10 Awesomely Bad 80s Movies I Can’t Wait to Watch With My Kids

As a child of the 80s, I grew up with leg warmers, Punk rock music and Rubik’s cube. But nothing, and I mean nothing, beats the awesomely bad 80s movies.

Movie makers were just figuring out that kids (not just adults) were willing to spend their money at the movies in the 80s.

And with this new-found fountain of revenue came a level of courage that made the movie producers unafraid to make ridiculously bad movies. I couldn’t be more grateful.

Now that I have kids of my own, I find myself wishing they were just a bit older so I could share with them these awesomely bad 80s movies of my childhood.

And, to be honest, I’m shocked at just how bad and inappropriate a lot of the content is.

And yet, I’m wishing to watch these movies once again.

Unfortunately, my sons just aren’t old enough yet. But good things come to those who wait.

And wait I will.

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10 Awesomely Bad 80s Movie I Can't Wait to Watch With My Kids

Awesomely Bad 80s Movies

32 Comments

  1. YES to Space Camp! Loved Better Off Dead too. I don’t think I could watch Revenge of the Nerds with my kids – I’d be WAY embarrassed – although I loved that movie.

    1. I think Revenge of the Nerds will be for when they are MUCH older.

  2. As a fellow child of the 80’s I love this list!! We introduced my kids to Goonies at a young age, and they also love Explorers (with a very young Ethan Hawk). So much great cheesy awesomeness came out of the 80’s!

  3. Huh. I was expecting to have seen most of these… I’ve seen less than half! I guess I’ll have to watch them and see if I think my kids will enjoy them. 🙂

    Stopping by from Bloppy Bloggers.

  4. Better Off Dead – Best movie ever! My husband and I still quote lines from that movie.

  5. Oh god I remember Revenge Of The Nerds and their sequels! I have to admit I wasn’t a fan of Grease 2. It’s not Grease. Something was missing in it.

    1. Ana Lynn, it’s a good thing I’m familiar with your blog or I may have to block you from my page for not liking Grease 2!!!! 😉 It’s just so BAD it GOOD. But I guess it’s not for everyone. 🙂

  6. What great choices….I totally forgot some of those existed!! lol What a blast from the past x

    1. Hubby and I were just saying I think it’s time to watch these again without the boys. I’d love a trip down memory lane.

  7. You do know that Revenge of the Nerds has what is essentially a rape scene, but makes it “ok” because he is just so good at sex that all is forgiven, right? What do you think that is going to teach your children?

    1. It’s been ages since I’ve seen that movie, and I really don’t remember that scene. Huh. Now I’m going to have to look into it and maybe take it off my list. Thanks for the heads up.

  8. Grease 2 was bad.

    Revenge of the Nerds is a classic.

    And if you ever to go an A’s baseball game in Oakland-you need to do “The Bernie Lean”.

  9. My son would love Real Genius and my daughter will enjoy Grease. 80’s, that seemed like a long time ago! I want a do over! LOL

    1. The 80s do seem forever ago, don’t they? But I still quote a lot of these movies. (How sad is that?)

  10. I remember watching Mannequin and Grease 2! Yeah, wouldn’t want to watch it with my kids either! 😀

  11. So many “great” movies! I remember thinking that I could totally break dance after watching Breakin. That never really happened.

    1. LOL! I don’t think I even tried. I guess I just accepted that limitation in myself. Ha!

  12. Space Camp! I forgot about that one.

    Two dollars. I want my two dollars!

    And who can forget the sequel to Breakin’? Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo. Oh yeah.

    Totally pinning to my Totally Teen 80’s Movies Pinterest board.

  13. lol this post is great. There were so many cheesy movies in the 80’s. I think I’ve watched all the ones you mentioned.

  14. Loved these! Pump Up the Volume and Just One of the Guys were also my favorites!
    Oh and Heathers!

    1. Oh my goodness. Just One of the Guys would definitely be one of those awesomely bad movies. Heathers is just awesome!

  15. My brother and I LOVED Real Genius when we were growing up! The one movie, though, that we were completely obsessed with in the 80s was PeeWees Big Adventure! LOL! We made our poor parents watch that one about a dozen times a week ha ha! To this day, every time I hear the song “Tequila” I can’t resist doing the moves from “the big shoe dance” (as it was referred to in my family)!

    1. Of course! I love that movie!!! “I’m a rebel, Dottie. A loner.” Such a great movie 🙂

  16. Considering the sex scenes in Revenge of the Nerds(and the innuendos) I won’t watch it with kids, but I do love Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Mannequin. Remember Solar Babies? And Nadia… ahhh memories!

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