
1980
Any Which Way You Can
Any Which Way You Can: courage and heroism, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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Explore the genre
Action movies exploded during the 1980s, mixing larger-than-life heroes, practical stunt work, car chases, gunfights and increasingly ambitious blockbuster spectacle.
From lean thrillers to martial arts, buddy movies and science-fiction action, the decade helped define a style of action filmmaking that remains instantly recognisable.
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180 movies so far

1980
Any Which Way You Can: courage and heroism, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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1980
Battle Beyond the Stars: fear and family, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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1980
Brash heroics, operatic spectacle and a Queen soundtrack — Flash Gordon wears its pulp heart on its sleeve.
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1980
Popeye: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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1980
Raging Bull: family and courage, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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1980
Raise the Titanic: exploitation, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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1980
A harsher lesson in heroism: mentorship, bad luck and the cost of growing up in a galaxy far, far away.
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1980
Love, duty and a handful of Kryptonians — Superman II asks what a hero gives up to be human.
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1980
The Dogs of War: authority and the safety of home, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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1980
The Exterminator: family and fear, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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1980
The Hunter: mortality and lifespan and the safety of home, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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1980
The Stunt Man: authority and freedom, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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1980
The Young Master: heroism and courage, and why this 1980 movie still matters.
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1981
An Eye for an Eye: courage and authority, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1981
A detective story where the clues are on a tape, and the investigator listens harder than anyone else.
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1981
A labour of gods, monsters and one man who won't be pushed around.
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1981
Escape from New York: freedom and heroism, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1981
Myth, a sword and a man being made — Excalibur still asks what makes a king.
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1981
A quieter Bond with teeth — revenge, a sunken spy ship and surprisingly human stakes.
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1981
Galaxy of Terror: fear and parents protecting their children, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1981
Knightriders: family and courage, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1981
Petrol, fury and a man who would rather ride away — Mad Max 2 still hits like a fistful of sand.
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1981
Ms. 45: family and the safety of home, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1981
Nighthawks: the safety of home and authority, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1981
Outland: family and mortality and lifespan, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1981
A museum-minded professor, a globe-trotting chase and a very particular taste in religious artefacts.
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1981
Telepathy, corporate control and one of cinema’s most unforgettable practical stunts.
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1981
Sharky's Machine: the safety of home and authority, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1981
Southern Comfort: mortality and lifespan and loss, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1981
A ragged platoon, one endlessly inventive idiot, and the sort of male friendship that still makes you grin.
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1981
Tarzan, the Ape Man: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1981
The Cannonball Run: authority and fear, and why this 1981 movie still matters.
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1982
Two days, one cop who cuts corners, and the partner he absolutely didn't ask for.
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1982
Four engineered years, a handful of memories and a detective who isn’t sure he wants to do his job.
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1982
Class of 1984: family and the safety of home, and why this 1982 movie still matters.
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1982
A musclebound quest that talks about steel, fate and how to be remade by violence.
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1982
Death Wish II: family and the safety of home, and why this 1982 movie still matters.
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1982
Firefox: family and the safety of home, and why this 1982 movie still matters.
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1982
A small-town arrest turns into a jungle lesson about soldiers nobody taught to come home.
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1982
Megaforce: fear and friendship, and why this 1982 movie still matters.
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1982
Rocky III: mortality and lifespan and courage, and why this 1982 movie still matters.
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1982
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: parents protecting their children and fear, and why this 1982 movie still matters.
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1982
Swamp Thing: freedom and fear, and why this 1982 movie still matters.
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1982
The Beastmaster: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1982 movie still matters.
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1982
The Sword and the Sorcerer: family and freedom, and why this 1982 movie still matters.
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1982
A frozen outpost, a dog, and a man who must choose who to trust — The Thing still knows how to make suspicion feel like a physical thing.
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1982
A film about authorship, arcade‑style justice and a man who literally has to fight for his credit.
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1983
A maverick pilot, a flying surveillance machine and a paranoid 1980s that still feels eerily familiar.
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1983
Obsession, adolescence and a car that won't let go.
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1983
Jaws 3-D: freedom and authority, and why this 1983 movie still matters.
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1983
Lone Wolf McQuade: heroism and parents protecting their children, and why this 1983 movie still matters.
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1983
Sean Connery comes back, the nukes go missing, and the old Bond gets a very 1980s second act.
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1983
A Fabergé egg, a travelling circus and the Cold War — Bond still does spectacle like a Trojan horse.
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1983
A refugee's hunger for respect turns into reckless rule — and a very expensive mess.
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1983
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi: mortality and lifespan and mortality, and why this 1983 movie still matters.
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1983
Sudden Impact: fear and friendship, and why this 1983 movie still matters.
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1983
Superman III: our relationship with technology and courage, and why this 1983 movie still matters.
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1983
Uncommon Valor: parents protecting their children and family, and why this 1983 movie still matters.
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1984
Against All Odds: family and greed, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
A fast-talking cop, a culture clash and a synth hook.
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1984
Birdy: family and the safety of home, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
A small-town crime with very big, very stupid consequences — and Ray is at the centre of the mess.
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1984
Cloak & Dagger: family and freedom, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
Conan the Destroyer: courage and love, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
A sandstorm of prophecy, politics and prodigy — and Paul Atreides stands square in the middle of it.
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1984
Firestarter: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
A ragged band of scientists, a sardonic frontman and a city that refuses to behave — Ghostbusters still sells the joke.
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1984
A globetrotting pulp rush that’s equal parts kid-rescue thriller and teeth-grinding ritual horror.
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1984
Sisters, malls and a comet — Night of the Comet is a B-movie that learned how to be fun and oddly wise about survival.
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1984
Red Dawn: family and freedom, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
A romance novelist, a smuggler, an emerald and a jungle: the adventure that taught Joan Wilder to stop waiting and start kicking.
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1984
Runaway: our relationship with technology and family, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: our relationship with technology and family, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
Streets of Fire: courage and authority, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
Supergirl: love and power, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
A teenager, a handyman, and the long, strange apprenticeship that taught a generation how to stand up for themselves.
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1984
A trailer-park teenager, an arcade cabinet and a very old-school call to adventure.
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1984
The Philadelphia Experiment: loss and authority, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
The Pope of Greenwich Village: greed and consumerism, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1984
A relentless machine, a desperate human, and a future that won't wait.
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1984
Tightrope: family and the safety of home, and why this 1984 movie still matters.
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1985
A View to a Kill: freedom and courage, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
American Ninja: family and courage, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Code of Silence: family and mortality and lifespan, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
A retired commando, his kidnapped daughter and a short, very noisy principle: family first.
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1985
A bunker drama with zombies, a scientist who won a festival, and a soldier who won't listen.
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1985
Death Wish 3: authority and fear, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Demons: freedom and friendship, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Enemy Mine: humanity and mortality and lifespan, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Gotcha!: freedom, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Invasion U.S.A.: fear and authority, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
King Solomon's Mines: freedom and courage, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
A gladiator ring, a methane economy and one reluctant road warrior — Mad Max still knows how to make survival feel personal.
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1985
Police Story: freedom and authority, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Rambo: First Blood Part II: courage and freedom, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Red Sonja: freedom and courage, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Rocky IV: courage and mortality and lifespan, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Runaway Train: freedom and mortality, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Four strangers ride into town. One of them makes you care.
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1985
A scrappy band of kids, a busted attic map and Mikey’s stubborn heart — that’s The Goonies in a nutshell.
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1985
The Jewel of the Nile: parents protecting their children and heroism, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
The Last Dragon: courage and power, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
The Protector: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1985 movie still matters.
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1985
Obsession, counterfeit identities and a freeway chase that won't behave.
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1985
Fast talk, bad luck and a very literal wish come true — with consequences.
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1986
Motherhood, marines and monsters: why Ripley still makes Aliens sing.
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1986
A swaggering trucker, ancient sorcery and a Chinatown that hides a very odd basement — this is John Carpenter being playful and dangerous at the same time.
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1986
Chopping Mall: our relationship with technology and freedom, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
Cobra: courage and authority, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
Critters: freedom and family, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
Immortality, loneliness and very sharp swords.
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1986
Howard the Duck: courage and heroism, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
Iron Eagle: parents protecting their children and heroism, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
Maximum Overdrive: humanity and freedom, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
Murphy's Law: parents protecting their children and mortality, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
A soldier’s education in moral compromise — and why Chris Taylor still matters.
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1986
Police Academy 3: Back in Training: authority, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
Raw Deal: authority and family, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
Running Scared: heroism and freedom, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
Fast Eddie returns, and the lesson is not just about pool.
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1986
The Delta Force: parents protecting their children and heroism, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
The Golden Child: parents protecting their children and mortality, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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1986
A lift you regret for the rest of your life.
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1986
A seaside sequel about duty, dancing and learning when not to fight.
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1986
A loud, fast, slightly brutal toy advert that somehow turns a brash kid into a leader.
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1986
A roaring, macho thrill ride — but it’s Maverick that keeps the heart beating.
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1987
A one-night odyssey that turns babysitting into a crash course in grown-up choices.
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1987
Beverly Hills Cop II: authority and family, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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1987
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown: freedom and family, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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1987
Extreme Prejudice: greed and authority, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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1987
A buddy cop movie with a suicide note in its pocket and an unpredictable heart.
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1987
Masters of the Universe: heroism and freedom, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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1987
No Way Out: mortality and friendship, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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1987
Over the Top: family and greed, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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1987
A squad of soldiers, a silent hunter — and mud becomes a weapon.
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1987
A robber who wants a nursery more than a life of crime — and it’s the contradiction that keeps the laughs coming.
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1987
A murdered cop rebuilt as a product — RoboCop still asks who gets to sell justice.
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1987
Stakeout: the safety of home and love, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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1987
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace: courage and parents protecting their children, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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1987
The Hidden: mortality and lifespan and mortality, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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1987
A leaner Bond, a staged defection and a Cold War that still bites.
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1987
The Principal: authority and courage, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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1987
Television as theatre of cruelty — and one man who won't shoot.
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1987
A straight-arrow in crooked times: mentorship, morality and a very noisy stairwell.
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1988
Above the Law: freedom, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
Action Jackson: heroism and courage, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
Black Eagle: courage and parents protecting their children, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
Kumite, loyalty and a very particular kind of 80s machismo.
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1988
Colors: authority and loss, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
Crocodile Dundee II: friendship and parents protecting their children, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
One cop, a Christmas party gone wrong and a marriage he can't ignore.
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1988
Frantic: our relationship with technology and mortality and lifespan, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
A cross-country manhunt that’s really about two very different men learning how to care — and how to argue for money.
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1988
Phantasm II: freedom and mortality, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
Rambo III: courage and heroism, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
Red Heat: authority, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
Shoot to Kill: family and the safety of home, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
Tequila Sunrise: love and the safety of home, and why this 1988 movie still matters.
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1988
Sunglasses, slogans and a man who will not let you look away.
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1988
A private eye, a jittery rabbit and a very British fondness for messing about with genre.
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1988
Young men, a murdered mentor and a young Billy the Kid riding herd on revenge and loyalty.
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1989
A stylish, strange take on Gotham where the man behind the cowl keeps the picture grounded.
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1989
Best of the Best: mortality and lifespan and family, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
Black Rain: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
Cyborg: mortality and heroism, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
DeepStar Six: fear and parents protecting their children, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
A king who can rouse a nation — and a film that makes you count the cost.
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1989
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: freedom and parents protecting their children, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
K-9: fear and authority, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
Kickboxer: heroism and courage, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
Diplomatic immunity, dangerous loyalty and one very unstable partner — Lethal Weapon 2 thrives on its personalities.
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1989
Licence to Kill: greed and freedom, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
Lock Up: fear and freedom, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
Next of Kin: family and authority, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
Renegades: authority and parents protecting their children, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
Stoic bouncer, small-town chaos and very particular rules about where to throw a punch.
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1989
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: humanity and power, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
A hitman who wants to make amends — and a cop who can't stop watching him try.
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1989
Three Fugitives: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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1989
Turner & Hooch: authority and friendship, and why this 1989 movie still matters.
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