1987 Ranked Films
The ranked list of 1987 films that I have seen so far.
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- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMatthew ModineR. Lee ErmeyVincent D'OnofrioA pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.10/10
Often darkly humorous while simultaneously touching on the horrors of all facets of war, Full Metal Jacket is another striking tour de force product of directorial maestro Stanley Kubrick. - DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellSarah BerryDan HicksAsh Williams, the lone survivor of an earlier onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits, holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.10/10
Somewhere between a sequel and a remake, Evil Dead II firmly establishes the franchise’s true tone with lively practical effects and hysterically cartoonish horror sequences. - DirectorNorman JewisonStarsCherNicolas CageOlympia DukakisLoretta Castorini, a bookkeeper from Brooklyn, New York, finds herself in a difficult situation when she falls for the brother of the man she has agreed to marry.10/10
Both moving and hilarious in equal measure, Moonstruck finds beauty in the simplicity of love, all of which is channeled brilliantly through a stellar leading performance from Cher. - DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsRobin WilliamsForest WhitakerTom T. TranIn 1965, an unorthodox and irreverent DJ named Adrian Cronauer begins to shake up things when he is assigned to the U.S. Armed Services radio station in Vietnam.10/10
Thanks to an effervescently charismatic and nuanced performance from Robin Williams, Good Morning, Vietnam manages to tactfully introduce light-heartedness without downplaying the seriousness of its geopolitical backdrop. - DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsNicolas CageHolly HunterTrey WilsonWhen a childless couple--an ex-con and an ex-cop--decide to help themselves to one of another family's quintuplets, their lives become more complicated than they anticipated.9/10
At times zany and effortlessly entertaining, Raising Arizona serves as an emphatic coming out for the Coen Brothers and a pristine vehicle for stars Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter. - DirectorRichard DonnerStarsMel GibsonDanny GloverGary BuseyTwo newly paired cops who are complete opposites must put aside their differences in order to catch a gang of drug smugglers.9/10
Perfectly pairing Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in this buddy cop flick, Lethal Weapon manages to provide some high-adrenaline action and stakes courtesy of Richard Donner. - DirectorJohn HughesStarsSteve MartinJohn CandyLaila RobinsA Chicago advertising man must struggle to travel home from New York for Thanksgiving, with a lovable oaf of a shower-curtain-ring salesman as his only companion.9/10
Planes, Trains and Automobiles really only has one comedic speed, but the interplay between Steve Martin and John Candy keeps it hysterical and well worth the trip. - DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerCarl WeathersKevin Peter HallA team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.9/10
With action sequences rivaling some of John McTiernan's best work, Predator finds Arnold Schwarzenegger dominating the screen in this wonderfully macho sci-fi romp. - DirectorLuis ValdezStarsLou Diamond PhillipsEsai MoralesRosanna DeSotoBiographical story of the rise from nowhere of early rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens who died at age 17 in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper.8/10
An abrupt if accurate ending notwithstanding, La Bamba finds a consistent beat in deftly depicting one of early rock-and-roll's finest young faces. - DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsPeter WellerNancy AllenDan O'HerlihyIn a dystopic and crime-ridden Detroit, a terminally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg haunted by submerged memories.8/10
Bloodily brutal and satirically scathing, RoboCop is a bold, dynamic offering from Paul Verhoeven and an exciting sci-fi/action flick in its own right. - DirectorBernardo BertolucciStarsJohn LoneJoan ChenPeter O'TooleBernardo Bertolucci's Oscar-winning dramatisation of the life story of China's last emperor, Pu Yi.8/10
Pulling back the curtain of a fascinating end to a geopolitical era, The Last Emperor is an understated if aloof biographical feature. - DirectorMichele SoaviStarsDavid BrandonRichard BarkeleyBarbara CupistiA group of stage actors lock themselves in the theater for a rehearsal of their upcoming musical production, unaware that an escaped psychopath has sneaked into the theater with them.8/10
Simple but effective, Stage Fright choreographs a fast-paced and thrilling night of horror that proves some of the best slashers might just come from overseas. - DirectorEmile ArdolinoStarsPatrick SwayzeJennifer GreyJerry OrbachSpending the summer at a Catskills resort with her family, Frances "Baby" Houseman falls in love with the camp's dance instructor, Johnny Castle.7/10
Dirty Dancing sometimes feels familiar with its socioeconomic themes, however it’s expertly executed and gets some heated romantic chemistry out of Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsChristian BaleJohn MalkovichMiranda RichardsonA young English boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation of China during World War II.7/10
The depiction of its subject matter feels a bit watered down, but Steven Spielberg reliably hits enough emotional beats to make Empire of the Sun resonate. - DirectorMel BrooksStarsMel BrooksJohn CandyRick MoranisA star-pilot for hire and his trusty sidekick must come to the rescue of a princess and save Planet Druidia from the clutches of the evil Spaceballs.7/10
Subsequently becoming iconic in lampooning something more iconic, Spaceballs is a prime Mel Brooks offering with plenty of funny jokes. - DirectorJerry ReesStarsJon LovitzTimothy StackTimothy E. DayA group of dated appliances embark on a journey to the city to find their master after being abandoned in a cabin in the woods.7/10
The Brave Little Toaster is a more pedestrian children’s offering, however an indomitable spirit and endearing characters will win any viewer over. - DirectorOliver StoneStarsCharlie SheenMichael DouglasTamara TunieAn impatient young stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless, greedy corporate raider who takes the youth under his wing.6/10
Though it’s never as compelling as it should be, Wall Street is definitely dressed to impress and features one hell of a convincing performance from Michael Douglas. - DirectorJoseph RubenStarsTerry O'QuinnJill SchoelenShelley HackAfter murdering his entire family, a man marries a widow with a teenage daughter in another town and prepares to do it all over again.6/10
The Stepfather bites off more than it can chew, dramatically speaking, but when it comes to being a neat psychological thriller, it steps up to the plate. - DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsKevin CostnerSean ConneryRobert De NiroDuring Prohibition, Treasury agent Eliot Ness sets out to stop ruthless Chicago gangster Al Capone, and assembles a small, incorruptible team to help him.6/10
Jarring shifts in tone keep The Untouchables from reaching its full potential, however Brian De Palma's sharp direction ratchets up the tension when necessary. - DirectorJoel SchumacherStarsJason PatricCorey HaimDianne WiestAfter moving to a new town, two brothers discover that the area is a haven for vampires.6/10
Starring an enthusiastic young cast, The Lost Boys has enough imaginative fun to take a good bite out of the vampire subgenre, even if it wants to have its comedy-horror cake and eat it too. - DirectorGeorge MillerStarsJack NicholsonCherSusan SarandonThree single women in a picturesque village have their wishes granted, at a cost, when a mysterious and flamboyant man arrives in their lives.6/10
The Witches of Eastwick gets too caught up in its double, double toil and trouble to tell a compelling story, but it sure has some fun along the way. - DirectorFred DekkerStarsAndre GowerRobby KigerStephen MachtA group of young monster fanatics attempts to save their hometown from Count Dracula and his monsters.6/10
It's not as tightly edited nor written as it should be, but The Monster Squad can't be denied the amount of fun it has with being a light-hearted homage to classic horror. - DirectorChuck RussellStarsHeather LangenkampRobert EnglundCraig WassonA psychiatrist familiar with knife-wielding dream demon Freddy Krueger helps teens at a mental hospital battle the killer who is invading their dreams.5/10
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors has more creativity and fervor than most slashers of its ilk, but a lackluster finale makes it forgettable as soon as the viewer awakens. - DirectorRob ReinerStarsCary ElwesMandy PatinkinRobin WrightA bedridden boy's grandfather reads him the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love.5/10
While friendly and breezy through and through, The Princess Bride’s personality effectively flattens out the entire experience. - DirectorPaul Michael GlaserStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerMaria Conchita AlonsoYaphet KottoIn a dystopian America, a falsely convicted policeman gets his shot at freedom when he must forcibly participate in a TV game show where convicts, runners, must battle killers for their freedom.4/10
There’s some decent commentary of the nature of entertainment in The Running Man, and while it tries to embrace its campy nature, it never satisfies as an engaging feature. - DirectorWilliam DearStarsJohn LithgowMelinda DillonMargaret LangrickThe Henderson family adopt a friendly Sasquatch but have a hard time trying to keep the legend of 'Bigfoot' a secret.4/10
Though certainly amiable enough to qualify as light family viewing, Harry and the Hendersons still can't crack the code behind its sitcom-style setup to really engage. - DirectorClive BarkerStarsAndrew RobinsonClare HigginsAshley LaurenceA woman discovers the newly resurrected, partially formed, body of her brother-in-law and lover. She starts killing for him to revitalize his body and escape the demonic beings that are pursuing him after he escaped their underworld.3/10
Rife with unsettling creature designs and atmospherics, Hellraiser squanders it all on a flimsy story structure and contrived stakes. - DirectorJanice KarmanStarsRoss Bagdasarian Jr.Janice KarmanDody GoodmanThe Chipmunks compete with the Chipettes in a round-the-world race.3/10
Undeserving of the big-screen treatment, The Chipmunk Adventure largely plays out like an extended, uneventful episode. - DirectorJim DrakeStarsSteve GuttenbergBubba SmithMichael WinslowThe misfit Police Academy (1984) graduates now are assigned to train a group of civilian volunteers to fight crime once again plaguing the streets.2/10
Somehow with even less of a working plot than before, Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol proves filmmaking experience is not required to make an entry in the canon. - DirectorJoseph SargentStarsLorraine GaryLance GuestMario Van PeeblesChief Brody's widow believes that her family is deliberately being targeted by another shark in search of revenge.2/10
With a nonsensical narrative that sinks the franchise to new depths, Jaws: The Revenge may be a step up but it is confirmation that there's no waters left to explore. - DirectorGary GoddardStarsDolph LundgrenFrank LangellaMeg FosterThe heroic warrior He-Man battles against the evil lord Skeletor and his armies of darkness for control of Castle Grayskull.1/10
Stripped of any color or imagination that’s present in the animated series, Masters of the Universe is a meandering, unconvincing, pale imitation. - DirectorBill FroehlichStarsLori LethinBrendan HughesAlex RoccoIn the early 1980s, a series of gruesome murders occurred at Crippen High School. A few years later, a film crew uses the now-abandoned Crippen High as the set for a film. But an uninvited guest makes an appearance on the set.1/10
Trying for a meta, comedic take on the slasher subgenre but falling flat on its face, Return to Horror High flunks outright. - DirectorLee HarryStarsEric FreemanJames NewmanElizabeth KaitanThe now-adult Ricky talks to a psychiatrist about how he became a murderer after his brother, Billy, died, which leads back to Mother Superior.1/10
With more than a third of the sequel simply highlights from the first, Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 hardly tries at all, delivering more laughs than scares. - DirectorSidney J. FurieStarsChristopher ReeveGene HackmanMargot KidderThe Man of Steel crusades for nuclear disarmament and meets Lex Luthor's latest creation, Nuclear Man.1/10
The franchise completely bottoming out, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is a hokey, unexciting, and senseless superhero outing for the Man of Steel.