything and everything to win? Time to watch The Karate Kid.

• Stream The Karate Kid on Netflix.
• Rent/Buy The Karate Kid on Amazon.
• Buy The Karate Kid on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Little Mermaid (1989)

The Director: Ron Clements, John Musker

The Cast: Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Samuel E. Wright

What It’s About: The 1989 Disney animated film The Little Mermaid follows the rebellious Ariel (Jodi Benson) as she tries to chart her own course in life, even if that means sacrificing everything.

What To Expect: There’s a reason why people say The Little Mermaid helped start the Disney renaissance that would follow in the early ‘90s. Simply put, this movie is a masterpiece of animation.

• Stream The Little Mermaid on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy The Little Mermaid on Amazon.
• Get The Little Mermaid on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Princess Bride (1987)

The Director: Rob Reiner

The Cast: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin

What It’s About: Rob Reiner’s 1987 fantasy comedy, The Princess Bride, offers a new spin on the classic fairy tale setup with an epic and hilarious story about a man who would go to the end of the Earth to save the woman he loves.

What To Expect: The Princess Bride is a great movie that literally anyone in the family can enjoy, which isn’t something you can say too often.

• Stream The Princess Bride on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy The Princess Bride on Amazon.
• Get The Princess Bride on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Shining (1980)

The Director: Stanley Kubrick

The Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd

What It’s About: Stanley Kubrick’s controversial 1980 adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining follows writer/caretaker Jack Torrance as he descends into madness while isolated with his family in the Overlook Hotel in Colorado one winter.

What To Expect: The Shining slowly builds the tension until the movie reaches a tipping point and we’re given one of the most unsettling yet exciting chase sequences ever captured on film.

• Rent/Buy The Shining on Amazon.
• Get The Shining on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Terminator (1984)

The Director: James Cameron

The Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn

What It’s About: James Cameron’s iconic sci-fi thriller, The Terminator, centers on Sarah Conner (Linda Hamilton) as she is hunted down by a cyborg assassin from the future who has been sent to the past to kill the young waitress before she can give birth to John Connor, humanity’s last hope.

What To Expect: Want to see an emotionless silent killer stalk his prey through 1980s Los Angeles, as well as one of the best sci-fi thrillers of all time? Well, time to start watching The Terminator.

• Rent/Buy The Terminator on Amazon.
• Get The Terminator on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Thing (1982)

The Director: John Carpenter

The Cast: Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley

What It’s About: The crew of a remote research facility in Antarctica is torn apart when a shapeshifting alien finds its way into the complex in John Carpenter’s The Thing.

What To Expect: Please know that this movie will make you twist and turn in your chair, leave you with trust issues, and will leave you traumatized (especially when it comes to that dog sequence).

• Rent/Buy The Thing on Amazon.
• Get The Thing on Blu-ray on Amazon.

They Live (1988)

The Director: John Carpenter

The Cast: Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster

What It’s About: Wrestler-turned-actor Roddy Piper plays a drifter armed with a pair of sunglasses that give him the ability to see behind the illusions of an alien race that has invaded the planet in They Live.

What To Expect: Come for the sunglasses scene, stay for the best fight ever recorded on film.

• Rent/Buy They Live on Amazon.
• Get They Live on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Tootsie (1982)

The Director: Sydney Pollack

The Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr

What It’s About: Fed up with not being able to get a job, struggling actor Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) does the unthinkable in Tootsie and reinvents himself as Dorothy Michaels, a female actor who quickly lands a starring role on a popular daytime soap opera. It only gets more complicated from there.

What To Expect: Tootsie has just about everything you’d want in an ‘80s movie, plus one of the best “walking through NYC” shots of all time.

• Rent/Buy Tootsie on Amazon.
• Get Tootsie on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Top Gun (1986)

The Director: Tony Scott

The Cast: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis

What It’s About: Tom Cruise plays Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Tony Scott’s 1986 action thriller Top Gun. Upon being invited to a specialized fighter pilot school, Maverick’s skills, as well as his attitude, are put to the ultimate test.

What To Expect: Beach volleyball, epic dogfights, and multiple iconic ‘80s tracks are on full display here.

• Stream Top Gun on Paramount+.
• Rent/Buy Top Gun on Amazon.
• Get Top Gun on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Trading Places (1983)

The Director: John Landis

The Cast: Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis

What It’s About: In John Landis’ 1983 comedy, Trading Places, Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy play two men who find their positions reversed as part of a sick game by a duo of villainous millionaires.

What To Expect: A young Eddie Murphy steals the show in this 1983 comedy classic.

• Rent/Buy Trading Places on Amazon.
• Get Trading Places on Blu-ray on Amazon.

WarGames (1983)

The Director: John Badham
The Cast: Matthew Broderick, Dabney Coleman, Ally Sheedy

What It’s About: The 1983 thriller WarGames follows high school student David Lightman (Broderick) as he begins to play what he believes to be a high-tech arcade game but what is actually a supercomputer that could bring on the destruction of the planet through nuclear war.

What To Expect: If you’re looking for a chess match between a teenager and a supercomputer, here ya go!

• Stream WarGames on Max.
• Rent/Buy WarGames on Amazon.
• Get WarGames on DVD on Amazon.

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

The Director: Rob Reiner

The Cast: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher

What It’s About: Written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner, the all-time great romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally, follows the titular characters played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as they try to prove that a man and woman can have a relationship that doesn’t involve sex.

What To Expect: Seriously, this movie is perfect. No notes.

• Rent/Buy When Harry Met Sally on Amazon.
• Get When Harry Met Sally on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

The Director: Robert Zemeckis

The Cast: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Charles Fleischer

What It’s About: Robert Zemeckis’ 1988 live-action/animation hybrid, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, follows Hoskins’ hardened private investigator who is tasked with proving the titular rabbit has been framed with the murder of a high-profile figure.

What To Expect: Here is what can best be described as the ultimate animation/live-action hybrid and a tremendous example of competing movie studios working together to create an unprecedented cinematic experience.

• Stream Who Framed Roger Rabbit on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy Who Framed Roger Rabbit on Amazon.
• Get Who Framed Roger Rabbit on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Well, that was a comprehensive list of the best ‘80s movies streaming. Now that you know where and how to watch all these classics, all you have to do is start watching (but hopefully not all in one big marathon).

One of the funnest Marvel entries continues to be Guardians of the Galaxy. Writer/director James Gunn infused the nostalgia of ‘70s and ‘80s mixtapes with a space adventure featuring a group of unlikely heroes. Aside from “We are Groot,” one memorable line that stuck with fans was Peter Quill’s explaining to his alien companions about 1984’s Footloose, leading Gamora to exclaim “We’re just like Kevin Bacon!” at the end of the film. So naturally, a Kevin Bacon cameo needs to happen for the third movie.

Kevin Bacon knows he was referenced in the 2014 Marvel film, so wouldn’t it be fun if the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 did a nod to it by casting the actor in some kind of cameo role? David Hasselhoff totally joined in on the fun for the sequel alongside fellow ‘70s and ‘80s star Kurt Russell and the equally iconic Sylvester Stallone. So what does Bacon think of dropping by the MCU movie? Here’s what he recently told Esquire:

Sounds like he’s in. He’ll be waiting by the phone now, James Gunn… so make it happen. What’s so fun about the Marvel movies is there are a ton of ways he could cameo. He could be a random human character, put on some alien makeup or even play himself in a dream sequence dance-off? Either way, it would be an awesome callback to the original film and Footloose. Bacon shared his own experience with learning of the namedrop in Guardians with these words:

Even if you’re Kevin Bacon, it must have been insane to see himself being discussed in such a major motion picture. Chris Pratt's Peter Quill talks about the 62-year-old actor when sharing his love for the classic musical movie with Zoe Saldana's Gamora. Quill calls Bacon a “great hero,” who teaches an entire city with “sticks up their butts” that dancing is the “greatest thing there is,” before showing her one of his songs and nearly sharing a kiss with her.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has long been delayed, but the production is now set to hit theaters on May 5, 2023. Although the movie has not begun filming yet since James Gunn turned his focus to DC's The Suicide Squad, pre-production looks to be well underway. Check out the full lineup of Marvel movie projects here on CinemaBlend.

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They say that you can connect Kevin Bacon to almost any other actor through mutual movies in six steps or less and, as a frequent player of this game, I can conclude there is some validity to it. The reason being, simply, that the 62-year-old Golden Globe winner is in a lot of really good films, which means a list of the best Kevin Bacon movies would actually take more than just six steps to get through. Case in point, the whopping total of 17 favorites you can watch now on streaming, as a digital rental or purchase, or even to find on Blu-ray and DVD if you still prefer to collect physical media, starting with his feature film debut.

National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)

A 20-year-old Kevin Bacon proved his skills in both comedy and villainy as Chip Diller in director John Landis’ National Lampoon’s Animal House - considered the Citizen Kane of college movies by most. The freshman ROTC cadet thinks he’s hot shit after Faber’s Omega House accepts him as a pledge, but his true cowardice is exposed when Delta House sabotage’s the homecoming parade.

Stream National Lampoon’s Animal House on AMC+.

Buy or Rent National Lampoon’s Animal House on Amazon.

Get National Lampoon’s Animal House on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Friday The 13th (1980)

There is not much to be said about Kevin Bacon’s role as Jack in director Sean Cunningham’s first installment of the iconic slasher franchise, aside from being one of the several young counselors stalked and killed one-by-one at Camp Crystal Lake. However, when it comes to the most iconic kill in Friday the 13th, he easily gets the point.

Stream Friday the 13th on Starz.

Buy or Rent Friday the 13th on Amazon.

Get Friday the 13th on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Footloose (1984)

The movie that made the world want to dance again was the movie that made a star out of Kevin Bacon as a teenager who seeks to rebel against his new small town's law against dancing. With a choreography by future High School Musical director Kenny Ortega and fun set of tunes by Bonnie Tyler, Foreigner, and Kenny Loggins on the title tracks, Footloose is an irresistible romp to "cut loose" to.

Stream Footloose on Hulu or on Amazon Prime. *

Buy or Rent Footloose on Amazon. *

Get Footloose on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Diner (1982)

Two years after Animal House, Kevin Bacon once again played a collegian in a period piece that has a great deal of comedy, but a more dramatic central narrative. Written and directed by Barry Levinson, Diner is an inspiring, Oscar-nominated coming of age story about five young men facing the end of the ‘50s and the beginning of adulthood.

Stream Diner on HBO Max. If you're not an HBO Max subscriber, you can sign up here. *

Buy or Rent Diner on Amazon.*

Get Diner on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

She’s Having A Baby (1988)

Speaking of the beginnings of adulthood, She's Having a Baby also carries that theme heavily. The romantic comedy written and directed by the late, great John Hughes stars Kevin Bacon as newly married man who begins to fall under the pressure of life when his wife (Academy Award nominee Elizabeth McGovern) announces she is pregnant.

Stream She’s Having A Baby on Paramount+. *

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Tremors (1990)

Further cementing Kevin Bacon into "Scream King" status was his lead role in this old school creature feature about a small, desert town in Nevada terrorized by giant, man-eating worms. There are still Tremors movies being made today (as recently as 2020 with Tremors: Shreiker Island), but none have had quite the same charm that Bacon's Valentine McKee brought to the original.

Stream Tremors on Starz.

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Flatliners (1990)

While Tremors is appreciated for its decent number of laughs, Kevin Bacon's other cult thriller from 1990, which earned an Oscar nomination for visual effects, takes a more earnest approach to horror. Directed by the late Joel Schumacher and featuring an all-star ensemble also including Julia Roberts and Kiefer Sutherland, Flatliners stars Bacon as one of five medical students going to the extreme to study the afterlife, and with grave consequences.

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Stir Of Echoes (1999)

Nine years after Flatliners, Kevin Bacon would once again grow uncomfortably close with the dead as a man hypnotized into seeing ghostly visions in a thriller released the same year as The Sixth Sense, coincidentally. Based on the novel by Richard Matheson, Stir of Echoes was Bacon's first chilling collaboration with writer and director David Koepp before reuniting on You Should Have Left in 2020.

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JFK (1991)

Earlier in the 1990s, Kevin Bacon would make two highly acclaimed legal dramas released within a year of each other - the first being JFK, which sheds light on a supposed governmental conspiracy behind the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Bacon appears as a fictional composite of multiple witnesses who testified at the legendary trial that inspired director Oliver Stone's controversial Oscar-winner.

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A Few Good Men (1992)

Kevin Bacon would follow up JFK the next year with director Rob Reiner's A Few Good Men, in which he plays a a prosecuting military attorney for murder opposing Tom Cruise's defense of Marines accused of murder. The oft-quoted film from the mind of writer Aaron Sorkin, director of recent legal thriller The Trial of the Chicago 7, was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

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Apollo 13 (1995)

In Kevin Bacon's next Oscar darling (winning two of its nine nominations), he portrayed Astronaut Jack Swigart, one of a three-man crew whose lives were put in danger when a "problem" occurred during a flight to the Moon in April 1970. Also starring Tom Hanks and Bill Paxton and directed by Ron Howard, Apollo 13 is pulse-pounding space odyssey based on a shocking true story of miraculous survival.

Stream Apollo 13 on Peacock. *

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Balto (1995)

In the same year as Apollo 13, Kevin Bacon lent his voice to his first animated family adventure that is also based on a true story which later inspired the live action film Togo in 2019. He plays the title character of Balto - a Husky who leads a team of sled dogs in an attempt to prevent a deadly epidemic from reaching a small Alaskan town.

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Sleepers (1996)

Kevin Bacon would reunite with Diner director Barry Levinson for another coming-of-age story, but with much grimmer circumstances. Based on the novel by Lorenzo Carcaterra, Sleepers follows a group of childhood friends who seek revenge against the detention center guard who abused them years earlier, played by Bacon.

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Mystic River (2003)

Years after Sleepers, director Clint Eastwood would cast Kevin Bacon in another dark thriller based on a novel about childhood friends reunited through tragedy. Bacon plays a Boston detective investigating the murder of his ex-convict friend's teenage daughter (future Shameless star Emmy Rossum) in Mystic River, which Sean Penn and Tim Robbins both earned their first Academy Awards for.

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Frost/Nixon (2008)

Kevin Bacon would reunite with Apollo 13 director Ron Howard for another Academy Award-nominated historical drama set around an infamous occurrence in the 1970s. He plays Richard Nixon's post-resignation chief of staff Jack Brennan in Frost/Nixon, a dramatic recreation of a legendary series of interviews between the disgraced former president (Frank Langella) and British TV journalist David Frost (Michael Sheen) in response to the Watergate Scandal.

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Crazy Stupid Love (2011)

While he may not be the romantic lead, Kevin Bacon plays one of its more memorable characters in Crazy Stupid Love, especially by how often his name is brought up in conversation. He plays David Lindhagen, with whom Julianne Moore's Emily cheats on her husband, Cal (Steve Carell), who then seeks retribution from charming womanizer Jacob (Ryan Gosling) in this surprisingly clever and refreshingly honest romantic comedy.

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Patriots Day (2016)

Released just three years after the bombing at the 2013 Boston Marathon, Patriots Day chronicles the events leading up to and preceding the harrowing tragedy. Kevin Bacon plays Special Agent Richard DesLauriers, who joins Mark Wahlberg's Sgt. Tommy Saunders on a manhunt for the perpetrators of the heinous act in one of director Peter Berg's very best films.

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Clearly Kevin Bacon has an impressive filmography on the big screen, but his work in television also should not go unnoticed. He led the cast of Scream writer Kevin Williamson's crime drama The Following, won his first Golden Globe for the HBO movie Taking Chance, and now stars opposite Aldis Hodge on City on a Hill, a Showtime original miniseries about the unlikely partnership between a corrupt FBI agent and an assistant district attorney on an earth shattering case in 1990s Boston. It is just further proof of how, in six steps or less, everything comes back to Bacon.

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Netflix has films that appeal to horror junkies, thrill-seekers, even hopeless romantics, and so many other movie genres. Its wide selection of movies is what makes it one of the most popular streaming services. And if you’re a fan of dance movies, then Netflix has plenty, including their latest film Work It.

Work It stars Sabrina Carpenter, Liza Koshy, Keiynan Lonsdale, and Jordan Fisher. The film follows teen Quinn (Sabrina Carpenter) as she forms a new dance group in order to impress an admissions representative at Duke University. The film takes a similar path as other dance movies: a studious girl spends her entire high school life studying, then she discovers the power of dance. Work It has all the ingredients of a fun dance movie, including the learning how to dance montage.

If you’ve already watched Work It, and are now in desperate need of some more dance movies in your life, then I have a few suggestions.

Save The Last Dance

What It's About: Julia Stiles plays aspiring ballerina Sara, who moves to an inner-city after her mother dies in a car accident. Sara gives up her dancing dreams because of the accident, that is until she meets Derek (Sean Patrick Thomas), who helps her find her love of dancing again.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Work It and Save the Last Dance are kindred spirits in that they are both about teen girls who find their rhythm while falling in love. Unlike Quinn, Sara has a dance background, so dancing is already part of her nature, but she also must learn the complicated hip hop dance style.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Rent It here.

Leap!

What It’s About: Leap! is an animated film featuring voice acting by Elle Fanning, Nat Wolff, and Carly Rae Jepsen. It’s about two orphans who run away to Paris. There, Félicie (Fanning) starts to train to become a ballerina.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Leap! is a lighthearted dance film that also revolves around someone who doesn’t have any formal dance training, but gets mentorship from a fallen expert. Félicie and Quinn both train and find their groove and achieve their dance dreams. For Quinn it’s winning the major Work It competition, for Félicie, it’s to perform alongside principal dancers.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Rent it here.

Footloose

What It’s About: Dancing is outlawed in small-town Bomont, Oklahoma, but rebel Ren (Kevin Bacon) refuses to just live a life without dancing and rock music. Footloose’s cast includes Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest, John Lithgow, Chris Penn, and Sarah Jessica Parker. The original film was released in 1984, and a remake was made in 2011.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Footloose and Work It highlight the power of dance and its symbolic tie to freedom and passion.The teens in Work It and Footloose discover their true identities through dancing.

Stream it on Hulu here.

Rent it here.

Center Stage

What It’s About: Center Stage follows several young dancers as they try to prove themselves at a prestigious dance academy. It details the personal and professional struggles they undergo to be considered one of the best ballet dancers. Much of Center Stage’s storyline revolves around Jody (Amanda Schull) not quite fitting the dance mold, but having a strong desire to prove herself. Center Stage’s cast includes Zoe Saldana, Peter Gallagher, Ethan Stiefel, Sascha Radetsky, and Susan May Pratt.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Work It and Center Stage both include a cast of real professional dancers, as most of the main cast of Work It has experience in dancing as well as acting. Jordan Fisher even won Dancing with the Stars. Both films are also underdog stories told in the dance world.

Stream on IMDBTV here.

Rent it here.

Battle

What It’s About: Battle is a Norwegian drama about Amalie (Lisa Teige), a rich girl who has her life turned upside down when her father loses his entire fortune. Amalie and her father have to move to a rougher area. Amalie still keeps her dance dreams, but ends up practicing in a free dance studio where she meets Mikael (Fabian Svegaard).

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Battle very much feels like a Norwegian Saved the Last Dance, so it’s all about a girl who is used to structured dancing finding a passion for hip-hop and the cute guy who instructs her. Work It also feels like a younger sibling to Save the Last Dance in how it takes a girl used to structure and discipline and allows her to find the beauty of listening to her heart and the beat.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Dirty Dancing

What It’s About: Dirty Dancing is a romantic movie about a resort dance instructor falling for one of the girls vacationing there. Baby (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny (Patrick Swayze) get to know each other and start to fall in love through dancing, but Baby’s father doesn’t trust Johnny, especially because he comes from a working-class family.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Work It plays up how Quinn and Jake (Jordan Fisher)’s attraction grows every time they dance together. Dirty Dancing and Work It demonstrate the seductive nature of dance and how it can create authentic chemistry between people.

Stream it on Hulu here.

Rent it here.

You Got Served

What It’s About: You Got Served is a dramedy about a street dance crew that battles other hip hop dancers. The dance crew has ups and downs before they try to win the big prize at the major dance competition hosted by MTV. You Got Served’s cast mainly consists of B2K band members, including Marques Houston, Omarion Grandberry, J-Boog Houston, Raz-B Thornton, and Lil Fizz Frederic. Steve Harvey also appears in the film as Mr. Rad, the owner of the club where many of the dance battles take place.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: You Got Served is a bit more serious than Work It but they’re both overall fun dance movies that don’t take themselves too seriously. Each film also has the power of friendship and being there for one another as one of the driving themes.

Stream it on IMDBTV here.

Rent it here.

Dance Academy: The Comeback

What It’s About: Dance Academy was an Australian teen series that aired from 2010 to 2013. In 2017, it had a continuation movie that followed some of the main characters from the series trying to make it in the dance world. The Dance Academy: The Comeback cast includes Xenia Goodwin, Alicia Banit, Jordan Rodrigues, Dena Kaplan, Thomas Lacey, and Keiynan Lonsdale.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Work It had a subplot about ambitious dancers trying to prove themselves to get into top-notch dance programs and universities. If Work It only focused on that aspect, then it would probably have a more similar plot to Dance Academy: The Comeback about the journey of young dancers. Both films also share Lonsdale as an actor.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Rent it here.

Fame

What It’s About: Fame follows a group of New York City teens as they attend a performing arts school. It follows the students from freshmen to senior year. The Fame cast includes Gene Anthony Ray, Irene Cara, Debbie Allen, and Lee Curreri.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Fame depicts various art forms and shows the obstacles that come with being an artist. It mixes these issues with typical teen problems, like meeting parental standards. Work It dealt with Quinn’s struggle to please her mother, while also feeling the draw towards dance. Fame and Work It share in that they don’t just address the struggles of a career n the arts, but also typical teen everyday difficulties.

Rent it here.

Bring It On

What It’s About: Torrance (Kirsten Dunst) has just become the cheer captain of the cheerleading squad the Toros. The Toros have won multiple national titles, but Torrance learns that they have won most of them by stealing dance moves from the Clovers team. Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, and Gabrielle Union also star. Bring It On later inspired a franchise of sequel films.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Bring It On is more of a cheerleading movie than a dance one, but they both deal with characters who have to start from scratch and find their own style of dance to compete on a grand scale level against a much better team.

Rent it here.

Strictly Ballroom

What It’s About: Baz Luhrmann directed and co-wrote Strictly Ballroom, an Australian romantic comedy about Scott (Paul Mercurio), a professional ballroom dancer who loses his partner and must train a newbie, Fran (Tara Morice) to compete in a major championship.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: If you were charmed by Quinn and Jake’s dance romance, you’ll be even more dazzled by Fran and Scott’s love story. Strictly Ballroom is a quirky dance movie that has a similar tone to Work It in its playful nature, but also passion and excitement for dance.

Rent it here.

Step Up

What It’s About: Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan star in Step Up as Tyler and Nora, two dancers from different backgrounds forced to pair up. Of course, after a combative partnership, they learn to understand each other and work together, and also fall in love. Step Up eventually had five spin-off films (and counting).

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Step Up and Work It both highlight how dancing can break down barriers and help people form bonds. They show how dance is universal and how the combination of dance styles leads to really fun final dance numbers.

Rent it here.

Billy Elliot

What It’s About: 11-year old Billy Elliot dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer. Billy has to hide that he takes lessons because his father and brother disapprove of his dream. Jamie Bell plays Billy.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Billy finds himself not being supported by his father because of how a boy ballet dancer will look to others. Quinn faces some similar parental disapproval from her mother, who believes she should just focus on her school work. Billy Elliot and Work It both end with the parents seeing the error of their ways and learning to support their children’s passions.

Rent it here.

Flashdance

What It’s About: Jennifer Beals plays Alex, a young woman who dreams of becoming a professional dancer.

Why Work It Fans Will Like It: Flashdance and Work It both focus on young women who have no professional dance training, but their determination allows them to try (and succeed) to compete when they go up against more seasoned professionals. Both films are also about taking chances, even when the odds seemed stacked against you.

Rent it here.

Work It is a cheery dance movie that doesn’t take itself seriously, allowing it to hit the right notes and beats. The films on this list have a similar love of dance spirit.

Stream Work It on Netflix.

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Tom Holland is such a class act. The actor really swung on to the scene as the MCU’s Peter Parker back in Captain America: Civil War and has since dazzled in four other Marvel movie appearances, as well as lent his voice to this year’s Dolittle and Onward. Holland has a lot more exciting projects ahead of him, but let’s go back in time for a moment. What if he was an actor of the ‘80s? That viral Back To The Future deepfake with Holland and Robert Downey Jr. got us thinking, if we could place the actor in more iconic films of the era, he’d fit right into these roles:

Marty McFly, Back To The Future

Tom Holland’s alignment with Marty McFly actually makes a ton of sense because the actor based some of his Spider-Man performance on the Michael J. Fox character for Spider-Man: Homecoming. If you watch closely, you’ll pick out some tributes to Back To the Future in his role as Peter Parker. Even Homecoming itself is influenced by the ‘80s high school movie. We know Holland would pull off an incredible Marty McFly, because the aforementioned deepfake is perfect:

It’s uncanny, isn’t it? Tom Holland even expressed interest in recreating the scene with Robert Downey Jr. We know the actor just oozes Marty McFly energy. If we could get a hold of a DeLorean and plop him into more ‘80s roles…

Brian Johnson, The Breakfast Club

The seminal ‘80s high school film is undoubtedly John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club. The movie about a group of kids from different sides of the high school cafeteria placed in one room for detention one afternoon helped propel Anthony Michael Hall into stardom shortly after he also starred alongside Molly Ringwald in Sixteen Candles. If Tom Holland was alive back in the day or a sneaky time traveler, Hall’s character of Brian Johnson as the “brain” would be a great fit and dramatic challenge for him.

Ferris Bueller, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Isn’t Tom Holland a total Matthew Broderick? Another John Hughes classic the actor could wear the sunglasses for is 1986’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Holland is great at playing the goody good, but it would be fun to see him play this wise guy for a fun-filled day of hooky? Plus, we’d like to see the actor show off his comedic chops front and center in his own flick. Bueller… Bueller… Bueller?

J.D., Heathers

Could Tom Holland have starred in his very own cult classic? 1989’s Heathers wasn’t a hit when it was first released to theaters, but it slowly hit people’s radars and has become an under-the-radar ‘80s hit. Christian Slater’s J.D. is the devilishly handsome pair to Winona Ryder’s Veronica as the black comedy comments on the place of popularity in high schools with murder and mystery. Now Brad Pitt was reportedly up for J.D., but passed on for looking “too sweet.” The same could be said about Holland’s persona, but I think he could take a bloody stab at it.

Daniel LaRusso, The Karate Kid

Sure, Tom Holland is starting to leave “kid” territory. Even so, the actor could have really embodied Daniel LaRusso in the epic 1984 hit. Holland has a talent of hitting the right emotional beats with apt timing, and we know he can rise to the challenge of testing his physicality. The Karate Kid needs both those things in the story about Daniel’s standing up to his bullies with some help from Mr. Miyagi.

Ren McCormack, Footloose

Did you know Tom Holland used to be a trained dancer and gymnast? The actor got his start in Billy Elliot the Musical when he was a kid. Now Holland has admitted to having dropped the craft in his later life, but he really wants to get back into it. What better way than through taking on the role of Ren McCormack in Footloose? Should Holland take on a song-and-dance role, Kevin Bacon’s defining role is a great fit for the actor. Plus, it’d be one more connection between him and his Onward co-star Chris Pratt, since the actor’s iconic Guardians of the Galaxy character, Peter Quill, is obsessed with this movie.

Todd Anderson, Dead Poets Society

Wow, do we miss Robin Williams. If given the chance, I think a lot of young actors like Tom Holland would take any opportunity to work with the funny man. He was such a staple to family cinema of the ‘90s when Holland was growing up. A role with Williams that Holland could fit right into is Todd Anderson in Dead Poets Society. The heartfelt movie from 1989 is about an English teacher at a conservative boarding school who inspires his male students through poetry. Holland would be perfect as Ethan Hawke’s new kid, Todd.

Ronald Miller, Can’t Buy Me Love

How crazy is it that Tom Holland has yet to do a romantic comedy? If we were to pick one from the ‘80s for him, we’d place him in 1987’s Can’t Buy Me Love, which starred Grey’s Anatomy’s Patrick Dempsey before the ABC hospital drama was even a sparkle in the network’s eye. Dempsey played a high school nerd who gives a cheerleader (Amanda Peterson) $1000 to be his girlfriend for a month. It’s an adorable movie with a ton of charm and comedy that Holland could pull off with ease.

Billy Peltzer, Gremlins

Imagine it: Tom Holland as Billy Peltzer in Joe Dante's Gremlins. It's perfect, right? The Spider-Man actor could definitely embody the teenager who receives Gizmo the Gremlin as he spawns more creatures like him and chaos ensues. The classic horror comedy from 1984 calls for the kind of sweetness Holland has portrayed in his roles out of Billy. The character isn’t unlike his Onward role of Ian Lightfoot.

What do you think? Which of these ‘80s classics would you like to see Tom Holland star in an alternate timeline where he time travels to the era? Discuss your picks in the comments and vote in the poll below.

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In many places across the U.S. there are little-known laws, still technically in effect although rarely enforced, that range from dumb and antiquated to weird and absurd. For example, in New Hampshire it is illegal to collect or carry away seaweed at night, and in Kentucky all public officials and lawyers must take an oath stating that they have never fought in a duel with deadly weapons. In Fort Smith, Arkansas, the colloquially nicknamed Footloose ordinance has outlawed public dancing on Sundays, until now that is. The ban on dancing has finally been repealed, leaving residents free to cut loose on Sundays at last.

The Western Arkansas city of Fort Smith has had the ordinance on the books since 1953 according to KATV. The ordinance basically outlawed public dancing by barring the operation of dance halls or any public place with dancing on Sundays. The emergency clause in the ordinance stated that public dancing on Sundays "greatly endangers the public health, safety and welfare." No one has been arrested or ticketed in 20 years for violating the law, but when its continued existence was brought to the attention of City Director Andre Good, he still wanted to get rid of it and introduced the successful repeal. There is no word on whether or not citizens of Fort Smith also kicked off their Sunday shoes and held a huge dance in celebration.

Although the law was put into effect way back in 1953, it eventually earned its nickname for the 1984 film starring Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer. It is easy to see why as this law has some obvious parallels to that film. In Footloose, a local minister in the town of Bomont (John Lithgow), has gotten dancing and rock music banned completely after a family tragedy. Kevin Bacon's Ren McCormack moves to town from Chicago and challenges the anti-dancing law so that he and the other high school seniors can have a proper prom. They are successful in the end and are able to dance the night away. Footloose was also remade in a 2011 film starring Julianne Hough and Kenny Wormald and although it had 100% less Kevin Bacon, it was actually pretty well-reviewed.

Funnily enough, Footloose itself was loosely based on real-life events that took place in Elmore City, Oklahoma where dancing was outlawed until high school juniors fought to have it allowed at their prom. So there is a long history of dancing being seen as dangerous until common sense finally prevails.

Check out our release schedule for all the movies that will make you want to cut loose this year and for all the latest in movie news and why you should always read up on the local laws before dancing in the streets, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

What started on the stage has made its way to the screen. Dance is one of the oldest forms of performance art, so it makes sense that we began filming dancers as soon as we learned how to record moving images. Musicals and dance numbers have become a central part of the cinematic experience over the course of the last century, and a brand new video combines all of those ideas into one exhausting endeavor. Check it out below to see for yourself.

Try to tell me that the above video isn't exhausting. All I did was sit and watch, and I started to sweat. Coming to us courtesy of well-known YouTuber Antonio Maria da Silva, the supercut takes 300 separate dance sequences from iconic movies, and combines them into something intense, rhythmic, and beautiful. From comedies, to musicals, to even a few action movies, the clip splices all of these sequences seamlessly to the beat of Jennifer Lopez' "On the Floor." Quit pretending you don't love that track; it's catchy as hell.

Some seriously amazing films are on display in this clip. Obviously we see movies like Saturday Night Fever and Footloose. However, my personal favorite is the use of Tom Cruise sliding across the floor in that iconic scene from Risky Business. No matter what music is playing, that move will never fail to get a rise out of the audience.

As previously mentioned: it's not surprising that moviegoers have fallen in love with dancing over the years. Dance played a central role in silver screen entertainment as far back as 1895, when Thomas Edison brought the Annabelle Serpentine Dance to life for awestruck crowds. Film audiences have always had a passion for dance, and we don't think that passion's going anywhere anytime soon.

Of course, this video only represents the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the things Antonio Maria da Silva can do. Remember, this is the YouTube channel responsible for the awesome Hell's Club video that took the Internet by storm last year. It just goes to show what technology has allowed average people to do with their favorite movies. We are no longer consumers; we can take the artwork created by others and craft something wholly new and interesting with it.

If you consider yourself a cinephile with an affinity for dance, then we definitely recommend you watch the video at the top of this page. Not only does it showcase a ton of editing and filmmaking skill on the part of the Antonio Maria da Silva, but it also showcases the sheer athleticism of the actors and performers who took on these films in the first place. Check out the video and tell us about your favorite cinematic dance sequence of all time in the comments section below!

Netflix has a pretty good lineup of movies and TV shows headed to their list of screening options in September. Those looking to do a Jaws marathon will get their chance. And if you're a season behind on The Walking Dead, you'll have your chance to get caught up.

Below is the list of what's coming to Netflix streaming. Dates and titles are subject to change:

September 1

The Amityville Horror (2005) - September 1

Babel (2006) - September 1

Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker (2013) - September 1

Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) - September 1

Bratz: The Movie (2007) - September 1

Burn, Burn, Burn (2015) - September 1

Cats & Dogs (2001) - September 1

Crashing: Season 1 - September 1

Defiance (2008) - September 1

Easy Fortune Happy Life (2009) - September 1

Europe's Last Great Wilderness (2015) - September 1

The Fierce Wife (2010) - September 1

Footloose (1984) - September 1

Full Out (2015) - September 1

Game Winning Hit: Season 1 - September 1

Heartland: Season 7 - September 1

Hellevator: Season 1 - September 1

Hoot (2006) - September 1

Hope Floats (1998) - September 1

I Am the Ambassador: Season 1 ­ NETFLIX EXCLUSIVE - September 1

Indochina's Wild Heart (2015) - September 1

The IT Crowd: Series 5 - September 1

Jaws (1975) - September 1

Jaws 2 (1978) - September 1

Jaws 3 (1983) - September 1

Jaws: The Revenge (1987) - September 1

Joyful Noise (2012) - September 1

Keepers of the Game (2016) - September 1

Last Holiday (2006) - September 1

Lucky Days: Season 1 - September 1

Man on Wire (2008) - September 1

Milk Money (1994) - September 1

Practical Magic (1998) - September 1

Road Trip (2000) - September 1

Sam Kinison: Breaking the Rules (2000) - September 1

Saving Private Ryan (1998) - September 1

Scary Movie 2 (2001) - September 1

Shameless (U.S.): Season 5­-6 - September 1

Stomp the Yard (2007) - September 1

Sweeney Todd (2007) - September 1

Top Gun (1986) - September 1

True Grit (1969) - September 1

U­571 (2000) - September 1

The Wicker Man (2006) - September 1

Wild Madagascar (2015) - September 1

The Womanizer: Season 1 - September 1

The Year of Happiness and Love: Season 1 Avail 9/2/16 - September 1

Baby Daddy: Season 5 - September 1

Chef's Table: France ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 1

Kazoops!: Season 1 ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 1

Kulipari: An Army of Frogs ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 1

Narcos: Season 2 ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 1

Young & Hungry: Season 4 - September 1

Week of September 4

Crash (2004) - September 6

The Finest Hours (2015) - September 6

Hard Target 2 (2016) - September 6

Honey 3 (2016) - September 6

R.L. Stine's Mostly Ghostly: One Night in Doom House (2016) - September 6

The Blacklist: Season 3 - September 7

Galavant: Seasons 1­-2 - September 7

Supergirl: Season 1 - September 10

Week of September 11

Extremis (2016) ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 13

Hawaii Five­-0: Season 6 - September 13

London Has Fallen (2015) - September 13

Goldie & Bear: Season 1- September 14

Sample This (2012) - September 15

The Walking Dead: Season 6 - September 15

Cedric The Entertainer: Live from the Ville ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 16

Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (2015) - September 16

The White Helmets (2016) ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 16

3 Days to Kill (2014) Luther: Season 4 - September 17

Week of September 18

Call the Midwife: Series 5 - September 19

Gotham: Season 2 - September 19

Colliding Dreams (2016) - September 20

New Girl: Season 5 - September 20

Zootopia (2016) - September 20

Bones: Season 11 - September 22

Easy: Season 1 ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 22

Wallander: Series 4 - September 22

Audrie & Daisy (2016) ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 23

Iliza Shlesinger: Confirmed Kills - September 23

Last Man Standing: Season 5 - September 23

Longmire: Season 5 ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 23

VeggieTales in the House: Season 4 ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 23

Portlandia: Season 6 - September 24

River (2016) - September 24

Week of September 25

Family Guy: Season 14 - September 25

Margaret Cho: PsyCHO (2015) - September 25

The Fosters: Season 4 (Part A) - September 28

The Imitation Game (2014) - September 28

Amanda Knox (2016) ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 30

Marvel's Luke Cage: Season 1 ­ NETFLIX ORIGINAL - September 30

Scream: Season 2 - September 30

On the movie side of things, we get four Jaws movies, the original included, Top Gun and Footloose among the old school offerings, along with some great movies like Saving Private Ryan, True Grit and U571. On the 90s front, get ready for Milk Money, Hope Floats, Practical Magic and Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (which turned 25 this year, believe it or not.) Among the newer movies, parents will be happy to know that Zootopia is on the way.

For the TV fans, we have the latest season of The Walking Dead, Supergirl, Gotham and The Blacklist. And latest but certainly not least, we have the first season of Marvel's Luke Cage to look forward to. That's the kind of event you'll probably want to clear the weekend for.

See what came to Netflix streaming in August here.

It was a time of neon colors; of spandex and pop music laced with synthesizers. And at the movies, audiences flocked to E.T., Back to the Future, the latest adventures from Indiana Jones, and the triumphs of underdogs like Rocky and The Karate Kid.

You can take some of the best movies from the 1980s, pop them on now, and enjoy them as excellent films, regardless of their release year. That’s not the case with every beloved ‘80s movie. Nostalgia’s a funny thing, and sentiments shared for popular movies tends to cloud our better judgments, allowing passion to affect taste. Now that several decades have passed between the release of these films and today, we’re able to recalibrate our opinions of accepted "hits" from the 1980s and realize, perhaps a little sheepishly, that there are movies that aren’t nearly as good as we once thought.

Let’s fire up the flux capacitor and revisit some gems from the ‘80s that just don’t hold up to scrutiny these days. 

St. Elmo’s Fire (1985) 

St. Elmo’s Fire, Joel Schumacher’s 1985 coming-of-age drama about a group of recent Georgetown University graduates struggling in the jump to adulthood, is one of those movies everyone hypes up, but when you start watching it, you discover it’s nothing but melodrama, self-absorbed characters, and some troubling subplots. Sure, it boasts an outstanding cast consisting of Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Andrew McCarthy, and three-fifths of The Breakfast Club, but they’re mostly wasted on overly-sappy (and problematic) stories. Save yourself some pain and suffering by watching John Hughes’ classic high school comedy, which came out just months earlier. 

Howard The Duck (1986) 

Howard the Duck failed to impress critics and audiences alike back in the summer of 1986, but the movie has become a cult classic in the decades following its release. The first live-action Marvel movie to land in theaters, this superhero comedy follows the titular anthropomorphic duck (Chip Zien) as he is transported from Duckworld to Cleveland, where all kinds of nonsense takes place. It’s got that “so bad it’s good” charm going for it, which does make it tolerable, but it would be cool to see a new version of the character (not just cameos in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise) to rectify the many issues with this one. 

Iron Eagle (1986)

Even though it was released a few months before Top Gun, Iron Eagle has always been compared to it. While that is probably unfair to the Lou Gossett, Jr. movie, it doesn’t mean that Iron Eagle is good. It’s a silly movie, with a silly premise. Like a lot of ‘80s movies, the kids are the heroes. With this one though, it’s especially ridiculous as the kids are not only breaking into military facilities, but one is even stealing a fighter jet and flying across the ocean in it to save his father. 

On Golden Pond (1981)

One thing that will continue to baffle me until my dying day is how anyone could think On Golden Pond was not only a good movie, but one that was good enough to win three Oscars. Katharine Hepburn and Henry Fonda both took home multiple awards for their portrayals of Ethel and Norman Thayer Jr., and Jane Fonda’s a talented actress in her own right, but Mark Rydell’s adaptation of the 1979 stage play of the same name is nothing but boring, overly-dramatic, soft-lit melodrama for the better part of two hours.  

Krull (1983)

It’s a mystery when many Gen Xers have any nostalgia for Krull at all. It must be because few have seen it in the years since its release. It’s a storytelling mess with a convoluted plot that raised more questions than answers. The special effects might have been good at the time, but unlike other movies from the era, they have aged terribly. Like, really terribly. 

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) 

Ted Kotcheff’s First Blood is this great meditation on how a country turns its back on a Vietnam veteran (Sylvester Stallone’s John Rambo) and disregards him as nothing more than a vagrant passing through a quiet Washington town. It has its action sequences, but it was far more dramatic and understated than what would follow. Its sequel, Rambo: First Blood Part II, directed by George P. Cosmatos, on the other hand, seems to miss the point of its predecessor and instead becomes an over-the-top and messy action spectacle. Is it fun to watch? Yes. But let’s not act like it’s even one of the best Rambo movies. 

Caddyshack (1980) 

You could make an argument for Caddyshack being one of the best sports movies of all time, as well as one of the funniest movies of the ‘80s. Both of those claims are more true than they’re not, but can we just agree that Harold Ramis’ star-studded comedy is nothing more than a series of funny scenes loosely tied together? Don’t get me wrong, the movie has some iconic quotes that never get old, but you could just watch the best moments on YouTube and save yourself a couple of hours. 

Over the Top (1987)

Sylvester Stallone is one of the biggest superstars of the ‘80s, yet he made a lot of duds. Outside of the Rocky and Rambo movies, most of his movies weren’t very good. Over The Top is the perfect example. Though it’s remembered fondly these days, it’s really pretty stupid. A movie about arm wrestling? The campiness is, well, over the top, and the plot is just plain lazy. 

Revenge Of The Nerds (1984)

The problematic plot of Revenge of the Nerds has been well-documented in recent years. It’s almost unbelievable that this movie ever got made, even in the politically incorrect (by today’s standards) ‘80s. Ultimately, it’s not as funny as it used to be, either. The jokes are, pardon the pun, sophomoric and cringy. It’s best to leave this one in the past, though it’s worth noting that John Goodman’s performance is still pretty funny. 

Weekend At Bernie’s (1989)

The idea behind Ted Kotcheff’s Weekend at Bernie’s probably sounded great at the pitch meeting. The ‘80s were a time of corporate ladder climbing, and the two entrepreneurs played by Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman would go to impossible lengths to make it in business – even carting their boss’ corpse around a beachfront paradise. But in execution, it’s a physical gag that can only last for so long, and the movie’s gallows humor concept goes from pitch black to dumb to bland before the credits roll. How this movie actually got a sequel is beyond me. 

Night of the Comet (1984)

Anyone with cable TV in the ‘80s probably watched Night Of The Comet multiple times. The question is, do they remember any of the plot, beyond the basics of Earth going through the tail of a comet? Probably not. When it was released, the world was gripped with Halley’s Comet fever in anticipation of that comet’s return in 1986, but with that hype long gone, the movie doesn’t have the same appeal, or any appeal at all, for that matter. 

National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985)

On paper, it made complete sense. National Lampoon’s Vacation was incredibly popular, so another trip with Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold and the whole hilarious family was a no-brainer. Shift the location to Europe, then sit back and print the money. Yet, despite a few memorable lines ("Look kids! Big Ben. Parliament."), National Lampoon’s European Vacation was a slapdash series of middling skits tailored to each popular European location. A dog jumps off the Eiffel Tower. Clark backs into Stonehenge, knocking it over. By the time the storyline about an Italian thief kicks in, you’ll want to travel back home. It’s not the worst Vacation movie, but it’s certainly far from being the best. 

Porky's (1982)

Okay, how this movie has become a classic is beyond me. Not only is offensive in all the worst ways, but it just isn’t funny! It wasn’t funny when it came out, and it's even less funny today if that’s even possible. The movie was so popular it spawned an entire franchise that cranked out two sequels that have been the butt of many jokes since. The teenage boys who loved it in the ‘80s would be bored by it today. 

Look Who’s Talking (1989)

Look Who’s Talking is kind of cute, for a few minutes. A baby with Bruce Willis’ voice as his inner monologue comments on the social practices of his single mom (Kirstie Alley) and the latest man in her life (John Travolta). But like all of those comedies that lean on a talking fill-in-the-blank (a dog, a cat, a baby) to deliver all of its jokes, Look Who’s Talking wears out its welcome when it needs to move a story along. 

Alley and Travolta have no chemistry to speak of, and Willis’ punchlines – penned by director Amy Heckerling – are amateur hour efforts that needed a punch up. Remarkably, Look produced two sequels! They weren’t nearly as good as this first movie… and this first movie’s pretty damn bad. 

Tootsie (1982)

Duston Hoffman’s Tootsie was nominated for an astounding 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It also made a ridiculous amount of money. Yet, whenever you talk about your favorite movies from the ‘80s, is Tootsie ever part of the conversation? It’s because ultimately it's completely forgettable. Sure, Hoffman’s performance is great, if problematic, and Teri Garr and Jessica Lange shine too, the latter winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, but for a comedy, there aren’t that many laughs, and the social commentary and biting sarcasm are dated and irrelevant today.  

Footloose (1984)

There are two types of people in this world, those who love Footloose and those who hate it. I’ve always been in that second camp, but even setting aside my personal distaste for it, it’s just not a great movie. The dancing scenes are great, and if you want to watch the clips of Kevin Bacon rip it up, YouTube probably has ‘em. The plot is so thin and the characters so one-dimensional that it makes enjoying the whole movie impossible. 

Friday The 13th (1980)

The one that started it all… except, in hindsight, it’s not that good. We probably don’t need a spoiler alert for a 43-year-old movie, but the original Friday the 13th didn’t involve the hockey-masked camp-counselor killer, Jason Voorhees. Rather, the series started off with his angry mother (Betsy Palmer) lashing out at the lazy teenagers she blames for her son’s death. 

This is a matter of preference, but I thought the Friday the 13th series started finding its groove once Jason picked up his machete – to name one weapon – and started administering horror-movie vengeance on not-so-innocent victims. And, I thought the franchise got better as it got bloodier, grislier and, yes, more ridiculous (in a fun way). The 1980 film launched a legendary franchise and all-time great horror icon, but most sequels improved on this initial seed. 

Conan The Destroyer (1984)

It makes sense that the producers would want to capitalize on the success of Conan The Barbarian and the popularity of its star Arnold Schwarzenegger with a sequel, Conan The Destroyer. They even added Grace Jones and Wilt Chamberlain to the cast, which, in hindsight, was part of the problem. Gone is the interesting story from the first one, and gone is all the charm. All we’re left with is Schwarzenegger’s epic muscles and a bad B-movie. Pass. 

Police Academy (1984)

Studios, in the ‘80s, were desperate for the next Animal House. They all wanted to replicate the Slobs vs. Snobs formula, to pit outcasts against the establishment somehow, and the idea of setting that story in a police academy is inspired. But, the colorful characters assembled for Police Academy far outshine the sophomoric jokes propping up the screenplay – credited to five writers. George Gaynes warms your heart as the clueless Commandant Lassard. Michael Winslow milked his gimmick as the walking sound-effects machine. And Steve Guttenberg is legitimately great. However, Police Academy, as a movie, is not that good… and the formula thinned out considerably from sequel to sequel. 

Annie (1982)

I recently re-watched Annie for the first time since I was a kid and while the songs are still great, and the dancing is still fun, the movie is… just bad. The performances are okay, but really, this is a musical that should’ve stayed on the stage. It feels bland, staid, and uninspired. It doesn’t have the pop that a great musical should have. Maybe it's the age of the movie – and it feels a lot older than it is – or maybe it’s just the movie itself, but it’s frankly boring. 

Rad (1986)

BMX bikes were all the rage in the ‘80s. Right there with yo-yos and skateboards in the minds of junior high boys like me. Just like the fad itself faded away in favor of more “mature” forms of the sport like mountain biking, the movie Rad hasn’t aged well. It’s not even campy enough to enjoy as similar movies that were capitalizing on the fads like Gleaming The Cube are. The 13-year-old in me is still jealous of the stunts, but for that, there’s YouTube. 

Cocktail (1988)

Cocktail ran on one of the cable stations a few years ago, and I started watching it from the get-go. However, it quickly became clear that Roger Donaldson’s…comedy (drama? romance?) had very little going for it beyond Tom Cruise’s megawatt smile and that cool visual trick of the spinning bottles. In all honesty, other movies have come to the screen powered by less. 

The one thing that holds Cocktail back – and it’s a problem many alcohol-themed movies run into – is that there are endless scenes of people having a good time (in neon-drenched bars, in Jamaica, where Cruise romances Elisabeth Shue), but we’re not having fun. Can someone spin a bottle again, because Bryan Brown’s subplot about his professional conflicts with Cruise put me to sleep.
 

Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1985)

It’s rarely a good idea to make a movie based on a song. Girls Just Want To Have Fun is no exception. It’s fondly remembered because it was on cable TV every day in the mid-’80s, and it was a breakout film for Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Hunt, and Shannon Doherty, but it's not like people are posting quotes on social media from it today. It’s completely forgettable and I’ll wager that even those that think they love it from back in the day, hardly remember what it is really about. I barely do and I watched it recently. 

Superman III (1983)

When people list of the best superhero movies, the first two of Christopher Reeve’s Supermans are usually on the list. The third one, which was a huge hit, is never mentioned. It features a bizarre performance from Richard Pryor of all people as the henchman of sorts to Robert Vaughn’s villain Ross "Bubba" Webster. It’s supposed to be funny, but it's not. It’s also not inspiring like the first two. It offers very little entertainment value at all, despite the all-star cast. 

Mannequin (1987)

Man, Andrew McCarthy loved picking mediocre comedies with ridiculous concepts. In Mannequin, as you might imagine, the spirit of an ancient Egyptian is transported into the "body" of a department-store mannequin. Along the way, the mannequin designer (McCarthy) falls in love with his latest creation… who happens to be the beautiful Egyptian. They team up to create beautiful window displays, all set to the Oscar-nominated music of Jefferson Starship. The problem is that most music videos have more plot than Mannequin, and while McCarthy and Kim Cattrall were cute together, and James Spader gives a great performance, the movie’s a sappy, sloppy mess. 

Three Men And A Baby (1987)

The Leonard Nimoy-directed Three Men And A Baby starring Steve Guttenberg, Ted Danson, and Tom Selleck made an astounding $240 million dollars in 1987. That’s roughly $650 million today. It was a really moment in time too, when you look back on it, because wow it is a bizarre and, honestly, not very funny movie. It plays up male stereotypes to their comedic hilt, but not in a good way. I guess it did then, as people seemed to love it, but I’ve always found it inane and boring. Even my love of Tom Selleck can’t save it. 

Flashdance (1983)

As a music video, Flashdance is amazing. As a movie? It’s pretty tired and dated. Director Adrian Lyne made some interesting movies in the ‘80s including 9 ½ Weeks and Fatal Attraction, but beyond the soundtrack and stylish presentation of that music, Flashdance doesn’t offer much. 

Mommie Dearest (1981)

Our family still doesn’t use wire hangers or clean the bathrooms with Comet because of this damn movie. There’s "camp," and then there’s Mommie Dearest, the based-on-horrible-but-true accounts of Christina Crawford’s abused childhood under the demanding eye of Joan Crawford (played without an ounce of restraint by Faye Dunaway). 

An unintentional comedy, Mommie Dearest has become a how-to manual for awful parents – my favorite scene is Joan beating Christina in a swimming race, then explaining how the daughter will never beat her mother because she’s not strong enough. Aside from a few ludicrously overblown scenes, the hazy biopic struggles to hold our interest, painting with far-too-broad strokes as it creates a Hollywood monster out of a supposed icon. 

The Big Chill (1983)

Baby Boomer nostalgia hit its peak in the 1980s with TV shows like The Wonder Years, and even weird ill-advised reboots like The New Leave it to Beaver. Nothing personified that nostalgia more than The Big Chill. Filled with ‘60s music and a cast of Boomers playing characters trying to relive or rewrite their youth, the movie is just sentimental schlock and unless you were a hippie-turned-yuppie in the ‘80s, you can forget about enjoying this one. The music is still pretty great though. 

Short Circuit (1986)

Short Circuit is sort of like Chappie… only, 30 years later, audiences knew better and just skipped the movie about the emotional robot, altogether. Steve Guttenberg and Ally Sheedy (both of whom seemed to appear in just about everything for a stretch of years) find an experimental military robot constructed for use during the Cold War who comes to "life" after being struck by lightning. 

Mixing E.T. with Pinocchio (and several other easy sources), Short Circuit charmed audiences at the time. The film’s clunky comedy and Cold War "tensions" – which director John Badham also explored in WarGames – make it a time-capsule relic that’s dated and dull. Like so many movies on this list, Short Circuit benefitted from having a hit song, "Who’s Johnny," that likely helped sell more tickets than was necessary. 

Above The Law (1989)

There was a brief moment in the late ‘80s when Steven Seagal was the biggest action star in Hollywood. Bigger than Sly, Arnold, and Bruce. He was, for a brief window, huge. His first movie, Above The Law, launched that improbable era and while it was action-packed and brought something new to the genre, it wasn’t good then, and it’s not good today. It’s impossible to watch even the good Seagal films, or “film” as the case may be with Under Seige, and not see the modern-day Seagal who churns out straight-to-video movies dozens at a time it feels like.  

Breakin’ / Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)

Steven Spielberg gets a lot of credit – and deservedly so – for putting out two movies in the same year. Few can wrap their brain around being able to deliver Amistad and The Lost World: Jurassic Park in the same year, let alone Minority Report and Catch Me If You Can or Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List. So I’ll applaud the producers behind the Breakin’ films for cranking out back-to-back breakdancing movies… even if both of them are unspeakably bad. 

Both Breakin’ and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo captured a movement relevant to this time. They are to the 1980s what the Step Up movies are to the 2000s. And Electric Boogaloo has become the default joke for ANY movie that gets an unwarranted sequel. The acting, direction and screenwriting in both films is atrocious, and the movies are so awful that you can’t even entertain yourself by making fun of them. Moonwalk into another decade, and hope for better results.

These aren’t the worst movies of the ‘80s (for the most part, anyway), but none is as good as memory or hype would lead you to believe. 

Kevin Bacon has accomplished an incredible number of things in his career. He’s toplined very successful and beloved movies, carried infuriating yet strangely addicting TV shows and even developed into the standard by which random actors are linked together. He could and should be remembered in a ton of different ways, but to many, whether he goes on to cure cancer or not, he’ll always be Ren Mccormack, the rebellious kid from Chicago who just needed to dance in 1984’s still loveable Footloose. Actors less sure of themselves would probably have an issue with that, but Bacon himself has no problem playing along, as seen last night when he appeared on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon and filmed a goofy and loveable segment about dancing.

As you can see above, the clip in question is more like a Saturday Night Live sketch than anything else. It features Fallon talking about how dancing has been banned at The Tonight Show, much to the annoyance of the crowd. Rules are rules and they have to be followed, unless you’re Kevin Bacon, of course. He’s shown watching the monitor and getting progressively more annoyed until he can’t take it anymore, strips down to the famous white wifebeater and dances up a storm both alone and with random people working in the office. Not surprisingly, his little scheme works too, just as it did in Footloose.

Here's a look at that loveable warehouse scene from the original that's being loosely taken to task. For my money, it's all about the gymnastics routine, which Fallon and company incorporate perfectly...

The Tonight Show under Jimmy Fallon’s watch is a distinctively different program than it was under Jay Leno. The new host places a huge emphasis on creating funny viral moments and pushing his guests out of their comfort zones. People knew what to expect when they went on with Leno. They don’t know what to expect now, but since the name of the game is publicity, that seems to be a good thing. Plus, with his unrelenting positivity, Fallon seems to be great at convincing people like Kevin Bacon to share a few laughs about their past.

On an unrelated Footloose note, the Craig Brewer-directed remake is way better than you would think it is. If you’re bored this afternoon, I would highly suggest you check it out.

Get ready to have the time of your life all over again on July 26, 2013. That, according to a Tweet, is when Lionsgate plans to release its Dirty Dancing remake. You have until then to get Baby out of the corner.

How will it do? That depends. Craig Brewer treated the original Footloose, a similar pop-music-infused time-capsule treasure from the 1980s, with reverence, and was rewarded with nearly $40 million in domestic ticket sales. But Dancing’s success depends on so many factors, starting with director. Can you get a Kenny Ortega, or even a Brewer? Should you think outside of the box, like Paramount did with Footloose?

And who do you cast? Rumors swirled that Footloose star Kenny Wormald was circling the part of Johnny, made famous by the late Patrick Swayze. It’s a thankless job, as anyone who lands in the gig will be compared (unfavorably) to Swayze. But Wormald took the Bacon criticisms in stride, then proved to everyone he can act AND dance.

The next step will be securing the music. As Brewer repeatedly said, it isn’t Footloose without "Let’s Hear It For the Boy," and the same goes for Dancing. The story’s timeless, but you better have some version of "(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life" in there. Same goes for "She’s Like the Wind," though in a classy move, I vote they keep Swayze’s version as a tribute.

Whatever. Just so long as we don’t get a remake of Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights 10 years from now, I’m cool with all of this.

As remakes go, Footloose did a fine job of capturing the spirit of the original film, and also managed to boost the dancing to match the talent movie-goers have come to expect thanks to movies like the Step Up series. Kevin Bacon, who starred as Ren McCormack in the original film, weighed in on the remake and it looks as though the new Footloose is now Bacon-approved.

Ridiculous bus-racing scene aside, the Footloose remake really did manage to tap into what was so great about the original film. I had reservations about this particular remake, as I feared the story, which was nicely developed in the original, would get buried under an onslaught of added-on dance scenes, however that wasn’t the case and the movie was all the better for it.

Kevin Bacon didn’t get his start in the original Footloose. While Animal House was his earliest film credit, the 1984 dance movie did put him on the map, and he has since gone on to appear in so many films that movie fans have made a game out of linking him with other actors.

What did Bacon think of the Footloose remake? He tweeted his approval this Sunday, after catching a matinee of the film. (You can view his ticket-stub here). According to Bacon, “F-Loose! Just saw it. Congrats to Craig, Kenny, Julianne, Dennis,Andie, Miles, and the rest of the cast. U guys rocked it!”

Bacon isn’t the only one who liked it. Footloose currently has a 71% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and Cinema Blend’s own Mack Rawden gave the film 4 out of 5 stars. If you’re on the fence about seeing it, check out his review, which I credit for having sold me on the remake enough to see it in the theaters, rather than waiting to rent. I didn’t regret the decision.

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon from Footloose (1984) - Footloose (2011).

Kevin Bacon - Footloose

Kevin Bacon and Bill Murray in Wild Things

Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell in Groundhog Day

Andie MacDowell in Footloose 2011

Anyone got any others?

There are many notable scenes in Herbert Ross' 1984 film Footloose, but few are more iconic than Kevin Bacon's "angry dance" in the warehouse. Needless to say, it was a scene that director Craig Brewer had to get right in his remake, which comes out tomorrow. But instead of using the song "Never" by Moving Pictures, which was featured in the original, Brewer instead decided to go with "Catch Hell Blues" by The White Stripes. So how did he go about not only picking the song, but getting permission to use it? Find out below.

I recently had the chance to sit down with Craig Brewer one-on-one to talk about his newest film. In the interview below you will find out not only how the "angry dance" scene came together in the 2011 movie, but where music enters into his process, the affect that music can have on young people, and both his upcoming Tarzan movie and the NWA biopic. Check it out!

Ok, I'm stating the obvious here but music obviously plays a huge part in your films. I'm curious, when you're developing a project, at what stage does the soundtrack start coming into play?

I would say almost immediately. Um, it's really interesting because I remember when I was writing Hustle and Flow, I was still working at Barnes & Noble, and I would write it on my lunch break. And when I would come home I'd write it at night. I had just gotten this new album from this new rap artist named Ludacris, and he had this album called “Back for the First Time”. And if you see this album he's wearing this kind of white wife beater shirt and he's got, like, the cornrows and he's kind of leaning over in this real brooding type of way. And I took the album sleeve out of the CD case and I taped it to my computer as I wrote Hustle and Flow. Now later in the movie I had the scene where Terrence Howard looks at a CD of “Skinny Black”, played by Ludacris, and he takes the sleeve out and staples it to his workstation and it was this really crazy moment for me when I was like, “Man I did the same thing with that same guy, y'know?”

So the reason I bring that up is that very early on I'm trying to get a musical vibe as to what I want the music.. the movie to feel like. So, uh, Black Snake Moan I was playing a lot of blues, recently I wrote a movie called Mother Trucker which is kind of like all about trucker culture, so that had a real fascinating playlist. But, uh, Footloose was easy because it was so much just a part of my life. I knew every song on it, I knew Footloose forwards and backwards, and I knew the songs I could redo, I knew the songs I wanted to keep exactly the way they are. I knew I wanted to bring in some new songs, maybe not do all of the songs from the original, but, y'know I was gonna get crucified if I didn't have at least “Footloose”, “Almost Paradise”, “Holding Out for a Hero”, and “Let's Hear it for the Boy”.

Just on that subject, when it came to the music, when you were choosing the artists to cover the songs, how did you decide?

Well a little bit of it was I'll know it when I hear it, and because we were going, just like the cast of the movie, for new and young talent, people that have maybe been struggling on the outskirts of Nashville and the music industry that haven't yet made it in, we really had our ear to the ground on that. And so for some of the songs... and there's this really great song called “Suicide Eyes”... did you see the movie?

Yeah.

Ok, when you go to the dirt-track for the first time there's this real awesome, y'know, dirty sound and country rock song called “Suicide Eyes” by this band called Thousand Horses. These guys have been playing in Nashville for a couple of years now, trying to get it going and they cut that track on garage band. And I just remember hearing it and just going like, “Oh, this is going in the movie”. But then I also got this track from a 15-year-old girl from Walhalla, South Carolina, named Ella May Bowen and she made her own demo of “Holding Out for a Hero.” It was slow, and soulful, and it was just gorgeous, so suddenly that makes it into the movie. I did however, I'd love to get me, uh, I knew that the scene at the drive in I wanted to be more urban because later I knew we'd be going into the cowboy club and it would be more country.

So I called up David Banner, who was in my movie Black Snake Moan, and I really think David is not only a talented actor but he's just a great producer of music. I called him up and I was like, “Dude, you may not know Footloose and there's this song called 'Dancing in the Sheets'”, and he's like, in that gravelly voice of his, “You mean by Shalamar... man, Footloose was my joint back in the day yo!” He knew it and he was passionate about it and I was like, “Well we don't want an exact version of that song, but it's obviously, y'know it takes place... we want a nod to 'Dancing in the Sheets'”. And he came up with this song called “Dance the Night Away”, that uses a little bit of that hook, and I'm always, uh, surprised by how many people Footloose touches. Even Three 6 Mafia was like, “Dude, you want to put a song in Footloose?” And I was like, “You kidding me?! In Footloose?”

We talked about how there were some songs you had to include, and one of the, well, really the iconic scene from the first film is the angry dance in the warehouse.

Right.

When and how did you decide on “Catch on Hell Blues” by the White Stripes?

Well that was first thing I thought of actually. As a matter of fact, if you talk to the president of Paramount he'll tell you the same thing. What I did was I came in, and when I pitch a movie I bring a boombox with me, and I have a little iPod that's attached to it, and I score my pitch sessions. And I'll never forget knowing in my mind that I'll probably never get Jack to sign off on using “Catch on Hell Blues”-

Why'd you think that?

Well, y'know, Jack is, as he should be, very protective as to what his music, y'know how his music is used. And I've met him before I think he's one of the best, one of the greatest artists we have right now. I think he does to rock/pop what I try to do with movies, and that is infuse it with blues, infuse it with some tradition and heritage beforehand where you don't know you're being exposed to it. But I just remember pitching the angry dance, as a matter of fact almost verbatim, I even had, um, it all worked out, meaning I went in to the studio and I had “Catch on Hell Blues” playing and I had the whole angry dance- the original [Brewer takes out his iPad and shows me the “angry dance” clip from the original Footloose synced up to “Catch Hell Blues”] but I just kind of cut it up in different places, like right here they'll... y'know... so I kind of knew early on what I wanted to do. God, I can't believe I have this on my iPad. [laughs] But I, uh, I knew it in and out and I came up with a plan before I'd even written the script. And so I think they responded to that. Luckily I found out Jack was a Footloose fan and he saw the clip and he loved it.

Do you know someone who isn't a Footloose fan? [laughs]

I know! They're out there, you'd be surprised, and they'll letcha know. [laughs]

The whole Twitter thing.

Oh yeah, oh yeah.

Also, one thing that really struck me about the movie is there's the one scene, it's during the second city council meeting when Shaw is talking about the issue of music having an effect on young people. And frankly this is a subject that I've always been interested in. Back during Columbine in '99 you had that whole thing about Marilyn Manson kinda being an influence. And I'm curious, how do you feel about that subject?

Well, it's interesting because when I listen to Shaw in that piece I feel that Dennis kind of nails it because he says, “I think dancing can be destructive and certain kinds of music can be destructive”. And I guess I want to disagree with them, but it's hard for me to disagree with them. Because I have seen how music can affect young minds. I can see that dancing over the years has gone from dirty dancing being the most scandalous thing you could do, of actually rubbing your crotch up against the crotch of another person, but at the very least they were looking each other in the eye! [laughs] Y'know these days, not to sound like a grumpy old man, but like these kids, these girls are basically backing their butts up into boys' crotches and I'm thinking like, what about, y'know some eye contact?! Y'know, what about some connection with the person you're trying to sexually objectify? Y'know, at least I have a connection, y'know?

So I can how there's at least an argument for it. But I think what sometimes parents, or administrators, or lawmakers sometimes forget is that all bets are off when you're dealing with teenagers. Y'know when I see Damian Echols talk about how he went to school with long black hair, and like, a brown paper sack, with a bunch of bullies saying, “Oh you got dead kitties in there?” And he said “Yeah.”... I get that. I remember that time of being paralyzed with fear of what people thought of you. And so much of your personality goes through such change. Like from one year to the next you learn so much. So what I think Footloose teaches us, to make it sound like the bible [Laughs] is, uh, that the job of a parent is to worry and a job of a teenager is to be crazy and act like idiots and there's only a certain time that you get to do that and then after that its over... and then after that you're just kind of pathetic, y'know you're a grown up and you're acting childish. Where during that time, that's the time for it.

You mentioned how the music influences you straight from the beginning, uh, I know you're working on the Tarzan project... Is that the same deal?

Oh yeah, yeah. But it's different, it's not like, um, I'm putting in a bunch of contemporary music. It's the right kind of soundtrack, y'know, because of the direction that I'm going with Tarzan, I listen to a lot of the soundtrack of The Last of the Mohicans. The Last of the Mohicans is a movie that I felt was probably the closest Tarzan movie really made in the last decade or two.

Just another thing, there was a recent news story that said you were on a short list for an upcoming NWA biopic.

I read that too.

What did you think of it?

It was a strange way to wake up in the morning. [laughs] Y'know, uh, right now I'm still in the mode of wanting to direct things that I write and that is a good script, I don't want to comment on it, I want to keep the options open... It's always nice to be respected and thought of, especially in respect to a story that's as incredible as that. It really is. I just listened to the double album of “Straight Outta Compton” and, y'know, that album is truly a work of art. I mean, I don't think you could make an album like that today and have people respond to it the way it did. The music industry has changed, I don't know if it would allow one side of a record to only have three or four songs on it, and be y'know, that long and that potent, that awesome.

Every decade has a soundtrack or two it can call its own. The music of The Graduate empowered the Flower Children of the 1960s. Grease and Saturday Night Fever were staples of the 1970s. If I had to explain the 1980s to anyone, I’d simply pop in either the Dirty Dancing or Footloose soundtracks. And if you listened to music in the 1990s, you likely owned Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction CD.

But Footloose, and its signature songs, are making a comeback in the Aughts thanks to Craig Brewer’s in-tune remake. As with Herbert Ross’s original, the tunes are integrated into the fiber of Brewer’s film, from the opening beats of Kenny Loggins’ title track to … well, Blake Shelton’s barn-burning cover of the same tune that closes out the film. In between, Brewer introduced new versions of Footloose classics, asking Ella Mae Bowen, Hunter Hayes and other contemporary artists to take a pass on tracks we wore out as kids. Is it Almost Paradise, or will we be holding out for a hero to rescue us from these remixed tunes? Let’s break down the songs that appear in both films and see which version better encourages you to kick off your Sunday shoes.

Holding Out for a Hero

By far the best track on the new Footloose soundtrack, made all the more special for the subtly sweet way Brewer uses it as the backdrop for a simple scene with Ren (Kenny Wormald) working in his garage. The song’s lyrics suggest that Ren will be Ariel’s savior without cramming the message down our throats in a stagey tractor race. And country artist Brown’s soulful rendition nails the hurt that can be found at the heart of this emotional song. Brewer has said on his active Twitter feed that Ella Mae Bowen’s only 15, which is mind blowing when you hear decades of pain, hope and life experience in her rendition of Hero. I can’t wait to hear more by her in coming years.

Advantage: Footloose (2011)

Almost Paradise

Victoria Justice and Hunter Hayes’ updated take on this classic ‘80s ballad just doesn’t reach for the rafters the way Mike Reno and Ann Wilson did in 1984. Granted, the 1980s are the decade of power ballads, and Wilson has one of the strongest voices in rock-pop history. But the wafting synthesizers and building choruses of the original Almost Paradise trump the tinny drum machines and subdued verses of the new mix. Turn up your speakers for the original. It’s like a time machine transporting you right back to your high school prom.

Advantage: Footloose (1984)

Let’s Hear It For the Boy

This could be sacrilege, but I’m going to say Jana Kramer’s boot-stompin’ rendition of the buoyant Boy works better than Deniece Williams’ dance classic. And most of this has to do with the country-twang touches in Kramer’s take that fall in step with Brewer’s Southern Footloose spin. It’s easy to get excited when Willard unleashes his inner dancing demon. But Kramer’s rambunctious interpretation of this rousing cheer-track practically forces you out of your seat, singing off-key with this loving one-man show.

Advantage: Footloose (2011)

Footloose

The title track, and arguably Kenny Loggins’ greatest hit. And yet, Blake Shelton does the song justice, with his sing-along choruses that could hold their own in a Southern Gospel choir. Much like Brewer’s remake, Shelton’s version of Footloose keeps all of the elements you like about the original but somehow finds a way to make it fresh and new. Basically, Footloose is such a well-written anthem that it’s damn near impossible to screw it up. No matter the version, Footloose will have you burning, yearning for a dance floor so you can cut loose.

Advantage: A tie.

In Conclusion

You can’t go wrong with either soundtrack. But the sheer surprise of our experiment lies in the fact that the handpicked tunes for Brewer’s soundtrack – as well as Brewer’s remake, itself – live up to (or even improve on) the standards set back in 1984. Stop fighting it, Footloose fans. Embrace a remake that actually improves on its original, and gives us a fresh set of musical reasons to cut loose.

For children of the ‘80s, the Footloose and Dirty Dancing soundtracks are nostalgic treasure chests. Each song is intrinsically linked to specific scenes in the original movies, so when word broke that both films were being remade, purists probably were more worried about their beloved pop songs than which new actor would place Baby in the corner.

Craig Brewer’s allegedly gritty take on Herbert Ross’s dancing classic lands in theaters first (it opens on Oct. 14), and Atlantic Records/Warner Music Nashville just pulled back the curtain on the remake’s soundtrack, which will feature new material and fresh cuts of familiar tracks. Country music superstar Blake Shelton, who built a huge following as a guest mentor on NBC’s The Voice, sings the film’s title song, “Footloose.” Victoria Justice and Hunter Hayes will duet on the movie’s love theme, “Almost Paradise.” Ella Mae Bowen will take a shot at the driving beats of “Holding Out For a Hero,” while Jana Kramer is handling the bubbly “Let’s Hear It For the Boy.”

Those titles likely aren’t going to convince teens to download the new Footloose soundtrack, so Atlantic wisely recruited marketable stars like Big & Rich, Cee Lo Green, David Banner, Whitney Duncan, Lissie and Zac Brown of Zac Brown Band to sing original songs that will be featured in the film. All that’s left is to see newcomer Kenny Wormald cut loose. Footloose. He’s playing Kevin Bacon’s infamous anti-hero Ren MacCormack, dance, and Brewer’s remake hinges on his moves.

Here’s the official Footloose soundtrack track listing:

Footloose-- yes, a remake of the Kevin Bacon classic-- doesn't come to theaters until October, but director Craig Brewer is doing press interviews early because, as he puts it, "There's a lot of people that want to hate on it." He knows that nobody expected the director of Hustle & Flow and Black Snake Moan to take on an 80s remake about kids dancing in a small town. He knows you guys probably didn't want to see Footloose remade to begin with. But having just wrapped the film, he also sounds as confident as a director can be months before the movie comes out-- " I've never personally been more confident as a filmmaker that when the lights go out and the movie starts, I know they're going to love it."

I spent about 20 minutes on the phone with Brewer yesterday, talking about Footloose and what draws him to such wildly different projects. I'll have that full interview up on Monday, but first you might want to see what he told me about his plans to make a new Tarzan movie. Yes, that director of Hustle & Flow and Black Snake Moan is moving on to something else completely different. He's working on the script for Warner Bros., and while he's careful to say that his take is just one of several the studio is considering to revamp the man of the jungle, his personal take on the material seems pretty tough to resist. Check out what he had to say below:

Come back on Monday for much more from my conversation with Craig Brewer. Footloose opens October 14.

Well, pilgrim, you've got yourself just under a year to find yourself an eye patch, a cowboy hat and a six-shooter so you can roll up to the theater in full Rooster Cogburn gear and scare the shit out of anyone headed to see Joel and Ethan Coen's True Grit remake.

Variety put this year's first present under the tree today by letting us know that Paramount will be releasing the John Wayne re-imagining on Christmas Day, 2010. It's a bit of a strange day to be releasing a straight up, unadulterated western, but they'll certainly benefit from vacationers and people looking to escape from their families after a long day. According to our own fearless leader Josh Tyler, the script from the Coens is exactly what it should be-- a streamlined, much improved version of the 1969 classic. Read his script reaction HERE.

In other news, Paramount has unsurprisingly taken their Footloose remake off the schedule thanks to director Kenny Ortega giving them the finger the same way Zac Efron did. Good news all around this morning in the world of Paramount.