(For an explanation of this, read the Introduction.  Other posts in this series can be found here.)

Movies We Still Care About

• Beetlejuice
• Big
• Bull Durham
• Die Hard
• Rain Man
• The Naked Gun
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Other Notable Movies

• They Live
• A Fish Called Wanda

Best Picture Nominees:

• Rain Man (Winner)
• The Accidental Tourist
• Dangerous Liaisons
• Mississippi Burning
• Working Girl

Top Grossing Films (US)

1. Rain Man
2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
3. Coming to America
4. Big
5. Twins
6. Crocodile Dundee II
7. Die Hard
8. The Naked Gun
9. Cocktail
10. Beetlejuice

Rotten Tomatoes Top Movies

1. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (98%)
2. Big (97%)
3. Bull Durham (97%)
4. Midnight Run (95%)
5. Heathers (95%) – Note: Rotten Tomatoes lists this as a 1988 movie, even though it was released in 1989.
6. A Fish Called Wanda (93%)
7. Die Hard (92%)
8. Rain Man (90%)
9. Cinema Paradiso (90%) (This was released in the US in 1990.)

Movies We Still Care About

Beetlejuice

The most Tim Burtony Tim Burton movie.  It established all of the Tim Burton tropes that we know and love.

Here’s the Banana Boat Song scene:

Big

A coming of age story in the literal sense.  It works on a wish-fulfillment level for children who think that being an adult would be awesome.  At the same time, it appeals to adults that wish they could regain a childlike enthusiasm.

Bull Durham

To be honest, I just don’t care about baseball, which means that I never cared about this movie.  But I acknowledge that a lot of people consider to be one of the best ever sports movies, and I would be remiss in leaving it off this list.  Those of you who love it are welcome to discuss your reasons in the comments.

Die Hard

One of the best action movies of all time.  It didn’t invent the concept of an ordinary man in the wrong place at the wrong time having to battle an overwhelming force, but it executed it so well that ever since every other film like that has been described as “Die Hard in [context].”

Fun fact: Due to contractual obligations, the role of John McClane was initially offered to a then 72-year-old Frank Sinatra.  Thankfully he turned it down.  Otherwise, it would have been known as either an embarrassing joke, or as the film that killed Old Blue Eyes.  The lead was then offered to Arnold Schwarzenegger, with the idea that Die Hard would be a sequel to Commando.  When that didn’t work, they eventually chose Bruce Willis, who was known as a sit-com actor from Moonlighting.  And Di Hard instantly turned him into one of the biggest action stars around.

Anyway, here’s one of the best action sequences ever put on film:

And one of the best action movie lines of all time:

And because it’s okay to affectionately mock something you love, here’s the CinemaSins episode on Die Hard:

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Do you disagree with any of these choices, or think that I missed something?  Leave a comment below.