80s-90s Must See Movies for a Non-Nerd

[Kestra]

I have a friend (same age, born in '83) who hasn't seen a lot of movies that other people take for granted. She's like a sweeter, more naive version of myself. Growing up with Indian parents we don't have a lot of the same pop-culture references as other people, and she recently asked me for a list of movies that I think she needs to see.

She's not a nerd so I'm not looking for anything super-geeky unless it was also mainstream. Also girly movies get extra points. And they don't strictly have to be from the 80s and 90s, I just think that's probably the best place to start. I know there are a ton of lists out there but I thought people could throw out some names here.

So far I'm thinking things like:

Back to the Future
Die Hard
Princess Bride
When Harry Met Sally
Breakfast Club
Big
etc

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[Greylock Crescent]

If you're going to watch When Harry Met Sally, you should see its 90s counterpart Sleepless In Seattle. Toss in You've Got Mail and you've got a nice Billy Crystal - Meg Ryan movie marathon night.

 

[Kestra]

If you're going to watch When Harry Met Sally, you should see its 90s counterpart Sleepless In Seattle.

Oh, one of my all-time favorites! I think she's probably seen it but yeah, I should include that on my list just to make sure.

 

[Sephiroth]

Sixteen candles, You bet your life, City Slickers 1 & 2, What's eating Gilbert Grape

 

[Thestral]

She's like a sweeter... version of myself.

Unpossible!

Anyway, those sound good - especially The Princess Bride! - (though I've not seen 4 of them myself) Along those lines, maybe

16 Candles
St. Elmos Fire
Rocky (though, 70s)
Labyrinth
Groundhog Day
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
The Silence of the Lambs
Titanic
Jurassic Park
Terminator/T2
Blade Runner

Just a few that come to mind.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

Not super-geeky ... but it is an entertaining, obscure, dark(ish) comedy, featuring some rather well-known actors: Clue.

And, though it's pre-80s (I think), Watership Down is a fantastic (though sometimes graphic) animated film.

For more pop-culture references, there are: Beverly Hills Cop, Rain Man, ET, Dead Poets Society, and Top Gun.

 

[Gov Kodos]

'My Favorite Year' Peter O'Toole as an aging alcoholic film star of the Errol Flynn vein who's appearing on a 50's comedy show. The junior writer gets the job of being his keeper.

'Better Off Dead' Quirky John Cusack film about a a schmoe trying to get an ex-girlfriend back.

All That Jazz , OK it's 1979, but... it's a great theater film for those that like to watch folks behind the scenes make theater happen. And it stars Roy Scheider.

Blue Thunder, one of my favorite action films, very cool helicopter action and Roy Scheider again.

Silverado, one of the best Westerns ever.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

Speaking of Westerns ... there's always Young Guns. And for a similar ensemble, don't forget The Outsiders ... which (by way of stream-of-consciousness) leads to Karate Kid.

 

[Gov Kodos]

'Splash' is a fun little romance with a mermaid, Daryl Hannah and Tom Hanks are fun to watch and John Candy is a riot all on his own in this.

'Into the Night' folks like or hate this Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Pfeiffer film about a lonely engineer and a lady on the run from dangerous, though inept, killers.

'Being There' also 1979, but it's Peter Sellers in a great social and political commentary on our culture of empty celebrity and longing for meaning to be fed in easy TV sized bites.

'My Dinner with Andre' Two guys talking about their lives and views of life over dinner. Shawn Wallace and Andre Gregory make this a fun film. Loving films with dialogue, this is a gem.

 

[sojourner]

Everything by John Hughes and Spielberg from that time frame.

Lethal Weapon

Pretty much what everyone else has mentioned.

Singles - This Cameron Crowe movie really captures the whole Seattle scene of the 90's. Great soundtrack. Sort of a John Hughes movie with more adult characters.

Grifters - a very dark movie with some wonderful acting in it by John Cuzak and Annette Benning.

The Crow - The death of Brandon Lee during the making of this film made the story all the more powerful and tragic. You'll tear up from realizing what might have been.

Tombstone - Best western movie of the 90's.

Dances with Wolves - most over hyped western of the 90's, but still a very good movie.

 

[Roshi]

The Goonies
This Is Spinal Tap
RoboCop
Weird Science
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
Raiders Of The Lost Ark
The Last Crusade
The Terminator
Predator
Chasing Amy

Would you include animés? If so:
Graveyard Of Fireflies
Anything by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli

 

[Gov Kodos]

Ironweed, Jack Nicholson (not overdoing the Jackness, too) and Meryl Streep as homeless folks during the Great Depression. Sad, but beautiful meditation on folks who are unwanted by society.

 

[Kestra]

Lot of great ones that I had forgotten, plus many that I haven't seen. I might need to make a list for myself as well! I'm not replying to each and every post but feel free to keep the suggestions coming. Thank you to everyone who has posted so far!

 

[Gov Kodos]

'Arthur' Dudley Moore and John Gielgud, don't let thought of that remake cross your mind.

'Tootsie' Dustin Hoffman is fantastic in this.

'Midnight Run' DeNiro is one funny bounty hunter.

 

[Guy Gardener]

You're just going to cur up your netflix, or cue up your torrents.

Now that I have upteen thousands of movies in my room at my fingertips but what I realize now is that it was the ritual of going to the video/dvd store with friends, arguing about what to watch and what we could afford which was the fun part.

Are you sure that she really wants to watch old movies, or maybe that she wants to spend some quality time with you?

Stop laughing.

"Sigh"

 

[lurok]

Graveyard Of Fireflies

One of the saddest films ever. Was sobbing.

Anything by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli

Gorgeous eye candy.

Lots of great suggestions...and some never heard of. But these three:

Buckaroo Banzai
They Live
Do The Right Thing/School Daze

all have really interesting satirical takes on race/politics/economics.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I've broken my list into categories, because your friend may be more interested in certain genres over others, but I do recommend seeing all of these movies listed. I'm sure I've left out some categories as well (for example I rarely watch mafia or war movies). As for the children's movies, even if they were directed at kids I feel that they are just as interesting to me as an adult. The vast majority of these films are from the 90s, since that was when I grew up as well.

I know this is a very long list, but I strongly believe that these are all must sees!!


Comedy
Mrs. Doubtfire
There's Something About Mary
Dumb and Dumber (a goofy one, but one of my all time favorites)
Groundhog Day
So I Married an Axe Murderer
Clue
Major Payne
Liar Liar
Austin Powers
The Cable Guy

Horror
Scream movies (four of them now)
The Blair Witch Project
I Know What You Did Last Summer
The Sixth Sense
The Shining
The Silence of the Lambs
Misery

Drama
American Beauty
Forrest Gump
The Truman Show
A League of Their Own
The Shawshank Redemption
Edward Scissorhands
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Quiz Show
The Green Mile
Schindler's List
Fargo
Apollo 13
Patch Adams

Action/Adventure
Hook
Twister
Air Force One
Speed
Independence Day
Jurassic Park
Titanic
Armageddon
The Mummy
Men In Black

Children’s Movies
Home Alone
The Land Before Time (makes me cry every time!)
Homeward Bound (another "kid" movie that makes me cry as an adult still)
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast
Babe
Aladdin
Toy Story
The Santa Clause

Romantic Comedies/Dramas
Ghost
As Good As It Gets
Jerry Maguire (I don't like it much but it contains many popular quotes)
When Harry Met Sally
Sleepless in Seattle
You’ve Got Mail
Pretty Woman

 

[stj]

Is there really such a thing as a must see movie from the past for anybody but nerds? Pretty much all that's must-see is what's the coolest hit right now. The only exception I can think of might be porn.

 

[FPAlpha]

If you're going to watch When Harry Met Sally, you should see its 90s counterpart Sleepless In Seattle. Toss in You've Got Mail and you've got a nice Billy Crystal - Meg Ryan movie marathon night.

Except that the last two were Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movies

But Harry & Sally is the quintessential relationship comedy that everyone should have seen because it really hits the truth at times.

So far most movies mentioned here would have been on my list too, small addition though:

The Siege (a bit relevant movie for the post 9/11 era)

Mr. Holland's Opus (awesome movie about an at first unwilling music teacher and how he influenced his students and in return was influenced by them)

Stakeout (awesome cop/comedy/romantic movie)

 

[Guy Gardener]

You all remember that ordinary people, "civilians" find it difficult to watch more than one movie a day?