Warner Bros. (USA): 304

Clean and Sober (1988) is an American drama film directed by Glenn Gordon Caron. It follows Daryl Poynter, a successful but self-destructive real estate salesman in Philadelphia who struggles with cocaine addiction. After embezzling $92,000 from his company’s escrow account, he loses an additional $52,000 to his drug habit and poor stock market investments. One morning, he wakes up next to a woman who suffered a cocaine overdose and attempts to hide the situation from the police. However, they are aware of what happened. On top of that, there is the issue of the missing money. With no escape plan, Daryl heads to ...

Lethal Weapon (1987), an  American buddy cop film, was directed and co-produced by Richard Donner, written by Shane Black, and also co-produced by Joel Silver. After the recent loss of his wife, Martin Riggs, a former Special Forces soldier and narcotics Sergeant in the LAPD, has become erratic and suicidal. The captain of the police department believes Riggs is pretending to be mentally unstable in order to retire with a large pension. As a result, he assigns Riggs to work with Roger Murtaugh, an experienced Homicide ...

Over the Top (1987) is an American sports drama featuring Sylvester Stallone in the lead role. The film was both produced and directed by Menahem Golan. Lincoln Hawk is a hardworking truck driver who also competes in arm wrestling for some extra income. His ex-wife Christina, who is suffering from a heart condition, asks that he pick up their son Michael from military school and try to establish a relationship with him – after all, Hawk had left them ten years ago. However, Michael’s affluent grandfather, Christina’s father Jason Cutler, doesn’t ...

Empire of the Sun (1987) is an American epic coming-of-age war film, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Tom Stoppard. It is based on J.G. Ballard’s semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. Set amid Japan’s invasion of China during World War II, the story follows Jamie ‘Jim’ Graham, a British schoolboy from a privileged background living in Shanghai’s International Settlement. When Japan begins occupying the city after attacking Pearl Harbor, Jamie’s family evacuates but he ...

Directed by George P. Cosmatos, Cobra (1986) is an American action film featuring Sylvester Stallone as the titular character. When a shooting at a Los Angeles supermarket turns into a hostage situation, Lt. Marion ‘Cobra’ Cobretti of the renowned ‘Zombie Squad’ is called upon by the police department to resolve it. Facing off against the shooter, who voices his belief in social Darwinism and talks of a ‘New World’, Cobretti takes him down before he can harm any hostages. As detectives process the crime scene, Cobretti receives a ...

The Mission (1986) is a British historical drama directed by Roland Joffé and written by Robert Bolt. It follows the journey of Jesuit priest Father Gabriel as he travels to the eastern Paraguayan jungle in the 1750s to convert the native Guaraní people to Christianity. While attempting to make contact with them, another priest is tragically thrown off Iguazu Falls. Father Gabriel then ventures to the falls himself, playing his oboe in hopes of reaching out to the Guaraní. However, one of the natives breaks his instrument in half. Despite this, Father Gabriel remains ...

Fandango (1985), an American comedy directed by Kevin Reynolds, takes place at a fraternity house on the University of Texas campus in Austin. At the party, Gardner Barnes from a group known as the Groovers is seen throwing darts at a picture of himself and his ex-girlfriend Debbie. He then heads downstairs to rejoin the festivities, but not before ripping the photo in half. Also present at the party are Kenneth Waggener, engaged to be married, and ROTC geek Phil Hicks. Phil’s parents arrive just in time to witness another Groover named Lester pass out (and remain unconscious for most of the film) and meet Dorman, ...

Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), directed by Tim Burton, follows Pee-wee Herman’s quest to find his beloved, heavily accessorized bicycle. His neighbor and rival, Francis Buxton, has his sights set on the bike and Dottie, an employee at a bike shop, has a crush on Pee-wee. However, he does not reciprocate her feelings. As Pee-wee embarks on a shopping spree, his bike is stolen. Though the police are not concerned about the theft, Pee-wee suspects Francis and confronts him. Francis’ father assures him that his son had nothing to do with it. Desperate to retrieve his prized possession, Pee-wee offers a ...

The American spy comedy film Spies Like Us (1985), directed by John Landis and starring Chevy Chase, tells the story of two men who dream of becoming secret agents. Austin Millbarge, a code breaker stationed in the dark basement of the Pentagon, longs to leave his unappreciated job behind. Meanwhile, Emmett Fitz-Hume, a wisecracking diplomat’s son, takes the foreign service exam under pressure from his peers. Despite attempting to bribe his way to success, Fitz-Hume resorts to cheating during the test after all else fails. Millbarge, on the other hand, was caught ...

The American epic coming-of-age period drama film, The Color Purple (1985), directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Menno Meyjes, is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Alice Walker. The story follows Celie Harris in early 20th-century rural Hartwell, Georgia, a teenage African-American girl. After secretly giving birth to two children, her father quickly takes them from her and gives them away. Despite this hardship, Celie finds solace in her strong bond with her younger sister Nettie as they ...

The American neo-noir psychological mystery crime action thriller film, Tightrope (1984), was both directed and written by Richard Tuggle. The main focus of the movie is a young woman who is stalked while walking home from her birthday party. Upon dropping one of her presents, a supposed police officer offers to walk her to her front door. However, it is later revealed that this policeman is actually the stalker himself. The following day, divorced New Orleans detective Wes Block and his daughters Penny and Amanda, discover a stray dog and decide to take it in despite already having several strays at home. As they ...

The film City Heat (1984) follows the comedic crime-capers of two former friends turned rivals, Mike Murphy and Lieutenant Speer. Set in Kansas City during the Great Depression, Speer visits a diner for coffee and is soon interrupted by two men seeking out Murphy. Despite their history as friends on the police force, tensions arise as the men fight over the affection of Murphy’s secretary Addy. As Murphy moves on with a new love interest, socialite Caroline Howley, he struggles with commitment while still caught up in his rivalry with Speer. Directed by Richard Benjamin and written by Blake Edwards, this American buddy-comedy stars Clint Eastwood and Burt ...

Once Upon a Time in America (1984) is an epic crime film co-written and directed by Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone. In 1933, three thugs scour the city for a man known as ‘Noodles’ to extract information from him through violent means. They eventually end up at a wayang theater, where the owners lead them to a secret opium den within the establishment and warn Noodles of their presence. However, Noodles is not bothered by their threats as he is under the influence of drugs and reading a newspaper detailing the deaths of bootleggers Patrick Goldberg, Philip Stein and Maximilian Bercovicz. He remembers ...

The American spy drama film, The Little Drummer Girl (1984), directed by George Roy Hill and adapted from John le Carré’s novel of the same name, takes place in Europe and the Middle East. It follows the Mossad’s covert mission to expose a PLO bomber known as Khalil. In order to eliminate Khalil, they initially abduct (and ultimately execute) his brother, who is delivering speeches in a ski mask about the suffering and losses of Palestine under military control. Charlie, an American actress in London with anti-Zionist views, is lured to Greece under false ...

Sudden Impact (1983), an American neo-noir action thriller film and the fourth installment of the Dirty Harry series, follows artist Jennifer Spencer and her sister Beth as they are brutally attacked by a gang in 1973. Sadly, the attack leaves Beth catatonic. Ten years pass before Spencer takes matters into her own hands and takes revenge on one of the criminals, George Wilburn, in San Francisco. She then returns to her hometown of San Paulo to seek out the remaining criminals. Meanwhile, Inspector Harry Callahan is once again frustrated when a judge dismisses his case due to his direct methods. At his go-to diner, he manages to thwart a robbery and take down ...

Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) is an American science fiction anthology film helmed by notable producers Steven Spielberg and John Landis. Inspired by the 1959–1964 TV series of the same name created by Rod Serling, the movie showcases four distinct tales directed by Landis, Spielberg, Joe Dante, and George Miller. Whereas

The American comedy-drama film, The World According to Garp (1982), was produced and directed by George Roy Hill. Its main character, T.S. Garp, is the son of a strong-minded feminist named Jenny Fields, who desired a child but not a husband. Jenny was a nurse during World War II and met a dying ball turret gunner known only as Technical Sergeant Garp – after whom she named her child. As Garp grows up, he becomes passionate about wrestling and writing, subjects that do not interest his mother much. However, his writing catches the attention of Helen Holm – the daughter of the school’s wrestling coach ...

Blade Runner (1982), a science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, has a complex history due to the involvement of studio executives. The controversy resulted in seven different versions of the film, including a director’s cut in 1992 which was released after positive feedback on a test screening of a workprint. The movie gained popularity through video rentals and was one of the first to be released on DVD. In 2007, Warner Bros. released The Final Cut, a ...

Starring Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke, Bronco Billy (1980) is an American Western comedy-drama film. He works as a stuntman in his troupe’s traveling circus, known as ‘Bronco Billy’s Wild West Show’, which bears resemblance to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. As the owner and operator of the show, Bronco Billy performs in front of a small audience. His finale involves shooting balloons around his assistant on a rotating disc while blindfolded, followed by throwing a knife at the final balloon. However, due to the assistant’s accidental ...

Any Which Way You Can (1980), directed by Buddy Van Horn, is an American action comedy film. Philo Beddoe, who previously threw a fight with Tank Murdock, continues to participate in underground bare-knuckle boxing matches two years later. He resides with his family and orangutan Clyde, and ultimately decides to retire from fighting when he realizes he has grown to enjoy the pain. One night at his favorite bar, Philo reunites with his ex-girlfriend Lynn Halsey-Taylor, a country-western singer who apologizes for their past issues. The two rekindle their relationship and move in together. The Black Widows biker gang, who ...