Top 100 movies of the 1980s: #9

9. Back to the Future, 1985
Director: Robert Zemeckis

Back to the Future is the ultimate epitome of summer blockbuster family films. It is the perfect combination of comedy, science-fiction, adventure, and thrills. It has an incredibly charismatic lead performance from Michael J. Fox and who could forget the demented Doc Brown, portrayed by Christopher Lloyd. Add Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson as Marty McFly's parents as well as Thomas F. Wilson as Biff and you have quite the colorful cast of characters. But that perfect blend of comedy and adventure allows the film to be as fun as it is exciting. The plot of time travel can often be confusing, but here the stakes are pretty clear and the way they have fun with the time travel aspects of it is endlessly amusing.

A film in which almost every scene is memorable and every other scene is iconic. The film's secret weapon is its script which is filled with so many great lines, there isn't a single moment where the film feels off. Back to the Future is everything a summer blockbuster should be. It's one of those films where it's impossible to find a single detractor. In fact, anyone who views Back to the Future in a negative manner is either insane or they have no soul.

How can you not love Marty McFly's rendition of Johnny B. Goode, a song everyone seems to be enjoying until McFly goes off on a crazy guitar solo which nobody understands. And then there's Biff who is the perfect amount of villain and dumbass. Lea Thompson, who looks incredibly beautiful in the '50s, it's no wonder why Marty McFly almost fell for her, as creepy as that sounds... it's his damn mother, after all.

Back to the Future is the reason we go to the movies in the first place, or at least it used to be. I think, deep down, we all crave to see a movie which perfectly captures our imaginations and actually goes beyond where our imaginations could possibly go. It's also a film that you can watch forever. The concept is so sound that the sequel really isn't all too bad, in fact, I would say Back to the Future II is actually pretty solid. The third one though is a bit of disappointment, but they're all worth watching because of the foundation that was left with the first film. Even now I wouldn't mind another venture into the past or the future with these great characters.