We have already looked back at some of the movies that are celebrating their 10th and 20th anniversary in 2016... now we go back to 1986 and the movies that we were watching back then.
Platoon
Yes, hard to believe, but movies that were released in 1986 are thirty years old this year and many are still as good now as they were back then.
Which films were enjoying back in 1986? We take a look at some of the best that hit the big screen that year.
- Aliens
James Cameron took over this sci-fi franchise in 1986 when he directed Aliens, which was the sequel to the 1979 film Alien - which had been a massive hit. As well as being in the director's chair for the film, Cameron has also penned the screenplay.
The movie saw Sigourney Weaver reprise the central role of Ripley and she was joined on the cast list by Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, William Hope, and Bill Paxton.
Aliens follows Ripley as she returns to the planet where she and her crew encountered the hostile alien in the first film... this time she is accompanied by a unit of space marines.
As sequel go, Aliens is up there as one of the best as Cameron delivers a visceral visual experience that will truly send a shiver down your spine. It surpasses its predecessor in terms of spectacle as Cameron really up the stakes when it comes to the look and the special effects in the film.
Weaver gives another terrific performance as Ripley, who has gone on to be regarded as one of the greatest female film characters of all time. Once again, Weaver found that perfect balance between strength and vulnerability as she comes face to face with this creature for the second time.
Upon release, Aliens was both a critical and commercial smash and went on to pick up seven Oscar nominations, including a nod for Best Actress for Weaver. Aliens won the awards for Best Sound Effects and Best Visual Effects.
The Alien film series is regarded as one of the best sci-fi franchises of all time but it is Alien and Aliens that remains the standout films in this series.
- Platoon
When it comes to war movies, there are few that are better than Platoon. The war genre is one that I do particularly enjoy and the Oliver Stone-directed film really is up there as one of my all-time favourites.
Platoon was only the fourth feature film of Stone's career and it drew on his own personal and harrowing experiences of the Vietnam War, which really does give the movie a raw and incredibly real feel. This is not a glamorised Hollywood war movie as Stone gives audiences an insight into the brutality of guerrilla warfare.
Platoon is an unsympathetic film it doesn't gloss over the troubles in Vietnam to suit and American cinema going audience. Stone depicts some soldiers as violent killers who struggle with seeing their friends injured, killed, and take out their rage on the locals.
Stone also showed controversial issues within the U.S. army such as drug abuse, which has largely been speculated upon in recent years, the bullying behaviour by more experienced soldiers on the new, inexperienced recruits and the killing of unpopular officers. Stone is not afraid to shy away from these issues and fearlessly shows a barrage of powerful images that highlight the horror and carnage that the American soldiers faced and endured on a daily basis.
For me, Platoon is one of Stone's finest moments as a director and he really did set the bar high for any other movie that depicted the Vietnam War.
Platoon was one of the biggest critical hits of 1986 - the film hit the big screen in the UK at the beginning of 1987 - and it went on to win four Oscars; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, and Best Film Editing. It was nominated for a further four.
- Hannah and Her Sisters
Woody Allen also returned to the director's chair in 1986 with drama Hannah and Her Sisters, which came just a year after the release of The Purple Rose of Cairo in 1985. As well as being in the director's chair, Allen was, once again, on writing duties and penned the screenplay.
Hannah and Her Sisters was another of Allen movies that explored relationships. Set between two Thanksgivings, the movie follows Hannah, whose husband falls in love with her sister Lee, while her ex-husband rekindles his relationship with her other sister Holly. Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey, and Dianne Wiest took on the central roles of Hannah, Lee and Holly, while Michael Caine, Carrie Fisher, and Allen were also on the cast list.
Hannah and Her Sisters is quite a complicated story narrative wise and yet, Allen weaves all of the strands and characters together brilliantly - largely thanks to having such a well-written script. The result is a funny and smart movie about relationships and family bonds.
An imperfect family takes centre stage in the film and yet, the central characters of Hannah, Lee and Holly are ones that we can all relate to. Farrow, Hershey and Wiest are just terrific as the movie explores the human emotion with a touching sincerity.
At the time of release, Hannah and Her Sisters was Allen's biggest box office hit - it remained his most successful film at the box office until the release of Midnight in Paris in 2011.
The movie went on to be nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. It went on to scoop three gongs; Best Supporting Actor for Caine, Best Supporting Actress, for Wiest, and Best Original Screenplay for Allen.
- Top Gun
When it comes to 1986 movies, there were none that was bigger than Top Gun, which saw Tom Cruise lead an all-star cast as he took on the central and iconic role of Maverick.
The movie saw Cruise team up with filmmaker Tony Scott; Top Gun was only the third feature film of his career and came after Loving Memory and The Hunger. This was the movie that was to help put the director on the map.
As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom. Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, and Tom Skerritt joined Cruise on the cast list.
Top Gun really is a thrilling ride and the ariel sequences truly are the standout and memorable moments in the whole film. It is these moments that makes you forget that this is a bit of a cheesy film.
Cruise delivers a great performance as Maverick, a young trainee pilot who brings an arrogance and swagger that is just perfect for the role.
Top Gun was a huge hit at the box office that year and grossed over $365 million - it ended 1986 as the highest grossing film of the year.
- A Room with a View
One of the standout British movies of 1986 came in the form of A Room With A View, with was a Merchant Ivory film and was an adaptation of the novel of the same name by E.M. Forster.
Helena Bonham Carter took on the central role of Lucy in the film and was joined on the cast list by Maggie Smith, Daniel Day-Lewis, Julian Sands, Denholm Elliott, Simon Callow, and Judi Dench.
Set during the Edwardian era of England, A Room With a View finds Lucy (Bonham-Carter), a young British lady, who is facing a dilemma - should she accept a safe marriage to Cecil (Day-Lewis) or choose the unpredictability of the charismatic George (Sands) whom she met while on a tour of the continent?
A Room With A View is one of the best Merchant Ivory movies and is a movie that is an entertaining delight; this really is a fine example of British period filmmaking.
This is a movie that is elegant, packed with heart and charm, as well as having an unexpected humour.
Helen Bonham Carter is wonderful as Lucy, in a movie that was to be her major breakthrough role. She has a wonderful on-screen relationship with Maggie Smith, who also gives a great performance as Lucy's older cousin and chaperone.
A Room With A View went on to pick up eight Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture and Best Director.
- Mona Lisa
Another British film that whipped up a storm in 1986 came in the form of crime/drama Mona Lisa, which saw Bob Hoskins return to the big screen.
Mona Lisa saw Neil Jordan return to the director's chair for the third feature film of his career. Jordan also teamed up with David Leland to pen the film's screenplay.
The movie follows George (Hoskins), who has just been released from prison and lands a job as a driver for a high-class prostitute called Simone (Cathy Tyson). While the pair doesn't get on a first, they develop a friendship and George takes a protective interest in the young woman.
Mona Lisa is a dark and gritty film and yet there is real heart at its core - that is largely thanks to the terrific central performance from Hoskins.
Hoskins has delivered some wonderful performances during his career, but Mona Lisa really is up there as one of the best. From the moment that you meet George you are rooting for him to succeed and make a better life for himself.
Hoskins' performance won him acclaim and he went on to win the Best Actor Bafta and Golden Globe. He did pick up an Oscar nomination for his performance, but lost out to Paul Newman for The Color of Money.
Other movies include Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Crocodile Dundee, and Children of a Lesser God.