Movies by mood: Top ten '80s movies

7. An Officer and a Gentleman
Date 1982
Starring: Richard Gere, Debra Winger, Lou Gossett Jr
Reason to watch it: Richard Gere in his younger days, and a nice wake-up call to how women used to be treated.
Worried that he'll follow in his alcoholic father's footsteps, Navy brat Zack Mayo (Gere) attends officer-candidate school in search of discipline and a fighter pilot's licence. Kind of ironic - he grew up in the Philippines, living above a brothel, and now he wants to spend the next few years of his life with a bunch of men.
Anyway, Mayo runs into a few problems along the way, though, when his drill sergeant (Gossett) becomes an exceptionally difficult disciplinarian, and when he meets Paula (Winger). Paula, according to Mayo, complicates his life by falling in love with him and developing alleged expectations: a husband and fiscal support. But Mayo is wrong. Paula is different (of course). Mayo eventually realises this and does what every girl dreams of - he shows up at her place of work and sweeps her off her feet, while all her friends, family members and co-workers cheer her on. Sure, it could happen.

8. Fatal Attraction
Date: 1987
Starring: Michael Douglas, Glenn Close
Reason to watch it: Just plain ol' dirty business… and the top ten reasons to never become a stalker.
Man (James Deardon - Douglas) is in a happy marriage. Wife goes away for the weekend. Man has sexual romp with blonde bombshell (Close) on the kitchen sink, in the freight elevator and elsewhere. Wife comes back; man ends affair. Bombshell goes psycho-bitch. What to do?
Well, none of Deardon's plans work, including not calling the psycho-bitch, so it's only reasonable when she begins to stalk him and his family by posing as a potential buyer for their apartment, throwing acid on his car, calling in the middle of the night and, finally, becoming pregnant with his lovechild. It just doesn't get any better than that.
The ending? Bombshell dies in a chilling murder scene, and Deardon and his wife attempt to resuscitate what's left of their marriage.

9. Dirty Dancing
Date: 1987
Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey
Reason to watch it: Because when you were 16, you wished a hunk like Swayze called you 'baby' just the right way.
This movie is a classic for so many reasons. You get a Peace Corps wannabe called Baby (Grey) - her real name is Frances - spending time at a summer resort with her uber-traditional family, complete with lascivious older sister, loving dad and oblivious mother. To top it off, Baby ain't a baby much longer after meeting Johnny (Swayze), the dance instructor who teaches her a few dirty moves of his own.
These moves take place in the best locations: the dance floor, the local pond and the pouring rain (the bedroom, too). Sure, their union is frowned upon, but Johnny's redeemed when he takes Baby out of the social corner and shows the entire resort what they're made of. And remember: never put Baby in the corner.

10. Risky Business
Date: 1983
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay
Reason to watch it: Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear.
If my parents went out of town and I needed some fast cash to fix their wrecked car (which, of course, I wrecked), I would turn my house into a brothel for the night while showing off my oversized sunglasses. Wouldn't you?
Cruise plays goody two-shoes Joel Goodson (get it - 'good son'?), who's preparing for college and struggling with pursuing his devilish side when his parents take off for the weekend. He doesn't struggle for long once he gets the keys to the Porsche, calls local girl-for-hire Lana (De Mornay) and finally defiles every room in the house (and deflowers himself) with her. Rather than waiting to get paid, Lana takes off with Mrs Goodson's prized egg, while Joel is at the bank getting some of Grandma's moolah. This is followed by a really bad car accident. How delightful!
But it doesn't stop there. Guido, Lana's pimp, soon hears of the torrid two-hour affair and starts a wild goose chase after Joel. Lana opens up 'shop' in the Goodson household, Joel attempts to complete a Princeton interview, and youths rejoice worldwide as the party comes off a success, the parents none the wiser.

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