The Goonies (1985)
The Movie: Amblin's mission statement sees a bunch of kids embark on a pirate-treasure adventure.
Why It Was Loved: Goonies = geeks, and this is one of those films that celebrates childhood awkwardness and outsiderdom as something amazing.
Typical Online Review: "i watched this movie on vhs so much the tape literally was so worn it looked like spaghetti. i would put all of my moms jewelry in treasure boxes in the swamp behind my house. love goonies forever" Bobbi Brandstatter, Facebook
Anchorman (2004)
The Movie: Adam McKay and Will Ferrell treated their move from Saturday Night Live to movies as if there was no difference at all - a surreal, gag-filled sitcom set in the world of TV.
Why It Was Loved: The sheer randomness of its segues from gender-divide satire to all-star violence. For true cult aficionados, there's a whole other film made from deleted scenes - Wake Up, Ron Burgundy - to enjoy.
Typical Online Review: "One of the funniest films ever, a must watch! my friends still regularly quote lines from this film I LOVE LAMP! :D" MartyT85, Lovefilm
Jurassic Park (1993)
The Movie: Richard Attenborough clones the dinosaurs and watches in horror as they run amok. Off-screen, Steven Spielberg's doing much the same time… except he's enjoying it.
Why It Was Loved: In Jaws , Spielberg had to hide the limitations of his main prop. Here, groundbreaking FX enabled Hollywood's consummate showman to really show off.
Typical Online Review: "It is Spielberg at his best (and he packs in every single one of his signature tricks, camera angles, and other story-telling devices), and John Williams’ theme -another set of almost inversions of his other well known themes- is just perfect" Clifford, Asymptotia
Goldfinger (1964)
The Movie: Bowler-hatted heavies, gold-painted lovelies, an ejector-seated Aston Martin and a villain who expects you to DIE.
Why It Was Loved: Every 007 film has its fans, but this one remains the high watermark, chiefly because it nailed the formula for Bondage.
Typical Online Review: "Goldfinger. I mean, come on people. It’s freakin’ Goldfinger." Randall, Listverse
Evil Dead 2 (1987)
The Movie: Sam Raimi gets a half-decent budget, and makes a half-sequel/half-remake of his debut hit with more blood, more laughs and more crazy camerawork.
Why It Was Loved: The unrestrained exuberance of the 'splatstick,' led by the charismatic presence of Bruce Campbell's groovy, chainsaw-handed Ash.
Typical Online Review: "When it comes to classic 80's horror you can't go wrong with Evil Dead 2. Evil Dead 2 is a remake of the first movie, but done in a good way. The movie got gore, action, and humor through the movie nonstop. Bruce does a excellent as ash, and the fx in the movie are to dead for." George Carabetsos, Amazon
Ghostbusters (1984)
The Movie: Ivan Reitman's perfect fusion of SFX extravaganza and Saturday Night Live comedy as Bill Murray and chums power up to clean up the slime.
Why It Was Loved: The kind of illicit pleasure Hollywood doesn't make any more - a family-oriented blockbuster built around a bunch of chain-smoking, potty-mouthed Manhattan slobs.
Typical Online Review: "In 1984 I was seven, and I loved Ghostbusters so much I saw it three times in one week. Twenty-seven years later, I sat in a cinema watching a brand new digital projection, re-released for Halloween, knowing every line, every tick of Bill Murray’s face, every giant dollop of melted marshmallow." Adam Christopher, Tor.com
Donnie Darko (2001)
The Movie: Jake Gyllenhaal is stalked by a man in a rabbit suit... and that's the least weird thing about it.
Why It Was Loved: A troubled film for troubled times, as post-9/11 paranoiacs discovered Donnie's retro-80s, head-fucking emo-cool.
Typical Online Review: "Donnie Darko is a strange, funny, emotional, touching, exciting, and challenging film. The first time you watch it, you will have absolutely no idea what is going on, but it will hook you." blkbomb, Rotten Tomatoes
The Shining (1980)
The Movie: Stanley Kubrick vs Stephen King in the Overlook Hotel.
Why It Was Loved: King's weird narrative is put through its paces by Kubrick, whose radical take on horror - marital satire, Steadicam suspense and Nicholson's barking mad performance - makes it endlessly rewatchable.
Typical Online Review: "This is still the scariest film I have ever watched…. watched it at a young age and that early fear still lingers! Awsome film!" Kryten2X4B523P, Mubi
Clerks (1994)
The Movie: Kevin Smith's debut sees put-upon convenience store slacker Dante Hicks experience all kinds of shit... and he's not even supposed to be here todau.
Why It Was Loved: This type of talky, zero-budget indie was ten-a-penny during the 90s, but Smith's film stands the test of time because he literally lived it... and so have we.
Typical Online Review: "About three years ago a friend of mine came to school one day raving about the funniest movie he had seen on late night. He talked about this black and white low budget movie about two blue collar losers who talked endlessly about sex. From that description I wasn't anticipating a masterpiece but I decided to rent it anyway. It was probably the best surprise I have ever had. I was laughing the entire time, so much so that I nearly woke up everyone in my house." Anonymous, IMDb
Superman: The Movie (1978)
The Movie: A landmark in big-screen superheroes, where you'll finally believe a man can fly.
Why It Was Loved: It's still a cast-iron template for how to do this sort of thing. Mix genres, get the casting right and the rest will sort itself out.
Typical Online Review: "This film is superb! Perfect, outstanding, touching, tear-jerking, and everything else good one could possibly say! That is because this film was made by people who knew what they were doing, and they knew how to give us a real story." BansheeCreature, IMDb
