I would grab the TV guide from the newspaper every week and scope out the schedule of movies. Then set the VCR to record and voila! Prehistoric bootlegging.
Sick days, summer vacation, spring, winter, and Christmas break. Days off meant movies on. Characters I loved, lines and scenes I committed to memory. I tapped into my brain to retrieve the movies that meant the most to me growing up. I came back with 17—in no particular order.
‘Star Wars’ (1977)
One of my earliest memories is that of my older brothers raving to me about” Star Wars.” In the early ’80s, it was making its television debut on a Saturday night. Pizza was ordered and my entire family gathered on the couch to watch. I was four and fell asleep pretty quickly. Thankfully it was taped, and I was able to watch it millions of times. The original version gave me my first childhood hero, Luke Skywalker, and started my love for the series.
‘Ghostbusters’ (1984)
This was my first “horror movie” and though tame compared to things I would eventually watch; it still offered some creepy moments. The librarian ghost and the skeletal cabbie are two of the most terrifying images from ’80s cinema.
‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
The genesis of my lifelong obsession with time travel. I went with my friend Steve and his dad to see this at the Uptown Theater. It immediately became and remains one of my favorite films.
‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ (1986)
This might be the movie I’ve watched the most. My high school years were spent wishing I was as cool and smooth as Ferris. Never mind that the actors were in their 20s. The idea of a teenager pulling all of this off blew my mind. It also marked my early interest in movies and stories that take place in a single day.
‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)
The first time I watched Indiana Jones; I don’t think I understood the depth of the story. It was just a fun time, watching the titular character go on endless adventures. And the ending remains one of my all-time favorite scenes.
‘Gremlins’ (1984)
Another gem from 1984, Gremlins was just as fun to watch in the middle of summer as it was at Christmas.
‘Dead Poets Society’ (1989)
My dad took me and a friend to the theater to see this epic drama. It was definitely over our heads at the time, but I managed to record it from TV a few years later and it became a cherished favorite.
‘Spaceballs’ (1987)
This was the funniest thing I had ever seen at the time. I had it completely memorized and recall friends in 6th grade testing me on that feat. As an adult, it still holds up, with all the jokes making more sense.
‘Field of Dreams’ (1989)
I LOVED baseball and this Kevin Costner classic was brilliant. It hit for me at the perfect time in my life, when baseball was still the king of American sports.
‘Major League’ (1989)
Another great baseball gem from 1989. I have memories of watching it at the drive in theater with my parents.
‘Rain Man’ (1988)
I watched this with my friend Eric who had recorded it from HBO. Like “Dead Poets Society,” its adult themes were a bit too mature for me to fully grasp at first, but I still loved it.
‘Karate Kid’ (1984)
The movie class of 84 is like a fantasy team. I loved Karate Kid as a kid, and it’s surreal to watch “Cobra Kai” with all the same characters as an adult.
‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ (1975)
My friend Waseem and I were hanging out with another friend Mark – in the summer after 8th grade. Mark was shocked to discover neither of us had watched Holy Grail, so we walked down to Great American and rented it. Like “Spaceballs,” I committed the script to memory and laughed myself silly though most of the jokes were too adult to comprehend.
‘Opportunity Knocks’ (1990)
This Dana Carvey comedy is under the radar, but hysterical, and a perfect bridge between the ’80s and ’90s making it perfect for me growing up.
‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)
One of my favorite “sick day” movies, a sore throat and a stuffy nose meant watching Westley rescue Buttercup from the evil Prince Humperdink. No matter your age, it’s one of the best films of all time.
‘Stand by Me’ (1986)
I used to hang out on the railroad tracks behind our neighborhood, so Stand by Me fit for that. It also gave me an appreciation for classic rock ‘n’ roll from the ’50s, courtesy of the amazing soundtrack.
‘Kindergarten Cop’ (1990)
My mom took me to the theater over Christmas break to see the biggest movie there was—”Home Alone.” It sold out, so we watched “Kindergarten Cop” instead. I was bummed at first since “Home Alone” was everything there was at the time. But “Kindergarten Cop” became one of my favorite movies of all time, and a great memory I shared with my mom.
