Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

Adapted from Cameron Crowe’s book, this funny and insightful comedy provides a glimpse into Southern California teen life from high school to the mall as seen through the eyes of several very different students. Highlighted by Sean Penn’s performance as stoned surfer dude Jeff Spicoli, the cast also includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, and Ray Walston; look for Nicolas Cage, Anthony Edwards, Eric Stoltz, and Forest Whitaker in early roles; directed by Amy Heckerling. 90 min. C/Rtg: R

Fletch (1985)

Chevy Chase stars as Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher, an unorthodox reporter with a penchant for wacky disguises and outrageous aliases (including Ted Nugent and Harry S. Truman) who gets involved in a murder plot when he’s commissioned by a terminally ill rich man who wants Fletch to kill him so his wife can collect the insurance money. Tim Matheson, Joe Don Baker, and Geena Davis co-star in this comedic thriller, based on the best-selling novel by George McDonald. 98 min. C/Rtg: PG

Weird Science (1985)

Tired of being shot down by girls, a pair of high school science geeks (Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith) try to craft a computer program that will design the "perfect woman," but a freak power surge brings their idealized creation (Kelly LeBrock) to life! The stunning simulacrum winds up giving life lessons to her makers in John Hughes’ classic teen farce. Bill Paxton, Robert Downey, Jr. co-star. 94 min. C/Rtg: PG-13

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Jock Andrew (Emilio Estevez), nerd Brian (Anthony Michael Hall), hood John (Judd Nelson), princess Claire (Molly Ringwald), and weird-girl Allison (Ally Sheedy) each had their reasons for having to spend Saturday in high school detention. The long and revelatory day together, though, showed the disparate kids they had more in common than any of them ever thought possible. Writer/director John Hughes’ acclaimed, generation-defining teen drama co-stars Paul Gleason, John Kapelos. 97 min. C/Rtg: R

The Secret Of My Success (1987)

Brantley Foster (Michael J. Fox) is an ambitious recent college grad who gets a job in the mailroom of multi-million-dollar corporation run by his uncle (Richard Jordan). In order to get ahead, Foster creates the persona of a successful executive and soon finds himself falling for a pretty co-worker (Helen Slater) and fighting off the lustful advances of his uncle’s wife (Margaret Whitton). Funny tale of upward mobility also stars Fred Gwynne, John Pankow. 111 min. C/Rtg: PG-13

Dragnet (1987)

Here are the facts, Ma’am: Dan Aykroyd is Sgt. Joe Friday, following in his famed uncle’s gumshoed footsteps. Tom Hanks is Friday’s unconventional, wise-cracking partner, Det. Pep Streebek. Can these mismatched cops work together in order to take down the sinister P.A.G.A.N. (People Against Goodness and Normalcy) cult, in this hilarious spoof of the classic TV series? With Dabney Coleman, Christopher Plummer, Alexandra Paul, and Harry Morgan as Capt. Bill Gannon. 106 min. C/Rtg: PG-13

The Great Outdoors (1988)

When Chet Ripley (John Candy) takes his family up to the woods for a peaceful vacation, he doesn’t count on the obnoxious clan of brother-in-law Roman Craig (Dan Aykroyd) tagging along. As the men and their families try to get along, the find their shared tension heightened by a water ski trip, a bear attack, a steak-eating contest, and other hilarious obstacles. Can they learn to get along? With Annette Bening, Stephanie Faracy, Chris Young. 91 min. C/Rtg: PG

Uncle Buck (1989)

When they leave town for an emergency, a staid suburban Chicago couple reluctantly taps the family failure--the unemployed and irresponsible Uncle Buck (John Candy)--to babysit their under-nurtured brood. While his young nephew (Macaulay Culkin) and niece (Gaby Hoffman) take to him right away, Buck continually clashes with the discontented teenaged Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly). Writer/director John Hughes’ warm and funny comedy co-stars Amy Madigan, Laurie Metcalf. 100 min. C/Rtg: PG

The ’Burbs (1989)

Suburban dad Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) and his barbecue buddies from the block make like the Hardy Boys sleuth-wise when the weirdness of their night-roaming, trash bag-burying new neighbors reaches Munsteresque proportions. Safe-as-lawn-darts neighborhood farce from director Joe Dante co-stars Carrie Fisher, Bruce Dern, Rick Ducommun, Brother Theodore. 102 min. C/Rtg: PG

The Wizard (1989)

On the news that his divorced dad (Beau Bridges) was going to institutionalize his emotionally troubled brother Jimmy (Luke Edwards), Corey Woods (Fred Savage) took his sib and fled home. After linking up with a resourceful runaway (future Rilo Kiley lead singer Jenny Lewis)--and discovering Jimmy’s savant-like knack for video games--the three headed to Vegas after a $50,000 tournament purse. Era-redolent family adventure co-stars Christian Slater, Sam McMurray. 100 min. C/Rtg: PG