Courtesy Warner Bros.

My childhood was defined by ‘80s movies, music, fashion, and malls. It was a fantastically colorful, loud, fun and progressive decade to live through (although not as good as we have it today).

Although every decade has its share of hit films, the ‘80s are especially known for their irreverent, imaginative, and spectacular movies. Heck, they even invented “the blockbuster.”

If I could only watch 20 movies from the ‘80s, what would they be? In my opinion, you won’t find anything more iconic, classic, and radical than these:

1. Back to The Future. A high school senior helps a mad scientist travel back in time to save the future? I’m in.
2. The Empire Strikes Back. Star Wars on steroids with one of the biggest plot twists in cinema.
3. Ghostbusters. Spooky and funny.
4. Raiders of The Lost Ark. The most perfect intro in all of cinema and a wonderful adventure (Last Crudade is just as good).
5. Top Gun. I’ll be your wingman any time.
6. The Goonies. This was everything I ever wanted in life as a boy.
7. E.T. The inventor of blockbusters. Bonus points for making dangling keys seem villainous.
8. The Karate Kid. Finish him!
9. Die Hard. A fantastic and innovative script, premise, and total production brimming with great acting. A Christmas movie to boot!
10. Big Trouble in Little China. Easily the most fun action movie on this list.
11. Some Kind of Wonderful. The greatest rom com of the decade.
12. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. So good.
13. Predator. Get to the choppa!
14. The Thing. A man-eating, shape-shifting alien terrorizing the South Pole.
15. Princess Bride. Does anybody want a peanut?
16. Aliens. The first movie was a ‘70s icon. This movie is an action-horror masterpiece that inspired dozens of films and video games that followed.
17. The Breakfast Club. More of a stage play with captivating acting in a single room.
18. The Lost Boys. Teenage vampires take California!
19. The Terminator. I’ll be back.
20. The Shining. Here’s Johnny!

What are your favorite ‘80s movies?

Honorable mention: Raising Arizona, but the Coen Brothers really hit their stride in the ‘90s with The Big Lebowski and Fargo (and latter No Country For Old Men).