The FilmNerds Blog

It’s been a long ride already but we’ve made it through the first ten films on our countdown of the Top 50 films of the year 1983. Ten films in, I’m actually quite pleasantly surprised at the overall quality of the films. Looking down the list, the road ahead of me contains quite a few of what I believe will be stereotypically bad ’80s genre films but this first group of ten included several movies that I feel really hold up well almost 30 years later. All ten of these films are available on Netflix for those of you who would like to sample some of them for yourselves and in addition to including links to my full reviews I’ve written for the blog, I’ve also included trailers for each film and links to the 1983 reviews by Roger Ebert (when available) and the film critics of the New York Times. I’ve also handed out some awards and superlatives for the group of ten at the end of the list.

50. Educating Rita

Review: http://filmnerds.com/blog/2009/10/26/no-50-educating-rita/

Ebert: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19831028/REVIEWS/310280301/1023

NYT: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9F00E3D71138F932A1575AC0A965948260

.

49. Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life

Review: http://filmnerds.com/blog/2009/11/03/no-49-monty-pythons-the-meaning-of-life/

Ebert: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19830401/REVIEWS/304010301/1023

NYT: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F03E4D7123BF932A05750C0A965948260

.

48. Cheech & Chong Still Smokin’

Review: http://filmnerds.com/blog/2009/11/18/no-49-cheech-and-chongs-still-smokin/

Ebert: N/A

NYT: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F01E7D9103BF934A35756C0A965948260

.

47. Gorky Park

Review: http://filmnerds.com/blog/2009/12/09/no-47-gorky-park/

Ebert: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19831216/REVIEWS/312160301/1023

NYT: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B04E1D91738F935A25751C1A965948260

.

46. D.C. Cab

Review: http://filmnerds.com/blog/2010/01/29/no-46-d-c-cab/

Ebert: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19831222/REVIEWS/312220301/1023

NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/16/arts/film-dc-cab-humor.html?scp=2&sq=D.C.%20Cab&st=cse
.

45. Richard Pryor: Here and Now

Review: http://filmnerds.com/blog/2010/04/21/no-45-richard-pryor-here-and-now/

Ebert: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19831028/REVIEWS/310280302/1023

NYT: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=990DE3D6133BF93BA15753C1A965948260

44. Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone

Review: http://filmnerds.com/blog/2010/05/13/no-44-spacehunter-adventures-in-the-forbidden-zone/

Ebert: N/A

NYT: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9A04E6D9103BF932A15756C0A965948260

43. Krull

Review: http://filmnerds.com/blog/2010/05/21/no-44-krull/

Ebert: N/A

NYT: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F02E1DA143BF93AA15754C0A965948260

.

.

42. All the Right Moves

Review: http://filmnerds.com/blog/2010/06/02/no-42-all-the-right-moves/

Ebert: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19831025/REVIEWS/310250301/1023

NYT: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9504E0DC123BF932A15753C1A965948260

.

41. Valley Girl

Review: http://filmnerds.com/blog/2010/06/07/no-41-valley-girl/

Ebert: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19830429/REVIEWS/304290302/1023

NYT: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C05E7D9103BF93AA15757C0A965948260

.

Best of 50-41

Best Male Performance: Chris Penn in All the Right Moves
Honorable Mention: Nicholas Cage in Valley Girl

Best Female Performance: Julie Walters in Educating Rita
Honorable Mention: Lea Thompson in All the Right Moves

Best Score/Music: Krull (score by James Horner)
Honorable Mention: Valley Girl (New Wave soundtrack)

Must-See for 2010 Viewers: All the Right Moves
Honorable Mention: Gorky Park