The Year in Review- 1984

   It was the year Arnold first dropped that immortal line while Axel F. made his first trip to the West Coast. Salieri may or may not have killed Mozart, we REALLY liked Sally Field, and Sergio Leone bid farewell. Ghosts and gremlins were all over the place and Ralph Macchio delivered the kick heard 'round the world. Hear are the ten best films in order for 1984.

1. "The Terminator"(1984)
If I traveled back in time to 1984, and told people that the director of "Piranha II" and that Austrian weightlifter would be responsible for a genre-defining landmark that would become permanently imbedded in pop culture, I'd look crazier than Kyle Reese. Well, that's exactly what happened with this gritty, low-budget sci-fi tale that wasn't supposed to be any more sophisticated than countless other films of it's kind. But the compelling story, exhilarating action, and Schwarzenegger's instantly iconic performance blew away critics and audiences alike to the point where a sequel was demanded, and 1991's "T2" was sure as hell worth the seven-year wait. Arnold aggressively ran with the momentum to improbably become one of the biggest stars on the planet, while James Cameron made a couple more movies you may have heard of("Titanic", Avatar"). In other words, nothing's been the same since.

2. "Amadeus"(1984)
The legend of Mozart, the eponymous 18th Century musical genius, received glorious treatment by director Milos Forman("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"). The story is told in extended flashbacks by his aging, bitter, less talented rival Salieri(F. Murray Abraham) while he is locked in an asylum, alluding to the fact that he was Mozart's murderer. Historical accuracy is rarely a top priority in Hollywood and mythmaking is always more entertaining than the truth, but every other aspect of this lavish film is of the highest order. It's easily one of the strongest Best Picture winners of the 1980s, making it unusual that the haunting Abraham and the giddy Tom Hulce never reached these acting heights again.

3. "Beverly Hills Cop"(1984)
Eddie Murphy was, without a doubt, the hottest comedic performer of the decade, thanks to this franchise-starting mega-hit that sent his popularity soaring to rock star levels for the duration of the Reagan era. Pop culture history was forever altered when Sylvester Stallone departed the film over budget restraints, allowing the brash, young "48 Hrs." phenom to save the day for super-producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. Eddie never bettered his first go-around as hip Detroit cop Axl Foley, the smiling centerpiece of a forty-year film career. Martin Brest's equally-assured direction, an exuberant soundtrack, and the lovably square duo of Judge Reinhold and John Ashton, helped make "Cop" the archetypal action comedy.

4. "Ghostbusters"(1984)
The SNL gang truly arrived as a big screen force in 1984 and the film comedy landscape is still feeling the effects. I shouldn't have to tell anyone in the civilized world that Ivan Reitman sent Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis running around NYC in jumpsuits and proton packs and made one of the most ludicrously entertaining blockbusters of all time. Nor do I have to tell you about Slimer, Sigourney Weaver getting possessed, or the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. This movie was a genuine phenomenon that made Murray a permanent movie star(and Aykroyd a temporary one) as well as spawning a hit theme song, an animated series, and a 1989 sequel. Ghostbusters III is inevitable, but the chances of a new crew replacing the old one are slim to none. I know who I'm still gonna call.

5. "The Karate Kid"(1984) Many feel that 1984 was one of the best years ever for pure entertainment in a movie theater. It's hard to argue with all this evidence. Director John G. Avildsen recognized that the "Rocky" underdog formula he helped establish could easily be applied to martial arts and the hellish world of high school. Ralph Macchio is very likeable as our put-upon teen hero Daniel LaRusso, and Pat Morita is effortlessly endearing as his wizened old mentor Mr. Miyagi. Together with Michael Kamen's relatable screenplay, they formed one of the decade's premiere double acts. Who didn't love seeing blonde bully William Zabka and his creepy cohorts get their comeuppance? Kids all over the country stood up and cheered, karate school attendance skyrocketed, and three sequels(to date) cemented a fandom that enthusiastically continues on TV's "Cobra Kai".

6. "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"(1984) This 1935-set prequel places our glistening idol(a godly Harrison Ford) on a dangerous quest to retrieve three sacred stones from a bloodthirtsy cult in India. Dr. Jones is joined by future Mrs. Spielberg Kate Capshaw, Chinese orphan Short Round(Ke Huy Quan), and another rousing John Williams score. The last half-hour is a breathless banger, with the runaway mine-car chase and the rope-bridge sequence both ranking high on the series' highlight reel. But Spielberg was uncomfortable with the dark midsection that franchise co-creator George Lucas insisted upon. Black magic, human sacrifice, enslaved children?! The "E.T." director has said that this is his least favorite Indy adventure, and "Doom" was primarily responsible for the creation of the PG-13 rating. Endless airings on basic cable, robust DVD sales, and(ahem) "Crystal Skull" have since cast this film in a much more favorable light. No apology was ever needed for such an expertly-crafted thrill ride.

7. "The Killing Fields"(1984) The '80s wasn't ALL fun and games. There were some "serious" films being made, in case you can't tell from this picture. The Cambodian Civil War was reenacted in harrowing fashion by debuting director Roland Joffe, in the only real threat to "Amadeus" at the 1985 Oscars. Haing S. Ngor, an actual survivor of the real-life slaughter, had no prior acting experience when he won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as photojournalist Dith Pran. His life was saved by his ties to American journalist Sydney Schanberg(Sam Waterson) and Vietnam photographer Al Rockoff(John Malkovich). "Fields" is a tense history lesson that deserves more attention that it gets in the 21st Century.

8. "Once Upon a Time in America"(1984)
In an alternate reality, Sergio Leone's sprawling gangster epic rivals "The Godfather" in the pantheon of classic crime flicks. In our reality however, the spaghetti Western maestro was forced to cut his three hour and forty-nine minute would-be masterpiece down to a mere two hours and change to accommodate the short attention spans of summertime audiences. The movie received lukewarm reviews, flopped financially, and a heartbroken Leone never worked again. An ambitious video release included all the footage that was originally intended a few years later, sparking a full critical reevaluation. Lengthy flashbacks fleshed out the violent saga of Robert De Niro's Prohibition era hood 'Noodles' and this is now the only accepted version. As impressive as this restoration is, it was too late for awards or recognition from non-film geeks. "America" ultimately goes down as one of modern cinema's greatest 'what ifs'.

9. "Places in the Heart"(1984)
The early '80s was a fruitful time for Hollywood leading ladies with Meryl Streep, Sissy Spacek, and Jane Fonda regularly enjoying as much respect and recognition as their male counterparts. Five years after her rabble-rousing turn in "Norma Rae", Sally Field officially joined the sorority in this moving period drama from "Kramer vs. Kramer" director Robert Benton. Sally is fierce yet fragile as a Texas widow desperately trying to remain in possession of her family farm during the Great Depression. She gets a little help from three soon-to-be stars- Danny Glover's handyman/drifter, John Malkovich's blind houseguest(big year for him), and brother-in-law Ed Harris. This film may be best remembered for Field's "You like me" Oscar speech, but you won't regret giving it a revisit.

10. "Gremlins"(1984)
Chris Columbus of "Home Alone" and "Harry Potter" fame, was a struggling NYC film student when he wrote this manic horror-comedy that drew inspiration from "E.T." and the 1943 Roald Dahl book of the same name. With the invaluable refinement of producer Steven Spielberg, director Joe Dante unleashed his delightfully destructive creatures on a sleepy suburb, and audiences turned out in droves. Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates bring youthful energy and innocence to the peculiar proceedings, Howie Mandel voiced the hugely-marketable Gizmo, and Oscar-winning FX artist Chris Walas made the most of puppets and an $11 million budget. Released the SAME DAY as "Ghostbusters"(June 8th), it was was another anarchic '80s phenomenon. "Gremlins 2: The New Batch" didn't make as big a splash in 1990, but these crazy critters just have to get the reboot treatment some day.

Honorable Mentions- "Mrs. Soffel"(1984) is played by Diane Keaton. "Broadway Danny Rose"(1984) Woody Allen babysits Mia Farrow. "Footloose"(1984) I still can't get the song out of my head. "This Is Spinal Tap"(1984) This cult mock rock-umentary was Rob Reiner's directorial breakthrough. "Splash"(1984) Ron Howard gives Tom Hanks a movie career. "Sixteen Candles"(1984) Molly Ringwald in John Hughes' directorial debut. "Romancing the Stone"(1984) Michael Douglas romances Kathleen Turner. "The Dollmaker"(1984) Jane Fonda won an Emmy for the top TV movie of the year. "The Bounty"(1984) Mel Gibson vs. Anthony Hopkins on the high seas. "Paris, Texas"(1984) Wim Wenders and Harry Dean Stanton win the Palm d'Or.

"The Natural"(1984) Robert Redford plays baseball. "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock"(1984) Leonard Nimoy directs Christopher Lloyd as a Klingon villain. "The Pope of Greenwich Village"(1984) Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts. "The Muppets Take Manhattan"(1984) Kids can't resist Jim Henson's felt puppets. "Tightrope"(1984) Men can't resist Clint Eastwood as an ornery cop. "Dreamscape"(1984) Dennis Quaid invades your subconscious. "Blood Simple"(1984) The Coen brothers come to our attention. "Irreconcilable Differences"(1984) Ryan O'Neal and Shelley Long make-up and breakup. "The Burning Bed"(1984) Farrah Fawcett sets fire to her husband. "A Nightmare on Elm Street"(1984) Wes Craven creates Freddy Krueger. "Missing in Action"(1984) The best of Chuck Norris. "2010: The Year We Make Contact"(1984) This Peter Hyams-directed sequel to "2001" is worth a look. "Protocol"(1984) Goldie Hawn works for the government. "A Passage to India"(1984) David Lean's farewell. "Birdy"(1984) Nick Cage and Mathew Modine elevate this offbeat Alan Parker drama. "Starman"(1984) Jeff Bridges as a benevolent alien. "The River"(1984) Sissy Spacek and Mel Gibson make ends meet. "Mickie & Maude"(1984) Dudley Moore was a movie star.