Red Dawn (1984)

As a tribute to the late Patrick Swayze, I decided to watch what I consider to be one of his best movies this weekend. As the backbone to the whole film, Jed is the older brother that you always wish you had, especially fighting on your side against a Russian/Cuban invasion.

There's a funny story that goes with my first time seeing this film as a kid. I was over a friends house who lived down the street from me when it came on HBO one late afternoon. That opening scene when the Russians parachute down at the school and start attacking really freaked me out. You see some random student shot in the head by the window. Anyways, I got so absorbed in the movie that I totally lose track of time and when it finished it was dark outside and I was in deep ass trouble. I started walking home and saw my parents in the street looking for me. My ass was grounded for a while after that but............it was worth it. WOLVERINES!!!

Space Camp (1986)

Explorers did a good job of showing kids' interest in space exploration through building their own spaceship, flying to outer space, and getting drunk with aliens. But obviously it wasn't good enough. Which is why we had the "shove it down your throat" approach to 1986's Space Camp. I mean could you be anymore blatantly obvious?

Aside from that, the movie is a lot of fun and features 3 of my top 10 favorite ladies of the 80's: Kate Capshaw, Kelly Preston and Lea Thompson. Plus its got a robot sidekick. And a young Joaquin Phoenix. And that gay black dude from Revenge Of The Nerds.

Explorers (1985)

The whole alien obsession of the 80's was due in part to the whole space exploration craze going on (sort of like how the unicorn craze caused an obsession with the group Tangerine Dream......okay maybe that was just me). But what better way to celebrate that craze than to make a movie about a group of kids who build their own spaceship? Goofball director Joe Dante was certainly up for the challenge.

I just want to take a moment and reflect on child actor Jason Presson. I mean I feel really bad for this guy. River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke went on to be big stars and poor Jason got the shaft. His only other breakthrough role was playing "Alex The Yogurt Jerk" in Gremlins 2.

Cocoon (1985)

I'd like to change gears here a bit and get back to an overused 80's movie obsession: aliens. Only this time instead of aliens befriending a young boy to help them get home, it's a bunch of old people and dorky ass Steve Guttenburg. A swimming pool becomes a fountain of youth thanks to the alien cocoons, but as the old folks regain their health, the aliens get the life drained out of them.

Watching this movie again for the first time since my youth, Steve Guttenburg damn near drained the life out of me. His goofy antics and horribly bad jokes really put a damper on the film. However Ron Howard's tight direction and the rest of the cast luckily make up for it. Wilferd Brimley's heart-to-heart fishing scene with D.A.R.Y.L. is pure movie magic.

Now Steve, get the hell out of my pool.