I recommend "Tuff Turf", director Fritz Keirsch's lesser-known follow-up to "Children of the Corn."

How about Better Off Dead (one of my alltime fave. Cusak films), the Burbs, Gremlins, Mannequin, Weekend at Bernies, Teen Wolf, Don't tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead...they're all so horrible and so unavoidable...

I second Better Off Dead, John Cusack is hilarious in that film. I love how he has life-size photos of Beth attached to all his hangers, so it looks like she's wearing all the clothes in his closet! :) http://imdb.com/title/tt0088794/

where's my 2 dollars

I have never heard of this, but according to IMDB the tagline was:

"Where enemies are made, reputations are earned and love is the most risky affair of all."

Consider it Netflixed.

I have to kind of take exception to including "The Goonies" under the "cheesy 80s movies" banner. With the exception of Mouth's Purple Rain shirt (and of course the presence of Cyndi Lauper's music), there are really not many pop culture references in the film.

"Back to School" is a great 80s movie. Robert Downey Jr's hair alone is worth the price of admission, and seeing Paulie from Rocky play the tough guy is hilarious too. Plus you have William Zabka more or less reprising his role from The Karate Kid, only in college now (okay, so he's a little more pampered and spoiled than Johnny Lawrence).

How about the Sean Penn "Bad Boys?"

Actually, I think "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead is 90s...and IMdB confirms it. But on the whole, Caralyn, your list is super.

I don't know if I've seen Better Off Dead. I shall have to. I think I've seen all the rest. Out of the list, I'd give the Burbs the biggest thumbs up. Tom Hanks in a black comedy. That's not something you see everyday.

"Maximum Overdrive", starring Emilio Estevez. Some interesting fun facts: Yeardley Smith (the voice of Lisa Simpson) has a role in the movie. Marla Maples Trump had a minor role. AC/DC did the entire soundtrack, including incidental background music, which was released as the album "Who Made Who".

Is Bad Boys cheesy?

No, but it IS iconic 80s: Sean Penn's bad boy stage, though I would argue that his antics would spil over into the cheese side of things.

But as a film, I retract the nomination.

Thank you, the scene with the pop cans and pillow case make it very non cheesy

just youtubed night of the comet. wow, that movie sucked. what about fright night?

I'd like to nominate "Roller Boogie" with Linda Blair. I remember catching it on cable in the 80's and laughing my butt off though I don't think it was a comedy. I've been obsessed with it ever since. Is it on dvd?

If by "sucked" you meant "it was the Citizen Kane of comet apocalypse movies" then I couldn't agree more. I have a soft spot in my heart for any movie in which sex is described as "making it".

After rigorous research, I've determined that it is out on DVD. And I've not seen it. It's another one I can add to my list, especially since I just went roller skating a couple of weeks ago for the first time in 20 years. I did not boogie.

Freakin' A! Fright Night rocks!

One of the best vampire movie lines of all time, after Peter Vincent burns vamp Evil with his cross: "The master will kill you for this! But not fast! SLOWLY, OH, SO SLOWLEY."

Awesome movie. Perfect choice, with great 80s hair.

Speaking of vampires....how about Lost Boys. The two Cory boys are in it. I think that was 80s.

LMAO!

Lost Boys DEFINITELY works. Great movie, but it suffers the strains of being dated to the 80s, with the Kiefer mullet and Jason Patric's quasi-feathered look.

Actually, just the names "Corey Haim" or "Corey Feldman" in the cast list amps the cheese factor up by 10 (except in "The Goonies," as I mentioned yesterday).

Agreed - the appearance of just one of the "Corey"s can add a movie to this particular list...but BOTH COREY'S???? Wow. Top of the list...top of the list.

(side note - Don't Tell Mom is 1991, you're right, it just missed the cut off. I'm right on top of that, Rose!)

Yes, License to Drive, Dream a Little Dream.

I have another 80s movie masquerading around in 1991's history banks. It didn't star either of the Coreys (but should have): how about Ethan Hawke in "Mystery Date"?

And I was flipping through an old comic book the other day and saw an ad for this classic. A post-"Goonies" (but decidedly pre-"No Country") Josh Brolin on a skateboard. Interesting.

And how can I forget "D.C. Cab"? "Doctor Detroit"?

The "Breakin'" films?

Were there any non-cheesy movies in the 80s? They're all pretty cheesy by modern standards. I'm not sure if actors have gotten better in the last couple decades or if new technology just makes them look better.

I don't think so. I think the acting in the best films of the 80s stands up pretty well. And a lot of actors who worked regularly in the 80s are still working.

For instance, check out "Top Gun" (not that Top Gun is one of the best movies of the 80s, mind you, but it's a popular one that comes to mind). I'd say the acting and even the special effects are pretty close to today's standards.

A lot of the special effects are dated and bad compared to today's blockbusters, but keep in mind too that there are plenty of movies today where the CGI is pretty bad.

Platoon isn't cheesy, was full metal jacket in the 80's? it's def not cheese.

my opinion definately has to be "The Wraith"... Randy Quaid and Charlie Sheen... a weird movie about a boy thats killed by a gang of car thieves... this guy comes back from outerspace with this car that kills people once it touches them... pretty funny movie and cheesy... also gotta vote for "Red Dawn" haha

"Valley Girl" and "The Monster Squad"

red dawn is pretty cheesy, buch of teens take on the ussr. ok

It was the 80's - all the movies were cheesy so people could recuperate from the PTSD and/or severe depression caused by watching the movies from the 70's. (A time when "The Deer Hunter" won the Oscar for best film...)

Here are a dozen to have some fun with:

1. Earth Girls are Easy
2. Short Circuit
3. Desperately Seeking Susan
4. Caddyshack
5. Police Academy
6. Revenge of the Nerds
7. Stripes
8. Gremlins
9. National Lampoon's Vacation
10. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
11. Wierd Science
12. Some Kind of Wonderful, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink or anything else written/directed by John Hughes. I do not recommend more than one a month or you may suffer the side-effects of re-experiencing adolescence or severe gastric hemorrhaging.

Doctor Detroit! I'd forgotten all about that. I'll have to see it again. It's certainly one of Dan Aykroyd's finest moments.

Again, I very much disagree. Digital listed two up there-Platoon and Full Metal Jacket--that are decidedly not cheesy, and there are countless others. The Indiana Jones films, A Christmas Story, Gandhi, Rain Man, The Shining, Aliens, Raging Bull, Amadeus, Die Hard, The Princess Bride, Stand By Me...all great films with little or no 80s cheese.

Like any other decade there are plenty of films that are full of the local flavor, so to speak, reflecting the goofy fashions and silly plotlines. But no more so than the 90s or even this decade.

To say that all movies in the 80s were cheesy is a disservice to TONS of great films that came out of the decade. It would be like saying the same thing of the 70s, which is certainly not true with masterpieces like the first two Godfather films, Jaws, Close Encounters, and many many others.

RED DAWN IS NOT CHEESY! IT'S AMAZING! Best 80's flick ever! Full-Fledged CLASSIC!

Fox, I do want to say you made some really good 80s choices, but Gremlins, while it's silly in a lot of ways, was an excellent movie too. It's a tweener, I think, because the movie is in a lot of ways about 80s excess (Gizmo is a symbol of rampant uncontrolled consumerism, and the Gremlins are the consequences of that consumerism), but it's not full of silly 80s hairdos and the like.

I love 80s movies. There's just something about them. As for the cheese factor, I'm not really sure, but I like these:

Ferris Beueler's Day Off The Breakfast Club Mannequin (ok this one is def cheesy) Stand By Me The Goonies

In the vein of The Burbs... anyone heard of the movie House? It's an 80s great: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1010012-house/

Absolutely! It's a bit of a cult classic. Stars William Katt, he of one of my favorite 80s TV shows "The Greatest American Hero."

William Katt rocked a mean 80s white-guy fro in his day too.

I'd do about anything to see "Rad" once again... last I checked, you could only find used VHS copies for sale. 80s Goodness at its best.

Man, I had to have had my Dad check that out 100x for me from the Marsh at Center Run Rd and Allisonville.

"It's going to take a lot more than skill for Cru Jones to conquer the toughest BMX challenge in the world. It's going to take a miracle."

anyone else remember this one?

How can "Rad" not be on DVD? Surely there's a huge market for it! I loved that movie...it was the bike version of Karate Kid!

Great! Now I have the song from The Greatest American Hero in my head (I'm a-walking on air, I never thought I could feel so free-e-e)...Thanks Joe!

Joe! The Breakin Films!!!! I think the dancing on the ceiling montage in Breakin'2: Electric Boogaloo had far-reaching effects on my modern-day psyche...

I will never doubt you again Joe Shearer.

Read my posts at your own risk, Nicki.

When did you ever doubt me? :)

I dont really consider some of these "Cheese", but definitely some high points of 80's movies: Red Dawn, Weird Science, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Terminator, Cloak and Dagger, The Hitcher, House and the Burbs as stated above, Heavy Metal, Fire and Ice (Frank Frazetta..animation), Starman, Escape From New York, Big Trouble in Little China, Halloween, John Carpenter's the Thing, Heartbreak Ridge, Blue Thunder, Conan the Barbarian, Spinal Tap, Back the the Future, Bachelor Party, Adventures in Baby Sitting, The Man with One Red Shoe, Empire Strikes Back, Blue Brothers, Back to School, Easy Money,

All of the others are correct, but Halloween came out in 1978. :)

Good list, though.

I want my $2! Better off Dead definitely makes the list. Although this movie isn't cheese in my book. Other movies of this ilk : Weird Science, Porky's, Pretty in Pink, 16 Candles, The Breakfast Club, The Goonies, Biloxi Blues, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Stand By Me, Class, One Crazy Summer, About Last Night ....

Real 80's cheese : The Allnighter (feat. Susanna Hoffs, Joan Cusack & Dedee Pfeiffer), Grease 2, Some Kind of Wonderful, Secret Admirer (Kelly Preston, C Thomas Howell & Lori Loughlin)

I think the cheesiest movie of the entire 80's had to be "Saturn 3" - memory told me it starred Farrah Fawcett and Michael Douglas, then I read on imdb that it was KIRK Douglas. It has everything: bad special effects, bad plot, brief nude scenes and a wack-o robot who has the hots for Fawcett. I would rate this tops for cheesy because it's got A-list actors in it; what were they smokin' when they decided to do this one?!? Also, there's "Flashdance" and "An Officer and a Gentleman." On the good side of cheesy, serigraph73 covered most of my favorites. Ah, memories.... I should watch a couple of these again for giggles.

BETTER OFF DRUNK many, i repeat many years ago, we'd play "better off drunk" you'd choose a character, the john cusak guy-can't remember his name, the booger "buck up little camper" best friend guy, The donger, the tv dinner gifting neighbor mom, etc. etc. or of course Beth and you would drink when that person came on screen. There were socials, when everyone drinks such as when the bike kid said " I want my two dollars." ... just what art school girls did in the eighties... kinder gentler times...

off the beaten track 80's flicks " Choose me" and david byrne's "True Stories"

I loved True Stories.

I can't believe no one has mentioned Raising Arizona.

Also - we're forgetting cheese factor for Real Genius and Heathers.

I hope you aren't referring to Tom Cruise as being one of those good actors. He has a happy face and a sad face and that's about the extent of his range. If he wasn't such a handsome midget, he wouldn't have a career.

Absolutely not. My reason for choosing Top Gun is that it was a big blockbuster, and it still stands up in terms of quality (which is to say if it were made today it would be pretty close in terms of how well it would be received.

I absolutely agree that Tom Cruise has the acting range of a rake. I remember commenting in my review of War of the Worlds that Dakota Fanning acted him under the table. :)

The Legend of Billie Jean...though, as with most of the movies mentioned the cheesiness didn't stop me from loving it when I saw it as a teenager!

I've never heard of this one. It sounds like it has all the necessary ingredients.

Buckaroo Bonsai - "Why is there watermellon there?" "I'll explain later."

Think you know movies? Check out: http://www.cowburn.us/vidbitegame.asp Good drinking game.

D.A.R.Y.L about this boy who is a robot, and these people adopt him, oh I watched that like a million times.

The Last Starfighter, Tron,

The greatest of all "My Science Project" oh that was so very cheesy, The first Creepshow was cheesy, but that was on purpose I think.

"Fair is Fair!"

Short Circuit? (1986) Ally Sheedy was hot in her day. Or how about Weird Science? (1985) The Iceman from Top Gun, before he was the IceMan! Oh! The best one has to be Top Secret! (1984) Val Kilmer was in a lot of these wasn't he?????

"Wherever you go, there you are."

A nightin the life of Jimmy Reardon...I am not even sure that the title is correct but River Phoenix was in it and it was just not a great film, but niether was Bright Lights Big City with Michael J. Fox...stick to time travel and Family Ties, Mike Return to Oz came out in the 80's as well and something about screwing around with the genius of the Wizard of Oz was just a bad idea. I knew Disney bought the right to all of the Oz books, but even Walt scrapped the idea of making another movie...so why would a studio get the hint to do something like that in the 80's. I watched it on TV once and was unimpressed. Also, Karate Kid II sucked as well.

Is Spaceballs cheesy 80s or just Mel Brooks?

You all forgot War Games... and I have been looking for a copy of Legend of billie Jean forever but alas, so cheesy it isn't even out on DVD. Valley Girl Real Genius- classic! Revenge of the Nerds Porky's- how come nobody mentioned that one? perverted titillation for all

Short Circuit (I think Wall-E was a direct ripoff of Johny #5 they look exactly alike)

Red Dawn- WOLVERINES! How about- Surf Nazis, Evil Dead, FrakenHooker, Toxic Avenger, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, The Gate, Class of Nuke 'em High, Night of the Comet, Garbage Pail Kids the Movie and my very favorite is THEY LIVE!

Oh and I forgot- Teen Witch another classy classic

Spys Like Us, Quicksilver, Commando, Legal Eagles, Three Men and a Baby, Masters of the Universe, Creepshow, Adventures in Babysitting, The Golden Child, Phantasm, Hot to Trot,

I finally saw the Legend of Billie Jean for the first time this weekend, man that was ultra 80's cheesy to the max.

"Fair is Fair!"

seeing the horrible acting in that reminded me of another horrible 80's movie Supergirl with that same superbad actress in it.

I never saw Supergirl. Even as a child, I knew better.

History Of the World.....great movie but cheesy, Garbage Pail Kids....super creepy...and lame but watched it Blazing Saddles...was that 80's And how could you not mention Fast times at Richmont high...that was American mall people... And what was the movie with River Phoenix where his family was on the run

don't forget Parenthood, and I had so many others but by the time I got to the bottom of this list I forgot them

that River Phoenix movie might have been Mosquito Coast with Harrison Ford as the father.

OHMIGOD! Valley Girl was the best. This had to have been Nicholas Cage's first movie.

no actually Jude Hursh was in it. Along with Beth Williams...the mom from poltergist..awesome movie

Nope, he was in Best of Times (1981) and Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) before Valley Girl in 1983. Oh the wonders of imdb.com.

"John Big Booty." THATS BIG BOTAY, BIG BOTAY!!!!"

ALso on the great cheesy 80's list should be 'Blind Date' with a younger Bruce Willis 'Last Dragon' Best bad guy name SHO'NUFF 'Last American Virgin' 'Losin It' & 'Just One of the Guys' ( my wife looks like the lead Girl in this movie)

Favorite Quote From "Real Genius" Susan: Can you hammer a six inch spike through a board with your penis? Chris Knight: Not right now. Susan : A girl's gotta have her standards. ALSO almost forgot check out ' The Pirate Movie ' W/ Christie McNichol SOOOO cheesy and LOTS of pop culture refrences ( extremly loosely based on the pirates of penzance' (probably spelled that wrong)

better off dead is AMAZING! can't buy me love, say anything = cheesy romantic variety. i can't believe no one has mentioned the bill & ted movies yet! i would think those would qualify

i can't believe no one mentioned another Tom Cruise "classic"... LEGEND. Tom Cruise in a fantasty type movie and Tim Curry as "The Devil".. and that girl I can't think of her name but played Sloan in Ferris Buellers Day Off... what a horribly great movie