So you’ve lost your job and are having trouble finding a new one, money is tight, and you might lose your house. What you really need is a fun, lighthearted movie from better times that is capable of distracting you from your many woes. A diversion for at least ninety minutes. The time was the eighties; a time of big hair and fanny packs and the following wonderfully distracting movies.
But first, how do you get these movies? You obviously can’t buy them and even renting might be too expensive. The solution is the public library. Most libraries have DVD selections these days, and they are completely free. All of these movies are from the eighties, so the library should have them.
1) The Princess Bride : In my opinion, one of the best films ever made. It has everything, romance, true love, dread pirates, a giant, righteous vengeance, intrigue and, of course, rodents of unusual size (ROUSs). The perfect movie to watch with your family, now that you don’t have a job to go to. My favourite scene is when Westly as the Dread Pirate Roberts and the Sicilian have a battle of wits. Priceless.
2) Ghostbusters and
3) Ghostbusters 2 : At the start of Ghostbusters, Venkman, Ray and Egon are in the same economic boat you are. They’ve lost their jobs and have no place to live. They start a business busting ghosts and within very short order, their economic problems are over. Wouldn’t it be great to see someone overcome economic hardship? And save the world while they do it? How can you worry about your monetary problems when New York is being destroyed by a giant marshmallow?
4) Back to the Future
5) Back to the Future II
6) Back to the Future III : Marty McFly travels back in time and helps his parent hook up, he then travels forward to help his children, and then way back to save Doc’s life. These are fun, lighthearted movie about time travel and easily available plutonium. There are flying cars, time-traveling steam engines and rock and roll guitar solos, what’s not to like?
7) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off : A boy in high-school fakes being sick and takes a day off and it is one of the best movies of all time. Stealing his friend Cameron’s Dad’s (very nice) Ferrari, Ferris, Cameron and Ferris’ girlfriend, run around downtown Chicago, trying to have as much fun as possible while avoiding Ferris’ dad and the school principal. The high point has go to be the scene where Ferris hijacks a parade and has the entire downtown Chicago area twisting and shouting. Whatever is happening in your life, it is impossible not to smile at this scene.
8) Spaceballs : Great spoof of the original Star Wars (which was released in the seventies, invalidating itself from this list). Lone Starr, in his flying winnebago, must use the shwartz to face the evil Dark Helmet. He also must help Princess Vespa protect her planet from having it’s air stolen by the same Dark Helmet.
