Fabulous 80s film picks for quality family binge time

Many of us are finding ourselves with more time at home than we’re accustomed to. Schools have closed, companies have enacted remote work policies for office employees, and everyone is being asked to practice social distancing to #FlattenTheCurve. This new and unexpected time together is an opportunity for mothers to spend quality time with their children.

With all of this new togetherness, it’s the perfect chance to rediscover some of your own childhood movies and have these old favorites become new family classics. Binging some great movies together can provide everyone some much-needed stress relief, helps mellow the stress of quarantine, and is exactly the nostalgia-filled activity we need right now.

There are no right and wrong ways to watch this, but going in order of age of the movies, by the years they were released and as you would have watched them yourself as a child, might be a fun way to tackle the list.

Dark Crystal: Out in 1982, this movie is an 80s classic. With an eclectic storyline centered around the salvation of an alien race, this movie touches on sacrifice and friendship. Created by Jim Henson of "The Muppets" and "Sesame Street" fame. The weird factor is pretty high but that also makes it quintessential 80s. Rated PG.

The Secret of NIHM: This is a 1982 film based on an earlier children’s book, this film tells the story of a mother mouse who will go to any lengths to save her family. Moms will especially feel this acutely right now as they watch Mrs. Brisby struggle to keep her children safe from illness and a changing world she has little control over. Rated G.

ET: This is the movie that introduced many of us to extraterrestrials. In 1982 we met ET. Elliot meets an alien who is stuck on earth, alone, and hides him in his home. Together with his brother and sister, they help ET contact his world and safety. This movie also introduced 80s kids to suspicion about the government’s motives. Rated PG.

The Neverending Story: This 1984 film opens with the lure of a forbidden story. Reading a book throws Bastian into the life of Atreyu—a boy on a quest to save his world. Bastian learns what hardship and sacrifice are about, and watching this movie provided one of the 80s most heartbreaking scenes: Artax in the swamp. Rated PG.

Ghostbusters: Not only does this movie have some of the most catchy music of any of the films on this list, it has New York City as it was in 1984, when it was released. Your kids might not be wowed by the special effects but they can enjoy that for us, this was pretty cool stuff. Make sure your kids are able to understand why “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts” will forever be a classic. Rated PG.

16 Candles: This is for the families with some older kids at home. 1984 introduced us to Molly Ringwald and the timeless drama of teen angst. Dating, love, and whether or not your body is just right will resonate just as well now as it did then. It’s rated PG but this isn’t something I’d personally watch with an 8-year-old.

The Breakfast Club: This came out in 1985 and explores the stereotypes we fall into in high school, and how even those who look like they have it all together can really be suffering on the inside. This is especially good to watch with teens while you’re doing a forced disconnect from social life to evaluate why we pick the friends we do, whether our choices are making us happy, and how much high school can suck for everyone. Rated R.

Goonies: This might have been released in 1985 but some of the themes apply just as much today. The band of friends in this movie are trying to save their homes from foreclosure and instead discover a treasure map. They learn to not judge people by their appearances, and moms, when you watch this, you will remember how much freedom we had as kids to roam the neighborhood. Rated PG.

The Black Cauldron: I don’t know why this Disney movie doesn’t get more love, because it’s pretty awesome. Classic 1985 vibes, too. Based loosely on the Horned King mythology of Welsh origin, you could even do some sort of homeschool unit study on this if you’re looking to eat up time and do a deep dive. Rated PG.

Labyrinth: This movie makes me realize a lot of 80s movies involve people reading from books and it becomes the plot. 1986 sends us David Bowie as the Goblin King. This movie is bizarre. It’s true. But it’s also so 80s from the clothes, the hair, the music, the costumes… all of it. Watch it. Relive what made the 80s so unique. Rated PG.

Pretty in Pink: Ever feel like you didn’t fit in and everyone else had things figured out? 1986 and Pretty in Pink is your jam, then. Friends who love each other, class and social dynamics, and the angst around American prom all make for some really intense nostalgia that can also spark good discussion with teens about respect, love, and dating. Rated PG-13.

American Tail: I’m going to be honest, I watched this movie a crazy amount. It came out in 1986 and I can still sing you the songs. I’ll spare you that experience, but this movie is fantastic. Fieval Mousekewitz goes to America, loses his family, and has to find them. Watch this again if for no other reason than “There Are No Cats In America.” Rated G.

Dirty Dancing: This is another one where the music alone will bring you right back to when you were younger, yourself. No one puts Baby in the corner, right? Love, dancing, haves and have-nots… this film is probably better for kids who will either just enjoy the dancing or be ready to talk out the plot. 1987 and PG-13.

The Princess Bride: This 1987 movie is another that starts with a book. Seriously, 80s, what was the deal? Perhaps one of the most quoted, memed, gifed movies I can think of, your kids need to see this to understand all of the cultural references that have sparked from one film. The timeless tale (don’t @me, I stand by this) of Westley, Princess Buttercup, Inigo Montoya, and the lame Prince Humperdinck. Rated PG.

My Neighbor Totoro: This 1988 film was the first introduction for many of us to Hayao Miyazaki. In a current event tie in, the mother in this movie is in the hospital, recovering from an illness. This might especially be timely to talk to children about illness and how important family is. Rated G.

Honey, I Shrunk The Kids: 1989 brought us this sc-fi movie. I was four when this came out and the giant ant was pretty intense. I still love this, though, and my kids have enjoyed it, too. It’s also a pretty wild look at what we thought tech would look like from an 80s perspective. Rated PG.

I know that the world is surreal and constantly changing right now, and it’s hard to know what the next day will bring. Following the news really intensely is its own kind of stress in the moment, so sometimes disconnecting and binging on nostalgic and safe movies with your kids can help everyone. Introduce your kids to the classics from the 80s. It will help all of you.