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Arts & Entertainment

Great Escape: Back to the Future

Let's drive the DeLorean on a 1980s nostalgia trip.

When I was casting around for fun things to do this past weekend, two of my friends suggested seeing Terry Gilliam’s "Time Bandits" (1981), which was showing at Silver Spring’s AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center as part of its 1980s retrospective: "Totally Awesome 5: Great Films of the 1980s."

It's AFI's fifth annual 1980s film festival — hence that number five in the series title. AFI is offering some good choices, including "The Sure Thing" (1985), "Stand by Me" (1986), and "The Princess Bride" (1987). The series offers a great chance to see some classic films on the big screen again, and indeed, we got to see Terry Gilliam’s rollicking time travel epic on the biggest AFI screen.

This idea of time travel got me going on a 1980s nostalgia bender. After I stopped shuddering uncontrollably when I recalled some of my outfits — “shoulder pads, leggings, leg warmers, what was I…” — I realized that I still like a lot of 80s music: Blondie, Talking Heads, Fine Young Cannibals, the B-52’s all still sound good.

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When I decided that some of those movies might be worth seeing again with friends; I also started daydreaming about my own awesome 1980s retrospective evening.

So, here’s the dream: First rent some movies. I don’t still have my VCR—remember those?—but most of these films are available as DVDs on Netflix or at the library. Here are my top picks for an awesome '80s movie night: "Desperately Seeking Susan" (1985), "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off" (1986), "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987), "Working Girl" (1988), and "Heathers" (1989).

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I had to make some hard choices to select just five, but these films seemed to represent the cultural yearnings of that decade, whether depicting longings to remake oneself as a successful “yuppie” professional, run with the cool crowd (or do away with them), be reborn as artistic free spirit or just have a day off.

For music, I still have the boom box I bought in 1989, and I still play CDs on it. I wish I still had some of my old party and road trip mix tapes though. But here are some hits that definitely made it into the dream: “Tainted Love,” “Call Me,” “1999,” “Rock Lobster,” “Beat It,” “Burning Down the House”, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)."

As far as snacks go, the Internet tells me that Diet Coke debuted in 1982 and Cherry Coke in 1985. My friends and I drank “lite” beer and wine coolers. Stephen Spielberg’s "E.T." popularized Reese’s Pieces candies in 1982, and it was in the '80s that I first saw pints of “premium” ice cream in the grocery stores.

During this decade I left the suburbs and first lived in a big city. Now, I remember the 1980s as the time when I was first exposed to international food: hot and sour soup, Pad Thai, fajitas, and sushi. So the dream evolved into a carryout potluck, where I diminished the sugar high from all of that ice cream, candy, and soda.

Why the nostalgia for the 1980s? In the uncertain present of economic, environmental and geopolitical crises, an escape to a simpler past with seemingly limitless possibilities is always appealing. It’s tempting to dream of going back, doing it all over and getting it right this time. Hey, it worked for Marty McFly!

Share your suggestions for a Totally Awesome 1980s party in the comments. I’d love to hear what your top five film picks from that decade would be. What music does your '80s mix tape contain? Do you still have clothing from the era? This summer’s "Totally Awesome 5: Great Films of the 1980s" series is running until Sept. 7 at the AFI Silver Theater, but this is one party you could also throw on your own — and be sure to invite me.

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