Top Movies Of 1985

From Claude Lanzmann, starring Simon Srebnik, Michael Podchlebnik, Motke Zaïdl, Hanna Zaïdl
Rated Not Rated

Shoah is a nine-and-a-half-hour documentary film, directed by Claude Lanzmann, about the Holocaust. The film is a documentation of interviews with Jewish survivors, witnesses and Nazi perpetrators, as well as visits to concentration camps and other locations. It shows the horror of the Holocaust, including the suffering of the victims, the execution of Jews in mobile gas vans, and the genocide of the Jews in occupied Poland. The film also documents the efforts of some to resist the Nazis and the effects of the Holocaust on the Jewish people. The film is a testament to the power of memory and the importance of remembering the past.

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover
Rated PG

Back to the Future is a 1985 American science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It stars Michael J. Fox as teenager Marty McFly, who accidentally travels back in time to 1955, where he meets his future parents and becomes his mother's romantic interest. Marty must also find a way to return to his own time in order to prevent disaster for his future family. Along the way, he encounters a mad scientist, Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown, who helps him repair the time machine and confront the villains of the past. With the help of Doc, Marty must find a way to return to his own time and save the future.

From Akira Kurosawa, starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryû
Rated R

Ran is an epic samurai drama from director Akira Kurosawa. It tells the story of an aging warlord, Hidetora, who decides to abdicate his throne and divide his kingdom among his three sons. His decision sets off a chain of events that lead to war between the sons, devastating the land and people. Hidetora is soon faced with the harsh realities of his decision, and is forced to confront his own mortality and the consequences of his past actions. The film features stunning cinematography and a powerful score, and is considered one of Kurosawa's greatest works.

From Terry Gilliam, starring Jonathan Pryce, Kim Greist, Robert De Niro, Katherine Helmond
Rated R

Brazil is a 1985 science fiction dark comedy film written and directed by Terry Gilliam and starring Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, and Kim Greist. Set in a dystopic future, it follows the story of Sam Lowry, a bureaucrat who is trying to find a woman who appears in his dreams while he is working in a mind-numbing job and living in a society where surveillance is omnipresent. As he investigates, he begins to uncover a sinister and surreal conspiracy that hints at a far more frightening truth about the world around him. With its mix of surreal visuals, social satire, and dark humor, Brazil is considered to be one of the greatest films of the 1980s and a landmark of modern cinema.

From John Hughes, starring Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy
Rated R

The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American teen comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes. It follows five high school students—a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal—and their Saturday detention. Over the course of the day, they learn more about each other and come to understand that, despite their initial judgmental differences, they are all more similar than they ever expected. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential teen films of all time.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery
Rated PG-13

The Color Purple is a 1985 American period drama film directed by Steven Spielberg and adapted from Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. Starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, and Oprah Winfrey, the film tells the story of a young African-American woman named Celie (Goldberg) growing up in rural Georgia in the 1930s. Celie is oppressed by her father and stepfather, which leads her to develop a strong sense of inner strength and resilience. Despite the challenges she faces, Celie forms a close bond with her sister Nettie (Avery) and finds true love with a kind-hearted blues singer named Shug (Winfrey). The Color Purple is an uplifting tale that celebrates the power of friendship, family, and the human spirit.

From Richard Donner, starring Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman
Rated PG

The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure comedy film directed by Richard Donner. The plot follows a group of kids known as the Goonies, who embark on an adventure to save their homes from foreclosure. The Goonies discover an old Spanish map that leads them on an epic treasure hunt to find a legendary pirate’s long-lost fortune. Along the way, they must outwit a family of criminals, evade dangerous booby traps, and survive the mysterious "Goon Docks" region. The Goonies eventually find the treasure and use it to save their homes, but in the process, they face all sorts of danger and adventure.

From Woody Allen, starring Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello, Irving Metzman
Rated PG

The Purple Rose of Cairo is a 1985 American romantic fantasy comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. Set in 1930s New Jersey, the film follows the story of Cecilia, a lonely waitress and film fan who finds a chance at escaping her mundane life when a character from one of her favorite films steps out of the screen and into her world. As the story progresses, Cecilia and her movie star beau must deal with the consequences of blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. The film stars Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello and Irving Metzman.

From Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, starring John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, M. Emmet Walsh
Rated R

Blood Simple is a 1984 neo-noir crime thriller film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The film follows a bar owner in Texas who hires a private detective to kill his wife and her lover. The plan quickly spirals out of control as the detective double-crosses the bar owner and events become increasingly violent and unpredictable. In the end, the bar owner and the detective are both left with nothing but suspicion, fear, and regret. The film stars Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, and M. Emmet Walsh. With its use of stylized violence and dark humor, Blood Simple is considered a precursor to the Coen brothers' later works, such as Fargo and No Country for Old Men.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Verna Bloom, Tommy Chong
Rated R

After Hours is a 1985 black comedy film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Joseph Minion. The film follows a mild-mannered word processor, Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne), as he experiences a series of misadventures while attempting to make his way home from a night in SoHo. As the night progresses and Paul's fortunes go south, he encounters a series of strange characters in the city's seedy underbelly, including Marcy (Rosanna Arquette), an up-and-coming artist; Kiki (Linda Fiorentino), a mysterious woman who seems to know more than she's letting on; and Horst (Will Patton), a member of the SoHo punk scene. With each strange encounter, Paul's night takes increasingly bizarre and unexpected turns as he attempts to make his way home.

From Peter Weir, starring Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Lukas Haas, Josef Sommer
Rated R

From Peter Masterson, starring Geraldine Page, John Heard, Carlin Glynn, Richard Bradford
Rated PG

From William Friedkin, starring William Petersen, Willem Dafoe, Jane Leeves, Cherise Bates
Rated R

From Clint Eastwood, starring Clint Eastwood, Michael Moriarty, Carrie Snodgress, Sydney Penny
Rated R

From Dan O'Bannon, starring Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, Thom Mathews
Rated R

From Peter Bogdanovich, starring Cher, Eric Stoltz, Sam Elliott, Estelle Getty
Rated PG-13

From Lawrence Kasdan, starring Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover
Rated PG-13

From Andrey Konchalovskiy, starring Jon Voight, Eric Roberts, Rebecca De Mornay, Kyle T. Heffner
Rated R

From Jonathan Lynn, starring Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd
Rated PG

From Sydney Pollack, starring Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Michael Kitchen
Rated PG

From George A. Romero, starring Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, Joseph Pilato, Jarlath Conroy
Rated Not Rated

From Savage Steve Holland, starring John Cusack, David Ogden Stiers, Kim Darby, Demian Slade
Rated PG

From Tim Burton, starring Paul Reubens, Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton, Diane Salinger
Rated PG

From Albert Brooks, starring Albert Brooks, Julie Hagerty, Sylvia Farrel, Tina Kincaid
Rated R

From Rob Reiner, starring John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Anthony Edwards, Boyd Gaines
Rated PG-13